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Market Movers - April 4th, 2017
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 - 12:00pm ET
Market Movers - April 4th, 2017
Philipp Pfitzenmaier - Trade with Precision
Kick start your trading each Tuesday with this regular feature from the trading team at Trade With Precision. With so much going on in the market each week, how can we spot opportunities across multiple markets and time frames? Join us weekly for this insightful live webinar where we will focus on technical and trend analysis across major markets to answer this question, plus:
- Utilizing a trade strategy for long and short positions
- Building your own trading strategy using technical analysis
- View on current markets for the week ahead
- How to trade your strategies with Nadex Binaries and Spreads
- Market scenarios, possible outcomes and set-ups to consider
- Market moving news events for the week ahead


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Prospect of the Week (1.30.12)
This season Bolt Prospects introduced our Prospect of the Week award, an honor (virtually) given to one Tampa Bay Lightning prospect for their on-ice contributions. There are no trophies or plaques, but we are considering paying for a Super Bowl commercial to highlight the winner(s). It's how much? Never mind. Just assume that when Danica and the GoDaddy.com commercials tell you to go to the Web to "see more†that you're going to a highlight package of our Prospect of the Week.
We just wanted to highlight prospects throughout the year to help fans get better acquainted with the next round of Lightning stars while recognizing the prospect's achievement on the ice.
This week's BP Prospect of the Week award goes to … Adam Wilcox (Tri-City, USHL) and Alex Killorn (Harvard, NCAA).
Our first co-winners.
Wilcox went 3-0 in the last nine days for a struggling Tri-City Storm squad that has been in the Western Conference basement for most of the year. Thanks to Wilcox and his three straight First Star awards last week, the Storm were able to move ahead of Sioux Falls into second-last place. They are now just one point behind Des Moines to move up another spot on the table and into the West's final playoff spot. They sit just two points out of fifth.
Wilcox, a sixth round pick of the Lightning last summer, stopped 37 shots on January 21 in a 3-2 home win over Waterloo. He followed that up with two 32-save efforts last week, beating Omaha in Omaha then Sioux falls at home in a shootout. Both games were also 3-2 wins, and Wilcox was taking the final bow at the end of each game.
For the year, Wilcox has a 13-10-3 record with Green Bay and Tri-City. He has a 2.82 GAA and his .913 save percentage for the season ranks fourth in the league.
Next year Wilcox is slated to join the University of Minnesota hockey program where he will be competing for ice time on one of the most storied programs in collegiate hockey. For the rest of this year, he's trying to get his team into the playoffs.
This week's co-winner, Alex Killorn, played in two games last weekend and notched the game-winning goal in both contests. The Harvard senior and 2007 third round draft pick of the Bolts put on a show Friday night against Yale before a national television audience on the new NBC Sports Network.
Killorn scored on a wrap-around in the first period, then with just over a minute left in the game banged home his own rebound to give the Crimson a 4-3 win. He drew frequent praise from the NBC commentating crew and about the only thing negative someone could say about his effort on Friday was he got caught digging a bat out of the cave on nation-wide TV. Sometimes bats need to be freed, however, and Killorn called it a "power move†on Twitter that night.
For the season Killorn has 14 goals and 12 assists in 20 games, which leads the Crimson.
At 6'1†and nearly 220 points Killorn looked like a man among boys during the game, using physical play and positioning at both ends of the ice and delivering timely hits. His physical-readiness combined with his hockey IQ and skill-set make him one of just a few forwards in the system to have a legitimate shot at earning a roster spot in Tampa next fall. Killorn has to be signed first, which is close to a guarantee at this point. He's ready for pro hockey and could join the Norfolk Admirals for their playoff run (pending a contract).
Previous BP Prospects of the Week:
Nikita Kucherov, CSKA Jr. (Russia) - January 24, 2012
Riku Helenius, JYP (Finland) - January 16, 2012
Brett Connolly, Canada (U20 WJC) - January 10, 2012
*Due to the Christmas break when few games below the NHL level were played, no POTW award was given.
Mark Barberio, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - December 19, 2011
Vladislav Namestnikov, London Knights (OHL) - December 12, 2011
Tyler Johnson, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - December 5, 2011
Alex Killorn, Harvard (NCAA) - November 28, 2011
Nikita Kucherov, Team Russia/CSKA Jr. (MHL) - November 21, 2011
Vladislav Namestnikov, London Knights (OHL) - November 14, 2011
Dustin Tokarski, Norfolk Admirals (AHL) - November 6, 2011
Riku Helenius, JYP (Finland) - October 30, 2011
Matthew Peca, Quinnipiac Bobcats - October 23, 2011
Radko Gudas, Norfolk Admirals - October 16, 2011
Carter Ashton, Norfolk Admirals - October 9, 2011
Brett Connolly, Tampa Bay Lightning - October 2, 2011
Mattias Ritola, Tampa Bay Lightning - September 25, 2011
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ENGS 155: Intermediate Thermodynamics
The concepts of work, heat and thermodynamic properties are reviewed. Special consideration is given to derivation of entropy through information theory and statistical mechanics. Chemical and phase equilibria are studied and applied to industrial processes. Many thermodynamic processes are analyzed; the concept of exergy is used to evaluate their performance and identify ways to improve their efficiency.


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Good Morning: It's Saturday again...
Accuracy in Forecasting -- Is What it is All About:
This all dates back to over 50 years of my work / analytics of Raw Data Interpretation and Inflection Points.
I have written a large number of articles on my Methodology which is based on the early and clear Forecasting and Identification of all Inflection Points. I know of no other source of information and data that provides LEADING guidance with this consistent accuracy.
All my articles are based on "My Methodology" - You might consider spending some time reviewing the following URL: http://www.safehaven.com/article/27312/my-methodology
The Market for the Past Week
Well the "Switching between Bullish and Bearish" each week continues.
Permit me to make this point over and over again. You must separate - a "News" driven Market from the Real Thing! The "Real Thing" is a "Pure Data Driven Market." It's a wheat from the chaff world and few people / investors seem to understand. This past few months should explain that remark in spades.
This past couple of years has become a "News" Driven and I believe a Political influenced manipulate Stock Market. This is producing an invisible "Bubble" that is going to Blindside both Investors and the Mutual Fund Analysts severely.
We are back to a Nothing Week. That should be very Bearish because we are back in Earnings Season. That too was Flat. This week Intel took it on the chin by over 6%. Very Ominous! The dominos are falling and nobody is paying attention. I just smile and let my Methodology do its thing.
My Fundamental - Valuations and Technical Indicators are working very, very well. And regarding the Financials my Fundamental - Valuations and Technical Indicators are telling me this Bearish story quite clearly. Believe me, My Analytic studies are definitely - Working Very, Very Well!
The Administration and Wall Street are setting up its People for a massive - Humpty-Dumpty Fall. Remember the saying: All the Kings horses and all the Kings men could't...
I remain Bearish and I / We (Clients) are definitely "Bearish." The Bounce / Mini-Rally I have Forecast - remains and is (barely) still in place. I am so sorry it takes so much Patience and Discipline to follow my Forecasts and understand the Marketplace. (Please see my Inflection Point Count on StockCharts Public List - see below for the URLs).
I will repeat this paragraph until the cows come home and they are not coming home in the for-seeable future: Remember, there is only one thing that can DELAY an Accurate Forecast -- That is - "NEWS." I hope you agree that, like always "NEWS" is manufactured and often very, very misleading. For me, the Fiscal Cliff thing was and now has become just another Washington joke. The shenanigans that go on, each and every day are not worth your energy of trying to read about or figure out. Learn to just smile.
My Forecast - Bounce / Mini-Rally is also still in place but now is the time when I get very surgical. I have said that for 3 weeks and for 3 weeks Apple, now Intel and many, many fine companies have had a Humpty-Dumpty FALL.
Repeating: The U.S. Economy has been propped up for decades by DEBT. The Government is in DEBT, and that has licensed the People to be in DEBT. The Japanese were the greatest Savers in modern time. Twenty years ago their Government - Changed the Rules - and today the Japanese are no longer - like in the U.S. - good Savers. Oh, by the way - Japan is in Deep Pucky - Economically and so is the U.S!
Repeating: Perhaps rubbing it in just a bit -- Repeating: My June and October Forecast for Apple, Inc. was and is very accurate. I have used AAPL as a Bellwether for years and it is as good as any Indicator you might use. I am not so sure Apple, Inc. will not look a lot like Microsoft Corp. did over the past decade - that is after the next decade is over. That too is a Warning. Good Company Indicators are hard to find and they definitely don't last.
In this supposed powerful Bullish week you might have a look at the performance of Apple, Inc. High: $555 / Low: $509 / Close: $527. Those number are telling you a great story but my experience is that few people pay attention to details like this. It won't be long before AAPL resumes its current Down-Trend.
Closing at $500 with a low of $483 it is off its high of $702 by over 25% and down for the Week. Twenty percent is considered a Bear Market by most "Market Experts Opinons." Hells / Bells - those guys and gals have not been right for decades. So, Apple, Inc. is having its own Bear Market. Last Saturday I Said: I am forecasting a rally in Apple again, but that will likely be - "only a nice bounce." It is following my Forecast - check it/me out for accuracy.
Remember, Apple, Inc. is one of my Bellwether Companies that I follow very closely.
Since I turned Bearish on Apple, Inc. the darling of Wall Street I have lost Followers and gained new Clients. That should tell you something about the kind of people that Follow the Blogs and don't bother to engage their brain when they read those many, many Blogs.
More on that tomorrow - exclusively in my Sunday (morning) "Client Weekly ("Rather Detailed") Forecast - Update."
Here is what I have said for weeks about the U.S. Recession: ""the U.S. is in an (unannounced) Recession, that and much more will be "announced" AFTER the Election. I believe you will find that -- nine European Countries are IN Formal / Announced Recessions. The U.S. and some Asian Countries are also in peril.""
The coming U.S. Recession will be very, very hurtful for the People. My Passport says on the first page "We the People." "People" is not a revered word for the leadership of most Countries in this world - any more. It (the Recession) will be "Cleansing" and that is good but you will see and be living in a very different world in the next few years.
For the week, the NY and the Nasdaq was FLAT due to Investors become more sober about the Negative Economy and Earnings. The last Pull Back lasted eight weeks.
My Fundamental - Valuation Work / Forecast of -- Not such good Earnings was again endorsed and magnified this past week.
Europe and Asia are not doing any better despite what you read.
Not a pretty picture for the foreseeable future...
My Inflection Point (I . P .) Count and Now - More
It closed the week Up as would be expected at 87. So far in this "Bounce / Mini-Rally" is telling us that my Forecast for a General Market -- Pull-Back is coming sooner rather than later. The damned "News" and "Minuplation" is distorting the health of the Marketplace - Big-Time! Apple, Inc. has been telling this story for a few months now. Remember "News" can change that picture very quickly and often does! I continue to be impressed with the "Accuracy" and "Sensitivity" of My Proprietary Indicator. I am now adding a second Market Indicator. Check it out.
I have recently written another fancy technical program that goes even further into the "guts and bones" of my I. P. Count Indicator. It caught the rally two days before it happened and this newest program gave over one week notice. For me, that is impressive!
See page three of: http://stockcharts.com/public/1616666
I Do Not Believe in or use a Crystal Ball -- Weegie Board - Witching Stick! My "stuff" requires many hours of using my experience (good and bad), grinding through an enormous amount of data and hard work!
You might want to stay in touch with My Proprietary Indicator. Go to: http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=$INDU&p=W&yr=1&mn=6&dy=0&id=p79023347983&a=270034212
I now use 6 proprietary Technical Tools that can only be created and monitored by using data input to Excel graphics.
This might just be the best Indicator I have ever seen! "Plug In" -- You might be impressed too?
Repeating: I continue to find little to nothing to de-rail my position that the U.S. is already in an (unannounced) Recession -- and -- that a "Confirmed" Bearish Inflection Point is well over due.
My Forecast - Bounce / Mini-Rally has now materialized and it is Not Over Yet - despite Apple and many other Companies plummeting.
My "Stuff" / Methodology works very well for both Me and My Clients for over 50 years with only two set-backs.
Summary for the Week
* The Stock Market - (Indices) was Up - NY and Nasdaq this past Week as Forecast!
* The Stock Market - (Breadth) continued Up this past Week as Forecast!
* The Stock Market - (Insiders) was Up this past Week as Forecast!
* The Stock Market - (High Yield Bonds) was Up this past Week as Forecast!
Weekly Conclusion: They (the above) are currently and generally - In Sync. And they all have serious Deteriorating (Bearish) Technical Indicators. Understand that: There is an important difference with each of these Market Indicators... I know of no Financial Analyst that has an Accurate Handle on - these four important and key Market Indicators.
My November Forecast for a Bounce / Mini-Rally is still in force.
Note: My Forecast for the General Market (Indices / Breadth / Insider / Bond Yield) is Bearish, but REQUIRES "Confirmations" to be activated. Until my "Confirmations" are in place (Kick-In) I cannot take further Bearish Positions.
Treasuries were as expected Up, just a bit for the week. I have Forecast for well over a month that: A Pull Back is in the making. That Forecast is accurate for 6 weeks now having a Flat Top. Last week I said: Two weeks age I changed my Forecast to Bullish. Investing in Treasuries that have been moving sideways since September 2011 is not a good way to Invest Your Money! Warnings / Forecasts were offered then and now! This week is just another - wait and see proposition.
The U.S. Dollar was Up, just a bit for the week. Note the divergence between Tresuries and the Dollar. Investors think the track exactly - The Don't! The Dollar seems to be leading Treasuries for several months - that could be the case. As for the Market the Dollar would be considered quite Bearish for the past three weeks. Hum... My (quite accurate) Forecast Rally now looks like it is beginning to Top. This week looks like there is more Downside coming.
Oil (Crude) was Up for the week. Last Week I said: "A Mini-Rally is in force, however I would expect a pull back to begin again rather soon." Crude Oil has been down since early September. That too was Forecast. This week it remains very Toppy!
Gold was Down, just a bit for the week. Is a rally in the making? I have recently said that I won't participate for awhile. That may change, I will have a long look at the Miners today and I'll let you know... Remember the Highs were way back in August 2011 at $1925. The current price of $1664 is a long ways from getting excited again.
The Gold Bugs are always excited and seldom have much to support their excitement. From what I read -- they too are just doing their thing (losing money) for the past year or so! This week it is continuing to prepare for a to Rally.
Silver was Up for the week. (Leading Gold?) Same question - is a rally in the making? Yes, but I would wait awhile. Is Silver currently tracking Gold - or - vice-versa? Again, I will be doing my Homework.
Commodities (Comprehensive) was Up for the week. "After my Forecast September to December of a Pull-Back - I now Forecast that a Rally is in the making." Turning Up this week is notable. I keep close tabs on these Commodities, they too are great Indicators for knowing the future direction of the Stock Market. This week it is another - wait and see situation.
I hope and invite you to permit me to reply your Questions and Thoughts.
My Email Address: firstname.lastname@example.com
For SafeHaven.com Readers
The following are the 13 Companies and 13 ETFs that I providing Articles and Alerts / Warnings. Remember, these are only my Bellwether Companies as a partial guide to use my Rotation Model to Identify the Currently Most Favorable Companies and ETFs to consider at the time of the above mentioned Inflection Points.
13 Companies & 13 ETFs - (Included in my On Going Articles and Forecasts here in SafeHaven.com): AA, AAPL, BAC, C, CMCSA, CSCO, F, GE, GOOG, INTC, MSFT, AT&T, XOM,BJK, IAI, IAT, IGV, KOL, XAR, XBI, XES, XHB, XME, XOP, XPH, XSD. (To view my 20-Year Charts for Companies and / or 5-Year Charts for ETF for any of the above Symbols - just Click on the Symbol).
StockCharts (High Profile - Bellwether Companies) Public List: http://stockcharts.com/public/1616666
I hope you will become a regular Follower and perhaps a valued Client. My work / analytics should be very compelling for your considering working with me.
Smile, Have Fun - "Investing Wisely,"


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From CNBC.com:
Retail Property Has Worst Second Quarter in 30 Years
"U.S. store closings and cutbacks turned the second quarter into the worst for strip mall owners in 30 years, as budget-conscious consumers flocked to low-cost warehouse-style grocery centers, according to a report by real estate research firm Reis. Strip malls, which are usually anchored by grocery or drug stores, saw average vacancies spike 0.5 percentage points to 8.2 percent, a level unseen since 1995, according to the report released on Monday. Vacancies at regional malls rose 0.4 percentage points to 6.3 percent, the highest level since the first quarter of 2002, according to the preliminary results."This has GGP's name written all over it. If you haven'thad the pleasure, peruse the GGP tome - GGP and the type of investigative analysis you will not get from your brokerage house. GGP is probably the most overvalued and debt laden commercial REIT that I know of.
I have been warning of this occurance since September of last year. GGP is in a vary precarious position, with signficant lease turnover in an ever increasingly soft market, recession looming and pressuring the retail mall front and vendor business models, and most importantly a collapsed credit market (see "Reggie Middleton on the Asset Securitization Crisis" latest installment) at a time when they need to refinance billions of dollars of high LTV debt ASAP.
A growing list of retailers shuttered stores ahead of lease expirations or chose not to renew leases, and as newly completed space hit the market without signed tenants.
Starbucks cnbc_quoteComponent_init_getData("sbux","WSODQ_COMPONENT_SBUX_ID0E4G15839609","WSODQ","true","ID0E4G15839609","off","false"); recently said it would close 600 stores by March. GAP is looking to give up some of the 40 million square feet of retail space its leases. That's in addition to the growing list of retailers, such as Linen 'n Things and Goody's Family Clothing, which filed for bankruptcy protection.
Consumers are constrained by increases in food and energy costs, as well as the cost of servicing debt run up during the housing boom. In addition to cutting back on clothing, jewelry and nonessentials, they have turned to lower-price grocers such as Wal-Mart cnbc_quoteComponent_init_getData("wmt","WSODQ_COMPONENT_WMT_ID0EEJAC15839609","WSODQ","true","ID0EEJAC15839609","off","false"); at the expense of the upper end usually found at strip malls, such as Whole Foods Market Reis said.
Preliminary figures show that regional malls were barely able to raise rents, with just an anemic 0.2 percent rise excluding concessions, its weakest gain since the second quarter.


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Caledonia gas station manager's quick actions prevent catastrophe
Passerby tries to put out flames
It was a frightening scene Tuesday night in Caledonia when the driver of an SUV lost control and plowed into a gas pump, which started on fire.
WISN 12 News reporter Nick Bohr talked to the quick-thinking manager about what he did to prevent a catastrophe.
Manager Rohit Patel had to act quickly to hit the emergency stop button on the fuel flow.
"I heard the high-powered sound and then the boom. Then I go outside and turn the emergency button off. And then the fire started, flames like 4, 5 feet high, and then after, I called 911," Patel said.
He then tried to help the driver.
"I go over there, and I ask the woman, 'Are you OK?', And at that time, I didn't see any movement," Patel said.
Rohit said a passerby saw the fire, stopped and ran up, saying he was a firefighter. The man broke the glass, grabbed the fire extinguisher and tried to put the fire out.
He tried valiantly, but then gave up when he didn't make any progress. On-duty firefighters arrived moments later to extinguish the flames.
In the light of day, the station shows the damage as well as the charred remains of the pump lying nearby in the grass.
It has put Rohit's gas sales out of business until repairs can be completed, and his convenience store sales stifled for the lack of traffic, so those repairs can't come soon enough.
Caledonia police aren't releasing any information about the driver's condition. Bohr was not able to reach her at her Racine home.


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Q&A: Jason Mathers, senior manager, Green Freight, Environmental Defense Fund
HDT: Tell me about the Environmental Defense Fund and what you do.
Mathers: We're a national environmental advocacy organization. One of the core ways we work to advance environmental solutions is working collaboratively with companies to identify and promote and demonstrate best practices that can save companies money and reduce environmental impact.
We work mostly with shippers to identify how they can become more efficient at distribution and logistics operations.
For instance, with Ocean Spray they looked at adding a distribution center to their network, which dramatically cut down on outbound freight times and allowed them to change one lane from truck to intermodal. [Paper company] Boise was able to work with Office Max, a key customer, to facilitate some direct rail moves of products going to Office Max stores, where the Boise DC and the Office Max DC both had rail access.
These are indicative of changes we want to see other shippers do. We are highlighting these as examples of ways companies are becoming more efficient and reducing environmental impact.
That's given me a lot of exposure and insight into how companies interact with the trucking industry and into some of the key ways the trucking industry operates.
So I'm collaborating a lot with some colleagues who are focused on regulatory efforts to reduce carbon emissions, and one of the key priorities for our organization over the coming years is to advance strong fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas standards in the heavy-duty truck space. I've been working with our regulator team to provide recommendations to the agencies on how we would like to see a rule structured, but also engaging in discussions with manufacturers, fleets and shippers about how we can create a rule that meets their business needs and also meets the environmental imperative.
HDT: Many in the trucking industry view environmental groups with distrust, seeing visions of left-wing activists roosting in trees to save the spotted owls, for instance. How does your group differ?
Mathers: I know trucking industry and environmental advocates have had a difference of opinion. But I also think we have been able to work together in a regulatory environment and come up with some really strong rules in the past.
What the trucking industry has done to cut particulate matter and NOx emissions has been outstanding. Those are down 95% from where they were two decades ago, and that means tens of thousands of lives saved. I know that's been hard, but I also think there's been understanding built through those efforts. We have better trucks today, we have cleaner trucks today, and from a health perspective we're in a better space.
In the first phase of the greenhouse gas rule, you saw organizations like mine standing with Con-way and FedEx and Cummins as the president was signing these rules into effect. So there was broad support of the first phase rule that reflected a shared understanding of the goals we all want to reach.
From my perspective, we understand trucking is vital today and is going to be vital 20 years from now. We also understand that trucking is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. It's about 6% of U.S. GHG emissions. Over the next 20 year that's going to be going up to potentially about 8%, or 130 million metric tons – at a time when our best science tells us we need to be cutting climate pollution on the order of 80% or more.
To me the challenge is, how do we continue to benefit from the great services of trucking, and also meet our obligations to our children and grandchildren to cut carbon pollution? The next round of the standards is one of several things we need to do.
HDT: As you've been working more closely with trucking and shippers, what about trucking surprised you or challenged preconceived notions?
Mathers: I've been impressed with the desire of folks in this industry to advance environmental solutions. It really comes through, the desire to be good stewards that this industry has, whether it's meeting with manufacturers or with the fleets or engaging with the freight shippers. There is a broad desire to be able to meet the environmental challenges.
I think that the complexity would be the other thing that really kind of stuck – the layers of the various different type of trucking companies, and how a truck will cycle through different uses over its life cycle.
And the thing that really came out to me was the importance and the critical role of the freight shipper and how ultimately they really can drive an important part of the solution, setting up their networks in a way to maximize productivity, getting at those empty miles, those underutilized miles. Tackling those things are really in the hands of the freight shippers, even though the emissions associated are from the trucking company.
HDT: What are some things trucking companies should be doing?
Mathers: I think these fuel efficiency standards are really critical for trucking. Ultimately that's their biggest source of emissions, the amount of fuel that they're using. Having strong standards in place, well-designed standards that foster the innovation necessary to bring these more efficient, lower-emitting technologies to market, is critical to enable these trucking companies to reduce their fuel consumption and emissions per unit.
I think there's lots of things trucking companies could do in partnership with freight shippers, like co-locating freight, or pushing collaboration that matches one shipper's backhaul with a useful lane for another shipper. There's a role for trucking companies in enabling that coordination. But the most critical thing is to be embracing fuel-saving technology.
HDT: That's easy to say, but how do they decide what technologies they should buy?
Mathers: That's an area where the North American Council for Freight Efficiency has been focusing on, and [the EPA SmartWay program] has played a role here over the years.
Whether it's aerodynamic devices or other steps, what fleets can do now is looking at what's certified from SmartWay, and engaging with groups like NACFE. It's also looking at how trucking fleets can collaborate together and set up some objective testing protocols.
EPA already has certification with SmartWay, and NACFE has done some research to demonstrate for example the [6x2] tag axle. But I also think there's a role for trucking companies to collaborate and push suppliers for some really rigorous testing.
HDT: I assume EDF is involved in the development of the next step of GHG regs?
Mathers: We've been engaged with this for a while now, both internally and with other environmental advocates about key objectives we want in the rule – and also engaging with the manufacturers and fleets and increasingly freight shippers about what they want to see in the rule.
I think at a really high level, we want a rule that is going to deliver emissions reductions that frankly we need over the coming decade. We look out and see what is going on with the EPA's SuperTruck program and what the National Academy of Sciences is saying is technically feasible, and we think it's possible to reduce fuel consumption in the order of 40% below 2010 standards.
In order to do that, trailers need to be part of this next generation of standards. We think that's critical. It also needs to push efficiency in the engine and elsewhere on the vehicle.
From an environmental perspective, we want to see a rule that is going to be cost-effective and going to deliver significant emissions reduction. We would see emissions go down in the neighborhood of about 150 million metric tons from where they otherwise would be, which on an absolute basis would only be a little bit below what they are today.
To give you a sense of why we want to be pushing all these efficient technologies, we need them basically just to stay where we are from emissions perspective because of growing volume of trucking projected over the coming years. Then we need smarter logistics practices, and eventually we're going to need cleaner fuels to cut emissions to the levels required by the best science.
HDT: Where do alternative fuels fit in here?
Mathers: When we look forward to the next phase of the rule, there's clearly going to be a role for natural gas, and I think the agency needs to be pushing natural gas vehicles as well to deliver significant GHG reduction.
We want this rule to push all vehicle and all fuels to reduce emissions.
In the near term, when we think about natural gas as the most available alternative fuel, EDF has some real concerns with the upstream impact of natural gas. In the supply chain of natural gas, there's something in the order of 1.5 to 2% of natural gas that escapes through venting or cracks in pipes and infrastructure, and that is methane, which is a very very powerful greenhouse gas. Right now that does not appear to be a beneficial move from an environmental perspective.
In order to get to a place where it can be a modest environmental benefit, the natural gas industry needs to tackle the leakage and escape of natural gas in the upstream process – the production, distribution and processing phase.
EDF is leading a 16-part study on identifying the current leakage rate. One study looks at what we call pump to wheels, from the time it gets to a natural gas fuel station to the time it runs through a vehicle, and we're working with partners like Cummins, Volvo, Pepsi, Clean Energy and the natural gas association to understand the magnitude of that challenge and what we can do now to make any improvements that are needed. We're anticipating the results of all these studies will be published by the end of this calendar year.
HDT: So what about other alternative fuels that might be a good fit for trucking?
Mathers: We think the best 'alternative fuel' is efficiency. How do we get the most use out of the fuel we're already putting in? That's really what I see at least in the next decade, let's get these trucks to be as efficient as possible. In part because these fuel challenges are really complex and really challenging. We're just not there yet.
HDT: What do you say to trucking companies who would love to buy a new cleaner-burning truck but can't afford it?
Mathers: What we see from a climate perspective is huge economic benefits from the emissions rules that are in place. We see reductions in deaths from the variety of ailments pm can cause. There is a societal benefit.
From that trucking company's perspective, there is a license to operate – kind of a societal license for engaging or providing the services they do. That license to operate is increasingly tied to internalizing the negative pollution impacts of your operation.
The steps we've made to date have provided real benefits to shippers and to society at large. I also think when we look forward at fuel efficiency, we're talking about a lot of things that are going to save money, that are going to reduce the overall life cycle ownership and cost of trucks. I think these are going to be good investments, and they're critical investments for trucking to play its role in meeting the obligations that all of us have to cut carbon emissions.


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On this day — the House and the Senate gear up for a showdown over TWIA; more news on Gov. Rick Perry's non-campaign-campaign for the Presidency; the 'sanctuary cities' ban may not be flying through the House as quickly as previously thought; and Nick Anderson cartoons on Perry's veto of the texting-while-driving ban.
Wherever you are, whenever you need it — get the latest from the Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News Austin Bureau by subscribing to our RSS feed, following us on Tumblr and Twitter @txpoliticsblog , and get the latest in your Facebook news feed by liking us on Facebook.
***The Non-Campaign Campaign
Gov. Rick Perry received a lukewarm reception while giving a speech to a convention of elected Latino officials in San Antonio on Thursday, reports the San Antonio Express-News' Jason Buch:
Gov. Rick Perry touted Texas' economic successes and the role Hispanics have played in them, but didn't mention the immigration legislation he's championed in a speech Thursday before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
Perry, who has pushed for bills banning "sanctuary cities," expanding immigration checks at jails and drivers license restrictions for immigrants, got a lukewarm reception from the more than 500 people at the NALEO conference kickoff luncheon at the Grand Hyatt.
He was preceded by Mayor Julián Castro, who had some harsh words for the Perry-backed immigration legislation, calling it "easily the most anti-Latino agenda in more than a generation."
***Sanctuary Cities Bill Stalling?
First, the Friday meeting of the House State Affairs committee was pushed to Monday. The committee is widely expected to vote out a sanctuary cities bill, but the delay further squeezes an already compressed schedule for the entire House to consider the bill. Second, Quorum Report reported that multiple sources have told them that HillCo is working on behalf of Houston construction magnet and major Republican donor Bob Perry to kill the ban. HillCo's Bill Miller told QR that they are definitely not trying to kill but "definitely trying to change" SB9.
Perry spokeswoman Catherine Frazier declined to answer questions from the Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News, about whether or not Gov. Rick Perry would call another special session to pass ban if it didn't make it out of the Legislature during this session.
The Austin American-Statesman's Tim Eaton and Jason Embry have put together a quick list of where the major special session items stand.
***Update on TWIA Talks
Both House and Senate negotiators said that talks between staffs had gotten underway on Thursday. Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, put the odds of deal at 50/50. Still, both sides remain stuck on the same issues that hung up the bill during the regular session (the House version makes it much more difficult to sue TWIA for wrongdoing and the Senate version doesn't) and neither side looks like they're going to budge. The Houston Chronicle's Patti Hart reported on Wednesday reported that Gov. Rick Perry had threatened to call a second special session unless a deal is reached.
Setting up another showdown with Gov. Rick Perry and the Texas House, the Texas Senate Wednesday passed legislation to reform the state's windstorm insurance association while preserving the right of policy holders to seek damages in court if their claims are wrongly denied or delayed.
Perry said Wednesday he would call another special session if lawmakers fail to find agreement on how to reform the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.
"We must pass legislation to adequately compensate TWIA policy holders without enriching trial lawyers or further undermining TWIA's financial stability," the governor said in an emailed statement. "Reforming TWIA is imperative to protecting Texans from the effects of devastating hurricane seasons, and I look forward to this important legislation reaching my desk in the next week, otherwise, I will be forced to call another special session to protect Texas taxpayers and homeowners."
Below the fold – Nick Anderson on the veto of the 'texting-while-driving' ban; and the latest clips on Gov. Rick Perry's non-campaign-campaign for the presidency.
***Rough Draft: Anderson on Perry's Veto
***The Round-up
– The National Journal's Charlie Cook looks at what Perry's entry into the crowded GOP presidential field might mean for other candidates. Short version? Expect Perry and Rep. Michelle Bachmann to duke it out.
– The Atlantic writes that the GOP is still looking far and wide for its perfect candidate to take on President Barack Obama, including peaks at NJ Gov. Chris Christie and TX Gov. Rick Perry.
– Ta-Nehisi Coates writes in The New York Times Op-Ed Page that any Perry presidential campaign would have to address the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham and John Bradley's (a close Perry ally who was appointed to the TCEQ by the Governor after the commission started to look into evidence used in the Willingham trial) attempts to slow-walk the investigation to death.
– Houston Chronicle/San Antonio Express-News Austin Bureau Chief Peggy Fikac reports that Perry aides shot down a Wall Street Journal story that reported Gov. Perry has already decided to run for president.


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San Diego Republican Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher stunned more than a few people this week when he announced that he would switch his political status to Independent from Republican.
Once considered a bright star in an otherwise shrinking Republican universe, Fletcher said that he was tired of all the partisanship in Sacramento. Sounds principled enough.
But not to be lost in his critique of "the system" is Fletcher's race for the nonpartisan position of San Diego Mayor, where he is one of four major candidates in the June 5th contest. So much for the principle stuff.
Motivations notwithstanding, Fletcher's departure from Republican ranks opens the possibility for another vote on the upcoming state budget.
California requires an absolute two-thirds vote in each house on matters relating to taxes, which translate to 54 of the 80 votes in the Assembly and 27 of the 40 votes in the State Senate.
That's the highest requirement of the 50 states. Even with huge majorities in both houses, the Democrats are two votes shy of the threshold in each chamber.
Now that shortfall may be reduced to one, which could make it considerably easier for Democrats to round up the 54th vote in the Assembly.
The voters eased the requirement for passing a budget in 2010 when they reduced the minimum to a simple majority. But a majority vote to pass a budget does little good when state law still requires an absolute two-thirds agreement to increase taxes which are used to fund state programs and services.
If Fletcher does play ball with Assembly Democrats, he could be rewarded with Democratic support tacitly, if not publicly.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
True, Democratic Congressman Bob Filner is also in the race, but in a nonpartisan contest party loyalty doesn't carry nearly the same clout as it does in a partisan race, giving Assembly Democrats a lot more wiggle room to help their cooperative colleague, should Fletcher chose that path. And besides, Congressional Democrats and Assembly Democrats are two different fraternities, shared values or not.
All this points to the sticky web in California otherwise known as partisan politics. With his abandonment of Republican ties, Nathan Fletcher may do both state Democrats and himself some good. It's a risk, yes, but one that could provide payoffs all around in the months to come.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


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Monday, July 20, 2009
what traffic?
Labels: los angeles
4 comments:
I would much rather ride on Wilshire than drive. Any day!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 20, 2009 at 6:17 PM
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.ReplyDelete
Rode through their as part of a regular commute about 30 years ago. It was scary then, and probably still is!ReplyDelete
Andy, that would go to the "subjective safety" thing. Some are comfortable in the mix, and some are not : )ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Makes 36 stuffed eggs.
Note: "I like to think of these as deviled-egg shooters, because they're so small and intense," writes chef Tim Scott. If using chicken eggs, use 12 eggs, and multiply the other ingredients by 4 to make 24 stuffed halves. From "The Macy's Culinary Council Thanksgiving & Holiday Cookbook," by Steve Siegelman.
• 18 quail eggs
• 1/3 c. mayonnaise
• 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. wasabi paste
• 1/2 tsp. beet juice
• 2 tbsp. finely diced cold-smoked salmon
• 1/2 tsp. chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
• Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
• Matchstick-cut peeled Chioggia beet, for garnish
• Crushed wasabi peas, for garnish
• Caviar, for garnish
Place quail eggs in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, prepare an ice water bath. When water reaches a boil, reduce heat and cook eggs at a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat, drain and immerse eggs in ice water bath to cool completely.
Peel cooled eggs, cut in half lengthwise and remove yolks, being careful not to cut whites. Set halved whites on your work surface and place yolks in a medium bowl. Mash yolks with a fork and stir in mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
Divide yolk mixture evenly among 3 small bowls. Stir wasabi paste into first bowl, beet juice into second bowl and smoked salmon and dill into third bowl. Using a small rubber spatula or spoon, transfer egg yolk mixtures to small pastry bags fitted with a 1/4-inch round top (or snack-sized zip-top plastic bags with a tiny bit of a bottom corner snipped off). Pipe each mixture into 12 of the egg white halves.
Arrange filled eggs on a platter. Garnish the wasabi-flavored eggs with a sprinkle of the wasabi peas, the beet-flavored eggs with chives and Chiogga beets and the salmon-flavored eggs with a tiny dollop of caviar and a bit of dill. Serve immediately.
Serves 6 to 8.
Note: From "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Weekends" by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift.
.• 1 large (21/2 to 3 lb.) cauliflower, with its greens
• 1/4 lb. Tuscan kale (about 6 leaves) or regular kale, ribs removed and leaves torn
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed
• 11/2 tsp. tightly packed fresh rosemary leaves, or more to taste
• Finely grated zest of 2/3 large orange, or to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tbsp. good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
Cut cauliflower into florets, then thinly slice its green stalks. Place 3 inches water in an 8-quart pot. Insert a collapsible steamer.
Bring water to boil over high heat and pile in cauliflower greens, then florets, layering them with kale, onion, garlic, rosemary and orange zest. Sprinkle with some salt and pepper. Steam until cauliflower is almost falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander and let stand for 5 minutes. Place everything in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Add olive oil and butter. Purée, then taste for additional seasoning, be it salt, rosemary, orange zest or pepper.
Serves 4.
Note: "I store any leftover white bread in the freezer so that I can make fresh chapelure [bread crumbs] anytime," writes Wini Moranville in "The Bonne Femme Cookbook." Simply thaw (use the microwave if you forget to do this ahead of time) and whir a slice or two in a food processor until nubbly."
• Cooking oil or spray for pan
• 11/4 lb. turnips, peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 c. grated Comte, Gruyère, Emmental or fontina cheese (about 2 oz.)
• 3/4 c. fresh bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly oil a 11/2-quart baking dish and set aside. Place turnips in a medium-sized saucepan. Add water to cover, salt lightly and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil turnips, partially covered, until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain well and return turnips to saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon butter to turnips and beat with a handheld electric mixer until smooth, then beat in cheese. Spread turnip mixture into prepared baking dish.
Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs with melted butter and sprinkle over turnips. Bake until turnips are hot and bread crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Note: Must be prepared in advance. From "Bluestem the Cookbook," by Colby Garrelts and Megan Garrelts with Bonjwing Lee .
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
• 2 c. sugar
• 4 c. water, divided
• 2 c. fresh cranberries
• Juice and peel (pith removed) of 1 orange
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 star anise
• 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Champagne or dry sparkling wine
Scrape vanilla seeds out of pod halves into a medium saucepan. Add vanilla bean pod halves, sugar, 2 cups water, cranberries, orange peel and juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon sticks and star anise and bring to a boil over high heat.
When cranberries begin to pop, lower heat to medium-high and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly. Remove and discard vanilla bean pod halves, orange peel, cinnamon sticks and star anise.
Pour remaining contents of pan into a blender and mix on high speed until liquefied. Strain sorbet base through a fine-mesh sieve. Stir in remaining 2 cups water and lemon juice. Cool to room temperature.
Churn base in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Freeze sorbet for at least 2 hours before serving.
When ready to serve, use a small melon baller or a 1/2-teaspoon measuring scoop and place 3 sorbet balls in a tall shot glass. Top with champagne or dry sparkling wine and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Note: From "The Northern Heartland Kitchen," by Beth Dooley.
• 3 tbsp. flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 (3 lb.) chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/2 c. beer
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 1 c. canned tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 tsp. ancho chile powder, or to taste
• 2 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
• 1 to 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
• Sour cream
• Freshly chopped cilantro
• Lime wedges
In a small bowl, combine flour with salt and pepper. Spread seasoned flour on a dinner plate and roll chicken pieces in flour to coat them evenly. Tap off excess flour.
In a large, heavy skillet over high heat, melt butter and sauté chicken in batches until it is golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter.
Reduce heat under pan, stir in beer and chicken stock, scraping any browned bits from bottom of pan, and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them up into pieces, then add chile powder, parsley and lime juice.
Return legs and thighs to pan, bring sauce to a simmer, cover and cook about 7 minutes. Return breast meat to pan, cover and cook until chicken parts are tender, about 15 more minutes. Remove chicken and continue cooking until liquid is reduced to a thick sauce. Serve chicken with its sauce over rice or with steamed potatoes, garnished with sour cream, cilantro and lime wedges.


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Nomadharlap necesitaba un nuevo diseño de otro y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 38 diseños de 9 diseñadores freelance.
MBA Oath
The oath is a voluntary pledge for graduating MBAs and current MBAs to "create value responsibly and ethically." Our mission is to facilitate a widespread movement of MBAs who aim to lead in the interests of the greater good and who have committed to living out the principles articulated in the oath.
We started as a group of Class of 2009 Graduates of Harvard Business School, but the history of the Oath does not begin there. From the Hippocratic Oath to Thunderbird's Oath of Honor and the Columbia Business School's Honor Code, professionals, students, and academics have evoked kindred aspirations. We are building upon these essential efforts to create a community of MBAs with a high standard for ethical and professional behavior.
We are now a broad coalition of MBA students, graduates and advisors, representing over 250 schools from around the world. We are partnering with the Aspen Institute and the World Economic Forum. We want our degree to mean something more than it currently does. This oath is our way of laying out the principles of what we think an MBA ought to stand for.
We hope the Oath will: a) make a difference in the lives of MBAs who take the oath b) challenge other MBAs to work with a higher professional standard, whether they sign the oath or not and c) create a public conversation in the press about professionalizing and improving management.
Harvard 2nd year MBAs (class of 2010) who are 2 months away from graduating and going back to their professional careers. This audience is constantly bombarded with information and events and very hard to be persuaded to spend 10 minutes on someone. The one common place we are planning to market our campaign is in the classrooms where each of the MBAs shows up 1-5 times a week.
We are planning a 2 week campaign titled "My Oath". This campaign will canvas the campus and classrooms in 2 stages with two aims: 90% of the people should be motivated to go to the mbaoath.com website and read the oath; more than 50% of the class of 2010 (900 students) should sign it.
We like blues and whites but are very open for any creative, pro-looking ideas, this should NOT be a Harvard/Crimson design since we want to use it later in other schools as well.
Detailed requirements:
1.*teaser poster* (A3 size) with XXX (name of a classmate) have signed it, will you?
e.g.: "Whitney Petersmeyer has signed it, will you?"
2. *Campaign poster classroom* (A3 size) - same color scheme as teaser, and a follow up excerpt from the actual Oath "MyOath - XXXXXX"
e.g. 1 "My Oath - I will act with utmost integrity and pursue my work in an ethical manner"
e.g. 2 "My Oath - I will understand and uphold, both in letter and in spirit, the laws and contracts governing my own conduct and that of my enterprise."
3. *campaign poster hallway* - full, short version of the oath with "MyOath" title (attached)


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Tuesday Links
- Please join us this Thursday, April 21 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern for a book forum and debate on "green energy" policy, following the recent release of the Cato book The False Promise of Green Energy. On Thursday, University of Alabama Professor of Law and Business Andrew P. Morriss (one of the book's authors) and Center for American Progress Vice President for Energy Policy Kate Gordon will debate the merits of the "green" economic agenda, moderated by Cato Institute Senior Fellow Jerry Taylor. Complimentary registration is required of all attendees by noon TOMORROW, Wednesday, April 20. We hope you can join us in person and for the reception following the event–if you cannot attend in person, we hope you'll tune in online or on Facebook.
- "Nothing in international law, however, can change the United States Constitution's procedures for when the United States can go to war — which require the consent of Congress."
- Nothing says it's time to convert Medicaid to block grants like letters from 17 governors opposing the idea.
- Nothing would spur economic recovery like a "liberate to stimulate" regulatory agenda.
- Nothing says "failure" like 37,000 dead and climbing.
- Nothing is more complicated and convoluted than the U.S. tax code, which changed 579 times in the last year–more than one change every day:


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ASP.net virtual file download with Counter tool can be used to download files in programmatic way. We can not provide direct link to various extensions like- .txt, .pdf, .htm, .xml, etc. Because these files are supported by many browsers and are shown in browser directly. But if we want our website to make these file available for download then we have to choose programmatic way.
Also, when we set direct link to any download file, we are not able to count how many times file is downloaded.
You may use this tool(asp.net page) to solve both the purposes. This tool provides you to download browser supported files and also maintains count of the downloaded files which you can emphasize on website to show the popularity of a file to a visitor.
You need not to be a programmer to use this tool. Its designed by keeping designers in mind.
I hope you will love our first submission. Thanks


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Latest News
New Systema PTW5-A4 P.T.W. (2008-01-21)
We've got some sizzling hot news from Systema - a New Year brings us a new product, and it comes in the form of a new Professional Training Weapon. Systema have been busy, beavering away, to expand their line of P.T.W. guns by introducing an PTW5-A4 to their line-up and we are all looking forward to receiving this. The PTW5 will see limited world-wide production by early March.
The fundamental concept of the Systema Professional Training Weapon remains the same, creating a platform that is the premier training tool of choice. The Systema P.T.W. has always been a reliable training weapon, although that hasn't stopped them focusing on creating a product with an even higher level of durability and robustness with their new PTW5-A4. This emphasis starts from what you see on the outside, such as the outside receiver and to what is found within, with even stronger internals and revised electronic control unit.
Size Matters
One of the reasons that P.T.W.s make excellent training weapons is that they are modeled as close as possible to the real steel equivalent, thus the dimensions are exactly the same as the real one. It may seem trivial, but this attention to detail is why their Professional Training Weapons are used by Law Enforcements around the World for training purposes. Systema have carried on this tradition with the PTW5-A4 P.T.W. and Systema state that "in Close Quarter Training it leaves the operator with the most realistic feel as can be experienced". This PTW5 weighs in at a hefty 4Kg, which gives you the same feeling as the real gun.
Hardness & Handling
With a one-piece receiver, Systema were able to realize an unimaginable level of strength and durability in the body. The larger components require for a stricter management of the dimensions, although Systema achieved this with a die cutting technology, coupled with a stable plank casting. Systema were able to create a body that can handle rough treatment for an extended period of time that will assure the user knowing that it will be able to handle the abuse one is willing to throw at it. Another appeal of having a one-piece receiver that has the same dimensions as the real steel is that real steel scope mounts can been installed without any modifications.For this PTW5-A4, Systema have adopted a Nylon material that is 50% glass fiber, with a high heat resistance.
Users of the real steel will feel right at home once they get their grips on this Systema P.T.W., as the grip frame has the exact same specs as on the real one; what's more, the selector lever and its movement accurately replicates that of the real one therefore giving an unparalleled level of realism. Each side of the ambidextrous safety lever features independent gears for an accurate feel.
OK Computer
The CPU control unit and selector switch found in this new PTW5-A4 has a unique characteristic in that it takes the form of an L-shape. The control unit is adopted from the previous gearbox system, although has improved performance, able to endure a higher temperature generated thus making it even more reliable than before. The computer also allows the PTW5 to operate in semi auto, 3-burst auto and full auto modes. Note that this is the first one on the airsoft market with 3-burst mode!
Internal Parts
By adopting the previous M16 series main spring, cylinder head assembly as well as the spring guide assembly, it helps to make it easy to maintain. Their tried and tested Spur Gear structure has been used and is key in providing the reliable performance that this P.T.W. provides. Fine adjustments were made to each gear axle and the increased precision of the gear case production (as well as the dimensions of the one-piece receiver) to allow for a shorter nozzle mechanism. The motor utilizes a steel magnet case and an exclusive PTW5-specific 480 type motor. The PTW5-A4 will come standard with the M90 Spring Cylinder Unit.
Barrel Assembly
Like the previous M16 series, this PTW5 maintains an interval dimension, between the outer and inner barrel of only ±0.05mm; the outer barrel is produced using Systema's method of metal shaving. The inner barrel incorporates an internal diameter of 6.04mm.
Systema recommend using a 9.6v 2400mAh battery, the stock is plenty of room to store a large battery and the maximum sized battery that can be used is a 12v 2400mAh battery.
The Future is Bright
This Systema PTW5-A4 is due for release in early March and is expected to cost $995US. Challenge kits will be out soon after too, with two versions expected - one for beginners and one for experts. The beginners version will have the more complex parts already finished so that assembly will be an easier task. Prices for the Challenge kits are expected to be $880US. A MAX version is also on the cards, although there isn't a date set yet. Performance figures for the MAX are expected to be 150m/s.
Buy one now!


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Erinhue's ring is Mythweaver, Air Ring of the Wordsmith. It's stone is a small chip of limestone , same as the Blarney Stone, which seemed very appropriate for a bard.
It is a Ring of Power ( from theTORC Guild) and it's main power is its ability to carry or transfer the feelings, emotions projected by its wearer and project them outward to those who listen. It is, in part (a small part the Bard would say) responsible for Erinhue's reputation of being Middle Earth's Most Famous Bard, mainly proclaimed by him.
Mythweaver is an Air Ring of Power and as such there could be a trick or three within its white gold band....like glowing green in the presence of lost items of power.


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Terms And Conditions Of Use
Your Statutory rights are not affected by any of the following store policies.
Ordering Online
Ordering Online with us is safe and secure!
We employ a method of interaction with our visitors that does not compromise credit card information. This online system is 100% secure.
We encourage you to feel comfortable using your credit card to conduct commerce on our site. If you wish, you may instead send us a cheque, but this will delay your order as we must wait for your funds to clear before we ship any merchandise. Cheques are not accepted for trials. Please not that payment is taken on place of order to ensure the quickest turnaround for despatch and should you wish to cancel an order the monies are refund back on to the form of payment used at time of ordering.
Return / Refund Policy
If you are not satisfied with the goods for any reason or you have ordered the wrong size please inform us within 14 days of your receipt of the products, and we will be happy to exchange or refund the goods as long as the product is in the condition it was received, unused and in it's original packaging. Postage and packaging charges are non refundable unless the item is faulty then special arrangements will be made via email for details. We Advise that if you are returning a product that you use a recordable delivery service as we cannot be held responsible for loss or damage in the post.
Delivery information
UK Delivery is charged at Royal Mail Tracked 48 on the weight of your cart and delivery time is usually 3 to 5 working days from order.
Royal Mail Tracked 24 is also a delivery option that can be selected at checkout but is dependant on availibility.
Delivery to non-UK will be charged on Royal Mail rates for the weight of your cart and delivery destination.
For urgent deliveries please call us before placement of order and we can check stock for you.
Goods are charged at price shown on the product pages on the date the customer places the order and are inclusive of VAT. Prices are correct at time of publication. Errors and omissions are excepted. Orders will be processed at our published prices, otherwise, in the case of any unexpected change in price, you will be informed and asked if you wish to reconsider your order before proceeding.
Try this bit on a 30 day approval - terms and conditions
The try it now price does differ per product as this price is related to the retail price
The try it now will not be available at the current time on such products which are of plastic/rubber due to the fact the are not as resistant to wear and tear. Trial bits are bits from our bit library and may have been used previously and therefore not always brand new bits are despatched for trial.
The bit shall remain the property of The Horse Bit Shop for the 30 day trial period, and continuing to be the property of The Horse Bit Shop until the customers account is debited for the rest of the value of the bit, then it shall become the property of the customer.
Please take care of the bit, as it is the customers - (the holder of the account that the bit is purchased on) responsibility to make sure that the bit is kept in good condition throughout the trial period and thereafter until the final value is paid, the customer is also responsible that the bit is kept safe from theft and loss, as if you cannot return the bit within the trial period then your credit/debit card will be debited with the final value.
It is recommended that the bits are returned via a recordable postal facility as The Horse Bit Shop cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage in the post when being returned
30 Days trial period
The 30 days trial period will start from the postage date that The Horse Bit Shop posts the bit which will be postal dated on the envelope, which takes roughly 48 hours for delivery to the UK. The return date that the bit has reach The Horse Bit Shop will be included in the letter which will be approx 30 days after the postal date.
Dates to which the bit should be returned may be subject to change if the day falls on a Public Holiday. If the bit is not returned by that date then your account to which you paid for the trial facility will be automatically debited with the remaining value. Should a card be declined, we will notify you immediately and you will be given 30 days to clear the outstanding balance. Failure to do so will incur a £15.00 per month administration charge until the account is cleared. Meanwhile the bit remains the property of The Horse Bit Shop until the balance and charges incurred are cleared.
Try it now for other countries
For other countries where shipping times are longer, the trial period will be increased to a maximum of 36 days according to the current postal delivery times, the date to be returned will be stated in the letter included in with the bit, the bits will be dispatched via airmail and will be expected to be returned via airmail, as surface mail can take up to 50 days for some countries. Please allow plenty time for the bit to reach the UK, as if it does not the remaining value will be automatically deducted, even if the bit is in transit.
Health and sanitation
Please make sure that before you return the bit, that you clean the bit thoroughly, to remove and food, grass and general stains etc, and to maintain general hygiene.
All bits when they are returned to The Horse Bit Shop will be soaked and cleaned thoroughly in a suitable disinfectant to kill any germs and bacteria that may have formed, do not to transfer them on to the next equine that may of been present from a previous user.
It is recommended though that you clean and disinfect the bit yourself as a double precaution as The Horse Bit Shop cannot be held responsible for any diseases, infections, virus, sores, or any other medical condition that appear after trialling one of the bits from The Horse Bit Shop.
If we should receive a complaint about any part of our service, by phone, fax, e-mail or letter, then it will be dealt with promptly (we will reply within 7 working days). It will then be dealt with confidentially, and effectively.


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History of Soccer
occer is one of the most popular sports in Europe and the Americas. It has a vivid and interesting history in the world of sports. Early evidence of soccer being played as a sport finds occurrence in China during the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. In China, it was during the Han dynasty that people dribbled leather balls by kicking it into a small net. Recorded facts also support the fact that Romans and Greeks used to play ball for fun and frolic. Some facts point to Kyoto in Japan where kicking of ball was a popular sport.
It is said that early growth of the modern soccer started in England. Some amusing facts even mention that the first ball used was the head of some Danish brigand. It is said that during medieval times, the old form of soccer used to allow many ill practices like kicking, punching, biting and gouging. The main aim was to carry the ball to a target spot. People grew so fond of the game that they would throng the field all day long. Sometimes the competition grew fierce and masses got so wild that there were frequent incidents of violence during the game. It is also said that soldiers admired the game so much that they missed archery practice to watch it.
King Edward III banned soccer in 1365 owing to the growing incidents of violence and military indulgence in the sport. In 1424 King James I of Scotland also proclaimed in the Parliament— "Na man play at the Fute-ball" (No man shall play football).
When and where exactly did soccer start is a question that has no precise answer to it. You can easily say that this popular game has been played for more than three thousand years. The nativity of modern-day soccer must be credited to Britain. It was also known as the association football, with Scotland and England being the co-founders of the systematic game of soccer.
Modern History of Soccer: 18th Century Onward
In 1815, a major development took place that made soccer popular in Universities, Colleges and Schools. The popular English School and Eton College came forth with a set of rules, known as the Cambridge Rules. Football was segregated into two groups; some colleges and schools opted for Rugby rules that allowed tripping, shin kicking and also carrying the ball. These rules were exclusively prohibited as per the Cambridge rules.
The history of modern-day soccer was established in 1863. In October 1863, eleven representatives from London clubs and schools met at the Freemason's Tavern to set up common fundamental rules to control the matches amongst themselves. The outcome of this meeting was the formation of the Football Association. In December 1863, the Rugby Football and Association football finally split as the supporters of the Rugby School rules walked out.
Firmly establishing the foundation of soccer in 1869, the Football Association strictly banned any kind of handling of the ball. Soccer's popularity spread rapidly during the 1800s as British sailors, traders and soldiers introduced the sport to different parts of the globe.
TItalians, Austrians and Germans drew to Europe, while Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil adopted the sport in South America. FIFA was established in the year 1904 and by early 1930s, different leagues were operating from various countries. FIFA is credited with organizing the first world cup in Uruguay. The history of soccer is rich with events, development and its growing craze all over the world. You will find yourself amazed as you learn about different times of this wonderful sport that has held our awe and admiration for over 3000 years.


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Boost uptime and smooth flow of people with SKF condition-based maintenance
Sensor bearings
Improve reliability and safety with accurate handrail speed control


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Country Stars Practice Their Best 'Shocked Faces' Before 2013 CMA Awards
Taylor Swift made the "shocked face" famous, but she's not the only one who can perfect it! Country stars like Lady Antebellum, the Band Perry, Danielle Bradbery and more had reaction practice before the 2013 CMA Awards.
How would each respond if their name was called when the night's big prize was awarded? Some will apparently be shocked, a few afraid and at least one country star may be angry to take a prize home. Take a look at this gallery of the best shocked faces, taken during the pre-show radio broadcasts at CMA Week in Nashville.


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Rorbus and Seahouses | Eliassen Rorbuer is a holiday resort with fishermen's cabins, enjoying the longest tradition in the tourist industry in Lofoten.
We offer accommodation in a traditional fishermen's cabin camp, in the most beautiful western part of the Lofoten Islands. It is situated on the tiny island of Hamnøyin Western Lofoten, the Moskenes municipality. The island is the last one in the archipelago to have the road link. Currently the Lofoten Islands are mainly associated with fishing, which takes place from January to April, alongside the entire archipelago. In Eliassen Rorbuer we offeraccommodation in cabins on stilts, with breathtaking views of the sea, the mountains and the spectacular fiord of Reinefjord. The fishermen's cabins in Lofoten (rorbuer cabins) were once used by fishermen from all over Norway as accommodation during the world's biggest annual cod fishing event. Most of our 35 cabins have been fully renovated and adjusted to the needs of numerous tourists coming from all over the world to visit Lofoten. The genuine character and décor of the cabins remind visitors of their original use.


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During construction of a seismic project to retrofit two large water transmission pipelines in Fremont, crews made an unexpected discovery: more than 50 specimens of ice age fossils. Found in what seems to be two separate deposits, or geologic layers, one grouping dates back to between 11,000 to 240,000 years before present during the Rancholabrean North American Land Mammal Age and the other possibly belonging to the slightly older Irvingtonian North American Land Mammal Age – 240,000 to 1.8 million years ago. These fossils have found a new permanent home not far from where they were found – the Children's Natural History Museum of Fremont.
As part of our $4.8 billion Water System Improvement Program, we upgraded two large water transmission lines where they cross over three traces of the Hayward Fault near Highway 680 and Mission Boulevard in Fremont. Construction on the retrofit of the pipes as they cross the fault began in fall of 2012, and used the latest in cutting edge seismic technology. A new 305-foot-long articulated concrete vault, which includes the pipeline with one-of-a-kind ball joints and a slip joint, was constructed under Mission Boulevard. The pipeline can absorb 6.5 feet of horizontal offset and 9 feet of compression during an earthquake on the Hayward Fault.
Crews Find Specimens
During excavation of the articulated concrete vault in August of 2013, construction crews found the humerus of a bison at a depth of approximately 25 to 30 feet. Crews would later find more than 50 specimens during construction. Upon discovery of significant paleontological artifacts, the project doubled their paleontological staff from one ½ time to one full time staff person in order to properly excavate and catalogue the discoveries.
What Ice Age Fossils did they find?
Both groupings of fossils belong to the Pleistocene Epoch, which spans 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago. This was the time of the last ice age, when large glaciers covered portions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
Remains of at least 2 bison, horse, elk, camel, deer, brush rabbit, deer mice, and pocket gophers were found in the soil unit that can be dated to the Rancholabrean North American Land Mammal Age of 11,000 to 240,000 years before present. This area of Fremont could have looked like the Serengeti of today, with grasslands accented by brush and trees. These fossils were deposited in what appears to be a fast moving stream bed.
The layer that possibly dates to the Irvingtonian North American Land Mammal Age, which dates back 240,000 to 1.8 million years ago, show indications of a freshwater lake bed during this period. The fossil record includes the presence of freshwater snails, fish, mussels, and crayfish as well as reptiles and amphibians.
The name Rancholabrean stems from the La Brea Tar Pits in Southern California, where the first 'index' specimens from this time period were found. The La Brea Tar Pits continue to be the world's premier location for Pleistocene animal fossils.
The earlier Irvingtonian North American Land Mammal Age takes its name from the Irvington District in Fremont, and can be directly attributed to the activities of a group of self-named 'boy paleontologists' and their mentor Wes Gordon starting in the 1940s. For more than 10 years, Wes and his students excavated tens of thousands of Pleistocene fossil finds from a gravel quarry in Fremont. As with the Rancholabrean, the index species for the Irvingtonian Land Mammal Age were discovered here in the Bay Area by the work of Wes Gordon and his young paleontologists.
Children's Natural History Museum in Fremont
Although the majority of the fossils from the 'boy paleontologists' went to the University of California Berkeley, some of the collection went to the San Lorenzo school district, where Wes worked. In 2004, the Gordon family approached the Math Science Nucleus in Fremont to take on this collection, which not only included Irvingtonian fossils, but also books, and an extensive rock collection. Six truck loads later, the Math Science Nucleus was in possession of 30 display cases, 150 boxes of fossils, posters, a 400-pound mammoth skull, and one mounted moose head. The Math Science Nucleus began to plan to continue Wes Gordon's legacy of educating children about the earth and the natural history of their hometown. The museum has been growing ever since.
The museum, located at 4074 Eggers Drive, hosts dozens of student field trips each year, and is the only museum in the Bay Area to regularly display fossils from the Bay Area. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission was approached by Dr. Joyce Blueford, Paleontologist, from the museum following the news of a fossil discovery from another SFPUC construction site, the Calaveras Dam Replacement Project. It became immediately apparent to project staff that the Children's Natural History Museum would be an excellent partner and future location of the ice age fossils found at the Seismic Upgrade Project in Fremont.


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- Pansy Parkinson: "Even you think she's good looking, don't you, Blaise, and we all know how hard you are to please!"
- Blaise Zabini: "I wouldn't touch a filthy blood traitor like her whatever she looked like."
- — Pansy Parkinson and Blaise Zabini discussing Ginny Weasley[src]
"Blood traitor" is a derogatory term commonly used by elite pure-blood families to describe witches or wizards who sympathise with the non-magical community and/or willingly associate with other such sympathisers or with Muggle-borns. Other similar terms include "Muggle-lover"[1], "Mudblood-lover"[2], "Dunglicker", "Scumsucker", and "Mudwallower"[3], all of which refer disparagingly to those who are comfortable in the company of Muggles and/or Muggle-borns, whom prejudiced wizards and witches believe are dirty and inferior. The most notorious blood-traitor family was the Weasleys.
Types of Blood TraitorsEdit
- "My whole family are blood traitors! That's as bad as Muggle-borns to Death Eaters!"
- —Ron Weasley on the Death Eater's opinions on blood traitors[src]
Among those usually considered to be "blood traitors" are:
- Pure-bloods who marry Muggle-borns or Muggles;
- Pure- or half-bloods who oppose prejudice based on blood purity;
- Pure- or half-bloods who openly agree to equal rights for Muggles and Muggle-borns
People can also be considered blood traitors by association, given that Cedrella Black was disowned for marrying a so-called blood traitor.[4]
Attitude towards "blood traitors"Edit
- Lucius Malfoy: "What's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"
- Arthur Weasley: "We have a very different idea about what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."
- — Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley in Flourish and Blotts in 1992[src]
Most pure-blood wizards and witches consider themselves to be the elite of the wizarding world, akin to royalty. They look down upon half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and half-breeds, and consider the Muggle world to be inferior to their own. Pure-bloods, and even half-bloods, who do not share this view are considered traitors to their own kind, hence the term "blood traitor". They are considered disgraces by pure-blood supremacists such as the Malfoys.
Elitist pure-bloods believe that it is a sign of weak magic to enjoy non-magical company[3], and seem to believe that some of the supposed dirtiness of Muggles and Muggle-borns will rub off on those who associate with them, thus they consider blood traitors to be "filthy" as well[5].
Some extremists consider blood traitors to be nearly as bad as the Muggle-borns they are prejudiced against. Bellatrix Lestrange, for example, claimed that "blood traitor is next to Mudblood in [her] book"[6], and her family often disowned and blasted off the family tree any members who could be considered blood traitors. Blood traitors might also be shunned by their families and acquaintances; for example, Bellatrix and her younger sister Narcissa Malfoy stopped seeing their sister Andromeda after she married a Muggle-born wizard, Ted Tonks.[6]
Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters targeted blood traitors during the First and Second Wizarding Wars because they opposed their goals. When they were temporarily in control of the Ministry of Magic in late 1997 and early 1998, they kept blood traitors such as Arthur Weasley under surveillance. However, even most Death Eaters were reluctant to kill pure-bloods, even "traitorous" ones, if it could be avoided. The same situation existed at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while Voldemort was in power.[7]
Anti-purity ideologyEdit
The following individuals were considered "blood traitors" for openly opposing the ideology of pure-blood supremacy.
|"Blood Traitor"
|Albus Dumbledore
|Dumbledore was once supremacist towards Muggles, but eventually he decided to give up his beliefs and decided to fight for Muggle rights.
|Beedle the Bard
|Beedle thought that Muggles were ignorant, but he still had pro-Muggle views which were adopted in his stories. He wrote stories about Muggles marrying pure-bloods which displeased people like the Malfoy family.
|Carlotta Pinkstone
|Pinkstone was an activist who believed that Muggles had rights and they should know all about wizards. She performed magic in front of Muggles which led to imprisonments, presumably in Azkaban.
|Charity Burbage
|Burbage had a strict Muggle-rights curriculum when she was Muggle Studies professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, for which Lord Voldemort had her killed.
|Godric Gryffindor
|Gryffindor ended his relationship with Salazar Slytherin because of Slytherin's supremacist views.
|Idris Oakby
|Oakby would have been considered a traitor since she supported Squibs, who elitist pure-bloods also look down upon.
|Order of the Phoenix members
|The Order opposed Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters, fighting for the rights of all people.
|Phineas Black
|Disowned for not sharing his family's beliefs in pure-blood supremacy.
|Sirius Black
|Disowned for not sharing his family's beliefs in pure-blood supremacy, Sirius also fought against Death Eater ideals as a member of the Order of the Phoenix. Among them were his cousins Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy (though Narcissa herself was not a Death Eater and merely believed in their ideals, her husband, Lucius Malfoy, was one).
|James Potter
A pureblood wizard who married the Muggle-born Lily Evans.
Some pure-bloods were considered "blood traitors" for not only being unbiased about blood purity and towards Muggles, but for showing outright fondness and admiration for the Muggle world.
|"Blood traitor"
|Weasley family
|The Weasleys are known for not supporting the notion of blood purity and for associating with Muggles and Muggle-borns. Arthur Weasley was openly fascinated by Muggles.
By marriage or associationEdit
The following individuals were considered "blood traitors" because of their close association with those of non-pureblood blood status or other blood traitors.
|"Blood traitor"
|Andromeda Tonks
|For marrying Muggle-born wizard, Ted Tonks.
|Cho Chang
|Married a Muggle man.
|Draco Malfoy
|During his sixth year, Draco Malfoy allowed Myrtle to comfort him after his repeated failures to kill Albus Dumbledore, despite his family's belief in pure-blood supremacy. It is assumed that after his family started to lose their influence Draco either stopped caring or just didn't know Myrtle was a Muggle-born.
|Eileen Prince
|Married a Muggle, Tobias Snape.
|Ernie Macmillan
|Fought against Death Eater ideals as a member of Dumbledore's Army and associated with Muggle-borns such as Justin Finch-Fletchley.
|Harry Potter
|Harry was associated with Muggles since his maternal family were Muggles. He was Lord Voldemort's archenemy. He also was a keen supporter of Albus Dumbledore and also married a blood traitor, Ginny Weasley. Also befriended Muggle-born Hermione Granger.
|Horace Slughorn
|Though he did have some bias, believing that pure-bloods were usually more talented at magic than Muggle-borns, Slughorn's favourite students included Muggle-born witches Lily Evans and Hermione Granger, and he fought against Lord Voldemort himself during the Battle of Hogwarts.
|James Potter I
|Married a Muggle-born witch, Lily Evans.
|Lavender Brown
|Dated Ronald Weasley, a similar "blood traitor", in 1996. Although they eventually broke up, she still fought against Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters during the Battle of Hogwarts.
|Merope Gaunt
|Called a "filthy little blood traitor" by her family because of her love for, and eventual marriage to, Muggle Tom Riddle Sr..
|Neville Longbottom
|Fought against Death Eater ideals as a member of Dumbledore's Army and associated with Muggle-borns such as Hermione Granger.
|Percival Dumbledore
|Percival would likely have been considered a blood traitor for his marriage to a Muggle-born witch, Kendra. However, when he was imprisoned in Azkaban for attacking Muggles and refused to reveal the reason, many believed it was because he was a supporter of the notion of blood purity.[6]
|Reginald Cattermole
|Married a Muggle-born witch, Mary Cattermole.
|Severus Snape
|Snape fell in love with Lily Evans, but because he dabbled in supremacy she rejected him.
|Ron Weasley
|Ron befriended muggle-born Hermione Granger, and later married her and became brothers-in-law with "blood-traitor" Harry Potter.
|Viktor Krum
Despite attending Durmstrang Institute, a school that does not permit Muggle-born students, Viktor became romantically involved with Muggle-born witch Hermione Granger for a time, and later remained her friend.
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (First mentioned)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (video game) (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Mentioned only)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (Mentioned only)
Notes and referencesEdit
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- ↑ Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Ch. 11
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Tales of Beedle the Bard (real)
- ↑ Black family tree
- ↑ The various terms for blood traitors, such as Dunglicker, Scumsucker, and Mudwallower, all make associations with uncleanliness. Marvolo Gaunt also called his daughter a "filthy little blood traitor" for admiring a Muggle, and Blaise Zabini once declared that he would never so much as touch a "filthy blood traitor" like Ginny Weasley, despite finding her physically attractive.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
- ↑ Neville Longbottom says of the Carrows in Chapter 29 of Deathly Hallows: "They don't want to spill too much pure blood, so they'll torture us a bit if we're mouthy but they won't actually kill us." Given this statement, and the fact that the Weasleys were only in direct danger after Ron Weasley's help of Harry Potter was revealed to the Death Eaters, it seems that they were hesitant to kill blood traitors unless they were very rebellious.


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A Canadian company has announced that it's taking pre-orders for a voice-activated Android computer funded on Kickstarter.
If Unified Computer Intelligence has succeeded in getting what it wanted out of its Ubi, the wall outlet plug-in computer will take instructions – including (for example) "how many teaspoons per ounce?" – through a voice interface that's activated by saying its name ("Ubi").
The device claims a microphone range of about 4.5 meters (15 feet), with a normal power consumption of 3 watts (rising to 10 watts if all of its LED indicators are active and the WiFi is transmitting).
UCI is pitching Ubi as a kind of home-automation assistant, with sensors for temperature, humidity, ambient light and air pressure. It could also act as a home assistant box for those with limited mobility or vision. The company also says it plans to release an SDK to try and get traction among developers.
Ubi also has speaker and USB ports and Bluetooth. UCI plans to ship the machine with software for voice-activated Internet search, speakerphone, sound piping between Ubis (to create a home speaker system), a virtual assistant, voice memos, alarm clock, intercom, baby monitor, noise monitor, and the ability to control thermostat systems like Nest.
The single-unit pre-order price is $US219, but since that might not be all that useful, UCI is also offering ten-packs for $US1,399, with delivery slated for next April. ®
Sponsored: Webcast: Discover and secure all of your attack surface


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One-hundred and thirty-three members of the 192-strong House Democratic caucus have filed an amicus brief siding with groups challenging the Defense of Marriage Act, saying that the provision denying same-sex married couples federal rights is unconstitutional.
The brief challenges DOMA Section Three, which prohibts federal recognition of same-sex couples and denies all federal benefits such as Social Security and health care.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi announced the filing yesterday on Twitter. Pelosi and other members who signed the brief argue "that the key section of the law is unconstitutional because it was passed quickly, driven by biases and lacks 'a rational relationship to any legitimate federal purpose,'" reports Politico.
In the brief, the members—including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer and Reps. Jerry Nadler, John Conyers, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis, among others — state that Congress "acted hastily" when DOMA was enacted.
Among those Democrats signing onto the amicus curiae, 14 members—including Hoye—voted for the bill's passage in 1996. Reps. Jim Clyburn, Robert Andrews, Earl Blumenauer, Rosa DeLauro, Loyld Doggett, Michael Doyle, Bob Filner, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Sander Levin, Nita Lowey, Richard Neal, Ed Pastor and Bobby Rush also supported DOMA in 1996. Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee voted present.
The Obama Administration announced in February that it will NOT defend recent lawsuits challenging DOMA. House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has hired counsel through the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group to defend DOMA's constitutionality.
The brief was co-signed by the entire House Democratic leadership, most of the Progressive Caucus and most of the Congressional Black Caucus, including John Conyers, Maxine Waters, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Barbara Lee, Jesse Jackson Jr., Chaka Fatah, Emanuel Cleaver and many others.
The brief was filed in the consolidated cases of Massachusetts vs. Department of Health and Human Services and Gill vs. Office of Personnel Management. These were the landmark federal rulings in July 2010 that found DOMA Sec 3 is unconstitutional. The suits were filed by Boston-based Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, which also won the Goodridge case that mandated marriage equality in Massachusetts.
Some Background:
Amended Judgment, Stay Entered in Mass. DOMA Ruling
Obama Admin "Reviewing" Decision; GLAD Expects Appeal
Federal Judge: Section 3 DOMA Unconstitutional


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by Christina
Homemade Cotton Candy Costume Photo 2 of 3
Rate this costume:
24 votes
|2 comments · add a comment
|Costume type:
|Costumes for Women
This homemade costume for women entered our 2010 Halloween Costume Contest.
A word from Ashlea, the 'Cotton Candy' costume creator:
I dressed as Cotton Candy for a Carnival Themed Halloween Party this year. I sewed pillow stuffing to a dress and sprayed it pink with fabric spray. I even smelled like Cotton Candy by using... Read more »
Similar costumes:


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Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part
31243, Hymns, Lord, We Ask Thee Ere We Part, 153
Lord, we ask thee ere we part,
Bless the teachings of this day.
Plant them deep in ev'ry heart,
That with us they'll ever stay.
In the innocence of youth,
We would all thy laws fulfill.
Lead us in the way of truth.
Give us strength to do thy will.
Father, merciful and kind,
While we labor for the right,
May we in thy service find
Sweetest pleasure, pure delight.
All our follies, Lord, forgive.
Keep us from temptations free.
Help us evermore to live
Lives of holiness to thee.
Text: George Manwaring, 1854–1889
Music: Benjamin Milgrove, 1731–1810; arr. by Ebenezer Beesley, 1840–1906


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Off-Campus Link:
Brief Description:
Mathematics literature
Full Description:
MathSciNet is the searchable database providing access to over 55 years of of Mathematical Reviews and Current Mathematical Publications from 1940 to the present. It provides subject access to journals and conferences publishing in all areas of mathematical sciences, including mathematics, statistics, and computer science as well as mathematically related research in physics, operations research, engineering, biology and other disciplines. MathSciNet, Mathematical Reviews, and Current Mathematical Publications are all produced by the American Mathematical Society.
Coverage Start:
Coverage End:


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To quote wikipedia:
Completed puzzles are always a type of Latin square with an additional constraint on the contents of individual regions. For example, the same single integer may not appear twice in the same 9x9 playing board row or column or in any of the nine 3x3 subregions of the 9x9 playing board.
There will actually be a winner of this one, although I don't have any fancy prizes to hand out (yet? I don't know what my options are here). Winner will be based purely on efficiency, although it would behoove one to make their solution readable.
The program should allow me to specify a file that contains a sudoku puzzle in the following format:
5,3,,,7,,,, 6,,,1,9,5,,, ,9,8,,,,,6, 8,,,,6,,,,3 4,,,8,,3,,,1 7,,,,2,,,,6 ,6,,,,,2,8, ,,,4,1,9,,,5 ,,,,8,,,7,9
Basically, a comma separated file, each line representing a row from an incomplete puzzle. The output should be the same, except completed.
The program should also be able to solve "invalid" Sudoku puzzles, i.e. puzzles that do not provide you with a known starting point (the example I gave gives enough information that you deduce a value to start with). These require some sort of "guess and check" algorithm instead of just deductive reasoning.
If you're realllly feeling adventurous, write a script to generate such puzzles (not part of the competition, just a mental exercise).
I'll take submissions as late as June 30th to determine the winner.
This post has been edited by xclite: 17 June 2011 - 11:57 AM


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Rachav's home was built into the wall of Y'richo, with an outward-facing window (Y'hoshua 2:15, M'tzudas David). This window had to be recognizable when the Jews destroyed the city, so they'd know to spare the people in her home (2:18). But the walls of the city came down before the Jews destroyed the city and spared whoever was in Rachav's home (6:20–23). What's going on?
(One can perhaps answer that, as the wall sank into the earth rather than "tumbling down" (as the song says) (Radak 6:26), perhaps Rachav's home sank as part of it, the rope that distinguished her home was visible above the earth (as its bottom end didn't sink into the earth), and they got her out through her ceiling (which she had access through, per 2:6). But that seems a slight stretch, and I'd love a source for it — or for another solution to this seeming contradiction.)


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That's to deaden the noise... It's on a wooden desk, so it gets loud if I don't cushion it.JanaBailey said:
@Andy - cool card, cute kid, now a nosey question. "> Why do you have a Sham Wow under each end of your Zing? :-/ Is this a "trick of the trade" I am not in on ???? :-?
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Dear Visitors,
Every year many Union Govt/State Govt and other organization recruits for various types of posts. A large no of people are preparing for govt jobs every year. For almost all competitive exams CURRENT AFFAIRS is one of the most important part.
So we are posting a monthly Current Affairs Magazine every month .The name of this magazine is E-DRISTI.
Today we have updated the monthly magazine for JULY 2017 .
So download this magazine from bellow link.
Click Me to Download E-Dristi JULY 2017


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Species Transport in the Gas Diffusion Layers of a PEM
Application ID: 260
This example focuses on the species transport within the gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell. The geometry models a cell with two adjacent flow channels of different pressures, a situation that may occur in a cell with serpentine flow channels, or in a cell using an interdigitated flow field design. The model uses current balances, mass transport equations (Maxwell-Stefan diffusion for reactants, water and nitrogen gas), and momentum transport (Darcy's law for the gas flows) to simulate a PEM fuel cell's behavior.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
- COMSOL Multiphysics® and
- Batteries & Fuel Cells Module, or Chemical Reaction Engineering Module and
- Batteries & Fuel Cells Module, Corrosion Module, Electrochemistry Module, or Electrodeposition Module
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.


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dreamcatcher - pentagram
If you liked our fleece blankets then you are sure to love these newly added members to our blanket collection. Made from a soft and fluffy velour material, these will keep you warm and happily snuggled up in bed or on the couch for those chilly nights in.
Photo Collage Full Color Printing
Measures 27" x 35"
Double Layered
Double Sided Customizable Printing
Soft and comfortable
Provides warmth and lightweight
Machine washable and dries quickly
All blankets come with a white base color
Good alternative if allergic or sensitive to wool
You are highly recommended to add photo collage for this 27"x 35" blanket, unless you have a high resolution image that is suited to the size.
If you order more than 50 pcs items (can be combined), please click here to contact us for whole price quotation, please include the SKU# and the quantity you want for each of them. For order less than 50 pcs, please order directly from our website.