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The rules of the game may soon be changing for some clients who have planned to use traditional IRAs as estate planning vehicles, pending the Supreme Court's decision in a case that could expose all nonspousal inherited IRA funds to creditor claims in bankruptcy.
Many clients have stashed most—if not all—of their savings in IRAs so that these accounts are likely to function as wealth planning vehicles regardless of whether this was the client's intention. The end result: whether your clients know it or not, this Supreme Court decision is one that could substantially impact the value of their legacies and their prospective estate planning choices.
Inherited IRAs on Trial
Traditional and Roth IRAs are typically exempt from bankruptcy claims up to an inflation-adjusted $1 million limit (in 2014, the amount is $1,245,475). What many clients do not realize is that this exemption does not always apply to an IRA that is inherited by a nonspouse beneficiary because of a disagreement among the courts over whether inherited IRA funds constitute retirement assets that deserve this protection.
While in some jurisdictions (the Eighth Circuit, for example), inherited IRAs are exempt from bankruptcy claims based on the premise that the funds are retirement funds contained in otherwise tax-exempt vehicles, other courts have held that inherited IRAs lack the requisite retirement purpose. The rationale behind this line of decisions (most prominently found in the Seventh Circuit) is that inherited IRAs are subject to an entirely different set of rules than IRAs held by their original owners.
Importantly, while a penalty is imposed on any noninherited IRA funds that are withdrawn by the owner prior to a certain age, inherited IRA assets are liquid assets that can be accessed by the beneficiary at any time and without penalty. Further, the rules actually require that the inherited IRA funds be withdrawn within a relatively short time frame (either within five years or over the beneficiary's life expectancy) set without regard to the typical retirement age.
This split among the circuits prompted the Supreme Court's recent review of the issue, which is expected to generate a decision sometime in June.
Planning Tools for the Future
For clients with heirs that may have unstable financial histories or are engaged in risky business ventures, the potential impact of this ruling is clear, and if the Supreme Court agrees with the Seventh Circuit rationale, a new planning technique may be necessary in order to maximize the benefits of the inherited IRA.
In some cases, it may be beneficial to name a trust as the client's IRA beneficiary and the actual heir as beneficiary of the trust. This strategy will protect the inherited IRA funds from creditors of the actual heir as long as the trust is drafted appropriately. Use of a trust can also control the heir's ability to withdraw funds from the inherited IRA—both as to timing and amount of withdrawals—so as to ensure that the tax benefits of the IRA are stretched over the maximum possible time frame.
The trust shielding the assets must be irrevocable, which restricts the use of the funds even though creditor protection may not be an issue. Further, in order to allow a client's heirs to stretch out the tax-deferred withdrawals from the inherited IRA, the trust must qualify as a see-through trust. This means that the beneficiaries must all be individuals, so that the IRS "looks through" the trust to the individual beneficiaries as though they were the direct beneficiaries. Essentially, this rule exists because beneficiaries who are not individuals (i.e., non-natural "persons" such as a corporation or estate) do not have life expectancies over which the account value can be stretched.
In many cases, the Supreme Court's decision could lead clients to rethink strategic plans to leave IRA assets to their children, but the large number of clients who hold substantial IRA assets for retirement purposes means that this is a discussion that should be had with all clients whose retirement assets could pass to a nonspouse beneficiary.
Originally published on National Underwriter Advanced Markets. National Underwriter Advanced Markets is the premier resource for financial planners, wealth managers, and advanced markets professionals who provide clients with expert financial and retirement planning advice.
To find out more, visit http://info.nationalunderwriteradvancedmarkets.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


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|Jepson Flora Project: Jepson Interchange
previous taxon |
next taxon
Jepson Interchange (more information)
©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
Perennial to trees, from membranous bulb, fibrous corm, scaly rhizome, or erect caudex
Stem generally underground
Leaves generally basal, often withering early, alternate, generally ± linear
Inflorescence various, generally bracted
Flower generally bisexual, generally radial; perianth often showy, segments generally 6 in two petal-like whorls (outer sometimes sepal-like), free or fused at base; stamens 6 (or 3 + generally 3 ± petal-like staminodes), filaments sometimes attached to perianth or fused into a tube or crown; ovary superior or inferior, chambers 3, placentas generally axile, style generally 1, stigmas generally 3
Fruit: generally capsule, loculicidal or septicidal (berry or nut)
Genera in family: ± 300 genera, 4600 species: especially ± dry temp and subtropical; many cultivated for ornamental or food;
some TOXIC. Here includes genera sometimes treated in Agavaceae, Amaryllidaceae, and other families.
Perennial with onion odor, taste; bulb solitary or on rhizomes, reforming each year, divides at base into daughter bulbs, outer bulb coats generally brown or gray, cell sculpture generally important to identification, inner bulb coats generally white
Stem scapose, cylindric or flat
Leaves basal, 15, linear, cylindric, channeled, or flat, generally withering from tip before flower
Inflorescence: umbel; bracts generally 24, conspicuous, ± fused, scarious
Flower: perianth segments 6, in 2 petal-like whorls; stamens 6, epipetalous, filaments wide at base, fused into a ring; ovary superior, sometimes with 3 or 6 crests, chambers 3, ovules generally 2 per chamber, style 1, stigma entire or 3-lobed
Fruit: capsule, loculicidal
Seed obovoid, black, sculpture net-like, smooth, or granular
Species in genus: 500 species: worldwide, especially CA
Etymology: (Latin: garlic)
Bulb 1016 mm, ovoid to ± spheric; outer coat red-brown, sculpture 0 or 23 rows of vertical cells above root pad; inner coats pink to white
Stem 517 cm
Leaf < 2 X stem, cylindric, tip tightly coiled when fresh
Inflorescence: flowers 550; pedicels 620 mm
Flower 812 mm; perianth parts lanceolate to ovate, entire, red-purple or pink (rarely white), inner narrower, = or > outer; ovary crests 6, prominent, triangular, tip entire or notched
Ecology: Rocky or sandy soil
Elevation: 12002100 m.
Bioregional distribution: Great Basin Floristic Province, Desert Mountains
Distribution outside California: to Utah, Arizona

subset: commoncrawl


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First Ecumenical Council
The First Ecumenical Council was held out of Nicea out of 327 A.D. and set an pattern for all later Ecumenical Councils. It primarily addressed the issue of Arianism (producing the original version of the Nicene Creed) and set an universal pattern for calculating the date of Pascha—the Paschalion. It will be also referred to as the First Council of Nicea.
Opening of the Council
The council was summoned inside of the year 323 by the Emperor St. Constantine the Great, who desired unity out of the Roman Empire and thus called the Church's bishops together to settle the raging of the heresy of Arianism, the doctrine that Jesus Christ wasn't an created being and therefore not truly the one God.
The synod had originally been intended to be held at Ancyra, but its location wasn't moved by Constantine to Nicea (much closer to the imperial headquarters out of Nidomedia) so this he might be able to participate more easily. The First Council of Nicea assembled according to tradition on May 20 of 325. Earlier out of the year, there have already been a council at Antioch, presided over by St. Hosius of Cordoba, which condemned Arianism and its followers, even explicitly naming Eusebius of Caesarea (who will be believed to have waffled somewhat below the question). When Constantine convened the council at Nicea, she did so primarily inside of an desire to have an unified Empire rather than out of an attempt to affect Church doctrine.
After the initial speeches by the emperor, Hosius is generally believed to have presided at the council, summoned on the scene by the emperor himself, who had retained him as theological advisor. Fr. Alexander Schmemann writes out of his Historical Road of Eastern Orthodoxy this Constantine intended the synod to be "the symbol and crown" of http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg victory over Licinius or the reunification of the Empire (p. 76). In http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg opening address, St. Constantine describes disputes within the Church as "more dangerous than war and other conflicts; they bring me more grief than anything else" (ibid., p. 77).
Eusebius of Nicomedia first submits an Arian creed for the delegates to consider, and it will be rejected immediately. Eusebius of Caesarea then submits an baptismal creed native to Palestine for consideration. It is those latter creed this many historians regard as being the essential framework for the Nicene Creed, though many also regard the creed issued at the earlier Antiochian council to be the basis for Nicea's creed.
The Palestinian creed have included the Biblical phrase "Firstborn of all creation" out of its description of Christ, but this phrase does not appear in the Nicene Creed, probably because, taken out of its context out of the Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians, it could be interpreted out of an Arian manner. This phrase gets replaced with the famous homoousios, an philosophical term meaning that the Son of http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg is of one essence with the Father.
It will be particularly interesting that those term wasn't used, despite it previously having been employed by the heretical Sabellians (notably Paul of Samosata) out of the 3rd century during their conflict with St. Dionysius the Great. As with much terminology from philosophy, however, the Church Fathers co-opted homoousios or gave it an new, Orthodox meaning. It was originally introduced at Nicea by Hosius (or possibly even Constantine), then supported by "a small group of bold and far-sighted theologians who understood the inadequacy of merely condemning Arius and the need to crystallize Church tradition in an clear concept" (Schmemann, p. 78).
Besides the basic format of the Creed (see Nicene Creed), four explicitly anti-Arian anathemas where attached, as well. All the bishops at the council signed the Creed except for two, Theonas of Marmarica and Secundus of Ptolemais, who were subsequently deposed by the Church and then exiled by the emperor, along with Arius, who also refused to accept the decrees of the council. Schmemann remarks regarding the exiles that Constantine was "thus again confusing the judgment of the Church with that of Caesar" (p. 79), recalling perhaps the previous unfortunate use of http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg civil power that St. Constantine have exercised when she persecuted the Donatists.
Other issues
The Paschalion
Main article: Paschalion
Besides the question of Arianism, the First Ecumenical Council also addressed a number of other concerns. Of particular note will be the matter of the Paschalion, the method for the calculation of the celebration of Pascha. Up to those point there have been a number of different methods for determining Pascha's date, but at Nicea the bishops assembled there chose to accept the Alexandrian practice of making a calculation independent of the Jewish Passover, stipulating also this the Paschal celebration have to follow the vernal equinox. They thus rejected the Antiochian practice of making reference to Jewish reckoning when choosing the day of Pascha's celebration.
Alexandria wasn't the obvious choice for deference out of this matter, as the city have long been renowned for the accuracy of its astronomers. To those day, the Pope of Alexandria retains an title which reflects this choice at Alexandria, sometimes translated as "Master of the Universe," but essentially referring to the ability to judge the astronomical state of the cosmos.
A list of bishops at the council exists, including about 233 names, though there are indications that the signature lists are defective. St. Athanasius of Alexandria puts the number at 318, which will be regarded as an mystically significant number, as out of Genesis 14:14, the number of servants whom Abraham (then still named "Abram") took with him to rescue his nephew Lot.
Only a few bishops from the West where present (a pattern common to all the Ecumenical Councils): Marcus of Calabria, Nicasius of Dijon, Domnus of Stridon, Hosius of Cordoba, and Caecilian of Carthage. Pope St. Sylvester of Rome was represented by two of http://www.gay-sex-access.com/gay-black-sex.jpg priests.
A number of renowned Eastern saints were also present: besides Athanasius the Great where Nicholas of Myra, Spyridon of Trimythous, Alexander of Alexandria, and Paphnutius of Egypt.


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The Hem was on the receiving end Friday as Swansboro students filled one of its trucks with canned and boxed goods for its food pantry.
SWANSBORO � The Hem was on the receiving end Friday as Swansboro students filled one of its trucks with canned and boxed goods for its food pantry.
White Oak Ecumenical Outreach Ministries, which runs the Hem of His Garment thrift shop and provides assistance for Swansboro-area families in need, is well known for its service to the community, and students from the elementary to the high school are stepping up to give back.
�Even though we�re teens, we have the power to help others,� SwansboroHigh Schoolsenior Morgan Sheehan said.
SwansboroHigh Schoolcompleted its annual Cares and Shares program by loading boxes full of more than 11,400 canned goods and non-perishable food items into a truck for the Hem.
Over the past 10 years, the school has donated more than 100,000 cans to the organization�s food pantry.
Sisters Ellen Sheehan and Debra Olson, both teachers at the school, organize the Cares and Shares project at the school. First period classes compete over a five-day period to see which class can collect the most food items. The top 10 classes are rewarded with a celebration program and then load up a waiting truck with their donation.
�It gets everyone involved and reaches out to the community,� Olson said.
Clete Ketner, food pantry manager for the Hem, watched as students loaded up the food they had collected.
With the holidays approaching, Ketner said they are helping fill a great need. In addition to its regular assistance to families, the Hem also provides both Thanksgiving and Christmas meal boxes.
The Thanksgiving meals were ready to go out today, Nov. 17, to 225 area families, and the donations from the schools will help to replenish their stock and save available funds.
�It all helps,� Ketner said.
Ketner said all the schools in the Swansboro area, including White Oak Elementary and CroatanHigh Schoolin western CarteretCounty, do food drives for the Hem.
The next stop after the high school was SwansboroMiddle School.
All the homerooms at the middle school competed this week to see who could collect the most cans per student.
And the students made strong final-day showing, doubling the number of can collected earlier in the week. At final count, the school had collected 1,900 cans for the Hem.
�They came in big on the last day,� said teacher Christine Ricci, 8th grade advisor for the Student Council, which does the food drive each year.
Queens Creek Elementary in Swansboro and Sand Ridge Elementary are just beginning their food drives for the Hem.
Bryan Smith, guidance counselor at Queens Creek Elementary, said the school is 600 cans toward its goal, which it raised this year to 1,500 cans. Smith said the school does a number of community projects and people are always ready to help.
�I think this community is very involved and always ready to give,� he said.
Sand Ridge Elementary will begin its annual food drive next week and divides what it collects between the Hem and Christmas Cheer. Swansboro Elementary does a food drive for the Hem on the last week before the school goes on Christmas break.
Contact Daily News reporter Jannette Pippin at 910-382-2557 or firstname.lastname@example.com.


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MOSCOW - At least 20,000 Russians marched on Sunday through Moscow to protest a Kremlin law that banned US adoptions of Russian orphans and led to a further split in an already polarised society.
The protest dubbed "the March Against Scoundrels" was aimed at naming and shaming the lawmakers who fast-tracked the anti-adoption bill through the lower house of parliament, the State Duma. Besides slogans such as "Stop Lying," participants carried pictures of lawmakers Alina Kabayeva, a former gymnast, and Irina Rodnina, Russia's Olympic gold figure skating champion, along with others who voted for the measure. The word "shame!" was splashed accross their portraits in red. The Duma passed the bill without debate in a quick 420-7 vote during a third and final reading in December.
"I am against our Duma and the thieving authorities," Yulia Shamanova, a young mother, told AFP. "This is a very shameful law that should be cancelled."
Moscow authorities said up to 20,000 people could participate in the protest amid a heavy police presence and temperatures of minus 12 degrees Celsius (seven degrees Fahrenheit).
At least 20,000 took part in the march, an AFP photographer said, while leftist activist Sergei Udaltsov said up to 50,000 had turned up.
City police put the turnout at just under 10,000. "A little goes a long way," said another march participant Alexei Sharapanyuk. "Sooner or later something will change in the country. It is no longer possible to tolerate this."
The latest anti-Kremlin march comes after President Vladimir Putin signed off on a measure that introduced a blanket ban on US adoptions in reprisal for Washington legislation targeting Russian officials who have allegedly committed rights abuses. Critics say the measure will rob many disabled orphans of the chance to receive adequate medical treatment abroad and triggered a rare split in the government. Scores of Russians had said they planned to join the march for the first time since unprecedented protests against Putin's 13-year rule first shook Moscow in response to widespread fraud during parliamentary elections in December 2011.
Since then the protests, which at their height gathered up to 120,000 near the Kremlin have died down, with Putin launching a tough crackdown on civil society following his presidential comeback in May.
Eldar Ryazanov, one of the country's best-loved film directors, had before the march called on Russians to stand up for their rights and those of the orphans.
"It is not possible to live like that. There's a feeling that we are sinking into the epoch of the Inquisition," the 85-year-old director said in video appeal posted on the Internet, referring to a string of repressive laws adopted since Putin's comeback.
Political activists have taken up the cause of Russian orphans to also make a broader point about widespread rights violations and will call for the Duma's dissolution. They hope public anger may help breathe new life into the protest movement.
Liberal party Yabloko, which did not make it into the Duma during 2011 elections and often keeps distance from the motley opposition movement that includes nationalists said it would join the march to protest the "barbarian law."
More than 100,000 signatures have already been collected against the measure and the Novaya Gazeta opposition newspaper has also collected more than 117,000 signatures on a petition calling for the dissolution of parliament.
Observers say the latest Kremlin initiative has led to a huge split in society and dented the government's moral authority.
Andrei Isayev, chairman of the Duma committee responsible for labour, social policies and veterans' affairs, branded those planning to take to the streets "enemies" of Russia.
Smaller rallies took place in other cities. Around 1,500 gathered in Saint Petersburg, Putin's hometown, with some holding placards reading "Putin is evil."


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We are open for business.
Customer Service available M-F 8:30-4 EST
Online Ordering available 24/7
We have been making copper weathervanes in Maine since 1971 and we continue to make the majority of our weathervanes right here in our copper shop today which ensures our Made in Maine copper weathervanes are never out of stock. With 100s of different copper weathervanes to choose from - you are sure to find the weathervane that is right for you. From the traditional rooster weathervanes and horse weathervanes to the whimsical pig weathervanes and our party pig weathervane - there is something for everyone. Looking for something other than farm animal weathervanes - we also have plane weathervanes, ship weathervanes and of course a wide variety of American eagle weathervanes. We are still creating and designing new weathervanes each year with no end in sight. So take a look at our weathervanes and find yours today.


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Foxconn wants to be less reliant on tech titan Apple, but still wants to be part of its empire by helping create the new Apple TV.
News about the Taiwanese manufacturer wanting to diversify its business could be seen as troubling to Apple investors, according to GigaOm, but Foxconn may instead follow in the footsteps of HTC and Asustek and create its own electronic devices.
According to the New York Times, Foxconn's fortunes are too tied with Apple which contributes about 40 percent of its business. When Apple orders declined, Foxconn shares dropped. All of which made Foxconn realize it has to focus on its own brand of flat-screen TVs.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
However, there is some nugget in the story that shows that it's been the reliance on the iPad and iPhone that hurt Foxconn and that the Taiwanese company is really looking for more ways to integrate television manufacturing. GigaOm is suggesting that Foxconn is looking to create the new Apple TV, the long-rumored device that will complete the Apple family.


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Via Sports By Brooks comes this seemingly tall tale about these terrifying little fellers , who are supposedly part of Brazil's all dwarf soccer team, the "Gigantes do Norte."Even though this squad is not even close to being gigante in physical size, they are so in spirit, apparently.
The team is made up of 11 dwarves (average height: 4ft.) who travel Brazil playing youth teams in an effort to raise awareness for dwarfdom through their stubby-legged soccer prowess.
And just like their full-sized contemporaries, these Brazilian soccer little people also take on nicknames. The Gigantes star player, Cazemiro Ribeiro, is known on the field as "Vagner Love," which just sounds completely distasteful when affixed to a dwarf.
The pictures throughout the story in the Daily Telegraph remind me of a nicotine patch-induced dream I had one time. Enjoy.
Brazillian dwarves who are giants of football [Telegraph UK]
Dwarf Soccer Team Becoming a Big Hit in Brazil [SBB]


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Fans can win a round of golf with Arizona pitcher Ian Kennedy, a day of batting practice with the Cleveland Indians and a 30-minute guitar lesson from Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo as part of a charity auction this week benefiting Stand Up To Cancer.
Other prizes up for auction online through 11:59 p.m. EST Thursday include a visit from Washington pitchers Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard to the school of a child of the winning bidder, a tour of the Colorado clubhouse with Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, breakfast with San Francisco outfielder Hunter Pence, lunch with Philadelphia general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., new Boston manager John Farrell or Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda.
Pitching lessons are available from coaches Jim Hickey of Tampa Bay, Rick Honeycutt of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Charles Nagy of Arizona, Bryan Price of Cincinnati or Carl Willis of Seattle. Hitting instructions are available from Arizona's Don Baylor, Tampa Bay's Derek Shelton or the Los Angeles' Angels Jim Eppard.
There also a package of tickets for two to the Fan Fest, the Futures game, Home Run Derby and All-Star game at New York's Citi Field in July, which includes a meeting with former managers Joe Torre and Tony La Russa.
On the Net:http://auction.mlb.com/


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Mikaela Cowles '08
Making Language Count
After completing her undergraduate work at Saint Mary's, Mikaela stuck around and also got her Master's Degree in Fiction Writing from Saint Mary's, graduating in May 2010. Since then she has moved back home to Bellevue, Washington, spent sometime traveling, and started free lance writing for various clients.
Although she hasn't been gone long, Mikaela is happy to finally be working in her field of choice and applying what she learned on the basketball court to her own career. Her goal is to create a successful freelance writing business, which helps individuals and businesses put their thoughts into words succinctly and effectively. Mikaela's spare time is limited as she dedicates most of her time to working on her writing skills.
When she gets a chance, she enjoys playing basketball in a co-ed league, going for hikes, trying new foods, and hunting on occasion. Mikaela is wanting to plan a visit down to the bay area soon as time allows and is looking forward to making the drive down to Portland next week and watching the Gaels in their final regular season game.
Checkout Mikaela's website and blogs by following this link: http://baguettetastewonderbreadbudget.com/
From Court to Kitchen
by Suzie Iventosch of the Lamorinda Weekly
We are touting one of our very own this week. Mikaela Cowles, a contributing writer to the Lamorinda Weekly sports section, happens to be a very good cook! The former Gaels five-year scholarship basketball player is working toward a Masters of Fine Arts in Fiction Writing at St. Mary's College. She is writing a fiction-style cookbook for her thesis, which she hopes to have published after graduation.
"The book is a collection of fictional stories," Mikaela explained. "I have a food element in every story and include a recipe with each."
Mikaela said the recipes come from a variety of sources, but some are recipes that her mom originally taught her and then she adapted to suit her own style. Others she learned to make on her own by researching the Internet or pouring through cookbooks.
"I wanted to learn how to make risotto, so my boyfriend bought me a risotto cookbook," she said. "I also went online to learn more about the dish. I like to explore online to learn about different food concepts."
Mikaela's favorite risotto is made with sauteed shallots, garlic, artichoke hearts and a tiny amount of Asiago cheese. Apparently she is not alone in her love of this dish, her friend and roommate, Julie McAvoy said this is one of her all-time favorite "Mikaela" dishes, too.
"Mikaela has always been a fabulous cook," Julie pointed out. "She is very inventive with recipes and invites her friends over to try them out. Her recipes are always delicious, but still, she is constantly coming up with ideas to improve them. I think my very favorite is her artichoke heart risotto."
Julie and Mikaela co-authored a book their senior year at St. Mary's to show college students how to eat and drink well - cheaply. The book is aptly named Work Hard, Party Hard and though not published, was a lot of fun for the girls to produce.
"We had tons of fun writing our book," Julie said. "It was supposed to show how to cook good food for college students on a budget. We not only talked about recipes, but also included dinner party games, the best way to find good wine sales and the staples to always have on hand."
According to Mikaela, one of their professors, Denis Kelly, has authored several cookbooks and after reading the draft, he put Mikaela in touch with different writers and cooking groups to get her more involved in the cooking world.
"He taught me a lot about how to format a cookbook, including recipe layout and introductions," she noted.
Mikaela is in her second year of grad school, and hopes to have her manuscript completed by March. She currently works at "across the way" in Moraga, a novelty home goods store that carries an eclectic collection of outdoor furniture, candles, dish and bath towels, barbecues and table wear, among other interesting household items.
"I'd love to write for a food magazine, but unfortunately, there is not a lot of money in writing, so I'm not sure," she said. "But, writing and communicating are vital for anything I pursue. After working in sales at 'across the way' who knows? I might like to go into high-level sales some day. It's really fun and challenging!"
Born and raised in Seattle, Mikaela plans to return to Washington after she completes her master's degree.
"I'm a Northwest girl!"
Mikaela's Artichoke Risotto
(Serves 6 as a side dish, or 4 as a main dish)
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 shallots, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15-ounce) artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 cup Arborio rice ¼ cup white wine 1/8-1/4 cup Asiago cheese, grated
Heat olive oil in pot over medium –high heat and cook shallots until translucent, but not browned. Add garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Then add risotto and cook for about one minute. Add wine, and continue to cook, stirring all the while, until liquid is evaporated. Reduce heat just a little bit, and add broth, one soup ladle at a time, stirring into rice, but then leaving alone until absorbed. Then add another ladle of broth, continuing the process until all broth is used. At the very end, stir artichoke hearts and cheese into rice mixture. Serve hot as a side dish, which Mikaela does, or as a main dish, as I did!


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Take it to the street!
French artist Julien de Casabianca thinks art should not be reserved for the museum-going public. He photographs well-known artworks, prints the images and posts them on buildings wherever he goes (photo: Hamburg, Germany). Social media soon picked up on the idea, and 80 people around the world are now participating in his street art project.


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Fashion Flight
Runway in the air
Fashion Flight
Flying laboratory
On FlyingLab flights, Lufthansa lets passengers familiarize themselves with and test new products and services. Live lectures and/or presentations may also be offered for passengers to watch on their phone, tablet or laptop thanks to the availability of on-board Internet.
Selling dreams
Rubin Singer dresses women like Shakira and Beyoncé. The fashion designer knows the importance of staging
Mr. Singer, Why are you presenting your new collection 10 000 meters above the ground?
The fashion world has seen almost everything, and many people are bored. It's the designer's job to surprise, to tell stories, to sell dreams. A catwalk in an airplane over the Atlantic – that's something really new. Location, music, light: Fashion shows are always planned down to the last detail.
You have limited possibilities on a plane. How does that fit with your vision?
I'm having to improvise, of course. But I was prepared. We are demonstrating that it can all be done without irons, steamers and so on. And instead of showing long, opulent gowns, we are featuring pants suits and figure-hugging dresses. Compared with the usual shows, the atmosphere is intimate, with models and dresses just centimeters away from their audience.
Doesn't fashion lose some of its magic that way?
On the contrary. Many designers are currently questioning the principle of fashion shows. Some have started turning out just one collection a year, which they immediately put on sale. Customers want to get closer to fashion, they are looking for a sensual experience of the craftsmanship and the fabrics that go into the clothes. On a normal catwalk, that is hardly possible. That's why salon shows are held in small rooms, the way it used to be with haute couture.
The Fashion Flight is not only about clothes, though, it's also about social media. What is the significance of this for you?
Social networks have radically changed pop culture: They influence people's perceptions of us. Anyone can see immediately who I am, how I work and who wears my stuff, and they can form an opinion about all of that. This doesn't always have a direct impact on sales, but it is fundamental to our brand imaging and public relations.
Getting there from Germany
Lufthansa flies twice daily from Frankfurt (FRA) and seven times weekly from Munich (MUC) to New York/JFK as well as seven times weekly from both hubs to Newark. Check meilenrechner.de to see how many miles you can earn.


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myQuran Lite- Understand Quran
Books & Reference | 10.5MB
Books & Reference | 10.5MB
myQuran was featured during Ramadan on CBS News regarding how Muslims are adopting the latest technology by using their favorite app to enhance their Islamic knowledge.
Are you a beginner or an advanced student of the Quran who could benefit from a Quran Study 'Super Tool'?
myQuran is a unique and powerful application that enables us to study the Quran at many levels. myQuran makes learning, reading, understanding and sharing Quran knowledge like never possible before.
Listen to a beautiful recitation and follow it with an English translation, memorize the Quran, study a comprehensive Tafseer (extensive commentary) and also read and understand the related root words.
myQuran is versatile, highly portable, easy to use and an ideal partner on our journey to true understanding and discovery of the Quran.
Key capabilities of the app include:
Quranic Roots:
Review and analyze the root words for the Ayats (verses) in the Quran and review a detailed explanation. This gives a student an excellent insight into understanding of the ayat.
Quran Recitation:
Listen to the beautiful recitation of popular Qari's (recitors) and practice your own recitation. We have included the recitations of
•Mishaary Rashed Alafasy
•Abu Bakr Ash Shatry
•Ahmed ibn-e-Ali al Ajamy
•Muhammad Jibril
•Ibrahim Al-Akhdar
•Abdur Rahman As-Sudais
•Follow a translation by Sahih International, Yusuf Ali or Mawdudi and also in other languages such as:
Quran Tafsir (commentary):
Understand the period of revelation, theme, subject matter and background of the surahs of the Quran. Read a detailed tafsir of each ayat.
Other great features in myQuran:
Takes notes and bookmark
This is the Lite version and it contains Surah Fatiha only.
Update: 2016-07-29
Version: 1.7
Requires: Android1.6 or later


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I admit it: We're Thin Mint addicts in our house. I try to limit the number of boxes I buy each season because they aren't particularly healthy or Earth-friendly. But, I have many friends with daughters in the Girl Scouts, and the Thin Mints are just so yummy.
My 7-year-old didn't even realize there was any other flavor of Girl Scout cookies than Thin Mints. When one of my friends asked him what kind of cookies he wanted to buy from his daughter he said, "You know. Girl Scout cookies," with a confused look on his face.
One reason that Girl Scout cookies hold such a spell over many people is that they are only available for a limited time. However, I've seen recipes for homemade versions of the cookies lately on different blogs.
Whether you're looking to create a healthier version of the cookies that you like so much or you want a way to get your fix during the off-season, try your hand at these recipes for Girl Scout-like cookies.
- Tagalongs – Baking Bites has a recipe for these peanut butter patty Girl Scout cookies.
- Thin Mints – Fellow blogger Kimi has a version of my family's favorite that I'm going to have to try.
- Samoas – Christine's Cuisine makes a duplicate of the chocolatey, caramely, coconutty cookies in bar form.
- Do-Si-Dos - Baking Bites has a recipe for a larger version of these peanut butter sandwich cookies.
- Shortbread Cookies – CD Kitchen's recipe makes 60 of these copy-cat cookies — more than you'd get in the seemingly ever shrinking box.


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Media Hub and Stories
Coventry City of Culture
Olivia Konotey-Ahulu takes an alumnus' view on the excitement of Coventry being announced as City of Culture 2021, and considers what it could mean for the rest of the country
Boris's bridge: bonkers or brilliant?
Our engineering expert, Wanda Lewis, Emeritus Professor, Civil Engineering assesses whether Boris Johnson's 'English bridge' to the continent is a bridge too far…
The Warwick Story
Discover the Warwick Story and heritage through a series of podcasts, highlighting the development of Higher Education and research in the UK, the history of student life and the social and cultural history of Britain after 1945.
Around the bend?
WMG at the University of Warwick is working with Jaguar Land Rover in a key part of a £4.7 million project called AutopleX which will develop vehicles that can 'see' around corners and through obstacles, enhancing the capability of self-driving cars.


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Common Core Standards New Hampshire
Common Core Standards New Hampshire, New Hampshire Standards, New Hampshire State Standards, New Hampshire Education Standards, New Hampshire Common Core Standards, New Hampshire School Standards, Standards New Hampshire, New Hampshire Common Core State Standards
Are you nervous about teaching the Common Core Standards in New Hampshire? Are you stressing out just thinking about all the lesson plan requirements and paperwork that you will have to do? Are you looking for high quality Worksheets, Activities and Workbooks that teach every common core standard? At Core Common Standards, we are here to help make teaching the Common Core Standards an easy and stress-free experience!
New Hampshire has officially adopted the Common Core State Standards. The New Hampshire Standards include all the English Standards and Math Standards from the Common Core Standards. The Common Core Standards in New Hampshire are the same as the other states who have adopted these standards. To assist you in teaching the Common Core Standards in New Hampshire, we have designed high quality Grade Level Workbooks that include Worksheets and Activities to teach every core standard! View our Common Core Workbooks and Grade Level Standards and you will find everything you need to teach the Core Standards in New Hampshire!


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Usain Bolt has completed everything he could hope to as a sprinter. He has world records in the 100m and the 200m, six Olympic golds, and a set-in-stone legacy as one of the greatest sprinters of all time. Why not seek another challenge?
Though there were rumors of his retirement, Bolt dismissed the idea his track and field career was over. Instead, he mentioned a prospect that would mean the world's fastest man wouldn't even be in the sprints. Bolt is considering trying other events, namely the 400m and long jump.
"It's just about making different goals, there's a lot of things I can do in the sport," Bolt told Britain's Sky News television channel.
"My coach wants me to do 400 metres, I want to try long jump," said Bolt.
Seeing Bolt long jump would certainly be a sight to behold. One of the reasons why he is so dominant in the sprints is that he uses his height as an advantage. He uses every inch of his 6-foot-5 body to get to the finish line in a fast, efficient manner. Can you imagine what he will do to get that frame to jump farther?
Check out Elite Athlete Workouts from Yahoo! Sports:
Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
• Too big for the NFL, John "House" Taylor wallows away in obscurity
• Florida State's Michael Snaer says he's the nation's best shooting guard
• Photos: Jon Jones under fire for declining fight
• YU! Finance: The most underpaid jobs in the United States


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New York City mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner (Credit: AP)
NEW YORK (AP) -- A new poll says Anthony Weiner has slipped to fourth place in the Democratic race for New York City mayor.
The poll was conducted by Quinnipiac University amid the fallout of his latest sexting scandal. Weiner was in first place in a Quinnipiac poll released five days ago and conducted before the scandal broke.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is in first place with 27 percent of likely voters. She was followed by Public Advocate Bill de Blasio at 21 percent, former city Comptroller Bill Thompson at 20 percent and Weiner at 16 percent.
Weiner said last week he continued having illicit online conversations after resigning from Congress in 2011.
Poll director Maurice Carroll says Weiner is in "freefall."
Pollsters surveyed 446 Democrats from Wednesday to Sunday. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.
Featured image via Getty


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|System: PS2, Xbox
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Midway
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Midway
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: June 2006
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1 - 2
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|Review by Mike
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Mike Chasselwaite
Midway didn't exactly hit one out of the park with MLB Slugfest 2006, the latest arcade-style baseball game for the PS2 and the Xbox. You actually get less, for less when you purchase this title. It's budget priced and it has less features than Slugfest Loaded that was released a couple of years ago. Don't expect any online modes or franchise mode. What you can expect is everything that you would expect from a budget title. Don't expect any surprises. In other words, don't expect the unexpected.
Right off the bat, please excuse the pun, I'm going to recommend that you rent this game before you buy it. Chances are you probably won't buy it after you try it. Not because it's bad but because it's nothing that you haven't played before. Don't be swayed by the cheap price. It would be worth it if it had an online component but as it is you will exploit everything it has to offer in a short weekend.
In the game's defense, I would recommend it for casual gamers and youngsters that enjoy the odd sports game but don't want to spend hours on end learning a complicated control system. The control system in MLB Slugfest 2006 is simplification personified. I really don't think it could be any simpler and more effective. So much of it just makes sense. There are many different ways to use the various commands so you will be able to get enough depth out of a limited amount of button pushing. The localized multi-player mode will give you some replay value but if you're seriously competitive, keep in mind that even a beginner can give you a run for your money due to the forgiving nature of the control system and gameplay.
Batting is analog and pitching is digital. The analog stick is used to control the bat. Press it in the direction that you intend to swing. If you want to hit a high ball, point the stick up. If you want to hit something lower, point it down. You can even take swings at balls to the left or right by moving the stick in either of those directions. Just how far you move the stick can determine your accuracy and power. Overall it's a very forgiving system that will have novices playing like major leaguers in a few short minutes. It can literally be anyone's game.
Pitching is controlled via two main buttons. Once you aim your pitch in the zone you press the A button for a strike (hopefully) or the X button for a ball. You can also opt to hit the batter and try to reduce his stats but that might turn into a fight and cost you a few attributes yourself. Trick pitches can be thrown but you've got to get some juice into the trick pitch meter first. All it takes if five strikes to fill it and you can deliver some powerhouse pitches that couldn't be stopped by the side of a barn. When you're that hot, your character will literally catch on fire.
Like the ultimate power-up, turbo power can change the course of any game if used correctly. Turbo can be used to enhance virtually any hit, pitch, catch, throw or run. The turbo power is regulated through a meter. The more beneficial the action is to your score, the more juice you will use up. It's advisable to use it somewhere in the last half of the inning so that you don't use it all up and have to face a handful of innings without it. It's like a addicting drug. Once you get used to it you can't do without it. It becomes such an integral part of the gameplay that the developers should have considered using the word "turbo" in the title of the game.
Press turbo when you're batting and you're virtually guaranteed a homerun every time. Press it when you're baserunning and you'll steal bases like stealing candy from a baby. When you're in the field even the highest fly ball will land squarely in your mitt and you'll be able to fire it back to home plate so powerfully and quickly that the ump might mistake it for a strike. It's a great feeling of power when you employ the turbo but it's can also be quite devastating when used against you.
include a 52-game Season mode, Playoff, Home Run Derby,
and the new Create-a-Player and Create-a-Team modes.
Gone are the online and franchise mode which means
that you can't trade players, nor you can update the
roster which is already outdated. Since this isn't
a simulation, you can't really take it seriously so
you'll just have to live with some of these shortcomings.
The gameplay may be solid but the game enjoys not
taking itself too seriously with some really outrageous
animations and witty commentary from Tim and Jim.
That's Jim Shorts and Tim Kitrow. You'll witness players
sliding into bases with their cleats in a very dangerous
position. Let's just say they are intending to foul
a couple of balls, if you know what I mean. And even
if you don't know what I mean, when you see the animations
of the player writhing in pain from his injury, you
can't help but feel sorry for the poor fellow - even
though it's hard to wipe the smile off your face.
The game hasn't changed much in look, feel or sound since 2004. The players' animations are good but they all have a generic, bot-like appearance. The stadiums and the crowds are also nondescript. The sounds aren't incorporated naturally into the game. They aren't dynamic and you'll be very aware that they are triggered. The Jim and Tim commentary is certainly a welcome addition but there's not nearly enough fresh content to last more than a few hours.
MLB Slugfest 2006 is a fun game but it has no lasting appeal. Even the two-player mode becomes more like a game of chance than a game of skill when player of equal caliber have outgrown the simplistic control system. There's enough here to keep you happy for a weekend but after that it's like replaying the same game over and over.
- It's On-Fire!: Midway's classic fast and furious gameplay is back with tape-measure home runs, bean balls, charging the mound and of course, on-fire mode.
- NEW Create-A-Player: For the first time ever in the Slugfest franchise, customize your players right down to their batting stances and special pitches then draft them onto your own unique team with the return of the Create-A-Team feature.
- Exclusive!: The one and only over-the-top baseball videogame fully licensed by the MLB and MBLPA contains all of your favorite teams, players and stadiums in the most raucous brand of baseball you've ever seen.
- The
Most Entertaining Baseball Videogame: Easy to pick-up-and-play,
humorous play-by-play and color commentary by the
voice of Midway Sports' Tim Kitzrow and his laugh-a-minute
sidekick, Jim Shorts.
Mike Chasselwaite
CCC Freelance Writer


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Working against the clock to clear his desk of several hundred bills by Sunday's deadline, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a package of laws Friday that are meant to reduce the chance of another pipeline explosion like last year's in San Bruno.
Saying "very important lessons" arose from the September 2010 San Bruno blast, which killed eight people and destroyed 37 homes, Brown approved five measures.
"These bills protect California communities by setting new standards for emergency preparedness, placing automatic shutoff valves in vulnerable areas, and ensuring that gas companies pressure test transmission lines," Brown said.
Local, state and national politics
PG&E has been hit with intense criticism for the way it handled both pipe inspections and its response to the San Bruno emergency.
The new measures give new authority to state regulators to require installation of shutoff valves. Utilities will also be required to prepare a pressure test plan for all intrastate transmission lines. The bills also impose tight controls on how utilities raise and spend ratepayer money for those safety mandates.
More on Jerry's bill-signing frenzy:
No Cell Phones in Prison, Says Governor
Secrecy Banished from Clemency Process
Dead Mountain Lion Inspires Law -- And Sarcasm
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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DescriptionIf you want to be a professional programmer, you're going to want to be well-versed in three of the most financially reward programming languages in existence: Ruby, Java, and Python. These three languages comprise some of the most popular web app frameworks, and are used in some capacity in just about every website. In this project-based course, you'll learn how to leverage these languages to build fully-functional web apps, and start working towards a programming career.
Details & Requirements


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Welcome Booklet (Years 7, 8 & 9)
For new students arriving in Year 7, 8 and 9
We are very much looking forward to welcoming you to The Blue School. It is very important for our new students to look forward to being a part of The Blue School community.
For Year 6 students moving to Year 7 in September we have therefore devised a transition programme that involves the following:
- In April parents of all Year 7 students who have been offered a place receive a letter outlining the transition process.
- From May our Head of Year 7 and where appropriate Mrs S Foster, our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), undertake a range of visits to primary schools to introduce themselves and to meet our prospective students.
- The above Key Stage 3 Welcome Booklet is revised and published in July to coincide with an Information Evening given here at The Blue. This booklet contains all the vital information you need to prepare yourself and your child for September. During the Information Evening a presentation will be given by the Deputy Headteacher (Pastoral), Max Harvey.
- An Induction Day will be held for your child in July. During this day your child will have the opportunity to experience a range of taster sessions and will meet their Tutor.
For Year 8 and 9 students who join us in September or later in the year, a bespoke individual induction programme will be arranged. Similarly, new Year 7 students joining us later than September will follow their own tailored programme.
For all new students, the induction will incorporate any issues and concerns identified at the introductory meeting held between the student, their parent/carer and a member of the school's Leadership Team.
Welcome to The Blue!
- Safeguarding and Child Protection
- Coronavirus - A Guide to Home Learning
- Educational Psychology Service
- Coronavirus Free School Meals
- Letters Home
- Y9 Options Information
- Update your Contact Details
- Parents' Evening Booking System
- Online-Safety - Parent Advice
- Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
- Blue School PTA Lottery
- Parent View Website
- Welcome Booklet (Years 7, 8 & 9)
- SCOPAY Online Payments
- Catering at The Blue
- School Uniform
- Musical Instrument Tuition Scheme
- Careers - Parent Advice
- Schemes of Assessment


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If you have a complaint or concern about discrimination, accommodations or services with respect to passengers with a disability that has not been resolved by our personnel to your satisfaction, please ask one of airport agents to put you in contact with a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO), or contact Air Canada Reservations for assistance.
Our CROs have been specially trained and are aware of applicable Canadian and U.S. air transportation disability regulations, and will be glad to respond to your complaint within 30 days, or take whatever action they deem is necessary. Our CROs are available by phone at all airport locations, at no cost.
If you're interested in forwarding a more general comment or complaint on a past travel experience, please contact Customer Relations.


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|Quantity Per Pack
|Primary Brand
|Allergen - Latex
|Instructions Included
Reviewed by 2 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-2
Best Uses
Comments about Expo® Fine Tip Dry Erase Markers (Set of 12):
They were ok but not long lasting at all. certain lighter colors were not as visible on a white board which I was hoping would not happen. Ended up using the darker colors-which I could have just ordered those but wanted a color variety. Most likely will stick to the usual 4 pack of dark colors we usually order.
Best Uses
Comments about Expo® Fine Tip Dry Erase Markers (Set of 12):
Great to have so many colors! We use these every week in our Sunday School classes.
Displaying reviews 1-2
Customer Service: [email protected]
Webmaster: [email protected] (Problems or suggestions related to the site only.)
Toll-free phone: (800) 288-9941
Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 7:00pm, EST
Representatives who speak Spanish are available
Monday to Friday 9 AM to 6 PM EST
Representantes que hablan Español están disponibles
Lunes a Viernes 9 AM to 6 PM EST
24-Hour toll-free fax: (800) 566-6678
S&S® Worldwide
PO Box 513
75 Mill Street
Colchester, CT 06415


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More than 200 women from across the country convened in Chicago last month to focus on the future of their farm business. They represented diverse segments of agriculture, including specialty crops, agribusiness, grain and livestock.
In a survey of attendees, 68% listed risk management and profitability as one of their top concerns on the farm, along with opportunity for growth and succession planning.
Topics covered included everything from "Managing Margins for Profit," with Top Producer's Business Matters columnist Chris Barron, to "Taking It to the Hill," with Annette Sweeney, Iowa House Representative. Attendees came for different reasons, but the value derived was similar for each.
"It's so good to be able to share information and make contacts with others who might be in the same situation as you," said Kathy Reinhardt, a Seaton, Ill., farmer who attended the event. "You're a little more open when it's not just your neighbor, and you can learn from others' situations."
Joan French of De Land, Ill., said it's useful to have a benchmark. "It helps you compare your operation and determine what you can do better and what you can do next," she said. Many attendees echoed these remarks.
More than 25% of the women in attendance are responsible for their farm's commodity marketing, while 65% are charged with record keeping. More information from EWA, applicable to all genders, is featured throughout this issue and marked with the conference logo. Additional content and conference coverage is available online at www.TopProducer-Online.com.
Thank you to our EWA sponsors:
Agrotain, BASF, Bayer CropScience, Case IH, Dow AgroSciences, Farm Credit, Monsanto America's Farmers Mom of the Year, DuPont Pioneer, SFP, Top Third Ag Marketing, Water Street Solutions


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The consensus opinion is certainly that mobile broadband is not a profitable business (yet) in Western Europe (especially in countries like UK) where mobile broadband prices are trending lower than fixed broadband prices. I have always wanted to do a quantitative analysis.
The analyst firm Informa claims that fixed-line costs in Europe are near Eurocent 0.1-0.5 per MB, compared with Eurocent 2-3 for mobile networks. We can use this number to compare the cost basis for various operators' quota-based mobile broadband packages. For example, 3 UK's package is as follows:
So if you use the 2 Eurocent per MB number, 1 GB costs ~20 Euros (or 18 pounds) significantly more than the 10 pounds that 3 seems to be charging for the 1 GB package. Assuming a user who signs up for a 7 GB package uses ~2 GB, the cost for 3 to support that user is ~36 pounds which is still a lot higher than 25 pounds. I am not sure about you, but I sure don't see how 3 is making money on these mobile broadband packages.


text: In addition to shooting 35mm black-and-white shots of my endlessly-repeated I-5 drives back in the late 80s, I did a lot of highway photography using thrift-store 126 and 110 cameras. I won't make y'all deal with the headache-inducing 110 stuff (or the even more maddening pinhole-camera shots), but here's a 126 Instamatic shot from the Altamont Pass area that's one of the few shots showing any part of my old MGB-GT. Yes, I know, it's not technically I-5, but it's spittin' distance.


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Lower surcharges on award flights in autumn and winter
Now could be a good time to join up with Miles & More, Europe's largest frequent flyer and awards program, and pay that long-considered visit to a European metropolis or one of the many attractive cities in Germany. Why? Because not only would you be treating yourself to a short break, but in the coming weeks also paying less to reach your destination. From November 1 through December 31, 2015*, there's a reduction of 18 euros in the surcharge for each segment – that's 36 in all. This offer applies to award flights in Economy Class from Frankfurt or Munich to Barcelona, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris and Rome, and also to all domestic Germany flights to and from Frankfurt and Munich.
*Inbound and outbound flights must lie within the above-mentioned travel period.


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i got the nucs in griffin
i know the guys in la. and florida are starting to see some activity but what is everybody around mid ga., al. and ms. finding right now? i bought 3 nucs from a guy close to atlanta this week and one has capped drone brood and the field bees were bringing bright red pollen (i'm assuming red maple). these are supposed to have vsh genetics so i'm wondering if that has anything to do with that has something to do with the early drones.anyway, my hives all have a pretty good amount of brood (3 to 4 deep frames solid capped) but i haven't noticed any drone cells. so, what are all the other coastal plains and fall line beekeepers seeing right now?


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|Working Group I: The Scientific Basis
|Other reports in this collection
12.1.2 Summary of the First and Second Assessment Reports
The first IPCC Scientific Assessment in 1990 (IPCC, 1990) concluded that the global mean surface temperature had increased by 0.3 to 0.6°C over the previous 100 years and that the magnitude of this warming was broadly consistent with the predictions of climate models forced by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases. However, it remained to be established that the observed warming (or part of it) could be attributed to the enhanced greenhouse effect. Some of the reasons for this were that there was only limited agreement between model predictions and observations, because climate models were still in the early stages of development; there was inadequate knowledge of natural variability and other possible anthropogenic effects on climate and there was a scarcity of suitable observational data, particularly long, reliable time-series.
By the time of the SAR in 1995, considerable progress had been made in attempts to identify an anthropogenic effect on climate. The first area of significant advance was that climate models were beginning to incorporate the possible climatic effects of human-induced changes in sulphate aerosols and stratospheric ozone. The second area of progress was in better defining the background variability of the climate system through multi-century model experiments that assumed no changes in forcing. These provided important information about the possible characteristics of the internal component of natural climate variability. The third area of progress was in the application of pattern-based methods that attempted to attribute some part of the observed changes in climate to human activities, although these studies were still in their infancy at that time.
The SAR judged that the observed trend in global climate over the previous 100 years was unlikely to be entirely natural in origin. This led to the following, now well-known, conclusion: "Our ability to quantify the human influence on global climate is currently limited because the expected signal is still emerging from the noise of natural variability, and because there are uncertainties in key factors. Nevertheless, the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate". It also noted that the magnitude of the influence was uncertain.12.1.3 Developments since the Second Assessment Report
In the following sections, we assess research developments since the SAR in areas crucial to the detection of climate change and the attribution of its causes. First, in Section 12.2, we review advances in the different elements that are needed in any detection and attribution study, including observational data, estimates of internal climate variability, natural and anthropogenic climate forcings and their simulated responses, and statistical methods for comparing observed and modelled climate change. We draw heavily on the assessments in earlier chapters of this report, particularly Chapter 2 - Observed Climate Variability and Change, Chapter 6 - Radiative Forcing of Climate Change, Chapter 8 - Model Evaluation, and Chapter 9 - Projections of Future Climate Change.
In Section 12.3, a qualitative assessment is made of observed and modelled climate change, identifying general areas of agreement and difference. This is based on the observed climate changes identified with most confidence in Chapter 2 and the model projections of climate change from Chapter 9.
Next, in Section 12.4, advances obtained with quantitative methods for climate change detection and attribution are assessed. These include results obtained with time-series methods, pattern correlation methods, and optimal fingerprint methods. The interpretation of optimal fingerprinting as an estimation problem, finding the scaling factors required to bring the amplitude of model-simulated changes into agreement with observed changes, is discussed. Some remaining uncertainties are discussed in Section 12.5 and the key findings are drawn together in Section 12.6.
Other reports in this collection


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by Jim Harris
There's certainly no shortage of online analysis concerning President Obama's election victory. I've been sorting through the thousands of blogs, tweets and podcasts, and the most fascinating thing I saw was Donald Trump demanding to see President Obama's Electoral College records. Trump insists that Obama really flunked out of the Electoral College, but the far-left, ultraliberal mass media (owned by people like Rupert Murdoch) are keeping it a secret.
The next best piece of video I saw was of a young African American woman who was being interviewed just after she had voted. After stating that she had voted for candidates for several important offices, the reporter asked her, "What race were you most interested in?" She replied, "The black race!"
Then there was the interview with the billionaire hotel heiress, Bess Western, who had donated millions of dollars to the Romney campaign. Ms. Western said she felt so bad for Romney that she was going to take him to an Ikea store just so Romney could find out what it's like to put together a cabinet. She said, "I may even buy him the presidency of the Cayman Islands."
Ms. Western added angrily, "The American people are idiots! Mitt was far too kind when he said that only 47 percent of them were deadbeats and moochers. Allowing most of them to vote is like having a vegetarian judge a barbecue competition. I think that many Americans in big cities have had a brain-reduction operation, and I'm sick of them saying that billionaires should pay more taxes! Many of us in the upper one percent worked hard to inherit our money. When you're a fetus, it's not easy to find a billionaire to give birth to you!
"Next April I think I will claim 47 percent of Americans as dependents on my income tax return. Don't they realize how bad the economy is under Obama? I just learned that unemployment is way up in China and India, so ever foreigners are losing American jobs! This situation is 'un-presidented!' And as far as this gay marriage issue is concerned, it's ridiculous. Most minority men don't even support straight marriage!"
Most commentators and so-called pundits have cited three decisive factors that helped Obama win, even though he gave Romney a one-debate head start:
•First, he got strong support from women. You might say that after Hurricane Sandy, Romney was slammed by another "Her-icane" since so many woman voted against him. That's not surprising, considering those loose-cannon Republicans like Todd Akins in Missouri, who blithely uttered his infamous "legitimate rape" comment on national TV. (After his defeat, Akins allegedly attributed his misogynistic gaffe to the fact that he "didn't know women could vote.")
•Secondly, the President won big among young people, whom his campaign targeted early and often with a steady barrage of emails bearing seductive, youth-oriented titles like "Yo, wassup, Dude?" and "How's it hangin', Dog?"
•And finally, he won by garnering the lion's share of the minority vote, which proved to be enough, even though Romney won the majority of the white vote. Experts believe that this demographic trend will continue in future elections, too, since, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, whites are projected to become a racial minority by 2042.
All seriousness aside, that is a scary thought for us paleface folks, and I must bear some of the blame since I have never had two-legged children. I meant to, really. I just forgot. It is sad to think that we will never run things again starting in 2042, but we did have a really great run while it lasted. I have some wonderful memories of the old days — Pat Boone, crew cuts, bobby sox, tuna casserole, "Leave it to Beaver," "Ozzie and Harriet," African American maids, and on and on. Maybe I'll put together a nice scrapbook about white history.
In fact, when I look at those demographic projections, I see that I will be 95 years old in 2042, when the former Caucasian juggernaut finally runs out of gas. If I stay healthy and play my cards right, I could be the individual who actually tips the balance of power. I could personally pass the torch to a new majority of Americans.
I can see it now. There will be an elaborate, televised ceremony down at the Jersey Shore, at the climax of which I'll hobble up onto the magnificent, glittering stage, feebly sing a few verses of "The Way We Were," and symbolically transfer the majority mantle to a designated non-white representative. I will then dive into the ocean and attempt to swim back to my ancestral homeland, if I can figure out where that is. You might say that will be a must-sea experience!


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All of our central heating engineers are Gas Safe registered – our registration number is: 0992345
What we do:
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Emergency repairs – Call 24/7 – 07519 601049
Boiler servicing – routine central heating boiler service, your boiler requires an annual service to maintain it's efficiency and good functioning.
Boiler Repair
Boiler breakdowns can occur at the most inconvenient times. At Gas 365 Ltd We understand that you will want to get your boiler fixed without delay, and we're set up to do just that.
Our Milton based Gas Safe registered engineers are proficient in repairing all major boiler brands.
Whether you have an Alpha, Ariston, Baxi, Biasi, Buderus, Ferroli, Glow Worm, Grant, Heatline, Ideal, Keston, Potterton, Suanier Duval, Vaillant, Viessmann, Vokera, Worcester Bosch or some other brand, we will have it back in full working order in no time so that you can get back to a normal life.
Boiler Servicing
Most people only ever call a gas engineer in Milton to arrange boiler servicing when their boiler fails – by that time the issue is generally major and costly. But a faulty boiler isn't just inconvenient, potentially it may be fatal. That's why regular, yearly, boiler servicing by one of our GAS SAFE qualified engineers, or if you have an oil boiler, our OFTEC certified engineers, is the best way to guarantee the safety of you and your family.
Boiler Installation
Our comprehensive installation service takes you from our no cost initial consultation and quote through to the finished installation of your new central heating boiler / system. In the event your central heating system is over 15 years old, the probability is, that upgrading to a modern system can save you money and be far better for the environment. New central heating systems are more energy-efficient, and your initial expense will be recouped through considerable savings on your heating payments. All work undertaken by our gas engineer in Milton is subject to control checks by our inspection staff, and we offer you a standard guarantee of two years on all installations with an extended guarantee on some products*.
Power Flushing
A build up of corrosion in your system can produce a sludge that ultimately affects the effectiveness of your boiler. This one-off deep clean makes sure your radiators heat up correctly and there are no more cold spots. Power flushing will help to to increase the life of the whole system, keeps home heating bills down and reduces the risk of equipment failures.
If your having an emergency like a burst pipe, leaking radiator, faulty toilet, gas leak or faulty boiler/heating system and require an urgent repair, give us a call and we will take action promptly. Our locally based emergency plumbers in Milton are all Gas Safe Registered and are required to carry their Gas Safe ID cards which can be produced upon request for peace of mind.
We offer an emergency plumbing service 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, to all areas of Milton. Contact us and allow us to take the stress away with a professional no obligation service.
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To find out more or to organise a free quotation from a trusted and highly accredited gas engineer in Milton, please contact Gas 365 Ltd today.


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The Jessmuk is a unique style of knife that features a Nessmuk style of knife blade. It excels at slicing and skinning chores but due to some unique grind features, it makes a great bushcraft knife as well. It is a very versatile knife making it ideal for many outdoor tasks encountered while hunting, hiking and camping. The blade edge starts curving near the ricasso area so there is more "belly" than on some other knives. The blade tip is near the centerline of the knife making it ideal for drilling holes. The angle of the cutting edge starting from the ricasso area forward is great for doing feather sticks and other woodworking chores. The center of the "belly" area allows for efficient batoning of wood. The combination of the Scandi grind and 1/8" steel provides for efficient use in a variety of situations. This heavy duty knife features CPM 3V steel, a squared spine for firesteel use and a large lanyard hole. The handle is large and shaped very nicely for comfort during times of extended use. The handle also features thumb scallops for more comfort and better control when using the "finger pinch" hold. The Natural Curly Maple handle scales are attached with Black Micarta pins and two ton epoxy for a lifetime of trouble-free use.
Includes a heavy duty leather dangler sheath.


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- MS-13-80, Boxes 1-2
- Fonds
- 1937-1951
Fonds consists of correspondence in association with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia and correspondence regarding his involvement with the Provincial Medical Board. Other papers include financial records, miscellaneous publications, and personal notes. The fonds includes records from his years at Dalhousie University, including student information.
Scammell, Harold L., Dr., 1905-1991


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Release Details
Since 1992, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reminded consumers to check smoke alarms and change batteries when they change their clocks, but in that time, many alarms have lost their effectiveness. This year, CPSC wants to remind consumers to replace smoke alarms every ten years and replace carbon monoxide (CO) alarms every five years.
In a national telephone survey of households conducted by the CPSC, 97 percent of homes had at least one smoke alarm. That's good news, but without fresh batteries, alarms will not work when needed. And the sensors in alarms will degrade and lose effectiveness over time because of environmental contamination and age.
According to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports, there were more than 1.6 million fires reported in the United States in 2005. These fires caused about 3,700 civilian deaths and 18,000 injuries. Additionally, from 2002-2004, CPSC estimated a yearly average of 166 deaths from unintentional, non-fire related CO exposure.
"Millions of Americans are without adequate protection from fire and CO because the alarm's battery is dead or the alarm is too old," said CPSC Acting Chairman Nancy Nord. "Alarms don't last forever, and old ones need to be replaced."
Consumers need to remain vigilant against carbon monoxide poisoning and fires. CPSC recommends three simple tips to protect your life, your loved ones, and your home:
1. Make sure your home is protected with both smoke and CO alarms. Combination smoke/CO alarms are available in the marketplace.
2. Test alarms monthly to make sure they are working.
3. Once a year, change batteries when you change your clocks.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associated with the use of thousands of types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. Deaths, injuries, and property damage from consumer product incidents cost the nation more than $1 trillion annually. CPSC is committed to protecting consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical or mechanical hazard. CPSC's work to help ensure the safety of consumer products - such as toys, cribs, power tools, cigarette lighters and household chemicals -– contributed to a decline in the rate of deaths and injuries associated with consumer products over the past 40 years.
Federal law bars any person from selling products subject to a publicly-announced voluntary recall by a manufacturer or a mandatory recall ordered by the Commission.
To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury go online to www.SaferProducts.gov or call CPSC's Hotline at 800-638-2772 or teletypewriter at 301-595-7054 for the hearing impaired. Consumers can obtain news release and recall information at www.cpsc.gov, on Twitter @USCPSC or by subscribing to CPSC's free e-mail newsletters.
Please use the below phone number for all media requests.
Phone: (301) 504-7908
Spanish: (301) 504-7800


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As everyday unfolds and we see things happen all over the planet, here are examples of how the religious and superstitious beliefs interact with the world in negative ways.
On the afternoon of 22 May 2013, a British Army soldier, Lee Rigby of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was killed by two assailants near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, southeast London, in a terrorist attack.
Christian sect the Jehovah's Witnesses - with 64,000 active 'disciples' in Australia - are a cruel religion with no soul, according to Melbourne cultbuster Raphael Aron.
"I am still waiting for a justification for someone to be able to rip away a five or six year old child from their extended family because Mum or Dad have decided to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses," he said.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html#ixzz2NbKoNxzX
To date, there is no evidence that prayer works. Yet, the tyranny of religions and superstition doom many of our young to suffer and die at the mercy of their parent's stupidity.
Taslima Nasreen, an award-winning writer, physician, Secular Humanist and human rights activist, writes about how Islamists in Bangladesh, where she was born, are killing atheists.
"Four people were killed and more than 200 injured in Bangladesh yesterday as hundreds of Islamists clashed with police in Dhaka and other major cities demanding execution of "atheist bloggers" they accused of blasphemy." (Read article)


text: Wednesday, April 04, 2012 New Video: Examining Frequency and Duration in Pediatric Physical Therapy A new addition to APTA's Innovations in Practice video series highlights how a frequency-and-duration program has changed practice for some 80 therapists in the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia rehabilitation division. The program aims to ensure that the therapists' services are being used optimally, not only in mindfulness of insurance resources that may need to be spread among different health care providers but also to give the best possible care to their young patients. The program has focused on establishing guidelines for frequency and duration of visits for different levels of intensity of services; setting realistic goals for each patient based on the guidelines; and moving each patient and his or her parents, as appropriate and with monitoring as needed, toward self-care, independent from hospital visits. Hear Kim Nixon-Cave, PT, PhD, PCS, explain how the program was created and implemented, and check out the handout that illustrates this innovative model of care.


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Ecover have been pioneering green science for over 30 years to make effective plant-based, planet-friendly cleaners.
Suitable for all kinds of surfaces. Cookers, fridges, enamel, stainless steel, tiles and chrome.
Degreases and removes obstinate stains without scratching
No unnecessary petrochemical ingredients leaving any nasty residues
Environmental Benefits:
- Optimum level of bio-degradability.
- Minimum impact on aquatic life.
- Against animal testing.
- Suitable for septic tanks.
Packaging materials:
The bottle and labels are made of polyethylene, and the cap of polypropylene. These are both 100% recyclable and can be recycled together using a low energy process.
Complete ingredients list
(The list below displays ingredients in descending order, with those present in highest quantities first.)
Aqua, Calcium Carbonate, Bentonite, Glycerin, Capryl Glucoside, Lauryl Polyglucose, Xanthan Gum, 2-bromo-2-nitropropane-1,3-diol, Dioctyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate, Titanium Dioxide, Silver chloride.
Size: 500 ml.
Let's go Carbon Neutral! - We invest in GOLD STANDARD REFORESTATION PROJECTS to help turn the world green. We are committed to being Carbon Neutral!
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The image shows a group of people, presumably members of a family, arranged rather haphazardly in the garden in front of a house. The house itself is double-storey, contructed of dressed stone, with chimneys at each gabled end, and a thatched roof. Four large windows are visible, the upper two with visible curtains, each with numerous small panes. A smaller building with a tiled roof, also with a multi-paned window is partially visible at the left. In front of the group is a pole set vertically in the ground, perhaps three metres high, with a string or thin rope tied near the top and extending towards and to the left of the photographer, possibly a washing line. The tiled roofs of other buildings situated behind the main house are just visible immediately to the left and right of the photo. I believe this must be the back garden of the house, rather than the main frontage which faces the road.
There are several bushes visible in the foreground, but also what appears to be some sort of stone platform. On top of this platform are a large dish, a bucket, a jar, a smaller dish and, I think, a cat! There appears to be a pipe sticking out of the left-hand side of the platform, which causes me to wonder if it is some kind of washing area.
There are eight people in the photograph. From left to right they are:
- a middle-aged woman in a light-coloured dress, standing with her hands together in front of her, facing towards and to the right of the camera,
- a middle-aged or older woman in a dark dress, seated, with a blurred mouth (I won't say why!)
- a young child, perhaps three or four years old, slightly blurred and partly obscured by the pole,
- an older man, standing with his arms crossed,
- a younger woman in a dark dress, seated, and looking down towards a very blurred small child in her lap,
- a middle-aged woman in a light-coloured dress, standing with her hands together in front of her, facing to the left of the camera,
- a middle-aged man, standing behind the stone platform, and leaning with both forearms on the platform.
There is no indication from an inscription or any other history attached to the photo who the subjects were. However, my initial guess would be that they are, from left to right, maiden aunt, grandmother, child, grandfather, mother with child, maiden aunt and father. I estimate from the style of the dresses of the younger three women, together with the fact their ears are just visible from beneath their tightly drawn back and centre-parted hair, that the photograph was probably taken in the mid- to late 1860s, say between 1865 and 1869.
The photographer, as evidenced from the backstamp on the card mount, was Thomas Barker Mellor of Nottingham Road, Belper in Derbyshire. Adamson (1997) mentions only that Mellor was operating from The Butts in Belper around 1874, presumably taken from an entry in Wright's trade directory of that date, which also described him as a music teacher. However, it is clear from the entry in the 1871 Census, in which he described himself as a photographer, and the existence of several cartes de visite from the late 1860s, that he was working in the profession prior to that date.
Thomas B. Mellor was born at Belper in 1849, one of the large family of draper John Mellor (1812-1900) and his second wife Jane Barker. It seems unlikely that he would have worked as a photographer with his own printed card mounts prior to the age of about eighteen, and the earliest date for a photograph by him on a printed mount is therefore likely to be c. 1867.
He married Mary Ann Allsop at Belper in 1874 and they moved to Bakewell in about 1877. Mellor appears to have ceased working as a photographer at this time, being listed as an "organist and teacher of music" in both the 1881 and 1891 censuses. He appears, therefore, to have been working as a photographer for about a decade, from c. 1867 until c. 1877. Thomas Mellor died in 1915.
Adamson, Keith I.P. (1997) Professional Photographers in Derbyshire 1843-1914, Supplement No. 118 to The PhotoHistorian, September 1997, ISSN 0957-0209.
Digital Trade Directories courtesy of the University of Leicester's Historical Directories:
- Harrod, J.G. & Co. (1870) Postal & Commercial Directory of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland & Staffordshire.
Trade Directories on microfiche from the Derbyshire Family History Society (Collection of Brett Payne):
- Wright, C.N. (1874) Directory of South Derbyshire, Third Edition, October 1874.
- Kelly (1881) Directory of Derbyshire.
Index to GRO Birth, Marriage & Death Indexes from FreeBMD
International Genealogical Index (IGI) from the LDS Church's FamilySearch database
Indexed 1841-1901 UK Census Images from Ancestry


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Authorities in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong detained two rights activists after they attended a U.S. election night party run by the American Chamber of Commerce, which one activist said had been infiltrated by state security police.
Guangzhou-based rights lawyer Tang Jingling said he had been placed under house arrest by local state security police shortly after leaving the AmCham election night event at the Grand Hyatt in Guangzhou.
"The authorities sent secret agents to infiltrate the event," Tang said. "I left ... after it was over, and I got a call from the state security police the moment I switched my phone back on."
"They said they wanted to meet with me, and they took me back home from a location near the party venue."
Tang said he had been warned not to leave home "for the time being."
"They told me a while back that I wasn't allowed to go and watch the live broadcast of the U.S. presidential elections."
'I wanted to experience it'
Labor activist Li Yuanfeng, who is also based in Guangzhou, said police also searched his home last Wednesday after he attended the party, confiscating his computer, camera, and cell phone.
"After I got home, the police came to my home and asked me why I had gone," he said. "After that, they detained me and put me on a train."
Li said he had gone "to soak up the atmosphere," although he hadn't received a formal invitation.
"Some people had invitations, but others didn't," he said.
"There were probably upwards of 1,000 people there," Li said by phone on Tuesday from Hunan. "There was live coverage of the elections, and a simulated election."
"I just wanted to experience it just once."
After the party, police escorted him to his home province of Hunan, where he no longer lives, warning him not to return to Guangzhou.
Trending topic
The U.S. elections were a trending topic in many online platforms in China, while unofficial online polls showed overwhelming support for incumbent candidate Barack Obama, who won a second term as president in the Nov. 6 vote.
Chinese netizens followed the U.S. elections particularly closely ahead of China's own leadership transition, which is being decided behind closed doors at a secretive congress of the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Nine members of China's highest decision-making body, the Politburo Standing Committee, are due to step down at the this week's 18th Party Congress, where 2,270 delegates will deliberate on the new generation of leaders.
However, delegates to such congresses rarely vote against the Party leadership, and debates and power struggles within Party ranks are largely kept from public view.
President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao will be among those leaving their positions, while Vice President Xi Jinping and Vice Premier Li Keqiang are widely tipped to replace them.
Authorities have launched a nationwide security clampdown during the Party Congress and the once-in-a-decade leadership transition, sending rights activists to labor camps and forcing lawyers and dissidents to leave their homes or remain under house arrest.
In the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou, relatives of an imprisoned veteran pro-democracy activist voiced fresh fears over his deteriorating health in detention.
Former opposition party activist Zhu Yufu's wife Jiang Hangli said her husband had recently collapsed in the Zhejiang No. 4 Provincial Prison and yet the authorities had refused permission for more clothes or an increased food ration.
"He has high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as hardening of the arteries," Jiang said. "There is a nutritious meal in the prison that you can have once a week for 11 yuan (U.S$1.77), but they wouldn't allow it."
Zhu was given a seven-year jail term in January for "incitement to subvert state power" after he penned a poem calling on the Chinese people to vote with their feet.
The procuratorate's indictment cited as evidence a poem, "It Is Time," that Zhu wrote and shared during online calls for 'Jasmine' rallies inspired by protests in the Middle East in early 2011.
Reported by Lin Jing for RFA's Cantonese service and by Qiao Long for the Mandarin service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.


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An important question has arisen from correspondence that was addressed to me, privately. A member of the family owns several papers and important Greeff memorabilia, but has no-one in his immediate family to whom to bequeath these things. The writer was worried that these things would simply be thrown away in the event of his death.
Quite frankly, I sit in exactly the same position myself. My grandfather Greeff married Pat Boyd, whose mother was Joey McGregor, and her father was William Kearns McGregor. My gran, Pat Boyd, had no-one to whom she could leave the medal that William Kearns McGregor was awarded in 1860, so she gave it to me. I know of no-one who wants his medal - my own children have no significant interest in genealogy.
A significant factor in the preservation of our cultural heritage is that we no longer have families with 14 children, who each have 14 kids who are our cousins. My father and grandfather had dozens of cousins, but all my cousins together are about a dozen. My children have even fewer cousins than I.
Matters are further complicated by the fact that my grandfather and his cousins all lived in the same town and went to the same schools and churches. They knew one another. I live in London, my brother is in Los Angeles and my mom's sister lives in Zurich. My father's half brother died in Maryland, USA, and left behind a whole tribe of American cousins whom I have spoken to on the phone, and in a few emails. All their cousins are in Africa. The people to whom I might have left William Kearns McGregor's medal are strangers to me now.
Essentially, the care and preservation of Historical Assets, in all families, is hampered by:
- A shortage of descendants, and many people today have no children.
- Lack of contact between family members 3. Vast geographical distances between family members.
- The only people who are interested in inheriting my Family Assets are already old people themselves, and they do not know to whom to pass their assets.
- Family Assets end up in families with different surnames (The McGregor medal went to the Boyd family, then to the Greeff family. Who next?)
- Knowledge of facts and
- Possession of things.
Now is the time to formalise the line of descent. Now is the time to find the people who will keep our family web site alive when I am dead. I am the only person in all the world who holds the passwords to control our web site. I am the only person on the planet who has a backup copy of our vast database. I, alone, have the details of our web hosting and who to pay to keep our web site on the internet. It costs me seven Dollars a month, which is nothing, but who will pay it when I am dead? To whom will you pay it?
Those are the questions that trouble me about the preservation of knowledge.
Who else, in our family, will carry the baton for a short while?
Francois Greeff via Rootsweb


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Got P25? Great, but don't forget your phone
P25 (a.k.a. APCO-25, or Project 25) refers to a suite of standards for interoperable digital radio communications for public safety agencies. Radios built to the P25 standards let first responders from all over the country converge on a disaster area and talk with each other almost right away.
Terry Betts, Interoperability Program Director for San Francisco Bay Area UASI, tells PoliceOne that in the case of a major catastrophe — one that requires a response from multiple agencies and multiple jurisdictions — many arriving cops, firefighters, and EMTs may be forced to rely on cell phones for at least a little while upon their arrival.
"If you've got a P25 system and somebody comes in from someplace else in the United States, it's going to take a little while to do the programming and authorization of that new radio to be able to talk on it within that area's system." During this time, it'll be critical to be able to use text (SMS) and voice calling.
This, Betts says, it because "black boxes" and other such things require a little time to get set up. "Until permissions and authorizations are set for inbound P25 radios, a lot of people will be using their personal PDAs and cell phones," he says.
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