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SURFACE PLASMON RESONANT ENHANCEMENT OF PHOTOCATALYSIS by Wenbo Hou A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (CHEMISTRY) August 2012 Copyright 2012 Wenbo Hou
Object Description
|Surface plasmon resonant enhancement of photocatalysis
|Hou, Wenbo
|Author email
|Doctor of Philosophy
|Document type
|Degree program
|College of Letters, Arts And Sciences
|Date defended/completed
|Date submitted
|Date approved
|Restricted until
|Date published
|Advisor (committee chair)
|Cronin, Stephen B.
|Advisor (committee member)
Reisler, Hanna
Haas, Stephan W.
|Light absorbed by semiconductors creates electron-hole pairs that are separated in energy by the bandgap of the material. This energy separation can be used to drive electrons in a circuit (solar cells) or to drive electrochemical redox reactions (photocatalysis). These two types of solar energy conversion (photon-to-electric and photon-to-chemical energy conversion) are completely analogous and face similar challenges in achieving high conversion efficiencies. The main factor limiting solar cell and photocatalyst efficiencies is the inherent mismatch between the absorption spectra of semiconductors and the solar spectrum. For example, TiO₂, as one of the most promising semiconductors for solar cells and photocatalysis, does not absorb light in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Because of TiO₂'s short wavelength cutoff, there are very few solar photons (~4%) that can be used to drive this photocatalyst. In my dissertation, I demonstrate a new mechanism for inducing increased amounts of charge in TiO₂ films by exploiting the extremely large plasmon resonance of Au nanoparticles with strongly catalytic TiO₂. Irradiating Au nanoparticles at their plasmon resonance frequency creates intense electric fields, which can be used to increase sub-bandgap electron-hole pair generation in semiconductors. As a result, the photocatalytic activity of large bandgap semiconductors, like TiO₂, can be extended into the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. ❧ My dissertation includes three major applications of plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis: plasmonic enhancement of photocatalytic decomposition of methyl orange under visible light, photocatalytic conversion of CO₂ to hydrocarbon fuels via plasmon-enhanced absorption and metallic interband transitions, and plasmon resonant enhancement of dye sensitized solar cells. After these applications, the effect of doping in plasmon-enhanced photocatalysis is discussed and the photocatalytic activities of several other semiconductors are evaluated. ❧ In Chapter One, metal nanoparticle enhanced photocatalysis is reviewed. This chapter starts with a brief introduction of the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and basic principles of photocatalytic reactions, including degradation of organic wastes, water splitting, and reduction of CO₂. This is followed by a summary of a recent burst of papers in this field. A particular emphasis is given to the factors limiting photocatalytic conversion efficiencies and the plasmon enhancement mechanisms by which surface plasmon resonance of noble metal nanoparticles can influence the photocatalytic activity of nearby semiconductors. ❧ In Chapter Two, the application of plasmon resonant enhancement to increase the photocatalytic decomposition of methyl orange under visible light is demonstrated. A 9-fold improvement in the photocatalytic decomposition rate of methyl orange is observed using a photocatalyst consisting of strongly plasmonic Au nanoparticles deposited on top of strongly catalytic TiO₂. While the plasmonic Au nanoparticles enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ in the visible range, they result in a reduction in the photocatalytic activity under UV exposure, due to the reduction in TiO₂ surface area exposed to the aqueous solution. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulations of these Au nanoparticle/TiO₂ photocatalysts show that the enhanced photocatalytic activity is due to the large plasmonic enhancement of the incident electromagnetic fields, which increases the electron–hole pair generation rate at the TiO₂ surface, and hence the photodecomposition rate of methyl orange. This enhancement mechanism relies on the presence of defect states in the TiO₂, which enables sub-bandgap absorption. The near-field optical enhancement of the Au nanoparticles couples light efficiently to the surface of the TiO₂, making its photocatalytic performance robust to defects. ❧ In Chapter Three, a systematic study of the mechanisms of Au nanoparticle/TiO₂-catalyzed photoreduction of CO₂ and water vapor is carried out over a wide range of wavelengths. When the photon energy matches the plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticles (free carrier absorption), which is in the visible range (532 nm), a 24-fold enhancement in the photocatalytic activity is observed because of the intense local electromagnetic fields created by the surface plasmons of the Au nanoparticles as discussed in Chapter Two. When the photon energy is high enough to excite d band electronic transitions in the Au, in the UV range (254 nm), a different mechanism occurs resulting in the production of additional reaction products, including C₂H₆, CH₃OH, and HCHO. This occurs because the energy of the d band excited electrons lies above the redox potentials of the additional reaction products CO₂/C₂H₆, CO₂/CH₃OH, and CO₂/HCHO. We model the plasmon excitation at the Au nanoparticle-TiO₂ interface using FDTD simulations, which provides a rigorous analysis of the electric fields and charge at the Au nanoparticle-TiO₂ interface. ❧ In Chapter Four, the application of plasmonic enhancement to improve the efficiency of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is explored. By comparing the performance of DSSCs with and without Au nanoparticles, a 2.4-fold enhancement in the photoconversion efficiency is demonstrated. Enhancement in the photocurrent extends over the wavelength range from 460 nm to 730 nm. The underlying mechanism of enhancement is investigated by comparing samples with different geometries, including nanoparticles deposited on top of and embedded in the TiO₂ electrode, as well as samples with the light absorbing dye molecule deposited on top of and underneath the Au nanoparticles. The mechanism of enhancement is attributed to the local electromagnetic response of the plasmonic nanoparticles, which couples light very effectively from the far field to the near field at the absorbing dye molecule monolayer, thereby increasing the local electron–hole pair (or exciton) generation rate significantly. The UV-vis absorption spectra and photocurrent spectra provide further information regarding the energy transfer between the plasmonic nanoparticles and the light absorbing dye molecules. Based on scanning electron microscope images, we perform electromagnetic simulations of these different Au nanoparticle/dye/TiO₂ configurations, which corroborate the enhancement observed experimentally. ❧ In Chapter Five, the effect of doping in photocatalysis is explored. TiO₂ is doped by ion implantation, plasma ion implantation (PII), and annealing in H₂, CH₄. The p- or n-type carriers of these H, C, and N-doped TiO₂ films are measured using hot-probe measurements. The p- or n-type carriers then are correlated with the photocatalytic performance, which is measured in the photocatalytic water splitting system. This study serves to establish the validity of the plasmonic enhancement mechanism proposed in the previous chapters. ❧ In Chapter Six, the photocatalytic activities of several other semiconductors, including Fe₂O₃, GaN, Nb-doped SrTiO₃, spray pyrolysis TiO₂, and thermally oxidized TiO₂ are investigated. This study serves to evaluate alternative semiconductor photocatalysts with potentially higher photocatalytic efficiencies.
|photocatalysis; plasmon; plasmonic; semiconductor; Au nanoparticles
|Part of collection
|University of Southern California dissertations and theses
|Publisher (of the original version)
|University of Southern California
|Place of publication (of the original version)
|Los Angeles, California
|Publisher (of the digital version)
|University of Southern California. Libraries
|Electronically uploaded by the author
|Legacy record ID
|Contributing entity
|University of Southern California
|Hou, Wenbo
|Physical access
|The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright. The original signature page accompanying the original submission of the work to the USC Libraries is retained by the USC Libraries and a copy of it may be obtained by authorized requesters contacting the repository e-mail address given.
|Repository name
|University of Southern California Digital Library
|Repository address
|USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 7002, 106 University Village, Los Angeles, California 90089-7002, USA
|Repository email
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|University of Southern California
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|Full text
|SURFACE PLASMON RESONANT ENHANCEMENT OF PHOTOCATALYSIS by Wenbo Hou A Dissertation Presented to the FACULTY OF THE USC GRADUATE SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (CHEMISTRY) August 2012 Copyright 2012 Wenbo Hou


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Enquiry Form for house Sandpipers
- Payment is by cheque or direct bank transfer
- A deposit of £250 is required to confirm your booking. Final payment is due six weeks prior to your holiday.
- Hen/Stag parties are not allowed at Lower Mill. Single sex groups by special agreement only – please call to discuss.
- All bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions which are sent out with the booking form. A code of conduct must also be signed.
Please click on a property in the list below to visit our holiday homes
07383 834617
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Kevin McCloud - Architect
Home & presenter of Grand Designs
A serenely luxurious retreat for an extended family group, or a bunch of friends.

subset: commoncrawl


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"Breaking Bad" star Bryan Cranston will reportedly join Henri Cavil and Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's upcoming "Man of Steel" sequel.
The 57-year-old actor is said to have signed a six-appearance deal with DC Comics for the film. An official announcement is expected to be made after the conclusion of the the final season of "Breaking Bad."
According to Cosmic Book News, DC comics is rumored to be considering Matt Damon to play Aquaman or Martian Manhunter.
In addition, Mark Strong could join the star studded cast as Green Lantern's mentor Sinestro, who he portrayed in the latest Green Latern film.


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I'm interested in the pure gauge (no matter fields) case on Minkowski spacetime with simple gauge groups. It would be nice if someone can find a review article discussing all such solutions
EDIT: I think these are relevant to the physics of corresponding QFTs in the high energy / small scale regime. This is because the path integral for a pure gauge Yang-Mills theory is of the form
$$\int \exp\left(\frac{iS[A]}{ \hbar}\right) \, \mathcal{D}A$$
In high energies we have the renormalization group behavior $g \to 0$ (asymptotic freedom) which can be equivalently described by fixing $g$ and letting $\hbar \to 0$.
EDIT: For the purpose of this question, an "exact" solution is a solution in closed form modulo single variable functions defined by certain ODEs and initial / boundary conditions.


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Yoshiko Spa
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Contact InformationPhone: (228) 762-2456
2441 Denny Avenue in Pascagoula, MS 39567 - Hide:
Incall sensual massage and erotic massage. 30 minute or 60 minute sessions available. Call or go direct. Private and discrete.
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|Half hour rate range:
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Body Massages For Men & Women | Erotic Massage Parlors | Find A Masseur | Adult Sensual Massage Spa | Soapy Massage | Relaxation, Happy Ending & Kinky Massage Services | Asian Massage Therapy | Exotic Massage Parlor | Professional Masseuse | Exotic Massage Listing | Sex Massage TherapistThank you for visiting Red Massage, the largest directory of erotic & sensual massage parlors on the web. We offer over 10,000 sensual massage therapist listings in the USA and throughout the world. RedMassage.com was created to give erotic massage therapists a professional forum to advertise their services, and to make searching for sensual & erotic massage services in your local area effortless. Our easy-to-use finder tool makes searching for a sensual massage quick and easy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
LTK version 10 is the most recent version of the program.
All recent Windows and MAC OSX are supported.
All updates are included as long as the subscription is active. To update LTK please see Updates in the Global Options.
Try searching for what you need in our Help & Support site. If you don't find what you're looking for, you can email us at [email protected] for more help.


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The North Face Corporate Headquarters is located in Alameda, California, United States. With The North Face customer service office or head office address, here we are sharing customer support number of The North Face, and The North Face mailing, postal address, telephone, fax number, official web page and related details.
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The North Face Corporate Head Office Contact Details
The customer's wish to contact The North Face corporate office for any business query or information can contact them using the contact details of The North Face corporate headquarters. The customers can also contact The North Face customer service phone number for sharing any issues they are having or in case of having any enquiry.
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For any help, support, information, queries, suggestions, complaints regarding The North Face products and services, the customers can contact to The North Face customer care service numbers, registered offices address, and contact numbers.
- +1-(888)-863-1968, +1-(855)-500-8639– customer support phone number of The North Face
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"The information on contactphonenumberaddress.com has been compiled from many sources. Contactphonenumberaddress.com is not affiliated with any of the companies, persons, brands and organizations. The all information and article is intended to be information only."


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Welcome to AbleData! We are the premier database for unbiased, comprehensive information on products, solutions and resources to improve productivity and ease life's tasks.
Product Search Results
Product Status:
The Millennial Advantage Crutch is a folding axillary crutch designed for use by individuals with walking or lower extremity disabilities. This spring-assisted ergonomic crutch features an underarm...
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Elephant Coaster
Hand engraved and polished glass coaster made using recycled 4mm float glass, approx size 4″ square (106mm) special introductory price £7.00 each, or order a set of 4 for only £25.00, usual price £8.00 each, set £30,00, set of 6 £45.00.
Why not make up your own mix and match set from our range!
Claydon Crafts & Glass Gifts
Unique Glass and Craft gifts many produced using recycled glass
There are no reviews yet.
Shipping Policy
Orders usually dispatched within 3-5 working days
Large orders may take longer we will advise at point of order
Standard Shipping is 3-4 working days
Stand P&P cost for items upto 1kg is £4.95
Refund Policy
Many of our products are made to order so unfortunately once an order is placed we cannot accept cancellations of orders or refund monies,
Cancellation / Return / Exchange Policy
We are happy to replace items damaged in shipping upon receipt of email notification within 24 hours of receipt, detailing damage and to include photographic proof of damage
We are unable to accept returns for any other reason than this. i.e no longer wanted/change of mind etc.. as we believe the photos and description represent a good and true representation of the products.
General Enquiries
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WhoSay Is the Invite-Only Social Media Site for Celebrities
A new exclusive social media experience called WhoSay.com is drawing the attention of stars like Tom Hanks, Sarah Silverman and Lindsay Lohan away from Facebook and Twitter.
While many celebrities regularly use basic social media sites, they come with a risk. Stars don't have copyright protection over what they post and could lose possible revenue derived from their writing, photos and videos.
That's why so many celebs are flocking to WhoSay, which describes itself as the source for "Photos and videos directly from Celebrities and Influencers." It culls Twitter and Facebook feeds as well as any other social media bits into one easy-to-use platform built to stars' specifications — for free.
WhoSay is an off-shoot of the talent agency CAA, but its business development head Michael Yanover says it's not just for CAA clients, but rather "born out of a problem that we saw — and an opportunity."
"Our clients were losing control of their identities and having their content taken from them without consent," he said, noting celebrity Twitpics have been illegally used to promote products and that people sometimes create fake celebrity social media accounts with stars' names and likenesses attached.
CAA felt the solution was a social media site with a rights management system to "allow artists and athletes to organize their content in one place, manage their persona, and do it on an international basis."
Other well-known stars who've become part of WhoSay's community are Anderson Cooper, Zooey Deschanel and 'Bridesmaids' director Paul Feig.
While Feig says he was pleased to have been invited to WhoSay, he's a bit surprised to be among the famous and, sometimes, the infamous. "I'm sort of the opposite of that Groucho Marx joke: I like clubs that would have me as a member," he said. "To be in with that group… it's an ego boost for me."


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Treasures of Wonderment
Online Magazine Promoting Positive Change Through Creative Living
You are hereVideos / 4:46 min Christina Perri - A Thousand Years
Playing For Unity In Diversity
The interpretation of Globalization, or Mondialisation du monde, in today's society is quite different from what we believe, it is very political taking advantage of minorities or what we used to call the 'third world' in order to advance and agenda for more power and money. This is wrong and that is not what TW and Playing For Unity In Diversity are about. We believe in Diversity and not Uniformity. We praise cultural enrichment, differences, empowerment and that is why we celebrate Unity in Diversity leaving politics out of our lives. We are creating our own Spiritual Revolution through Positive Change Through The Arts & Creative Living.


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Raymond restaurant honors veterans
Tuckaway Tavern serves free Veterans Day spaghetti dinners
As the nation celebrates Veterans Day, one local restaurant is paying tribute to all those who served in their own way.
The Tuckaway Tavern in Raymond served more than 100 free spaghetti dinners to members of the military on Monday.
"It's part of our ongoing commitment to honor our veterans, a way to say thank you," said manager John Lewis.
The event drew in dozens of veterans starting at lunchtime and continued through dinner.
Lewis said that with the success of this Veterans Day spaghetti dinner, the Tuckaway Tavern plans to continue doing it every year from now on.
"Right now, I think we probably served about 60 to 70 people, and we are expecting another 30 to 40 coming in with the time that we have left," he said.
One of those people was Navy veteran and Raymond resident David Burden, who saw the sign outside the restaurant on his way home from work and decided to stop in.
"I was in the navy for 20 years, retired in 1995," Burden said.
Lewis said that in the short time they have been open, supporting the community and veterans, in particular, has been a top priority.
"It's one of our core beliefs, from our ownership all the way down," Lewis said. "It's really a trickle-down effect, and that's what you see."
That core belief was not lost on the veterans in attendance on Monday, who said their "thank you" does go a long way.
"I truly appreciate establishments that support the veterans," said veteran Ron Zabloudil.
At the Tuckaway Tavern, the support for the military isn't just on Veterans Day. They have $5 burgers every Wednesday for all veterans.


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Karnataka fast bowler Vinay Kumar is the only new face in India's 15-man squad for the World Twenty20, while legspinner Piyush Chawla returns to the national side after nearly two years. The players to miss out, in a squad largely along expected lines, are fast bowler Ishant Sharma and batsman Virat Kohli.
There were injury concerns surrounding fast bowler Ashish Nehra and Gautam Gambhir but both have been included in the side. Kris Srikkanth, the chairman of national selection committee, said all players had sent in their fitness certificates, and that there were no fitness worries in the squad.
The selectors had grappled with squad fitness worries for last year's World Twenty20. Then, they had punted by taking the still-recovering Virender Sehwag and Zaheer Khan to India's title defence. Sehwag didn't manage a single game, Zaheer was off colour, and it duly turned out to be a disastrous campaign.
This year's squad has Vinay as the fourth seamer after his solid domestic season, picking up 46 Ranji wickets, and is currently joint second on the IPL wicket-takers' list, bagging eight for Royal Challengers Bangalore. There had been speculation that his team-mate Manish Pandey would also make the cut for the competition in the West Indies after an impressive start to the IPL but the selectors plumped for more experienced batsmen.
Chawla won the second spinner's slot ahead of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha and legspinner Amit Mishra, who has been in good form in the IPL. He last played for India during the 2008 Asia Cup in Pakistan.
The World Twenty20 starts on April 30, five days after the end of the IPL; India are grouped with South Africa and Afghanistan.
Squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Dinesh Karthik, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Vinay Kumar, Rohit Sharma
Vinay and Chawla in World Twenty20 squad | Cricket News | ICC World Twenty20 2010 | Cricinfo.com


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Welcome aboard the Charles W. Morgan
New London — Families lined up at City Pier Saturday to step aboard the newly restored whaleship Charles W. Morgan, which was open to the public for the first time since it arrived in the Whaling City last week.
The visitors took pictures of one another standing at the helm and asked questions, it seemed, about every piece of wood, metal or fabric on board. They got a tiny taste of what it would feel like at sea aboard the world's only surviving wooden whaling vessel as it rocked gently in the wake of a passing ferry.
Three generations of the Legg family of Niantic were among the first to walk the gangplank, and they went on twice because it was "so cool," according to Jeff Legg, who was with his wife and three children and his parents.
Crew members, Mystic Seaport staff and volunteers, thrilled the 1841 whaler is on the move again after more than 70 years, were happy to explain how whale blubber was cut up and rendered into whale oil or how the ship's knees, or braces, are constructed of live oak. They cheerfully helped people board the smaller boats like those the whaler's crew used to approach and harpoon sperm whales and manned the on-shore exhibits. Over and over again, they uttered the phrase, "once in a lifetime."
"Some of us were on there this morning and we were ready to cry," said Cathy Hingerty, a museum educator at Mystic Seaport. "Just to see it in all its glory was amazing."
The ship has undergone a 5½-year restoration and will be fully outfitted while docked in New London. Sea trials are set to begin June 7 in Long Island Sound, and on June 14, the Morgan is scheduled to set out for a two-month tour of New England ports.
Audrey Manning of Buffalo, N.Y., a volunteer and experienced sailor, said she will be on board for part of the upcoming voyage and is "beyond excited."
"I can't wait to get my hands on the lines," she said. "No one alive has ever sailed her. That's what makes it so exciting."
Volunteer Lester Palifka of Vernon sat below deck readying a piece of rigging — "whipping" it so it wouldn't unravel, he said — and basking in the opportunity to be part of the ship's living history. The 64-year-old mechanical engineer is so enamored of the Charles W. Morgan that he has two tattoos of her on his forearms and is building a model of her at home. Palifka said he first saw the Morgan in 1959, when he was 9 years old. At the point, he said, the ship was "a derelict."
"I've watched her my whole life, through all her transformations," he said. Over the past few years, he was amazed to watch shipwrights and other craftsmen restore the boat.
While the restorers worked hard to keep the ship authentic, Capt. Richard "Kip" Files said several modern features were added, including lighting and navigation equipment, modern bilge pumps and batteries and a diesel fueled generator.
"Every trip this vessel went out differently," Files said. "From 1900 to 1916, there were huge changes. If they had a radio, they would have gone with one."
In a century, he said, visitors might marvel that people once used fossil fuel.
The ship and dockside exhibition will be open again today, on May 31 and June 1.
If you go
The ship and dockside exhibition will also be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday as well as May 31 and June 1.
There is a suggested admission of $5 per person for those ages 6 years and older. Children ages 5 and younger are free, as are current Mystic Seaport members with their membership card.
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Alice Caron, who had devoted her time to helping her fellow seniors, got a parade and flowers for her 101st birthday Thursday.
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Leo Alzinger - Vegan/Vegetarian
Leo Alzinger is based in Unterloiben and is without doubt one of the true Wachau superstars.
This fine estate makes superlative single vineyard wines from premium mountain sites including Loibenberg, Steinertal, Hollerin and Liebenberg, with soil types including sandy loam and eroded primary rock.
The estate totals about 8 hectares and production is very small at just 5000 cases per year. Grape varieties are 55% Grüner Veltliner, 40% Riesling - there used to be Chardonnay but it is gone, we have some of the last worldwide and it is truly magical.
There are in fact two Leo Alzingers, Father and son, with Leo Junior having joined his Father in 2000 is now in charge. The third generation has a few years to go yet...
Whatever the generation, Leo Alzinger's wines are simply awesome. They are right up there with the very best the Wachau has to offer and deserve every bit of attention they get. The superstar status is well deserved, yet this remains a small family business embodying individuality and an unceasing quest for quality.
A mature Alzinger wine is a joy to imbibe, if somewhat hard to come by. Alzinger's wines are bottled quite late by Wachau standards, often in June or July, while the Wachau rules permit earlier release of Smaragd wines to the market on 1 May.
Vegetarian: All our Alpine Wines are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. None of our winemakers use fining products of animal origin, nor egg protein.
A few are even Vegan certified
Riesling Reserve Leo AlzingerBest after 20 years, but sooo good now.
- Each wine will bring something distinctive to your table.
- Even the rarities are chosen for your drinking pleasure first.
- From the winemakers they love most back in their home country.
- You should feel safe discovering our wines so we guarantee them (see FAQs).
- No constraint: No minimum order. Buy just what you want, whether a single bottle or thirty


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Mayor's Office
Mayor Chris Beutler today said further environmental testing on the site of the proposed Lincoln Haymarket Arena shows no new or unexpected contamination. HWS Consulting Group Inc. of Lincoln conducted previous tests on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) property and estimated the maximum cleanup cost at $7.5 million. The more extensive "phase II" tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed the earlier findings by HWS.
"The EPA investigation found similar contaminants to those found by HWS," Mayor Beutler said. "As a result, I asked HWS to examine the EPA test results and review their estimate. They confirmed our initial conclusion - the Arena project site environmental cleanup is manageable and well within the City's original cost estimate. We can affordably and responsibly clean up the Arena area, while creating a new entertainment and commercial district for Lincoln." HWS was founded in 1944 and has conducted environmental testing across the nation since the 1970s.
Beutler said the cleanup that would be conducted for the proposed Arena project is very similar to the process used for Haymarket Park, a cleanup project that cost the City about $300,000. He said the process is routinely used in cities to reclaim underutilized property and restore it to its highest and best use.
The Mayor said he has demanded answers and accountability on the cleanup projections because of his long time environmental convictions. "I have insisted that science, not speculation, be our guiding principle in determining the extent of the West Haymarket environmental clean-up," he said. "Two scientific studies and a review of current BNSF records covered data from 81 sampling and monitoring points on the railroad's property. The science is clear - the Arena area cleanup is both manageable and affordable."
If voters approved the Arena project May 11, Beutler said the City would participate in the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality's voluntary cleanup program that would protect the City from future federal or state environmental enforcement and reduce the City's liability.
Information on the potential cleanup of the site is available on the Arena education link on the City website, lincoln.ne.gov.


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I thought the circles were listed in alphabetical order, and started prefixing them like "1-Family", "3-Acquaintances", "9-Strangers" but now I added a "5" which is listed last in the circles screen and in dropdown lists.
What's the sorting logic, and can it be influenced?
(Of course this could be a feature they're still working on.)


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|1,321 free recipes at www.edenfoods.com
Serves 5 | Prep Time 10 minutes | Cook Time 25 minutes
8 ounces Eden Wheat & Rice Udon, 1 package
or Eden Brown Rice Udon
1 cup Edensoy Original
or Extra Original or Unsweetened
1 cup water
1 Tbsp Eden Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp organic unbleached white flour
1 cup button mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1/2 tsp Eden Sea Salt
1/8 tsp white pepper, optional
1/2 tsp dried basil
or 1 T. chopped fresh basil
Cook pasta as package directs, rinse, drain and set aside. Heat oil in a skillet, and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the onion, and mushrooms. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Slowly add the flour, stirring constantly to evenly coat all the vegetables. Combine the soy milk and water. Slowly add it to the skillet, stirring constantly with a whisk to prevent lumping, until the sauce comes almost to a boil and thickens. Reduce the flame to low, add the sea salt, basil and pepper. Cover and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the cover and add the parsley and noodles. Mix thoroughly and cook 2 to 3 minutes until the noodles are hot.


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sweetsender brauchte ein neues Website Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 118 Designs von 51 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
We have finally reopened this contest after our logo design contest is over. We sell sweets from around the world that are difficult to find in the United States and make for a unique treat or gift.
Customers looking for unique delectable sweets made from around the world for themselves or as gifts to others.
Website needs to look clean and sophisticated in agreement with the upscale and refined products we sell. The site design needs to incorporate our logo and the features presented on http://www.sweetsender.com/99
When submitting a design i would like you to provide some details on the format you will provide (gfx only/markup) and fonts used in elements that are likely to be created dynamically like menus and headings.
Please note that should you decide to submit a design that comes with markup that we expect a css based layout. Table based layouts are not acceptable.
Please consider that we are building a dynamic shop system with menus and headings that are generated on the fly so layouts that utilize websafe fonts are preferred.


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A night of great live music with local HAMMOND B3 legend JOE DORIA presenting a new set of great musicians every week to join him in some funk,jazz, and blues adventures..
Joe is best known for his band MCTUFF, the epicenter of the jazz/funk rebirth movement in Seattle. along with guitar virtuoso ANDY COE, and Seattle giant D'VONNE LEWIS behind the drums, the original MCTUFF performs originals, covers, and improv on Tuesdays, but not every Tuesday! check your calendar for them, or other fun musician pairings Joe Doria brings about.
expect guests like TARIK ABOUZIED, RL HEYER, SCOTT GOODWIN, DOUG PORT, THADDEUS TURNER, ROBIN MOXEY, BRIAN MONRONEY, and more!
NO COVER CHARGE!! music starts 10pm


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Browsing Ph.D. theses by Author "Merkelsen, Henrik"
Now showing items 1-1 of 1
Effects of Institutional Distances. Studies of Risk Definitions, Perceptions, Management and CommunicationMerkelsen, Henrik (Frederiksberg, 2011)[More information][Less information]
Abstract: This thesis consists of four papers which address different aspects of risk. All the papers in the thesis relate one way or another to food risks, but food risks is not the core subject matter of the thesis. The overall theme is about how risks are defined, perceived, managed and communicated. However, the empirical focus on food risks is not a result of mere coincidence. During the past decades society has witnessed a number of food scares such as BSE, avian bird flu, E-Coli, Salmonella and Dioxin residues (Löfstedt 2006; Knowles 2007). New food risk topics related to novel foods and biotechnology such as GMO have added to the public concerns over food risks (Frewer et al. 2002; Sjöberg 2008). Obesity and other consequences of lifestyle related food risks cause severe health problems (Seiders 2004). Recently the growing concern about climate changes has led to significant public concern and media attention to the environmental impacts of food miles and green house gas emissions in food production (Weber and Matthews 2008). As a consequence of this development consumer concerns over food safety have increased steadily since the 1970s (Knox 2000). The sum of all these risks and the resulting societal anxiety are a politicization of food risks similar to that of risks related to new technologies. The politicization of food risks is accompanied by increased public demands for regulation, which, similar to the case of regulating new technologies, lead to the necessity of a better understanding of what factors drive public attitudes towards those risks. Subsequently the studies of public perceptions of 10 food risks have increased steadily over the past decades (Löfstedt 2006, Hohl and Gaskel 2008)). URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10398/8289
Files in this item: 1Henrik_Merkelsen_2.pdf (3.420Mb)
Now showing items 1-1 of 1


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Defense lawyers at the Guantanamo war court are turning the adage that art imitates life on its head with a legal motion that argues the makers of Zero Dark Thirty know more about what the CIA did to an accused Sept. 11 conspirator than the defendant's lawyers do.
In a 418-page legal filing, lawyers for Ammar al Baluchi seek government documents on how CIA interrogators and other U.S. officials helped director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal prepare the first 20 minutes of the film. In it, interrogators waterboard, strip naked and string up on a rope a man named "Ammar" who is described as the nephew of the 9/11 mastermind who helped finance the Sept. 11 hijackers.
Prosecutors oppose the effort as irrelevant to the defense of Baluchi -- nephew of alleged 9/11 architect Khalid Sheik Mohammed -- who is accused of helping finance the hijackers in a case that seeks his execution.
At issue in the latest transparency challenge at the war court is what CIA agents told Bigelow and Boal as they were making the 2012 docudrama on the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan.
Emails and documents surfaced by Judicial Watch and Gawker in Freedom of Information filings show an agency and Pentagon eager to participate in the effort -- even providing the filmmakers four CIA officers to brief them in the summer of 2011.
"Nothing to comment," screenwriter Boal said in a short email to the Miami Herald on Friday. "But good luck with the piece."
Baluchi's attorneys Jay Connell and Air Force Lt. Col. Sterling Thomas, both on the case because they have top-secret security clearances, want the war court judge to order the government to furnish them with uncensored correspondence between the filmmakers and U.S. officials, including interrogators' names. They want to read an unredacted version of an internal CIA memo that talks about "an interrogation of a character who is modeled after Ammar al Baluchi" -- in which the agency sought changes.
"The United States has provided more information to the filmmakers of Zero Dark Thirty about Mr. al Baluchi's treatment in CIA custody than it has to his defense counsel," they argue. Although those lawyers months ago signed an agreement to safeguard national security secrets, "the prosecution has provided no information about Mr. al Baluchi's rendition, detention, and interrogation."
The unusual detour through a Hollywood production is just the latest effort by attorneys to shine a light on what happened to the alleged 9/11 conspirators before they got to Guantanamo in 2006. The CIA has acknowledged that it waterboarded Mohammed 183 times, among other interrogation tactics portrayed in the movie. But nothing has ever surfaced on what was done to his nephew, who sits four rows behind him at the war court as a co-defendant in the case alleging five men conspired to direct, train and fund the hijackers who killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001.
Prosecutors have consistently argued that the CIA treatment is not relevant at the trial. The war court forbids from trial the use of information gained through tortured interrogations.
Defense lawyers argue they need to know what the CIA did to their clients as they carve out a defense for a capital murder trial like no other.
First, despite prosecution pledges not to bring to court any information gained through torture, the defense lawyers don't trust them. They want to be able to analyze evidence supposedly produced by so-called FBI clean teams years after the brutal interrogations portrayed in the Hollywood movie. Plus, they argue that mistreatment is a mitigating factor that should ultimately spare their clients the death penalty.
And that starts with transparency, if not for the public then for the lawyers.
The defense lawyers' July 31 Zero Dark Thirty filing was released Aug. 27 by the Pentagon with about 100 pages blacked out.
The prosecutors' objections, filed Aug. 23, were still under seal Friday while intelligence agents scrubbed it of information the public is not allowed to see.
Attorneys for Baluchi, 36, also attached a DVD of the first 25 minutes of the film to the court filing.
Connell said he wants to screen it inside the maximum-security court for the judge, Army Col. James L. Pohl, when he gets to argue in court for the communications between the government and filmmakers.
In addition to being waterboarded, the Ammar character in the movie is also forced to wear a dog collar and is stuffed in a coffin-like box. Declassified and leaked abuse investigations have shown that U.S. agents used those so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" to break the will of CIA prisoners after the 9/11 attacks. But none have ever been specifically tied to Baluchi.


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clickspace brauchte ein neues Website Design und hat einen Wettbewerb auf 99designs gestartet.
Aus 34 Designs von 14 Designern wurde eine Gewinner gewählt.
We own and operate a network of price comparison sites. We are looking for a new design template for a forthcoming project. This is a high profile job and will certianly lead to more opportunities for the winner. We know there's a lot of effort in designing the three page templates we need but your efforts will be rewarded. What we are doing is providing links to other price comparison sites and specifying what we need to see on each of three different page types. It will be a great addition to any portfolio and we promise plenty of feedback. Many thanks for reading.
showing you where to buy
Desired Style:
see design references in description
Accepted File Formats:
Layered Formats (.psd or .tiff)
The brief is to create a template and design style and to show how this will work on three different page types. You've probably all used a price comparison site at one time or another so here are a few that we generally like from a design perspective.  Note: these are links to what we call "product landing pages†as there are the most important page from a customer perspective.  Â
 You will notice that all of the above have similar content albeit presented in a slightly different way. You can use any of them as a guide to what should be included on the product landing page.  We also need a style for what we call the search results†page. This is a category level page. Using the sites above as an example, here are some pages of that type; Â
The 3rd page is the home page. There is more flexibility here as the home page can be organized to promote certain featured products or categories. Here are price comparison home page examples;Â
We are open to ideas for the home page content. Â There are a number of other sites that we like from a desing perspective and these may help to influence your design to enter and the overall effect that we want to achive. Â
In general, it needs to be clean, adaptable, and use graduations and "web 2.0 elementsâ€. The name for the project is "whichshop.net". You may include a logo as part of your entry if you wish. Preference given to entries with a good logo - but it's not essential.


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Quite a big questions to contemplate in a blog of a few paragraphs! Volumes have been written. But I will not be intimidated.
I had a spectacular day yesterday. In the afternoon, I went to see the ballet "Dracula" by the Carolina Ballet, and later in the evening I went to the North Carolina Symphony and had the great joy to listen to a concert that had me at the edge of my seat. I am also looking forward to going to the North Carolina Museum of Art to see the exhibit "Small Treasures" of Dutch and Flemish genre painting.
I am not writing this to brag what kind of a cultured person I am. Other people derive equal pleasure from completely different art forms and can only shudder at the list above.
But it makes me wonder whether our appreciation of art and beauty in the eyes of the beholder is not the very essence of what it means to be human.
I look at my dog who has so many qualities that you hope to find in another person. Unconditional love, loyalty and honesty are things you will find in any dog. And as I interact with Mr. Darcy through the course of the day, I appreciate his understanding of my ways which he has learned to read like a book. Yet for all this, I have never seen him react to a beautiful sunset or a wonderful piece of music in any peculiar way.
If this gift is truly unique to us, then we should treasure it as our very humanity and foster the application and appreciation of art in its many forms.
Today was the Walk for Hope, and I am happy to report that we had the largest team since we first participated in 1996 and raised the most money, about $2000.
The Foundation of Hope raises money for research of mental illnesses. Their support is unique. The foundation gives so-called seed money which enables researchers to do the preliminary work necessary to apply for grants from the CDC for larger studies. That way, a little goes along way, and the Foundation of Hope has, by this method, been responsible for millions of dollars spent on research.
Despite all the progress that has been made, mental illness still bears the stigma of people "just being crazy or making it all up". People will happily talk about any other ailment as long as somebody is willing to listen, yet mental health is under an embargo.
Yet, just about all of us know a person suffering from mental illness. It can be difficult to deal with a person thus afflicted. We often lack the right words in the face of physical disability, and mental illness leaves us even more befuddled as to what to do or what to say. So we look away and pretend not to see. Understandable? Yes. But should we not approach this with as much compassion as we have towards those who suffer from a physical illness?
It's worth a try.
Whenever I am coming back from the IDEA World Fitness Convention, I bring something back. I always come back with new ideas and great information. More often than not, it is also something to touch and feel from a small relatively inexpensive gadget to something much larger and much more expensive. This year I was able to combine the two virtues: small AND expensive. But what a thing we got!
At this time already nicknamed the 'Magic Machine' it is a tool from Rapid Release Technology. This thing is about the size of a hand-held kitchen mixer and provides a very specific rate and depth of vibration which breaks up scar tissue and adhesions and has a wonderfully relaxing effect when applied to sore necks and shoulders. If you want to find out more, you can go to their website www.rapidreleastech.com.
I am usually suspicious when something seems too good to be true, and before I part with a large amount of money, I need to be convinced that this is legit. When I roamed the expo hall, the people manning the booth hailed me over and asked whether I had a place on my body that hurts. As a matter of fact, I had. There was a place in my neck that had resisted the combined effort of MELT, my rolfer and my chiropractor (even though it had gotten better through all of the above). Within 5 minutes, this spot felt A LOT better. I went back to the booth a few hours later for another dose and then got out my credit card. Had to have it!
It's been in constant use at the studio ever since we had it. With regular application, this thing can perform minor (and, in my case, major) miracles. It is a bit on the noisy side which makes it even more surprising that there is another person in the studio who gets a daily dose of vibration: Mr. Darcy, my beloved dog.
Last month's conference was probably the 30th IDEA conference I have attended. I have lost count but it's somewhere there in the neighborhood.
As I reflect on the impact those conferences had on my growth as a trainer, their value cannot be overstated. There was much I saw and liked and some I saw and disliked. But the main point is that I was exposed to it and could form my own opinion.
The fitness industry has changed dramatically over the last 20 years since I have been a trainer. Some things are still the same, and they also have still validity. If I trained my clients the way I did 20 years ago, I would not do them a disservice. They would get stronger and thus hopefully healthier. But having experienced all the developments and picked the ones that work for me has enabled me to become the trainer I am today. I could not possibly have read myself into that knowledge. Being able to see and feel is what makes the difference.
As such, I am grateful that the founders of IDEA, Peter and Kathie Davis, for their vision of a fitness organization of the kind that IDEA has become over the years.
So! HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is all the rage. I would call it outrageous.
I just returned from the 2014 IDEA World Fitness Convention, full of motivation and ready to continue helping my clients towards better health and fitness. And one thing is for sure: HIIT will not have any place in my programming.
I took two classes; one with a ViPR, the other one with a new machine called CoreStix. Ultimately, the type of device is irrelevant, but the style of training is.
HIIT has made the headlines because it 'burns more calories' in a shorter period of time, and, in today's environment, who would not want a shortcut. The premise is that one does one or a series of exercises for a short period of time as fast as possible to exhaustion, then rest, and repeat. Perfect form, we are told, is actually detrimental because in real life we do not align our bodies in the correct way and move 100 % correct. (And I can see that argument – to a point.)
What I have seen in my two sessions was the following: a room full of fitness professionals all of whom without a doubt in complete knowledge on how to perform exercises well, being cheered on by the presenter and by motivating music to give it their all. And give it they did. As exhaustion set in, form was lost. However, the amount of resistance remained the same. In the heat of the moment, it was not easy to quickly find suitable modifications to make the exercises more appropriate. Fortunately, I have reached a stage in my life where I can leave my ego safely in the coat check and only do what feels right, no matter how much somebody may shout "Faster, faster".
My conclusion: fast tempo coupled with resistance is a recipe for injury. It does not matter whether it is called Tabata, HIIT or CrossFit.
I love to study and to learn. Recently, I have focused more and more on corrective exercises in the quest to restore ideal alignment and posture and to help people get out of chronic pain as a result of those misalignments.
The MELT Method is a great tool to accomplish this. I love the fact that it based on the concept of self-treatment thus empowering people to do something for themselves and not having to depend on others to administer treatment to them. I also like the concept of self-assessment in MELT because people can learn about imbalances in their bodies because they can feel them.
I have recently studied another method, called The BioMechanics Method by Justin Price who is also a well-known name in the fitness industry. He also starts with an assessment which initially is conducted by the specialist in his method but is almost immediately taught to the client with the goal that they client can understand their imbalances and can feel the changes of the program. The corrective exercises in his method are a systematic approach of myofascial release, followed by stretching and then strengthening.
As an advanced MELT practitioner of 5 years and a newly-minted BioMechanics Method Corrective Exercise Specialist, I will be able to use them both in the shared goal of helping people get out of the chronic pain which is caused by muscle imbalances.
They both have their strong suits. I love the foam roller length techniques in MELT but I also like the myofascial release approach with tennis balls which makes this more portable when people travel. I find the TBMM process more systematic and love the stretching components. The strength components of both methods are great. Some of the individual techniques are better in one, some in the other method.
Bottom line: two great methods with equal value in both of them.
Added bonus: one person (me J) who knows them both.
Lately, I have been using my treadmill and elliptical trainer with a renewed sense of enthusiasm. The reason? I just finished reading the book "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" by John J. Ratey, MD
I had seen enough statistics over the years that demonstrate how helpful exercise is for just about any condition known to man, be it hypertension, diabetes, heart disease ….. you name it. I had also seen data on the effects of exercise on some mental disorders such as depression and ADHD. But I have never seen all the evidence combined in one place on the profound positive effects that exercise, mainly aerobic exercise, has on brain function.
I grew up with the belief that every cell on our body renews itself except for the brain cells. You are born with so many, and it only goes downhill from there. This has been soundly disproven. The brain can grow new cells and make new connections but it needs some MIRACLE GRO fertilizer, and that fertilizer is EXERCISE.
I cannot recommend this book more. There are some on the Amazon book review who consider this book "really, really boring" since it reads like a textbook. Well …. I could not put it down. There is a line in this book that just struck me:
"If you are not busy living, your body is busy dying."
As a MELT instructor for almost 5 years, the subject of 'fascia' (sometimes also referred to as connective tissue) has been of great interest to me. I have witnessed firsthand the effects the MELT techniques have on my students, whether they are in my classes as one of many or get instructions from me one-on-one. Yes, I had very few people over those years that I could not reach with MELT but I would put this number no higher that 1 out of 100.
I also like to educate my participants about the properties of fascia, what it is, what it does and why it is so important to keep it healthy. I have come up with analogies ranging from body stocking to orange to panty hose, and I am still searching.
I recently got some unexpected help. Europe, and Germany in particular, is way ahead of the curve in research of fascia, and I was made aware of a broadcast from a German television station on that very subject. Not only does this video (with English subtitles) explain in very simple ways what fascia is, it also shows the possibilities that are opening up for the treatment of many chronic pain conditions.
If you have 30 minutes, please do yourself the favor to watch it. And then just get on your roller or get out those little balls and just make your fascia happy. Here is the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ikx-0s8y480.
A few days ago I attended a short seminar at Duke Raleigh Hospital by the shoulder specialist Dr. Kevin Speer who talked about the aging shoulder.
I had observed that many people are suffering from shoulder problem as they are getting older, often for no apparent reason, and I was looking forward to the talk in hopes of an explanation. I was not disappointed.
Dr. Speer stated that the shoulder will develop bone spurs and a degradation of the muscles and connective tissues as an inevitable results of getting older. That does not necessarily mean that this leads to pain but it often does. Shoulder pain is typically referred pain, meaning that the place where it hurts is not necessarily where the problem is. With shoulder issues, the pain is often down the upper arm or in the front of the shoulder.
He had a number of suggestions for maintaining healthy shoulders to the degree possible. Good nutrition was his first recommendation. The following list is taken from the www.webmd.com for an anti-inflammatory diet.
· Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
· Minimize saturated and trans fats.
· Eat a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish or fish oil supplements and walnuts.
· Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates such as pasta and white rice.
· Eat plenty of whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat.
· Eat lean protein sources such as chicken; cut back on red meat and full-fat dairy foods.
· Avoid refined foods and processed foods.
· Spice it up. Ginger, curry, and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effect.
On the supplement list, his recommendation was for fish oil. He also suggested a heat (before exercise) and cold (after exercise) therapy when some pain has already crept in. As an exercise maintenance routine, rotator cuff exercises to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder should become part of the workout.
When shoulders are beginning to hurt, he looked at it from two perspectives: the first is whether the pain goes away with rest and avoidance of triggers, the second whether pain starts interfering with a good night's rest.
In the first case, it can be managed with ice, maybe some anti-inflammatory medication and rest. Some exercises may have to be avoided for good such as overhead presses or push-ups. Downward dogs should be left to the dogs as well. The elbows should always be in the field of vision.
However, when shoulder pain interferes with sleep, a visit to the doctor becomes necessary. Even then, physical therapy may help, and Dr. Speer stated that he was a great fan of it. Only when all else fails, there is surgery which he views as the last option.
So here I am, a newly minted Sports Performance Professional. I have studied the excellent NASM material to enhance sports performance and am eager to apply my knowledge.
As I read and studied and thought about it, it struck me how applicable and modifiable those concepts are to every client. We all need to generate power in our lives at one point or other. The challenge in training is to stay on the right side of the line where the benefits of the exercises justify possible risks.
I had applied 'controlled unstable' environments throughout all my training. I saw it work, and now I see the underlying rationale why that is so. As with training for power, I try to apply the same concept.
My latest and dearest toys are sandbells which I have in ranges from 4 to 12 lbs. in 2 pound increments. Those are now happily flying across the studio. We slam, and we catch, and we bounce them off the Bosu. We work on grip strength by catching with one hand. Some of my clients are standing right in front of a massage table for a security blanket as they are catching a 4 lbs. sandbell. Others have the 10 lbs. one hurled towards them.
And the best part? It's fun, it's challenging, and it gives a great deal of satisfaction (after everybody has caught their breath including the trainer who gets thrown back to).


text: Held annually on March 22, the United Nation's World Water Day brings attention to the importance of freshwater and advocates for the sustainable management of freshwater. Globally, freshwater accessibility is critical for the survival of all living things, yet it is a significantly threatened resource. Yes, the world is 70 percent water, a staggering amount. Of that water, however, 97.5 percent is salt water and just 2.5 percent is freshwater. The UN and like-minded institutions hope that World Water Day will help people recognize the importance of freshwater and the need to conserve this precious resource. Like all living things, aquatic animals require plenty of water to survive. So, how does the Aquarium keep our animals happy and healthy and still manage to conserve freshwater? If you've visited the Aquarium in recent years, chances are you've strolled through Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Waterfront Park (the greenery in front of our Pier). Did you know that underneath the plant life is a system of cisterns? A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids. In 2012, we were able to collect an estimated 200,000 gallons of rain water that was then used to water the park. As a result, not a single drop of domestic water was used! National Aquarium staff have also worked tirelessly to design and implement the most efficient filtration systems throughout many of our exhibits. These upgrades saved more than 430,000 gallons of water last year! Additionally, our new Blacktip Reef exhibit will have a state-of-the-art filtration system installed to further reduce our need for water, while still providing a healthy and thriving environment for our animals! Want to do your part to conserve freshwater? Here are some easy ways to get started: Knowing where your water comes from is the first step in better protecting it! The Nature Conservancy has a great interactive map that can help you find your local water source! When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water. Put food coloring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save up to 1,000 gallons a month. Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you'll save up to 150 gallons per month. Water your lawn and garden in the morning or evening when temperatures are cooler to minimize evaporation. Better yet, plant native plants in your yard. They require less water, fertilizer and time! Do you have tips on how to conserve freshwater? Let us know in the comments section! Tags: blacktip-reef, cisterns, freshwater, freshwater-conservation, nature-conservancy, rain-water, thoughtful-thursday, un, united-nations, water-conservation, where-does-water-comef-rom, world-water-day Categories: Animals, Behind-The-Scenes, Conservation, News Previous Post Next Post


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The average salary for personal trainer managers in New York, NY is $43,909.
Average personal trainer manager salaries and rates can vary due to employer, location, and experience.
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Top Policy Makers, Consortia Leaders, Buyers Convene in Dresden to Plan and Execute €100 Billion European Industry Acceleration
DRESDEN, Germany — 1 July 2013 — Leading policy makers, consortia leaders, and buyer/specifiers from leading semiconductor, MEMS and other microelectronics industries will convene at SEMICON Europa on October 8-10 in Dresden, Germany to plan next steps in Europe's ambitious new €100 billion semiconductor manufacturing strategy. Implementation has already started, with European Commission announcing last month the launch of five major projects to boost European microelectronics manufacturing competitiveness involving over €700 million in European Commission, Member State and industry funding. This was the beginning of a wave of investment to be launched in the coming months to years to regain market share for manufacturing in Europe. According to the SEMI Worldwide Fab Forecast, semiconductor equipment spending will double in Europe next year, from US$ 2.4 billion to over $5 billion in 2014. SEMICON Europa will serve as next step in information, engagement and opportunity for this major investment in long-term manufacturing competiveness in Europe.
SEMICON Europa 2013 will devote programs led by industry experts on each of the major projects, including 450mm wafer processing, power electronics, MEMS, and FDSOI. The SEMICON Europa Executive Summit will provide attendees insights into EU investment priorities and program participation.
Over 40 programs with speakers from nearly 40 leading European fabs will provide the latest trends, technologies, and processes in advanced semiconductor manufacturing, including test, advanced packaging and 3D-IC, lithography, metrology and more. SEMICON Europa will feature the 17th annual Fab Manager Forum, the leading information and networking platform for advanced semiconductor manufacturing and again will co-locate with the 2013 Plastics Electronics Conference and Exposition, Europe's premier event focusing on the latest developments in printed, organic and large area electronics.
"The European Commission's aggressive support of the microelectronics industry represents a major turning point for the region and a new level of business opportunity for suppliers," said Heinz Kundert, president of SEMI Europe. "Nearly $6 billion in equipment and materials will be spent this year alone by the European semiconductor industry, and with these announcements, this will significantly increase in 2014 and 2015.
"SEMICON Europa will be the hot spot to figure out how to become part of the €10 billion EU funded programs; €100 billion private funding and 20 percent share of world chip manufacturing by 2020."
For more information on SEMICON Europa, please visit www.semiconeuropa.org. Book your booth at SEMICON Europa today: www.semiconeuropa.org/ExhibitorsandHalls/InterestedinExhibiting
About SEMICON Europa
SEMICON Europa is the annual premier event for the global microelectronics industry in Europe. The event covers the display of new products and technologies for microelectronics design and manufacturing, and features technologies from across the microelectronics supply chain, from electronic design automation, to device fabrication (wafer processing), to final manufacturing (assembly, packaging, and test). SEMICON Europa also features emerging markets and technologies, including micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), flexible electronics and displays, nano-electronics, solid state lighting (LEDs), and related technologies. For more information on SEMICON Europa, please visit: www.semiconeuropa.org
About SEMI
SEMI is the global industry association serving the nano- and microelectronic manufacturing supply chains. SEMI member companies are the engine of the future, enabling smarter, faster and more economical products that improve our lives. Since 1970, SEMI has been committed to helping members grow more profitably, create new markets and meet common industry challenges. SEMI maintains offices in Bangalore, Beijing, Berlin, Brussels, Grenoble, Hsinchu, Moscow, San Jose, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.semi.org.
Association Contacts
Beat Mueller
SEMI Europe (Berlin)
Mobile: +49 30 3030 8070 0
Email: Email Contact
Deborah Geiger
SEMI Headquarters (San Jose, Calif.)
Phone: +1 408.943.7988
Email: Email Contact


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Snoop, part-time rapper and full-time celebrity pitch-man who seems to say no to nothing, agreed to blow up a van in Las Vegas to promote Mafia Wars. That's Mafia Wars Vegas, the free game on Facebook. A couple of problems:
(Warning, profanity.)
Click to viewLive Videos by Ustream
Snoop almost ruins the camera angle, blows up the van and then says, according to reporter Libe Goad: "Pick up the game when it's in the stores."
Reminds me of when Paris Hilton didn't know the name of the game she was promoting. Someone tell Snoop the game is not coming to any stores.
Zynga's Snoop Dogg Mafia Wars stunt almost gets whacked [Games.com]


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Animal Scents
As a pet owner, you love your furry family members—and so do we! From essential oils for pets to shampoo made from safe,[SB1] naturally derived ingredients, give your four-legged friends the bestcare you can with products designed specifically for them. Our Animal Scents® line is recommended for dogs, cats, and any other animals who enjoy the calming smell of essential oils. A portion of all proceeds from Animal Scents products goes to support Vital Ground, a nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the habitat of grizzly bears and other wide-roaming wildlife.
Our KidScents® line is a collection infused with safe essential oils and made just for children. From vitamins and toothpastes to bath products, these essential oil-infused products are made with natural ingredients for a mild formula recommended for even the smallest member of your family. Parents and their little ones will also enjoy the calming scents of our line of essential oils for kids, blended especially to address your baby's and toddler's needs.
Over the Counter
Support natural wellness with our new Over-the-Counter line. Free of artificial or synthetic ingredients, these products offer quick, effective, all-natural relief without a prescription. From acne treatment to cough drops, we carry a variety of natural remedies that help you care for your body inside and out. Discover the difference of using OTC products formulated with pure,therapeutic-grade essential oils.


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Your watch is comparable to a jewel. Works of such exquisite craftsmanship require special care to maintain their pristine appearance and precise performance. To prolong its longevity and precious beauty, we highly recommend regular servicing, which allows you to keep your timepiece in perfect shape and reliable functioning for a lifetime.
Just as a car requires regular maintenance, every watch also needs maintenance. Your watch requires maintenance every one to five years, depending on the mechanical features of the watch.
We highly recommend testing the water resistance of your watch at least every three years. Water in the case may result in condensation that can lead to deterioration of the movement. If you often engage in sports or are in frequent contact with water, the test is required once a year. Even though Montblanc watches are tested under various conditions, we strongly advise you not to pull out the crown or use the pushers while swimming or cleaning the watch, or when the watch is submerged under water. After swimming in the sea or in a swimming pool, clean your watch and stainless steel bracelet with lukewarm water and rinse it with fresh water. After, use a soft cloth to dry it or simply leave it to dry naturally. Never expose it to a hairdryer or radiator. If the watch has a leather strap, avoid having it come into contact with water. Avoid all contact with chemical products such as solvents, cosmetics or detergents. They may damage the case and the bracelet or cause the gaskets to deteriorate.
Magnetic fields are everywhere, now produced by TV sets or radios and by magnets themselves. Magnetic fields affect different parts of a watch's movement and change its performance.
You can use a compass to check for magnetic fields. If the needle responds, then you are in a region of magnetic influence.
Please note that this only concerns mechanical movements. Quartz movements may lose a few seconds, but will return to normal once you leave the magnetic field.
Our Montblanc service centers are equipped with special machines to demagnetise your watch. Do not hesitate to bring your watch back to a Montblanc boutique or certified Montblanc retailer if you have any questions.
If you have not worn your automatic or manually-wound watch for a while, wind it up fully by
turning the crown twenty times. In order to ensure the performance of your manually-wound mechanical watch, we advise you to wind the crown once a day, preferably at the same time. Take care not to force the crown once you feel resistance.
Do not change the hour or date between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. It is during this period that the date changes, and it may cause a damage of the movement.
Do not expose your watch to temperatures higher than 60° Celsius (140° Fahrenheit) or lower than –10° Celsius (14° Fahrenheit). As your body and clothing will warm up the watch, its actual temperature will be different to the ambient temperature of your environment.
In the case of a shock to the watch, consult a Montblanc boutique or certified Montblanc retailer. Even if no scratches or dents are visible, its movement may have become damaged. Do not wear other jewellery on the same arm as your watch in order to preserve the patina of its surface and the integrity of the material.
To preserve the pristine condition of your alligator, calf, satin or rubber strap, avoid contact with humidity, salty water, soap and cosmetic products. Do not treat your strap with wax, (leather or shoe) polish as chemicals may damage the leather, lining or stitching, thus causing the strap to lose its original shine. Avoid prolonged exposure to high temperatures and direct sunlight to prevent the colour from fading. Please note that strong perspiration may darken the leather.
Diamonds, set on a bezel or crown, must be handled with care to maintain the lifetime of their brilliance. Avoid contact with chemical products such as fragrances and detergents as these substances will tarnish precious stones. If your watch has been exposed to these, clean it with lukewarm water and a toothbrush. After, rinse it with fresh water and use a soft cloth to dry it or leave it to dry naturally. Never use a heating device. Lastly, please be sure to check the stones regularly to ensure they are still securely set.
It is recommended to keep your Montblanc watch in the box in which it was received. When travelling, we advise you to keep your Montblanc watch in a specially designed travel pouch.
When not using your Montblanc quartz watch for a very long period of time, please visit a Montblanc boutique. They will prepare the watch for the duration of storage.


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< Features
This feature has been merged into Features/StorageManagement
targetd exposes a remote "storage appliance" interface. It allows volumes to be allocated from a pool, and then exported over iSCSI for use by other hosts.
- Name: Andy Grover
- Email: agrover at redhat
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 18
- Last updated: Aug 3 2012
- Percentage of completion: N/A, this feature has been merged into Features/StorageManagement
Detailed Description
One common model for deploying a virtual machine cluster is to store all VM disk images on a single storage server. This has a number of benefits. However, it makes provisioning a VM harder, because the admin must log in to the storage server, allocate storage for the volume, and then configure the iscsi target to export that volume before the VM can use it.
targetd makes this easier by providing a remote API for performing these common operations. This remote API could be called directly by a savvy admin, but its more likely use would be to tie in to higher-level storage array management tools. The initial example of this is libstoragemgmt, which will provide a common command-line and library interface for configuring proprietary storage arrays. Targetd will also be supported, and provide a FOSS-only storage array option.
Benefit to Fedora
Improved storage management, which in turm benefits Fedora's virtualization capabilities.
Work is isolated to specific packages: targetd, python-lvm, python-rtslib.
How To Test
Can be tested on commodity hardware. Creation of a separate LVM volume group for targetd to use for volume allocations, and configure targetd daemon (via configfile). Can then be tested by direct use of HTTP/jsonrpc interface (port 18700) or via libstoragemgmt cli. All targetd rpc methods should be tested.
User Experience
Users may use this plus libstoragemgmt cli to ease storage appliance configuration.
Depends on libstoragemgmt for CLI support, probably not worth doing without it as a consumer of the targetd API.
Contingency Plan
New feature, can push out if necessary.
manpage and ancillary documentation will be written by me (the upstream developer).


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The Best Foundation Makeup for Rosacea
Finding the best foundation makeup for rosacea can be an incredible challenge. Often, the foundations available don't conceal your redness well enough, or they make your face look flaky or unnatural. Fortunately, there are so many new formulations available that this doesn't have to be the case anymore. Many high-end makeup lines, and some drugstore brands, have come out with fantastic products targeted towards skin with redness. Here are a few helpful tips on how to successfully find the best makeup for your own rosacea, conceal the redness, and still look natural and beautiful.
1. Go Green
It may sound crazy and look a little scary, but green face products can be your rosacea's best friend. When used correctly, the green tint will neutralize the redness without making you look like the Wicked Witch of the West. The key is to find a well-made product that can act as a base underneath your foundation. For instance, Make Up For Ever's HD Microperfecting Primer in green is a thin, silky primer that you apply before foundation that will help eliminate the redness in your skin. For this step, I would recommend investing in a good quality green tinted product, although there are some drugstore options. Another fantastic product that has many purposes is Make Up For Ever's 5 Camouflage Cream Palette, which combines many different shades of creamy concealer, as well as a green concealer, to make your perfect match.
2. Foundation Makeup for Rosacea
As you probably already know, foundation is one of the key elements to perfect looking skin. However, most women find it very difficult to find a foundation that perfectly matches their skin, resulting in frustration and an unnatural look. Though you can find many good foundations at the drugstore, investing in a high quality foundation gives you an advantage in the quest for perfect skin. Make Up For Ever's HD Invisible Cover Foundation is famous in the beauty world, used by professional makeup artists, celebrities, and thousands of women. It is so popular because of it's silky texture, fantastic coverage, longwearing ability, and huge range of shades.
3. How to Apply Makeup to Conceal Rosacea
Even if you have all the right products, you still may be frustrated by your mediocre results if you aren't applying the products properly. The first step is to thoroughly cleanse and moisturize your skin with products targeted towards rosacea. Clinique has a line of products called Clinique Redness Solutions meant just for this purpose, and at drugstores you can find the Eucerin Redness Relief line, which uses soothing ingredients to fight redness.
Next, apply your green tinted primer or concealer to areas with redness, using either your fingers or a clean brush. After this has soaked into your skin, apply a foundation that matches your skin tone using a damp sponge or a foundation brush. You can even use a stippling brush such as the Professional Platinum Stippling Brush #44 from the Sephora collection for an airbrushed look. Finally, dust your face with a translucent powder like the Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder, or a yellow tinted powder such as the Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder to set your foundation. Now you're ready to finish your makeup look and face the day looking beautiful and redness free!
Products in this article that we recommend for rosacea:
Primer: Make Up For Ever's HD Microperfecting Primer
Concealer: Make Up For Ever's 5 Camouflage Cream Palette
Foundation: Make Up For Ever's HD Invisible Cover Foundation
Powders: Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder or Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder
Brush: Professional Platinum Stippling Brush #44
Skin Care: Clinique Redness Solutions
By Rachel


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Going's On
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 | Posted in Recent Projects
Creating Equality Through Music
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"You don't grow up in the rich musical melting pot that is New Jersey, without soaking up some of it's musical heritage."
2011 Grammy nominated Producer, Engineer and Mixer, John Schirmer grew out of the very seed planted by the Garden States musical royalty. Artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Les Paul, Frank Sinatra, Paul Simon, George Clinton and William "Count" Basie left behind an indelible imprint within the soil that makes up the Garden State. An Imprint that would inspire for decades, young musicians to break free of their meager beginnings and search for something better, something more musical.
For the last seventeen years John Schirmer has strived to obtain nothing less than something better, something more musical. Cumulating his expectations into a personal journey that has afforded John the opportunity to tour the world with major label and independent artists.
As a Producer, FOH and Studio Mixer, Tracking Engineer, Production and Tour Manager, John has had the opportunity to develop an insiders perspective of the people and places that make up the fabric of the entertainment industry. This is a privilege that John does not take lightly. John believes that his experiences with both live and studio artists , and his interactions with the artists label and management on the road and behind the glass, allow him to meld both the live and studio enviroments into one unique perspective that brings out the best in his artists. Both on the road and in the studio John uses his insight, experience and contacts to facilitate an interaction between artists and environment, that is both positive and creative, and always capable of delivering the best possible performances.
"If the vibe and the energy are just right, the feel of the music will be undeniable."
Over the last six years, John has worked almost exclusively with three time Grammy winning Songwriter and Artist Keb Mo. John and Keb Mo have established a professional and personal relationship like none other within the music industry.
"John Schirmer is my right hand man, he is the Holland to my Dozier." -Keb Mo
John has taken on multiple roles within the Keb Mo organization, roles that have become mutually beneficial to Keb Mo and to the artists outside of the Keb Mo organization that John has had the privilege to work with. For the last six years with Keb Mo, John has filled the role of Tracking Engineer and Mixer (Live & Mo, The Reflection, The Reflection Acoustic EP, The Christmas EP), FOH Engineer, Tour Manager and Production Manager for every tour Keb Mo has done since 2006's 'Suitcase" tour. John designed and equipped Keb Mo's Nashville based, 2000 square foot Stu Stu Studio, where Keb Mo and John work tirelessly producing, engineering and mixing artists records for Keb Mo's label Yolabelle International, as well as scores for the multitude of television shows that Keb Mo composes for. (Mike and Molly; CBS, Memphis Beat; TNT and Are you There God it's Me Vodka; Comedy Central)
Outside of his relationship with Keb Mo, John, through the years has had the esteemed privilege to work with some of the most talented artists in the entertainment industry. Just some of the Artists, John has been able to call clients, colleagues and most importantly friends include:
Keb Mo, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Jackson Browne, Brian Wilson, Angelique Kidjo, The Black Eyed Peas, Vince Gill, Lee Roy Parnell, Gary Nicholson, Mindi Abair, Dave Koz, Marcus Miller, Coco Montoya, Melissa Manchester, Playing for Change, Drag Pipe, Monster Magnet, Ween, Reach 454, Nicole Atkins, The Roots, Thelonious Monk Jr., Kirk franklin, Rebecca St. James and India. Arie.
"Just as my predecessors from the great Garden State of New Jersey, I live for the moment the lights go down and the bass rolls across the floor. These are the moments that define me, the moments that I anxiously await waking to each and everyday. My life is based around watching V.U. meters and riding faders. Music is my life and it defines me."
Tuesday, December 22, 2009 | Posted in Recent Projects
© 2020 Twelve Tone Music | ProPhoto Blog by NetRivet


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The Entry Level 3 Award in Multicraft Construction Activities has been developed for delivery in a training environment and has been designed to:
Course content
Entry requirements
There are no formal entry requirements (i.e. qualifications a learner must have achieved) to take this qualification.
This qualification is accredited on the QCF for learners aged Pre 16, 16-18 and 19+.
Approved Centres must ensure learners are fully aware of the minimum age requirements of this qualification.
The assessment requirement for this qualification is a learner workbook. Learner Workbooks have been developed for each individual qualification, which gives us the flexibility to assess learners in the manner which best suits you.
This gives us the option to sign learners off on a unit-by-unit basis to aid with retention and recognise every learner's achievements.
The Learner Workbooks contain both the knowledge and practical aspects of these qualifications, completion of the Workbook will ensure that all assessment criteria are met by the Learner.
Each Workbook has a supporting Trainer Workbook which gives guidance and exemplar answers for the Trainer to follow.
Financial information
16-18 year olds are fully funded Not all students after 18 may need to pay fees, depending on your circumstances.


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Prosecution alleges three napkins were used during one meal
The Stephen LaRoque trial over in Greenville has taken up a lot of time, effort and ink over the last few days. As of this writing, the jury is busily trying to determine what the meaning of the word �is� is.
I know just enough about politics to make ill-informed, blanket statements about both parties. According to the people who comment on The Free Press Facebook and Twitter accounts, the political party they are against is evil while their party spends its spare time sending duct tape to leper colonies.
This knee-jerk philosophy is also being applied to the Stephen LaRoque trial. Liberals believe to their marrow that he�s guilty, while conservatives think the whole thing is a witch hunt.
Me? I honestly don�t care all that much. Trials make for interesting reading, but I think people are tuned in to the proceedings, not out of some blood lust for justice, but rather simple curiosity.
The daytime soap operas are fading away, so watching the fate of a man�s life play out in a public arena is the next best thing. Many people forget the first domino in this long chain of events involved a barbecue restaurant named Chap�s.
As you may recall, flyers claiming LaRoque took Chap�s away from its owner were circulated all over the district. Lawsuits ensued, but more importantly, a great place to get barbecue and barbecue chicken was no more. The general public may have forgotten about what I lovingly refer to as �Barbecue-gate,� but the prosecution in the ongoing LaRoque trial has not.
Sensing recent testimony from an accountant unraveled a bit of their case, federal prosecutors introduced a theory on Monday that sent shock waves and hunger pangs throught the courtroom.
�We believe LaRoque set up the East Carolina Development Company for the sole purpose of taking over Chap�s Restaurant,� said federal prosecutor Hamilton Burger. �We have several witnesses who will attest to the fact that Stephen LaRoque is a brazen barbecue addict who set out to take Chap�s secret recipes for himself.�
According to testimony from former employees, LaRoque was seen eating barbecue and/or barbecue chicken many times between the years of 1997 and 2011.
�Video surveillance from a cookout in 2005 shows LaRoque eating a piece of Chap�s barbecue chicken and later going back for seconds,� Burger said. �He really was out of control. The footage shows LaRoque going through three entire napkins in one meal.�
If all of these new accusations weren�t enough, Burger said he has copies of credit card receipts proving LaRoque purchased bacon-flavored toothpaste from McPhee.com in 2002.
�Stephen LaRoque�s penchant for barbecue was so great that he wanted it on his breath at all times,� Burger said. �He unsuccessfully petitioned Ben and Jerry�s to formulate slaw-flavored ice cream in 2006. The hand soap in his office bathroom? Atkinson�s hushpuppy mix.�
In related news, reports that former N.C. Rep. Van Braxton had laughed himself into a coma during the LaRoque trial have been proven incorrect.
Jon Dawson�s columns appear every Tuesday and Thursday in The Free Press. Contact Jon at 252-559-1092 or email@example.com. Purchase books, music and ribs at jondawson.com.


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Editor's Note: This column was originally published by The Huffington Post.
"Where do broken hearts go?â€
-Whitney Houston
I was lucky. I had tornados go directly over my house on two different days last week, and not touch down.
Many of my neighbors in Kentucky and surrounding states weren't as lucky.
They lost their homes, businesses and cars. Several lost their lives.
Now that the tornado has hit, what do you do?
My first suggestion is to let everyone in your social media world know your situation.
Relief groups are organizing on Facebook and Twitter and that allows people who need help to be matched with people willing to offer it.
I saw a Facebook request for a man needing XXL size shirts — the size I wear. I'm working to get him a couple of mine. It's hard to find a big and tall man's store in a relief and recovery zone.
Victims often need specific items. Social media helps cut through the bureaucracy and boundaries for people who need help.
Angie Fenton, The Voice-Tribune's Managing Editor, has been working non-stop for the town of Henryville, Ind., a city north of Louisville that was basically wiped off the map by tornados.
She has been a one-person information service of where people can find help and encouraging people who want to help to get to the right places.
There are many like Angie all over the social media.
The second thing you need to do is contact your insurance agent.
Although agents are rapidly becoming replaced by 800 numbers and websites, they really come in handy when disaster strikes.
I'm a licensed insurance adjuster. I know from experience that a good agent can break through insurance company bureaucracy and get money to their clients more quickly.
It beats calling an 800 number.
You need to find out quickly if you are covered and for what you are covered. Few people buy renters insurance, so apartment dwellers and people who rent houses often lose everything.
The Insurance Information Institute noted standard homeowners and business insurance policies cover wind damage. Cars are covered if the auto policy contains comprehensive coverage.
If you only have collision coverage auto insurance, you may not be covered.
An agent can help you get answers.
If you have access to a lawyer, talk to one immediately. Having a good lawyer on your side can help guide you through the insurance claims process and on other issues.
During times of disaster, bar associations and trial lawyers volunteer their services for free.
An example in my home state is an effort sponsored by the Kentucky Justice Association (www.kentuckyjusticeassociation.org).
It recruited members for a "volunteer disaster legal services program.â€
According to a statement from the association, the volunteer attorneys help with things like "assistance with insurance claims, counseling on landlord-tenant problems, assistance with home repair contracts, assisting in consumer protection matters, counseling on mortgage foreclosure problems, replacement of important legal documents and referring individuals to local or state agencies that might be of further assistance.â€
As Senator Trent Lott and others who lost their homes in Hurricane Katrina found out, a lawyer can come in handy during a crisis.
Several insurance carriers denied coverage to people who lost homes in Katrina, claiming their damages resulted from flooding, which is rarely covered by standard insurance policies, rather than from the wind damage that destroyed their homes.
If an insurance company starts playing that kind of game, it's definitely time to get a lawyer.
Disasters bring out the best in Americans. They dig in their pockets to help.
It also brings out the worst in people wanting to make a quick buck.
Rip-offs occur for necessities like food and water.
Gasoline and fuel suppliers have been known to price gouge and many scams take place in the restoration and clean-up process.
If you run across a scam or rip off, you need to call them out.
Social media is an easy and fast way to do it. Contacting traditional media sources is even better. Many people, like me, were attracted to journalism as a way to go after bad people. Leading the evening news or hitting the front page of a newspaper will make sure a bad actor goes out of business.
Also, most state attorneys general and law enforcement officials have consumer protection services, but those services can be overwhelmed during times of crisis.
Don McNay, who lives in Richmond, Ky., is an award-winning financial columnist for Huffington Post Contributor. You can learn more about him at www.donmcnay.com.


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You can get the hang of it far faster than skiing, but it's just as much fun – especially on these spectacular runs.
Sled beneath the stars
The roughly 14-kilometer downhill ride at Austria's Wildkogel Arena ski area takes around 40 minutes – going at speeds of up to 50 kph. After sunset, the trail turns into the world's longest illuminated toboggan run.
daredevil descent
Length: 15 kilometers; elevation change: roughly 1700 meters; acceleration: up to 80 kph. Nowhere in the world will you find a more spectacular toboggan run than on Mt. Faulhorn in Switzerland. There's just one drawback – the roughly two-and-a-half-hour climb to the top.
Go for Gold
Any sled trails worth mentioning in the Rocky Mountains? Or the Andes, or the Himalayas? Nope. Racing down mountains on a toboggan is a European specialty. Germany's best run is the Hirscheckblitz in Berchtesgarden, which was designed with input from three-times Olympic luge champion Georg Hackl.


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Are you a Dragon Age II fan that wasn't planning on purchasing Dead Space 2? Perhaps a free limited edition suit of armor can change your mind. Arise, Sir Cross-Promotion!
Back when Mass Effect 2 came out, players that had also played the original Dragon Age: Origins scored a special suit of Blood Dragon armor. Since Mass Effect 3 is still a ways out, this time around BioWare is teaming up with fellow EA developer Visceral Games to grant Dragon Age II players a special outfit based on the armor worn by Dead Space protagonist Isaac Clarke.
They're calling it the armor of Ser Isaac of Clarke, and despite the silly name it looks quite sexy. Unfortunately it's heavy armor, so if you plan on making your version of Dragon Age II's hero Hawke a caster or a rogue you'll have to hand it off to a non-player character.
Instructions on how to redeem the Ser Isaac armor will be included in copies of Dead Space 2 for the Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3 when it comes out next week.