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Wholesale Distributors of the Best Brands
PAGE UNDER DEVELOPMENT This page is under development.. Watch this space
The Hollier Dicksons group is the premier national distributor of confectionery, snack foods, groceries, beverages and recyclable food packaging to a wide and diverse range of local & national retailers who when combined, service the majority of the Australian population.
Our customers are a diverse mix ranging from department stores, retail chains, petrol & convenience, Post offices, fast food chains, newsagencies , independent retailers, office supply companies, pharmacies, catering & facilities management companies, primary and secondary schools, universities, hospitals, cinemas and many more.
Hollier Dicksons work with hundreds of suppliers to ensure we not only meet the needs of our diverse customer base but deliver our customers opportunities to grow their businesses.
With new innovative products and brands plus excellent speed to market with product launches our customers and suppliers have the perfect partner to achieve their goals.
Hollier Dicksons provide targeted promotional activity though our Sweet Deals, HD specials & Powerband programmes; this is complemented with marketing support.
Hollier Dicksons are the Australian brand manager for Hersheys. We carry everyday lines and a selection of exciting seasonal lines. Hollier Dicksons is the home of iconic globally know brands such as Hershey, Reeses, Kisses & Jolly Rancher.
Milton Hersheys commenced producing sweet chocolate in 1894. Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the enterprise was named the Hershey Chocolate Company. 120 years later these staple and unique American chocolates & confectionery products are now available from Hollier Dicksons.
We are also one of the only full range distributors of the Darrell Lea range of chocolates, and take pride in this important role as a purveyor of such an iconic Australian brand delighting Australians since 1927 From humble beginnings selling sweets from a pushcart, and later to a small factory under the first arch of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Darrell Lea, named after the original Lea familys youngest son, has spent decades creating the finest chocolates and yummiest confectionery.
Ernest Hiller is another one of our specialised brands we endorse and support. First established in Sydney in 1914, Hilliers has always prided itself on delivering breathtaking gustatory delights, making Hilliers one of Australias most prestigious chocolate makers.
Hollier Dicksons bring its staffs combined sales and distribution expertise to you. Our sales data analysis and consultancy services mean you can leverage our experience to benefit your operations. How is a particular product of yours performing when compared to the rest of your range? How is it performing relative to your competitors products in the same category? How is it performing within a specific buying group, a trade channel or a particular postcode? And what trends are your products and categories subject to over time?
Our data analysis services provide you with timely, relevant information, to help you make informed decisions about your business. All reports are designed to your specific requirements and we present them to you in a format that is accurate, detailed, and easily understood.
Capabilities don't stop there. Hollier Dicksons also offers comprehensive consultancy services. Whether you are entering the Australian marketplace for the first time, or you are simply looking to streamline your processes, we will work closely with you to identify the issues you are facing, and to build complete solutions that are sensitive to your business, and the environment you are competing in.
Since 1854, Hollier Dicksons has continually grown and evolved to meet the demands of the Australian market. Starting as a Victorian based cordial and syrup manufacturer in its formative years, Hollier Dicksons is today a national, full-service distributor, thriving under the leadership of the Essey and Lloyd families. The teams shared philosophy of innovation and customer service excellence has formed the foundation of a national infrastructure, with a nimble and proactive culture where service levels are paramount.
Whether your distribution needs are the most basic, or more complex, Hollier Dicksons has a service to suit you.
Hollier Dicksons operate national facilities with distribution centers in every mainland Australian state. As a result we have the capability to supply to any site within Australia with complete pick, pack and delivery of goods. Our large fleet & Network of temperature controlled delivery vehicles, with a combination of Heavy-Rigid & Medium Rigid Trucks, Light trucks & Vans gives us the power & the flexibility to deliver both large and small
Customer Service is our priority and we are proud to provide fast turnaround on all orders. Hollier Dicksons have a field sales & account management team of over 45 people to ensure the right range is in the right location resulting in stronger sales, a better bottom line, and happier customers.
Our Telephone & Online customer support teams, are available to take your call or inquiry, they will get to know and understand your businesses needs and will be able to assist with all ordering requirements and delivery details.
For nearly 160 years, Hollier Dicksons have been providing distribution solutions to consumers and businesses throughout Australia. Hollier Dicksons have a strong and focused Executive team. We remain a family business; we understand our customers and provide a truly personal service. Hollier Dicksons employs over 200 people.
We take the time to understand both client and supplier needs, and we make it our business to keep up to date with their changing requirements. You can be assured of experienced, reliable and honest service when dealing with Hollier Dicksons.
The Hollier Dicksons group is the result of a merger between two wholesale distribution companies A&W Hollier and James Dickson & Co. Hollier Dicksons is an amalgamation of two of Australia's most experienced & accomplished families in the industry, the Essey and the Lloyd families.
Hollier Dicksons is Australian owned and a privately held company. Hollier Dicksons is led by an experienced board of Directors supported by a strong and capable executive team.
— Michael Doyle, Doyles Seafood Restaurant
— GlaxoSmithKline, GSK
HDC is jam packed with promotions, case deals discounts and new lines for retailers available at Hollier Dicksons nationwide. Fill the form out to get on the e-newsletter mailing list and make savings today
Is a great opportunity to buy your favorite brands while you earn points to reap the rewards of your purchases. Purchase any product featured in this brochure from your local NCW Wholesaler and you will automatically start earning points. Earn a minimum of 3,500 points over the promotional period to claim a rewardwww.powerbrands.com.au
Created for the NCW buying group, this program is set up to reward our members so they can pass these bargains onto their customers.
Designed for primary and high schools, Simply purchase any product featured in this brochure from your local NCW Wholesaler or Better Choices, partner and you will automatically start earning points. Earn a minimum of 2,500 points over the promotional period to claim a reward.
We'll be in touch real soon!
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Phone: (02) 9725 5520
Fax: (02) 9725 5540
61-65 Newton Road
Wetherill Park, New South Wales 2164
Phone: (03) 9544 4555
Fax: (03) 9545 6655
Unit 2, 80 - 96 South Park Drive
Dandenong South, Victoria 3175
Phone: (07) 3344 1775
Fax: (07) 3344 1363
Building C1 30 Bellrick Street
Acacia Ridge, Queensland 4110
Phone: (08) 9204 2491
Fax: (08) 9204 3552
9 Burgay Court
Osborne Park, Western Australia 6017
Phone: (08) 8409 3000
Fax: (08) 8244 3433
15 / 17 Francis Road
Wingfield, South Australia 5013


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Oakley New Jawbone Sunglasses Red/Black Frame Lightskyblue Lens Top Deal
Model: Oakley-91672
499 Units in Stock
With Oakley New Jawbone sunglass's new Switchlock Technology, the lower part of the frame rim opens to allow easy access for quick lens changing, letting you optimize performance in any light condition. The revolutionary design holds the lenses with a suspension system so stresses on the frame won't affect the optics. The new architecture ensures there's nothing to diminish the unbeatable clarity of High Definition Optics(HDO@), and you still get the optimized comfort and fit of a flexible frame design.
Oakley New Jawbone sunglass SWITCHLOCK@ Technology for an interchangeable lens design that helps you keep up with changing light conditions and maximize performance in any environment. UNOBTAINIUM@stem sleeves for a secure fit that increases grip with perspiration. Durable yet comfortably lightweight O MATTER@ frame material that optimizes protection while maintaining a flexible fit. Convenience and clarity of Oakley HYDROPHOBIC? a permanent lens coating that repels dust while maintaining a smudge-resistant barrier against skin oils, fingerprints, lotions and sunscreens and even repels water to prevent streaks and sheens from corrupting your vision. XYZ OPTICS@ to extend clarity across lens contours that open peripheral vision and improve side protection against sun, wind and impact.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Catching up on Trump Intel Stories? Five Things to Read
Comey Wrote Memo Saying Trump Urged Him to Drop Flynn Investigation: Sources (NBC News):
Fired FBI Director James Comey wrote an internal memo saying President Donald Trump asked him to shut down an investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, multiple sources with firsthand knowledge of the memo told NBC News on Tuesday.
Israel Was Source of Intelligence Trump Shared With Russians (NBC News):
Israel was the source of ISIS-related intelligence that President Donald Trump shared with Russia last week, according to three government officials with knowledge of the matter.
At a Besieged White House, Tempers Flare and Confusion Swirls (The New York Times):
In private, three administration officials conceded that they could not publicly articulate their most compelling — and honest — defense of the president: that Mr. Trump, a hasty and indifferent reader of printed briefing materials, simply did not possess the interest or knowledge of the granular details of intelligence gathering to leak specific sources and methods of intelligence gathering that would do harm to United States allies.
European Country Might Halt US Intel Sharing (The Associated Press):
"A senior European intelligence official tells The Associated Press that his country might stop sharing information with the United States if it confirms President Donald Trump shared classified details with Russian officials. The official said Tuesday that doing so "could be a risk for our sources."
No, Trump Did Not Break the Law In Talking Classified Details With the Russians (Washington Post):
"When it comes to classification issues and those kinds of things, he's not above the law," said Edward B. MacMahon Jr., a criminal defense lawyer who has done significant work on cases involving classified information. "He basically is the law."


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Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, Khalifatul Massih V delivered the Friday sermon ( Nov 9th 2012) from Masjid Bait-ul-Futuh, UK. After the recitation of Surah Al Fatihah, Hadhrat Khalifatul Masih V recited the following Quranic verse:
"And every one has a goal which dominates him; vie, then, with one another in good works. Wherever you will be, Allah will bring you all together. Surely, Allah has the power to do all that He wills." (2:149)
In this verse, Allah Almighty has emphasized on a commandment for all believers, which is absolutely essential for the progress of every individual in gaining nearness to God and makes a Muslim a true Muslim. The same commandment is also absolutely necessary for the communal progress of a Jama'at. This commandment relates to the goal that is set out in the verse i.e. Vie with one another in good deeds. Every human being on this planet has a goal, and he continues to make every effort to achieve it. This is true even for those who have ill intentions of causing harm to others, although the results of their objectives yield nothing but evil consequences, for example, a thief spends most of his day planning his thefts, etc. Many others make terrorism and barbarism their goal, for which they spend money, time and many other resources. They brainwash innocent children over long periods of time and use them for the vain purpose of killing innocent people through suicide attacks, etc. Unfortunately, most of these people call themselves Muslims and commit these heinous crimes against humanity in the name of religion and cause conflict and corruption in the world, giving a bad name to the beautiful teachings of Islam. Islam on the contrary teaches nothing but spreading goodness and sets the goal to a high standard of vying with one another in good deeds.
The word "wajhatun", which is the root word for "goal" used in this verse recited at the onset of the sermon means direction, course, effort, paths, ways, means to attain an objective. Not only does a Momin direct himself on the course that is set forth by God Almighty, he must choose the right path in that direction in order to attain that objective which is to progress in the path of goodness. What that means is that one must set himself upon that path towards those good deeds, implement them and progress in them and at the same time, he must also be wary of those companions who are left behind due to their weaknesses and make every effort to ensure their progress as well. This is the only way to safeguard that the community as a whole will move forward and progress.
The Holy Prophet (saw) was sent as a mercy for all of mankind. The Jamaat that was founded by the most loyal and devoted servants of the Holy Prophet (saw) is associated with this principle which entails the fulfilment of obligations towards The Creator through worship and includes the responsibilities towards our fellow human beings through service to mankind. Service to mankind can be achieved by performing righteous acts and propagating compassion, not by committing acts of terrorism such as suicide bombings and use of other weaponry.
In this day and age, it is only Jamaat Ahmadiyya that is striving to spread peace and righteousness in its true essence, in many ways, such as propagating the beautiful and peaceful teachings of Islam, proliferating the message of Holy Quran by publishing and translating in various languages of the world, by teaching the excellent moral values, by giving the message of love to the world, by coming to the aid of those who are ill i.e. by building hospitals and clinics, and by providing education to those under privileged and remote areas of the world where access to schools is non-existent. The biggest service to humanity of course is by bringing masses under the banner of the Holy Prophet of Islam (saw). Keeping the above in mind, it can be assessed that the mission set forth for Jamaat Ahmadiyya is not an ordinary one and the pledge an Ahmadi performs at the hands of the Imam is not an ordinary pledge. To fulfil it, we must make our objective the same as one set out by God Almighty i.e. to tread the paths set forth to achieve the nearness and pleasure of God. Beyond doubt, Satan will attempt to attack us and set obstacles in the pathway, but the prayer emanated from the heart: "Guide us to the right path - The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings" [1:6-7] will be the antidote to these Satanic assaults, Inshaallah.
Therefore, every man, woman, child, young and old must strive towards this goal of gaining nearness to Allah Almighty by doing good deeds as elaborated. One of these ways listed in the Holy Quran is to spend in the way of Allah i.e. to make financial sacrifices which becomes the means to propagate Islam and to serve mankind.
The annals of the 125-year-long history of Jamaat Ahmadiyya is a witness that members of this community have made colossal financial sacrifices and this has become a distinctive feature of this Jamaat. Those who do not belong to this community are amazed at this aspect and that is only because they cannot fathom the true spirit which is inculcated by God's commandment of vying with one another in good deeds. The Jamaat Ahmadiyya upholds this commandment by making not only financial sacrifices, but sacrifices of one's life, time, honour and in many other ways. No government and no enemy can stop the progress of the Jamaat until this spirit of sacrifice is maintained by members of this community, Inshaallah. I am amazed at those members of the Jamaat, who have grasped the deep philosophy encapsulated in this commandment and make financial sacrifices of the highest standard year after year with a demonstration of great steadfastness and persistence. Every year new converts, and old Ahmadis, members from all economic levels (poor, mediocre, rich), all members make financial sacrifice with great zeal and loyalty. Wherever there is a weakness, it is due to the people who are given the responsibility of reminding the members about these obligations rather than a lack of devotion or loyalty. The majority of the Jamaat members belong to the underprivileged stratum of income earners, therefore the large party of those who make financial sacrifices also belong to the same group, and they make these sacrifices by giving up their personal desires and instead, contributing to these financial schemes. The more affluent Ahmadis also make the sacrifices, but in comparison their sacrifice does not affect their lives in the same proportion.
In many Western countries, Ahmadi members are living a very comfortable life than what they were living in their homelands. It is therefore a matter of great responsibility that they should analyse whether there is any progress in their sacrifice from one year to the next. If not, then it is a dilemma of great proportion that should be a cause for reflection.
There are many financial schemes in the Jamaat system, some of which are fixed, but others are implement as required in order to complete certain projects at a local or national level (e.g. construction of mosques, etc.). Many Jamaat members participate in these schemes also. It should however be borne in mind that the Tehrik-e-Jadid and Waqf-e-Jadid are solely international schemes which are not left to the discretion of the local or national Jamaat. In some cases, where collections under these schemes are re-distributed locally or nationally, it is done so with the approval of international headquarters ( Markaz) only.
Sometimes, questions arise, although at a very minimal level, as to why must I participate in these international schemes, when the funds generated will not be spent at local level. Instead, I will participate in the financial schemes that will favour the local projects. Such questions should not arise in the first place because any financial sacrifice, big or small, is made only for one objective and that is to gain the pleasure of God Almighty. Secondly, international headquarters has considerable expenses, including but not limited to overseeing projects in underprivileged countries across the globe (Africa, Asia, Europe, etc.), sponsoring the education of talented students, and many others. Thirdly, the true spirit and essence of the Quranic verse recited at the onset of the sermon is that the weak members of the Jamaat must also be given the opportunity to progress and the privileged members must make certain sacrifices to empower these weak members. The same Quranic verse goes on to say: "Wherever you will be, Allah will bring you all together." This means that when everyone shall be called upon as a group, those who displayed lassitude and criticized the system and remain entangled in the web of these useless questions will be brought to accountability. Therefore such questions are against the spirit of Jamaat teachings.
Here is how some funds are spent. In Africa, many mosques and clinics along with radio stations are being constructed. Mosques in Ireland, Valencia (Spain), Kampala (Uganda) and Ivory Coast are being constructed with partial or complete fundings provided by Headquarters (Markaz). The expenses of the Mubalagheen (Jamaat missionaries) are also covered by Markaz. Many mosques and mission houses in other parts of the world, such as India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, Guatemala, Marshall Islands, etc. are also funded by this scheme. Similarly, the education of about 4500 talented students, including 350 those who are studying at a higher level (post-graduation), is also sponsored by Markaz. Projects such as providing water, electricity, radio stations are also implemented by Markaz grants. All these projects are done for the progress of Jamaat Ahmadiyya and to demonstrate to the world the true teachings of Islam by providing these services to mankind.
All those participants who make financial sacrifices but are not in the forefront of providing these services to humanity also become part of the bigger picture and are also part of reaping the rewards from God Almighty. It should be noted that local Jamaats (in underprivileged countries) must not make the assumption that all such projects are funded by the headquarters; it is highly commendable that many of the local projects are indeed funded by the financial contributions of local Jamaat members.
I will narrate some incidents of great financial sacrifices members of Jamaat have made in way of schemes such as Tehrik-e-Jadid. A lady from Ghana by the name of Fatima Daood Sahiba purchased a piece of land and provided funds for the construction of a Mosque with a capacity of 300 worshippers. In the city of Accra, in a village by the name of Lamnaara, many people accepted Ahmadiyyat from in and around that region. Six new mosques were planned for construction, of which four have already been built and two are still under construction. Funds for these mosques were also collected by the financial contributions of the new Ahmadi members. A lady, by the name of Sadiqa Sahiba provided funds for one of these mosques, with a capacity of 150 worshippers, and she had also funded the construction of another mosque earlier, in Accra. The Mubalagh in Ghana, Ahmad Gibraeel Sahib (who incidentally is sick and requires earnest prayers for his recovery) wrote that a new mosque is under construction and 50% of the funds required are being contributed by one member Kaba Jan Sahib alone, who is a Judge in the high Court. Ameer Sahib of France also wrote about an incident while on a trip to Marakesh. He delivered a speech on the importance of Tehrik-e-Jadid. Many of the local members are new converts, with a high level of dedication to Jamaat and love for Khilafat. A few days after the speech, one member presented a large amount of funds to the local Sadr sahib, explaining to him that this was the amount that he owed in terms of donations (Chandas) ever since he converted to Ahmadiyyat. Since he was not familiar with the concept of financial sacrifice as explained by the Promised Messiah (as) earlier, he had not paid, but now that he had learned about it, he was roused with the passion to participate in financial contributions. Bhatti Sahib from Niger writes that in October 2011, he went on a preaching mission to a village where he presented a video that spoke about Jalsa programs, construction of mosques, the advent of Imam Mahdi and financial schemes. One of the attendees stood up, spoke to his local people and walked out of the room, leaving the Ahmadi preacher worried. However, he returned a few moments later, and presented a large amount of money saying that now that he has come to know of this system of financial schemes, he has convinced all attendees to participate and then they all signed the bai'at forms also. Ameer Sahib of Uganda writes that in September 2011, during a national amila meeting, the 3-year construction plan projected for Sita land, a 17 acre piece of property about 9 miles from Kampala, was presented which would serve as site for Jalsa events. A large amount of funds was required to complete this project. 83 million shillings (local currency) were raised from among the national amila members alone present at the meeting, which would then be used for funding the project. These are only a few examples of the many consistent and substantial sacrifices that are made by Jamaat members around the world. Ahmadi members living in the affluent countries of the world must therefore not assume that their financial contributions are the sole source of funding for projects in other countries of the world, or that underprivileged countries are dependent on their sponsorship for 100% of these projects.
I now announce the new year for Tehrik-e-Jadid, which is the 79th year of this blessed scheme. The total funds raised are £7,200,700, which is £584,700 more than the total funds raised as compared to last year. Pakistan is #1 in making financial sacrifices in this scheme. Apart from Pakistan, the following countries have attained maximum collections: USA, Germany, Britain, Canada, India, Indonesia, a country of the Middle East, Australia, Switzerland and Beligum and Ghana are tied.
In per capita contributions, a country from Middle East tops the list with a contribution of approximately £157 per person, followed by USA (£118 per person), Switzerland, Japan, UK, France, Canada, Norway, Germany, and then Australia.
The number of contributors has also increases by 180,000 to a grand total of 911,000 in comparison to last year.
In Africa, the following countries made the highest contributions: Ghana, Nigeria, Mauritius, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Benin, Uganda, Tanzania, Gambia and Sierra Leone. In terms of increase in number of participants, the following countries top the list: Nigeria, Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone. Nigeria has come first according to the number of new participants in the scheme; because of this extra-ordinary rise in the number of new participants, Nigeria is now only second to Pakistan in terms of numbers of participants. Ghana must try to make progress in this sphere.
In Daftar Awal, there are 5927 participants, of whom 285 are alive.
In Pakistan, the top contributing cities are Lahore, Rabwah and Karachi, following by Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Sialkot, Quetta, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Mirpur Khas, Nawabshah, Peshawar and Bahawalpur. At the district level, the following rank the top: Omarkot, Shaikhupura, Gujranwala, Badeen, Sangharh, Narowal, Bahawalnagar, Hyderabad, Rahimyar Khan, Mirpur (Azad Kashmir) and Khanewal.
In USA, the Jamaats that made the highest financial contributions are: LA Inland Empire, Columbus (Ohio), Silicon Valley, Detroit and Harrisburg.
In Germany, the top ranking Jamaat is Cologne
In UK the top ten Jama'ats were: Fazl Mosque, New Malden, West Hill, Worcester Park, Baitul Futuh, Raynes Park, Mosque West, Cheam, Manchester South and Birmingham Central. Among the regions in the UK, the first three were; London, Midlands and North East. Among small majalis, the first few were: Scunthorpe, Bromley, Lewisham, Bournemouth, Leamington Spa and Oxford.
In Canada the following Jama'ats were the first few: Calgary, Edmonton, Peace Village East, Surrey East, Peace Village Central, Woodbridge, Brampton, Saskatoon, Mississauga West, Vaughan North, Maple and Montreal East.
In India, the top Jamaats are Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Jammu Kashmir, Bengal, Karnatak, Orissa, Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Financial sacrifices made at a local level were highest in the following Jamaats: Bambitor (Tamil Nadu), Kerala (Kerala), Calicut (Kerala), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Qadian, Kanali Town (Kerala), Calcutta, Mathatunag (Kerala), Chennai and Tamil Nadu.
Some incidents about Jamaat members who possess the fervour to progress in their financial sacrifices. An older lady from Farrafini, Gambia, came to the local mubalagh and asked him about who makes the highest financial contributions in that area. She was told that a local member by the name of Sambujan Sahib did. She then asked how much he contributes. She was told that he contributes 50 thousand dillasi. This lady, whose previous contributions were 1500 dilassi, pledged that although she does not have the resources, she will make her best effort to match or outdo this gentleman's contributions.
A nau-mubain lady by the name of Wafa-ur-Rehman from Spain heard last year's sermon on Tehrik-e-Jadid. She made a pledge of €500 and paid the amount outright. She was also informed of the other financial schemes in the Jamaat, but since she was a new convert, she was told there was no obligation and she could contribute as she thought convenient. At hearing this, she made a pledge to participate in each of the Jamaat financial schemes.
A member of Jamaat, who had arrived in Switzerland, sought to seek refuge, but his case was rejected. At about the same time, the new year of Tehrik-e-Jadid was announced. He had approximately 1000 Francs in his bank account, which he pledged towards this scheme right away, although he had saved that money for the lawyer's fee. He prayed to God that his troubles be taken away. Soon afterwards, he was granted asylum, without the aid of any lawyer.
A new convert from Kyrgyzstan, was instructed about Tehrik-e-Jadid and he made a pledge of a large sum of money, but only after a lengthy discussion did he agree to reduce the amount, such was his intense desire to participate in this scheme of financial sacrifice.
A heart-warming story comes from Ireland, where a newly converted couple, who did not have children or were not expecting, had such a great desire that their children should be included in this scheme, that they contributed on behalf of a son and a daughter. Soon afterwards, they were blessed with the news of a child, and were told that they were having twins. The couple truly believes that is was their contribution in Tehrik-e-Jadid that they were blessed with two healthy children.
A young man from Kambitor, India wrote about his two faith-inspiring experiences. While his financial situation was stressed, he made enough profits in only one transaction that he was immediately able to fulfil his pledge towards Tehrik-e-Jadid. Secondly, a fire broke out in the warehouse where he had also stored his assets. However, even though the fire was intense and spread throughout the warehouse, his belongings were unharmed. The Muslims in that area held antagonist feelings towards the Ahmadis, but after this event, they started to respect him.
At another place in India, a lady who participated in a Jalsa where a speech about Tehrik-e-Jadid was presented, she complained that pledges were taken from the men, but not the women. She doubled her pledge in response to the speech as she felt that her initial pledge was not sufficient.
A lady from Andhra Pradesh, whose husband was in the hospital and whose daughter was about to be wedded, fulfilled her pledge by taking some funds from her daughter's wedding with her daughter's permission. Members of Jamaat who are in need should be taken care of.
Two young men, who owned a business together, pledged an amount of 10 thousand rupees towards Tehrik-e-Jadid. The following year, they increased their pledges to 110 thousand rupees and wrote a letter to Huzoor requesting prayers. Their business did not go very well, however, in one transaction, they made a profit of exactly 220 thousand rupees and were thus able to fulfil their pledges.
In Rajasthan, a lady earned her living by tending goats. When reminded of the Tehrik-e-Jadid scheme, she gave everything she had in her satchel.
Another lady was approached, and she asked her daughter to give 50 rupees towards this scheme. The daughter had 100 rupees, and wanted to give the whole amount. The mother tried to convince her to give only 50, but the daughter did not heed, and gave the entire amount.
May Allah Almighty bless all the participants who make great financial sacrifices, and enable the members living in affluent countries to uphold the spirit of sacrifice so that the propagation of Islam continues throughout the world. May the Muslim Ummah recognize the truth about the advent of Imam of this age and unite to form one brotherhood to establish peace in the world, Ameen.
The Jumu'ah (Friday) prayer is one form of congregational worship in Islam. It takes place every Friday. Regular attendance at the Jumu'ah prayer is enjoined on the believer. According to a Saying of Muhammad(sa) this congregational prayer is twenty-five times more blessed than worship performed alone. (Bukhari)
"O ye who believe! When the call is made for Prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah, and leave off all business. That is best for you, if you only knew." more
"… (He who) offers the Prayers and listens quitely when the Imam stands up for sermon, will have his sins forgiven between that Friday and the next" (Bukhari)


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Developers' Todo List
for Preachers
- Evangelism XCache to more ppl
for Testers
- Test more php applications with XCache enabled
- Try to reproduce bugs
for Web Designers
- Make some XCache *.php generated html pages nicer
- XCache website logo
- Powered by XCache link button for ppl who want to link to xcache website
for PHP Programers
- #1: A Uptime statistics collector
for Extension/Core? Developers
- #2: improve AutoDisableOnCorrupted?
- #44: filter/exclude path
- Optimizer
- Basic framework, util functions
- Optimize implementions
- ProvidersInterface: SharedMemory/Lock/MemoryManager procivders
- Interface
- Implementions
- Cache to disk (See CacheDesign)
Last modified 13 years ago Last modified on 2007-11-30T01:40:59Z


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HomArt- ask for images & can drop ship
Inspired by California living and architecture, HomArt presents a collection of hand finished home accessories forging a contemporary link with California's romantic past. Their exclusive range of refined yet affordable home accessories is created for everyday use from all-natural, recycled, and new materials, simple and tastefully designed to comfortably mix with any décor. Showing the handwork of skilled craftmen, the HomArt collection evokes the warmth and serenity of a less hurried era.
Minimum order $150


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Free Entry
Pack the van for a few days alongside the tree-lined Moonie River at the Nindigully Tourist and Visitor Area (free camping) located within a stone's throw of the legendary Nindigully Pub.
Take a stroll along The Gully Walk - a purpose-built historical river walkway, enjoy lunch on the picnic tables, sit riverside with a book, enjoy a country sunset and don't miss happy hour and a chat to the locals at the Pub. Toilets and showers are available here for those looking for some creature comforts.


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Andrew Whilby Named to D3Kicks Team of the Week
Sep 12, 2006
Junior forward Andrew Whilby (St. Albans, NY/Wolmers Boys School) was selected to the D3Kicks Team of the Week for mens soccer on September 12th.
Whilby scored four goals this week for Farmingdale State. He scored three goals in a 5-4 win over Staten Island, including the game-winner in overtime. He then netted the only goal in a 1-1 tie against Rutgers-Newark in the Championship game of the Scarlet Raider Classic. He was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament.
Each week, D3Kicks.com will select a Team of the Week consisting of 11 players from Division III Teams across the country. The team of the week is anncounced on Tuesdays. View this weeks team at http://www.d3kicks.com/.


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How can a home be cozy for a family of three but big enough to entertain 30 at the holidays? With an open floor plan that allows people to see what's going on from multiple spaces.
How can a home be cozy for a family of three but big enough to entertain 30 at the holidays?
With an open floor plan that allows people to see what's going on from multiple spaces: the kitchen, the chairs by the fireplace, the living room and the bar.
A light hardwood floor unifies all the pieces. And because each space has a function or grouping, the area does not feel too big or too small.
"It just works! Guests can be around me but not standing around," said the owner, who lives there with her husband and youngest daughter, a teenager.
The five-minute tour
City: Rockford, Ill.
Built in: 1990, and lived in by current family ever since
Square feet: 3,700 (originally was 2,600 until adding on started 15 years ago)
Style: Two-story open floor plan
Quote: "You don't have to be so matchy-matchy. It's what makes a home a home." — Lori Bonelli, designer who worked with the homeowner on paint, tile and lighting
Tips you can use from this home
1. Buy upholstered pieces in neutral colors so you are not married to something you won't like for 20 years; you can always change the accessories.
2. Take a necklace from the jewelry box and put it on display.
3. Try green for a fresh accent color.
4. Freshen up a room with floral arrangements, even in your own vases.
5. Park your blender and coffee maker in an appliance garage: Yep, it works like it sounds. Also, if a room lacks windows, put lights behind cabinet glass to give the illusion of illumination.
Bonus tip: Move furniture around to redesign without much work.
Rockford Woman, Rockford Register Star


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Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. adults has arthritis
It's an epidemic spreading steadily and painfully, joint by joint. Arthritis now afflicts nearly 1 in 4 American adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported. [CDC news release]
It found that 22.7 percent of U.S. adults -- 52.5 million people -- have arthritis, and that 22.7 million of them say arthritis is limiting their daily activities. In all, the number of adults with arthritis rose 2.5 million during the 2010-12 period studied, compared with the previous analysis, covering 2007-09. Mayo Clinic rheumatologist Shreyasee Amin, M.D., offers these comments on the CDC statistics:
- "The aging population in general is increasing, and osteoarthritis, which is the most common form for arthritis and which doesn't get a lot of attention in the media, is probably one of the things that's contributing to that increase."
- "The fact that obesity is certainly an increasing problem in the country and obesity contributes to a higher risk of osteoarthritis in the knees in particular, that might be one of the reasons that we're seeing this increase."
- "It's sort of a catch-22 or a vicious circle that people run into: If you're in pain you aren't physically active, it puts you at risk for other conditions like osteoporosis, it may make you more prone to falling and breaking a bone. If you're overweight because you're not active enough anymore, you're more likely to get diabetes and its complications maybe further aggravate heart disease, and some forms of obesity have been linked to cancer. So I think it really is important for us to recognize arthritis, do what we can and study it better so that we can improve the health of people before they get to that point where they're into that level of pain and injury."
- "I think because arthritis is so linked to other diseases, and physical inactivity that can result from arthritis can contribute to other complications like obesity, leading to diabetes and further problems with heart disease, I think more attention needs to be drawn to preventing arthritis, understanding the mechanisms that contribute to osteoarthrtis in particular, which is so common, and I hope that helps spur our research dollars to better understand this condition and prevent it."


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CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams
We though we might have today's results of the Sacramento Valley Dog Fanciers Association from Dixon CA for you tonight, but it appears our sources have packed it up for the evening. We did find out that Dorothy Collier chose the Puli, CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams as yesterday's winner of the limited breed warm up, the Northern California Herding Group Association show. Conrad also collected the Puli Club of America BISS from Sherry Gibson along the way. Conrad is currently, the number one Puli in the US, the number one Herding Dog, and the number three dog over all.
We now have this late update...Conrad & handler Linda Pitts took advantage of the momentum gained yesterday, collecting the all breed BIS today under Bill Shelton. Our congratulations to Team Conrad, breeders P Turner, A Quigley, & A & S Lawrence and owners Susan Huebner & Jackie Beaudoin, and handler Linda Pitts.


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Game maker Hudson is now fully enveloped by Konami. And Konami is firing people and canceling games.
Akira Sakuma (not pictured) created the Momotaro Dentetsu series of train themed board game-style video games for Hudson. Sakuma works freelance, but notes in a recent blog entry that he's sixty years old. As someone who's sixty years old, he doesn't seem up to learn new tricks from Konami, adding that if the company requests "major changes" for Momotaro Dentetsu, he will retire.
What's more, if the Momotaro Dentetsu development team is dissolved and totally new people are brought in, Sakuma says, "I plan to end the Momotaro Dentetsu." Of course, Konami now owns Momotaro Dentetsu, so Sakuma can't actually "end" it, but by leaving the successful series, Sakuma would be doing as much in the eyes of fans.
Sakuma does say Konami hasn't told him yet to make any major changes and that he is interested in fitting in with Konami. "At this age, I can't make drastic changes," he writes. And at this age, Sakuma shouldn't have to.


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Advanced Legal Writing: Bar Exam 1
Course Description:
(Formerly Advanced Legal Writing: Writing)This course hones timed analytical writing skills necessary to pass the Bar Exam. Through extensive practice, students will develop a solid understanding of organization, depth, and precision required on the essay and performance test portions of the Bar Exam. Students will write weekly practice exams in and out of class, and will receive regular feedback from their instructor. Enrollment is limited to students in their final semester of law school.
Class Notes:
Smile. You are going to pass the bar exam. In this course, you will learn the skills needed to succeed on the bar exam. In half of the class sessions, national expert Chris Fromm from Kaplan will teach you substantive law in torts, contracts, and criminal law. Using that knowledge, you will learn strategies to dominate the MBE. In the other half of the class sessions, you will work in small sections of 15 students with your writing professor to learn how to excel on essays and the performance test. To earn credit in the course, all students must complete all assignments and take a 6.5-hour mock bar exam on Friday, April 20, or Saturday, April 21.


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Submit the online request above to contact VIP services. Our team will fill you in on the best options to make your concert an unforgettable experience. VIP reservations are not inclusive of concert tickets. A ticket is required to gain entry to our shows.
All shows are 18 & over with valid photo ID.
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Ticket sales shut off online before doors open; there may be tickets available at the show.
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Women At The Top? Not So Much
Wendy Beecham is the Managing Director of Executive Education at UC Davis. She has over 25 years of leadership experience, and has coached c-level business leaders on executive performance.
Last month, the UC Davis Graduate School of Management published a report detailing statistics on women business leaders in California. The study, in its 8th year, details the presence of women at the very top of the 400 largest publicly held corporations headquartered in California. The findings paint a disappointing picture of female representation on the boards and in the executive suites of these high-profile companies.
Women still hold fewer than one in 10 of the highest-paid executive positions and board seats at top public firms in California—and over the past eight years there has been no measurable, significant progress in the representation of women in the top decision-making posts of these California 400. Put in perspective, the combined market capitalization of these publicly traded Golden State firms is almost three times the annual GDP of Mexico- we're not talking chump change here.
Key Findings
- There is only one woman for every nine men among directors and highest-paid executives
- Only 13 of the 400 largest companies have a woman CEO
- Almost half (44.8%) of California's companies have no women directors; 34% have only one woman director
- Of the best known companies in California—Apple, Google, Intel, Cisco, Visa, eBay, DIRECTV, Yahoo!, and PG&E—all had no women among their highest-paid executives at fiscal year-end
- The 128 Silicon Valley companies, which represent $1.2 trillion, again showed the worst record for percentage of women executives. Only 6.6 percent of their highest-paid executives are women, and only 8.4 percent of Silicon Valley board members in our study are women
The Business Case for Diversity Overall
A recent McKinsey study found startlingly consistent correlations between diversity and performance: for companies ranking in the top quartile of executive-board diversity, return on equity was 53 percent higher on average, than they were for those in the bottom quartile. At the same time, margins on earnings before interest and taxes at the most diverse companies were 14 percent higher, on average, than those of the least diverse companies.
Companies with more diverse executive teams outperform their peers: fielding a team of top executives with varied cultural backgrounds and life experiences can broaden a company's strategic perspective. And relentless competition for the best people should reward organizations that cast their nets beyond traditional talent pools for leadership.
Research from Catalyst and others reflects that companies with a strong female representation at top management level perform better than those without. Gender-diverse boards have a positive impact on performance including a 35% higher return on equity, and stronger stock market growth.
Charting the conversation
Women make 85% of household purchasing decisions, hold 51% of the nation's private wealth, and hold 51.5% of all management and professional positions. These figures demonstrate that women are definitely decision makers and key influencers at home and in the office—why not in executive boardrooms, too?
Last week, Watermark and 2020 Women on Boards hosted an event revealing the statistics from the UC Davis study. Author of the study, Amanda Kimball, started the evening off with an anecdote. She explained that the women in her mother's generation fought hard for the opportunity to enter any career field they wanted. She, and thousands of other women like her, was raised to believe they could grow up to be anything they wanted to be. In 2012, it appears that the job title "corporate executive" isn't well represented on that list of professions open to women.
How Can We Drive Change?
Start off by creating a dialogue with your executive peers about why this conversation is important. It's not just about women—it's about the need for greater diversity of ALL kinds, and women just happen to be part of that equation. The conversation needs to transcend being an HR initiative about diversity or about flexible working hours. These are challenges that need to be addressed by all leaders at the top who can role model the changes they hope to see.
Broaden the pool of people you associate with in your network and in your talent selection. You have a greater chance of hiring a more diverse team or appointing a more diverse board if your pool of talent is broader than just "people like us".
Women can also do a better job of supporting one another by providing recommendations of other qualified women they know who are available for executive level and board positions. Men tend to do a much better job of networking, asking to be recommended, and putting forward names of people they think are qualified.
Women tend to feel a personal responsibility to learn as much as possible about the person they are going to recommend, in case the person being recommended is not a fit or somehow embarrasses them. And of course, another proven fact is that opportunities arise for women and other diverse groups if they have a sponsor in a senior role helping create opportunities for them. These people have a seat at the table and can slide in a new chair for you.
Considering the glacial pace of movement, it's time for a widespread conversation about increasing diversity at the top levels of our nation's organizations. What are your ideas to take action and help move diversity forward?
Wendy Beecham is the Managing Director of Executive Education at UC Davis. She has over 25 years of leadership experience, and has coached c-level business leaders on executive performance.
To learn more about executive education programs at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management contact Wendy Beecham today.


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The Vercetti Estate, also known by its former name of Diaz's Mansion, is a mansion located on the south side of Starfish Island in Vice City. The mansion and its surrounding compound has been prominently featured in both Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for different uses.
The property consists of a large red and pink mansion surrounded by well cut lawns, pools, lavish terraces, and a low wall. The compound is also equipped with a private dock to the south, as well as a helipad on the mansion's roof.
Until Rub Out, the mansion is primarily known to only spawn an Infernus of varied colors and a Stretch or a light grey Admiral (used by Diaz in the mission Guardian Angels) which occasionally takes the place of the Stretch on the driveway of the compound. When the player acquires the mansion, the Infernus will permanently appear white (implying it belongs to Lance Vance). The mansion will also come equipped with a working garage that can hold up to two road vehicles.The compound itself features other special quirks. To the west of the mansion is a hedge maze where the player can find a Sniper Rifle, while the southern terrace will eventually spawn a Sea Sparrow when the player collects 80 hidden packages.
The interior of the mansion comes complete with several rooms. The centerpiece of the mansion is its main hall, with high ceilings, dark decors, doorways to two rooms, and a massive stairway that leads to the second floor. Downstairs, players have access to a living room to the right that includes a bar and a posh sitting area. The second room, Ricardo's/Tommy's office room, is located on the second floor, containing a desk, a safe, seating, and security televisions. The room contains a save point, as well as the player's default "Street" clothing pickup. Upon 100% completion of the game, a "Frankie" shirt will also be made available in the room.
The mansion's remaining interiors consist of hallways that lead to a stairwell to the roof and basement, as well as the mansion's indoor swimming pool towards the back. A small room in the basement contains Health, Body Armor, a Pump Action Shotgun, and an M4. This room is most likely the Mansion's armory.
The roof of the mansion features a Maverick on top of a helipad. Explosive barrels are also scattered around the lower level of the roof.
Upon 100% completion, three sitting bodyguards will spawn in the living room; the player can "hire" any of them for a fee by walking into any of the three halos next to them.
Visual changes
As the player progresses through the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City storyline, the interior of the mansion becomes progressively messier. A full list of changes is included here. Note that these changes are made even before Tommy owns the mansion, as seen during the mission 'Rub Out'.
- Upon completion of the Pizza Boy side mission, two open boxes of half-eaten pizzas can be found on a table in the living room.
- Upon completion of Demolition Man, an RC Raider toy box and remote controller are placed in a corner and on a table in the living room.
- Upon completion of Two Bit Hit, a shovel is placed against the wall of the entrance.
- Upon completion of Shakedown, the paintings on the walls of the mansion are vandalized and written on.
- Upon completion of The Shootist, some Ammu-Nation magazines are placed on the desk of Tommy's office.
- Upon completion of Martha's Mug Shot, some photographs and a poster of Candy Suxxx and Alex Shrub can be found in the office, on the desk and wall.
- Upon completion of G-Spotlight, the mansion becomes very dirty and litter-filled, including Gash shopping bags, trashbags, and wineglasses.
- Upon completion of Hotring, Bloodring and Dirtring, three trophies are placed on top of the television in the living room.
- After collecting 40 Hidden Packages, unlocking the Flamethrower at the Ocean View Hotel, Hyman Condo, and Vercetti Estate, two Hot 'n' Sticky canisters are placed on a table in Tommy's office.
GTA Vice City
Use in storyline
In GTA Vice City, the mansion starts off as Ricardo Diaz's place of residence; as a result, the estate is known under Diaz's name and is considered Diaz's Gang territory, the only place where the gang may be seen. Over the course of the storyline, Tommy Vercetti and Lance Vance eventually launch an attack against Diaz at the mansion, killing Diaz and claiming the mansion as his own. Tommy promptly renames it the "Vercetti Estate", and Diaz's Gang ceases to exist as the mansion grounds is henceforth occupied by the Vercetti Gang. After Diaz's death, the mansion serves as a staging area for Tommy to tighten his grip on the city's businesses, eventually leading to the property earning the player $5,000 a day.
Vercetti Estate is featured prominently during the final mission of the game "Keep Your Friends Close...", when a firefight in the mansion ultimately leads to the deaths of Lance and Sonny Forelli.
In GTA Vice City, several missions can be accepted from the Mansion in different locations. These are:
- Shakedown (accepted from outside Tommy's office) - Tommy Vercetti, Ken Rosenberg, Lance Vance and Avery Carrington are discussing about taking Vice City over. Businesses under Diaz's former protection refuse to pay to Tommy, so he has to damage the shops in order for them to start paying protection again
- Bar Brawl (accepted from the living room) - The Front Page Cafe is refusing to pay protection, as it claims to be under the DBP's protection. So Tommy, along with Mike, have to wipe out the DBP Security Service
- Cop Land (accepted from the terrace above the garage) - Mike has failed rigging the Tarbush Cafe with explosives, and now Tommy and Lance have to go and finish the job, with the Police all over the place.
- Keep Your Friends Close... (accepted from Tommy's office) - Sonny Forelli arrives to Vice City in order to claim his cut from Vercetti's operation. Tommy decides to solve the issue once and for all.
GTA Vice City Stories
The mansion is depicted in GTA Vice City Stories to be undergoing renovations. The western side of the compound is significantly different, featuring a more natural pond instead of GTA Vice City's hedge maze, and dug out trenches. More significant is construction work and scaffolding on the mansion itself for a new west/left wing. The opening leading to the indoor pool has also been blocked off by an opaque window.
Predictably enough, Ricardo Diaz resides in the mansion, with mission strings from the character activated within the grounds of his estate. Cutscenes reveal one of the mansion's additional rooms, although it is unclear where exactly it is located in the mansion.
- The Vercetti Estate has no roof, as the sky can be seen when viewed from the spiral staircase. However when viewed from outside, there is a roof.
- In the original PS2 version of GTA Vice City, when the player drives a vehicle through the doorway of the mansion, the player is removed from the vehicle and the vehicle disappears. In subsequent versions of the game, the player is not removed from the vehicle and the vehicle is kept. If the player drives through the door of the mansion forward, when they appear in the mansion the vehicle is facing backwards (tested on PC version).
- In the original PS2 version of GTA Vice City, the player can enter Blue Hell by flying a helicopter through the ceiling of the pool in the rear side of the mansion. This is fixed in subsequent versions of the game.
- In GTA Vice City a Pizzaboy scooter spawns near the estate after completion of the Pizza Boy side mission. However, a programming mistake has set it to spawn under the ground, so it does not actually appear.
- In GTA Vice City Stories, there is a ramp for a Unique Jump. This particular jump is exclusive to the PS2 version.
- As weapons are spawn here, the Vercetti Estate could be considered as one of Tommy's three main safehouses, alongside the Ocean View Hotel and Hyman Condo.
- When the estate is under Diaz's control, different colored Infernuses spawn. When Tommy takes over, the Infernus appears permanently white, implying it is Lance's. This still occurs after Lance's death.
- Both of the final missions that takes place in Vice City are triggered from the mansion.
- A pillar can be seen outside the main entrance when viewed from the inside. If viewed from the outside, however, the pillar is not there.
- All of the major antagonists in GTA Vice City are killed in this mansion.
- A part of the Starkweather's Estate from the game Manhunt, also released by Rockstar Games, is reused from this mansion, with broader model and darker textures.
- If the player drives a large vehicle, like the Bus, Coach or the Stretch parked outside, inside the estate, when trying to exit, the vehicle will be trapped in the stairway and explode.
References to Scarface
The mansion is heavily based on Tony Montana's mansion from the 1983 movie Scarface, which GTA VC takes many elements from. The interior lobby of the mansion is of the same design as Tony's mansion, except that Tommy's mansion sports a middle staircase rather than two side staircases. Also, the "The World Is Yours" fountain - which Montana fell into after being killed - is absent.
In addition, there are twelve security televisions in the office. If the player looks closely at them, they are clearly pictures of Tony Montana's mansion. One screen shows only a rear view of the mansion (which is most likely from the climax of Scarface), but the other is of the inside of the mansion showing one of the two side staircases and most of the "The World Is Yours" fountain.
Comparison of building structure
In GTA Vice City Stories, the prostitution business lobby is almost the same as that of Vercetti Estate in GTA Vice City.


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LA Times columnist George Skelton writes this morning that Gov. Brown got "rolled" by the California Federation of Teachers in a deal to create a new compromise tax-hike initiative.
Brown and the CFT had had competing initiatives.Now they have one initiative, to much applause from Democrats (and the sniping of some commentators).
Skelton sees the deal as favoring CFT because it includes higher taxes for the rich that resemble those in CFT's original MIllionaire's Tax measure -- and were far more than those in Brown's measure. Skelton sees that as problematic because higher rates create more volatility, and volatile revenues have added to the state's budget swings.
U.S. & World
But the rates are the wrong point of emphasis -- and thus miss the point.
On the biggest difference between the governor and the CFT, Brown won.
That difference? Whether the tax increase should be permanent or temporary. CFT's Millionaire's Tax was a permanent change in the rate. Brown's initiative was a temporary tax for five years. The compromise? A four-year temporary tax increase on sales of goods, and a a seven-year temporary tax increase on income.
Clear advantage, Brown.
But not advantage, California. If you believe the state's governments need more revenues, and that the state budget is structurally out whack, then permanent tax increases make much more sense than temporary ones.
And on the politics, since passing tax increases is so difficult and so rare -- and the polling on such increases is so positive now -- it's probably a miscalculation to go with temporary tax increases now when permanent increases are possible.
At the very least, Brown and CFT are paying a huge price in energy, time and dollars for revenues that are only temporary.
I'm not sure either side got rolled in the end. But if you were to say that one side did, it wouldn't be Brown.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.


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Stimulants are drugs that increase your heart rate, breathing rate, and brain function. Some stimulants affect only a specific organ, such as the heart, lungs, brain, or nervous system.
Epinephrine is a stimulant. It is given during cardiac arrest to make the heart beat.
Other times, stimulants can cause unwanted side effects. For example, pseudoephedrine found in some cold medicines can increase the heart rate.
Taber's Medical Dictionary Online website. www.tabers.com/tabersonline. Accessed March 7, 2019.


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Anne in the Stands: Ever the optimist
Check the lineup on Opening Day at Miller Park. Then check Sunday's lineup. Keeping up with the names of the players this year has been a challenge. One night at the ballpark, someone asked me who was starting at first base. I had no idea.
Obviously, this has been a difficult season on many fronts, starting with Corey Hart's spate of injuries. Even though the won-loss column is tilted the wrong way, there's plenty of good news this year, starting with the Brewers' rookies and new acquisitions.
All through the summer, the young players have been truly impressive. As they slugged, fielded and stormed their way onto the roster, we've seen good baseball. Even though the Brewers weren't always winning games, they've shown us signs of things to come.
Like the chorus girl who gets the solo when the soprano's voice fails, the new guys have made the most of their opportunities to shine.
The first one to impress was Jean Segura, who was acquired in the Zack Greinke trade in 2012. Segura's grace and brilliance on both sides of the ball have been really exciting. Through Sunday, he's batting .301 with 46 RBIs and 12 home runs.
The first day Scooter Gennett came up from the Minors, he hustled out to shortstop like a kid who couldn't believe he was finally in the big leagues. And what a contribution he's made: Through Sunday, his on-base percentage is .368 and his slugging percentage is .535. He even leads the team with a .331 batting average.
Khris Davis (who was drafted by the Brewers in 2009, the same year as Gennett) plays left field as if he's been playing in the Majors for years, rather than weeks. Besides that, his batting average is .279.
With plenty of playing time for the rookies, fewer injuries and the talents of Jonathan Lucroy, Norichika Aoki and Carlos Gomez, next year promises to be exciting.
Yeah, I know. We get tired of hearing that we must wait until next year, but that's the way an optimist looks at her favorite team.


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A Florida man was arrested after he allegedly called 911 numerous times because he was bored.
According to Boynton Beach Police, Robert Cuchna called 911 and reported fake crimes on a number of occasions.
During one call, the 18-year-old reported seeing a naked man with a gun. In another, he reported that there was a bomb in a dumpster what would detonate in an hour.
He also allegedly called to give false tips about homicide cases and make baseless animal complaints.
Cuchna told police he made the calls because he "had been bored and did not like his neighbors."
Police were eventually able to trace the calls to Cuchna's phone and he was arrested. He was booked on three counts of false 911 calls exceeding $100 in service.


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We Help You Reach Influencers On Instagram.
On This Page
- 1 Increase Your Revenue From Instagram With Professional Growth Strategies
- 1.1 Out Reach For Instagram Users
- 1.1.1 "Instagram Advertising Agencies: How Influencers Drive Engagement"
- 1.1.2 The History of Instagram
- 1.1.3 Burbn- Not "The Gram"?
- 1.1.4 Important Statistics
- 1.1.5 Demographics
- 1.1.6 Instagram Advertising Agencies
- 1.1 Out Reach For Instagram Users
Grow Your Audience. Increase Engagement.
Increase Your Revenue From Instagram With Professional Growth Strategies
You know all the stats on Instagram. It's the hot spot to be right now for many brands. Snazzy pictures and huge engagement all make IG the go-to Social Media for growing and engaging with an audience. There are a few ways to do Instagram.
- Do it in house. If you have a team or can do it yourself then by all means run your own campaigns both organic and paid.
- Outsource it. Either have an Instagram Agency help you craft and execute your daily posts and paid ads on IG, or have them consult with you to painterly create and craft a story board that will connect and engage with your target audiences.
Paid Ads vs Organic
- Paid is still relatively new for Instagram. You run a campaign off of the Facebook Ad manager like you would a Facebook Ad campaign. Crafting an ad that matches your brand's "mark" along with your color scheme and feel all make up what it takes to run successful ads on IG.
- Organic is done a few ways. You can keep posting and engaging with other fans and others in your space. Or you can break out.
Out Reach For Instagram Users
If you are looking to catapult your followers and engagement then teaming up with influencers in niches that are related and relevant to you is essential. We reach out to key thought leaders and influencers on Instagram. We run campaigns through their platform to reach their audience. From give aways and competitions to "promoted posts" we help build an engaging story that fits their audience and will allow their audience to interact with your brand.


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Emerging freshly scrubbed from the bathroom one recent morning, I found Art Boy with a more devilish smile than usual. "You're going to be in Hog Heaven," he promised, flourishing a paper bearing arcane markings and the implement with which to indulge. I know an enabler when I see one.
It's an old addiction, one I carry in my genetic make-up. Everyone in my family shares it. Somehow I managed to put it all behind me, get a grip, start a new life in Santa Cruz. Or so I thought. Now it turns out the urge is dormant, lying in wait like Sleeping Beauty for the catalyst to come along and spark it to life again, that all-consuming rush into mania. I should have realized I was bound to backslide, accepted that I can never really be clean. But I never meant to drag Art Boy down with me.
Yet there he stood, pencil in one hand, the Sunday Chronicle Magazine in the other. "It's about pirates!" he enthused, handing me the weekly Merl Reagle crossword puzzle.
My name is Lisa, and I'm a solver.
In our house, my mom always had a puzzle in progress on a side table. Her two older brothers, both university professors from the Midwest who visited us during their summer vacations, were inveterate solvers too. Uncle Bobby and Uncle Ernie came to California to lounge around in shorts and white T-shirts, eat the green grapes my mom always had on the coffee table, and work crossword puzzles, an interactive sport in those days: someone would sing out a troublesome clue and what, if anything, they'd managed to write in so far, and we'd all try to fill in the blanks. Bobby (who liked to cap a hard day's puzzling with a little "martooni") was beguiled and infuriated by someone named Margaret, the editor whose name appeared on sophisticated puzzles found in The Saturday Review. "Oh, Margaret, you devil!" he'd chortle, scribbling merrily away when he finally cracked some obscure clue.
But I outgrew the habit in later life. Nobody does puzzles in Art Boy's family, and as our lives together became increasingly busy and booked, I couldn't imagine wasting precious time on a puzzle. (Except for an occasional hilarious hour spent with my mom over one of hers.) Until last year at about this time, when the movie Wordplay came out.
Back when us kids were lobbing words about like ping-pong balls, idling away those summer afternoons, I never realized what a voracious cult the puzzle world is. People like me are the solvers, and our name is legion. We're in thrall to our gods, the puzzlers, writers like Reagle, and Will Shortz (heir to Margaret Farrar, Uncle Bobby's nemesis), current editor of the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. Like any cult, there are strict rules. Words rude or scatological are verboten, or anything that might cause a genteel solver to go off his poached egg, like "enema." The top and bottom halves of the puzzle must be mirror images in the arrangement of black and white squares.
Not only did Wordplay remind me how addicting it is to fill in those little squares, it had an unexpected aftershock; a week later, Art Boy started doing crosswords in the paper. He started out with the daily "Commuter" in the Chron; now we generally polish off "The Commuter" and the puzzle in the Datebook section by the end of breakfast. We've discovered that Monday puzzles are the easiest, building daily in difficulty to the damn near incomprehensible (to journeyman solvers like us) Saturday puzzles. It's not the answer words that get harder, it's the clues. A humble word like "rice" might answer the clue "__ a-Roni" on Monday, "Wedding shower" on Thursday, and "Food in a bed" on Saturday.
Words of four letters are a puzzle's worker bees. If you can't identify "emir" as a Middle Eastern leader, "ecru" as a shade of beige, or "etui" as an antique sewing case, you better switch to Sudoku. A smattering of French, Spanish, Latin, and German helps too, along with celebrity names from showbiz, literature, and pop culture.
Precious time is still at a premium around here. But it can't be called wasted when puzzles give Art Boy and me something new to laugh over every day—and I don't just mean his unique spelling. (When he wrote "mirth" for the clue "Magi gift," he was obviously confusing the Three Wise Men with the Three Stooges.) Clue-mongering is an art form in the hands of a clever jokester like Reagle (his clue for "Karl" is "Unfunny Marx"), whose Sunday theme puzzles always crack us up. And once when we were delayed in an airport, we seized a USA Today discarded by some suit and worked the puzzle—saving the puzzles we'd packed for the long flight to Chicago. (There's nowhere to run on a plane, and I'd rather flex my brain figuring out a 5-letter word for "Art able to," than abuse it with an in-flight rerun of Tallegeda Nights.) Crosswords, like dark chocolate, are said to be good for the memory, and while my relationship to the latter is best concealed from the light of day, puzzling is something Art Boy and I can do together.
After all, addiction loves company.(Send four-letter words to [email protected])


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A $25 billion bid to buy Forest Laboratories hasn't stopped the drugmaker from continuing to shop for deals of its own.
Forest said Monday that it will spend as much as $1.5 billion to buy Furiex Pharmaceuticals Inc. in a deal that will give it one of the broadest product lines for gastrointestinal disease treatments.
Shares of Morrisville, N.C.-based Furiex soared in trading after the companies announced the deal.
Forest's latest acquisition bid comes more than two months after Ireland-based Actavis PLC said that it planned to buy Forest in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $25 billion that is expected to close by the middle of the year.
Forest spokeswoman Mandy Kaufman said Monday that Actavis agreed to the Furiex acquisition bid and supports it.
For that deal, Forest plans to pay about $1.1 billion in cash, or $95 per share, for Morrisville, N.C.-based Furiex. It also will make additional payments of up to about $360 million depending on the development of eluxadoline, which treats the symptoms of a form of irritable bowel syndrome. Furiex announced initial results from late-stage testing on that drug in February and plans to submit it to regulators for approval by the end of this year's third quarter.
The treatment had received an FDA fast-track designation, which is designed to speed up the development and review of drugs that treat diseases with significant and unmet medical need.
Forest also plans to divest royalties Furiex receives on a couple of treatments to Royalty Pharma for about $415 million once the Furiex acquisition is completed. That would lower the price of the Furiex deal by about $315 million after taxes.
Earlier this year, Forest Laboratories Inc. also completed a $2.9 billion purchase of Aptalis, which makes gastrointestinal and cystic fibrosis treatments. Forest CEO Brent Saunders said Monday in a statement that the Furiex deal is a "natural extension" of his company's gastro-intestinal business following the Aptalis deal.
Forest has been hurt by generic competition to major drugs like the anxiety and depression treatment Lexapro. Saunders, the former CEO of optical products maker Bausch & Lomb Inc., took over last fall as Forest chief executive from the drugmaker's longtime leader Howard Solomon. Saunders had the backing of billionaire investor and Forest shareholder Carl Icahn.
Shares of Furiex jumped more than 28 percent, or $22.79, to $102.94 in Monday morning trading, while the Nasdaq exchange rose slightly. Forest shares, meanwhile, paralleled the broader market. They climbed 88 cents to $90.72.


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ARM-based server shipments worldwide are expected to reach 20,000 units in 2013, accounting for 0.2% of total server shipments and the volume is estimated to grow to 1.06 million by 2017 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 170%.
ARM-based servers started becoming available at the end of 2012 and as more vendors are promoting their related products in 2013, Digitimes Research expects ARM-based server shipments to gradually increase every year.
ARM has unveiled its objectives for the server business, including having ARM-based server shipments account for 5-10% of global volume by 2016 and 10-15% by 2017.
Digitimes Research believes that Windows Server operating system's support for the ARM architecture is the key factor deciding the growth of ARM-based server shipments.
Poorer than expected support could result in ARM-based server shipments only achieving a CAGR (2013-2017) of only 150%. However, stronger than expected support could result in a CAGR of 180%.


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Get outdoors and explore Everglades National Park for free Saturday and Sunday to celebrate opening day weekend.
The park service is offering free entrances at more than 100 U.S. national parks to commemorate the holiday.
There are lots of fun things to do in the 1.5 million-acre playground in South Florida's backyard.
Nike Missile Base: Explore the historic Cold War U.S. Army Nike Missile Site HM-69. Guided tours are at 11 a.m. Call 305-242-7700 for more info.
Shark Valley: Take a tram ride or bike the 15-mile loop on and see thousands of beautiful migratory birds and countless alligators sunning themselves on the road. Call 305-221-8455 or visit Everglades Guided Tour page for bike rental and tram prices and times.
Anhinga Amble: Free 10:30 a.m. daily ranger-led 30-minute tour down the Anhinga Trail let's visitors easily view alligators, wading birds and other wildlife. Meet at Royal Palm Visitor Center benches. Call 305-242-7700 for more info. Visit virtually with the Anhinga Webcam.
Other parks on the Florida offering free entry include Dry Tortugas National Park, Canaveral National Seashore, Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Gulf Islands National Seashore.
Click here for the deal.
"Like" Doreen's Deals on Facebook; follow Doreen Christensen on Twitter@PrettyGoodIdeas and sign up for Deals text alerts.


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Alicia Keys Hosts 8th Annual Keep A Child Alive Fundraiser Dinner
A "Lil Positivity" Alicia Keys, Swizz Beatz, Usher, Serena Williams And A Host Of Others Attend The 8th Annual "Keep A Child Alive" Black Ball
The star power was definitely in the building last night for a good, charitable cause.
Alicia Keys rounded up some of her highest profile, A-List celebrity friends to join her in a fundraiser dinner/auction to drop some stacks to help bring "consciousness and awareness" to the HIV/AIDS epidemic affecting the world.
Her charm and talent helped the singer raise $401,500 through auctions at her Black Ball event, which celebrates Keep a Child Alive, her 8-year-old organization aiding HIV/AIDS victims in Africa and India.
A dinner party with Edward Norton and Naomi Watts went for $25,000 and a trip to Paris Fashion Week to see shows by Givenchy sold for $15,000. The top bid was a lifetime membership to all Donald Trump golf properties, selling at $180,000.
Keys was joined onstage by Usher, Richie Sambora, Norah Jones, Gary Clark, Jr., and others at the event Thursday night at New York's Hammerstein Ballroom. She closed the night with Black Eyed Peas' leader will.i.am, singing Fergie's verse on the hit "I Gotta Feeling," which had Keys' mom and younger brother dancing happily onstage.
The event honored the charity's commitment to India, showing videos of children in the country battling with HIV/AIDS, and being kicked out of their homes as a result.
"We all deserve a chance at life," Keys said in an interview on the red carpet. "Tonight really goes to the people. It really goes to the people that we serve, so that they can have the medicine to live."
Sounds like the night and fundraiser was a huge success.
Flip the script to peep the pics from the festivities.
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A toddler was recovered from a locked car in lethargic condition and unable to speak after a passerby at a Long Island shopping center parking lot noticed the little girl alone in the vehicle, police say.
Police were called to the parking lot of the Big H Shopping Center in Huntington Thursday afternoon after someone called to report seeing a girl locked in a 2000 Nissan Frontier with its windows closed.
Responding officers broke the car window and removed the girl from the car.
U.S. & World
"When we got in through the window, it was a very, very hot blast of heat," said Officer Aaron Klein. The toddler was "beet red, drips of sweat coming off her face, and she looked to be in pain."
He estimated the temperature was above 120 degrees.
"I can speak for myself, it was beyond hot in that car," Klein added.
Klein's partner, Officer Derek Mangi, said it was "very upsetting holding her and feeling how hot she was. It was scary."
The toddler was taken to Huntington Hospital with heat exhaustion. She is expected to be OK and and was to be released to her mother, police said.
The girl's 30-year-old father, Melvin Marroquin of Maryland, returned to the vehicle about 10 minutes after officers arrived and told police he had been shopping at a Marshalls store.
"He told me intially he forgot," said Mangi. "I don't know how anyone could have forgot."
The father eventually admitted he'd left his daughter in the car for about 25 minutes, according to the officers.
Marroquin, who was arrested on charges of child endangerment and reckless endangerment, pleaded not guilty. His attorney said the father didn't realize his daughter was in the car.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it takes just 10 minutes for the temperature inside a locked car to go up 20 degrees.


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Short-term borrowing rates in China have soared to record highs as credit seizes up, prompting fears that the country's liquidity squeeze may be spinning out of control.
The Shibor overnight lending rate in Shanghai spiked violently to 29pc, with wild moves in seven-day and one-month money. The central bank refused to intervene to calm markets, apparently determined to purge excess from the credit system.
China Securities Journal, a voice of the regulators, said: "We cannot use a fast money supply growth as in the past, or even faster, to promote economic growth."
"I am extremely concerned about China," said Lars Christensen from Danske Bank. "They are overdoing it and are on the verge of making the same mistake as the Fed and the European Central Bank before the Lehman crisis in 2008, when they failed to see how much the economy was slowing."
Mr Christensen said the world now risks a "perfect storm" as the Fed prepares to taper its bond purchases (QE) at the same time as tightening the spigot of worldwide dollar liquidity.
The twin effects are cascading through emerging markets, pummelling commodity exporters such as Brazil, South Africa and Russia that sell to China, but also tripping up Turkey, Ukraine, Hungary and others that rely on external funding. "Everything is being hit indiscriminately," said Neil Shearing from Capital Economics.
The Turkish lira and the Indian rupee both fell to record lows as investors pencilled in Fed tapering for September. "The party is over," said Ceros Securities in Istanbul.
Fed chairman Ben Bernanke has brought forward his QE exit by lifting the unemployment target from 6.5pc to 7pc. He dismissed the looming threat of deflation as a "transitory" effect.
Brazil's real weakened to a four-year low of 2.26 against the dollar, down 15pc since April, while the cost of credit default swaps gauging risk in Indonesia and Vietnam jumped more than 40 points. The Kremlin said Russian companies may have to delay bond issues, but denied immediate credit stress.
The latest country moving onto the radar screen is Poland, where construction crashed 28pc in May, "Poland is suddenly stalling, something we haven't seen in almost two decades. The central bank has been way too hawkish," said Bartosz Pawlowski from BNP Paribas.
Benoit Anne from Societe Generale said the "second leg" of the emerging market sell-off is just starting, warning that there is a "long way" to go before investors wake up to the full impact of Fed tightening.
Latin America's debt crisis of the early Eighties and East Asia's crisis in the Nineties were both triggered by turns in the US credit cycle, though emerging markets have ample foreign reserves to defend themselves this time.
Mr Shearing said the BRICS quintet will be much weaker than assumed over the next two years for their own structural reasons, but there is now the risk of a "mutually reinforcing" effect as dollar stimulus drains away.
The latest ructions in China came after premier Li Keqiang omitted mention of the liquidity strains in a speech this week, instead dwelling on rampant excess in the shadow banking system and overcapacity in obsolete areas of the economy. Though Deutsche Bank said the unwinding of hot money inflows disguised by over-invoicing may also be to blame.
Mr Li's comments were a signal that the new leadership intends to prick the credit bubble, even though the hard line has already led to industrial recession. China's HSBC manufacturing index fell sharply in June, dropping further below the "boom-bust line" to 48.3.
Zhiwei Zhang from Nomura said Beijing aims to crack down on a plethora of trusts, wealth products and offshore vehicles intended to evade loan curbs. These have accounted for half China's credit growth over the past year.
It is willing to "tolerate short-term pain" to wean China off over-investment, and is less worried about social instability now that its workforce has begun to contract and the rate of migrants from rural areas is slowing.
The strategy is to tighten before the Fed winds down QE in order to "avoid two negative shocks occurring simultaneously", but this may be hard to manage given the scale of the boom. "We expect a painful deleveraging process in the next few months. Some defaults will likely occur in manufacturing industry and in non-bank financial institutions," he said.
Fitch Ratings said total credit has jumped from $9 trillion to $23 trillion over the past five years, surging from 125pc to 200pc of GDP. This is a bigger rise than in any of the major bubbles worldwide over the past half century.
China has the firepower to cope with any crisis and will not let the state banking system collapse. Keeping growth on track now that credit has reached saturation point is a tougher challenge.


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Hollywood sign receives Makeover
Refurbishing an IconHollywood's biggest star – The Hollywood Sign – was restored to its full beauty. The Hollywood Sign's most extensive refurbishment in nearly 35 years was completed just in time for the Sign to celebrate its 90th birthday in 2013.
Refurbishing an Icon
In 2012, major chunks of paints were falling off the letters. With 3 layers of paint, it was the bottom layer that was the culprit. To ensure the makeover endures the test of time, the existing coatings were removed from each of the letters. Scaffolding was set up and the painters slowly worked their way down 15 meters vertical drop of each letter one by one: a time-intensive process completed almost entirely by hand. Next, painters applied 400 litres of primer and 2 coats of paints. In total they used 965 litres of latex paint in satin.
The products used for the Hollywood Sign's most extensive refurbishment are designed to help the Sign retain its crisp white finish, especially against the elements. The coatings offer extreme resistance to blistering, peeling, chalking, fading, mould, mildew and dirt pickup.
Quick Facts on the Face-lift
- The Hollywood Sign is 150 meters wide - each letter stands 15 meters highand ranges between 10 and 12 meters wide
- This was the Sign's most extensive refurbishment since it was built in the late 70's
- The refurbishment took nine weeks to complete


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Indifference99 necesitaba un nuevo diseño de página web y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 40 diseños de 4 diseñadores freelance.
Toy Sports Figures.com
We are launching this ecommerce website which will sell mcfarlane sports figures. The company that manufactures the figures is located at http://www.spawn.com. We are ONLY selling sports figures- not the comic book ones.
Our target audience are both kids and adults that collect sports figures. this is an online retail store - the name of our business is Toy Sports Figures.com
We are looking for a homepage, browse page and product page. they should all be similar. You are free to use whatever colors and designs that you want. We dont have a logo or anything like that so you can make it. We will be using a custom cart solution called cart 2.0 here are two sample sites that use this solution so the product and browse pages should be similar in layout so they fit in with the cart solution. Again these sites just use the same shopping cart software we are, were not looking to copy these designs...
The following URL shows the toys that we are selling, scroll down for the nhl, nba, nfl and nhl toys -
If you do a search for "mcfarlane toys" or "mcfarlane sports" you will see the competitors websites. We happen to think most of those sites are ugly and hard to navigate. We want something catchy and clean, very easy to navigate. Were selling sports so the design can have that grungy hard hitting look, but still accent the products.
The main browsing categories should be
and there should be somewhere on the homepage with a link to search for figures by team
Let me know if you have any questions


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SMC Italy has teamed up with automation solutions provider, ATS to provide versatile machinery to meet the complex challenges and competitive demands of modern day manufacturing across the globe.
Located in Torino, Italy, ATS delivers innovative and reliable automation machines for assembly and testing to blue chip companies such as Tyco, TRW, Bitron, Valeo and the Sorin Group. Its market leading customers demand high quality automation solutions that deliver competitive advantages, improve productivity and overall efficiency.
ATS was founded in the 80s and has enjoyed steady growth thanks to its philosophy of being close to its customers. Daniele Torchio, ATS technical director, explained: "We are continuing to expand into new territories and have built a strong customer base in Eastern Europe and Turkey, with China on the horizon. This growth is the result of close collaborations with trusted suppliers, something we have achieved successfully with SMC Italy."
A joined up approach for TYCO
Torchio added: "A great example of this teamwork was our design and build of bespoke testing equipment for an automotive industry customer in Spain. Featuring 13 SMC LE actuators, the machine was designed for the assembly and testing of valves in a hydraulic circuit that perform mechanical and electric control and deliver product conformity.
"After a successful implementation, we decided that these actuators were going to be perfect for the demands of another customer, TYCO, who commissioned a machine that could accurately insert pins at high speed. The versatility of the LE Series meant we were able to ensure the equipment could effectively manage these demands and regular readjustments."
The solution included the mounting of 21 LE actuators, which had to cope with 18 different piece formats that frequently changed more than once a day. This flexibility significantly reduced the machine's downtime. Another example of the electric actuators' versatility was the fact they could also operate with a SIEMENS servo motor, which was an essential requirement for the end user.
SMC's Car Project Manager, Paolo Rossi said: "We have been able to demonstrate how SMC can adapt the mechanics of our products so they can function with different types of electronics.
"Both projects also required close teamwork and us being able to deliver a versatile solution that met the needs of the end users. Due to the complexities of the processes, pneumatic actuators would not have been an option, so our electric actuator range was very well received by all parties."
Working in partnership
Paolo Rossi added: "We have forged a close working relationship with the ATS team to provide them with the technical support they require so they, in turn, can offer their customers outstanding speed, multiple positioning and accurate control.
"SMC is a long established, trusted supplier to ATS. We initially supplied more basic pneumatic components such as air treatment, clamp cylinders or fittings; now, with the addition of our electric actuator range, we are proving to be the perfect partner for meeting the market demands for versatility."
ATS & SMC – shared philosophy
The other key ingredient to the successful working partnership has been the values that both SMC and ATS share. Being close to customers and understanding their needs to develop cost effective and quality solutions, as well as a desire for teamwork in order to deliver the very best service, are core to each company's success.
Torchio explained: "We have enjoyed consistent growth because of the attention we pay to our customers, along with quality of the equipment we manufacture on their behalf. This would not have been possible without our network of trusted suppliers, such as SMC, who are allowing us to cope with the increase in orders while maintaining the high quality of our work.
"And the proof lies in the nature of our customer requests which are mainly focused, not on maintenance, but on adapting and updating existing machinery that was first installed more than 10 years ago but is still fully operational."
SMC has a deserved reputation for working closely with its customers to develop bespoke and versatile solutions for a range of industries and applications. With 400 sales offices in 82 countries across five continents, SMC has a team of 1,400 R&D engineers and is recognised as the worldwide leading expert in the pneumatics industry. The company offers more than 12,000 basic products with over 700,000 variations and has a diverse customer base covering all automation industries. For more information about SMC electric actuators visit www.smc.eu.
January 2015


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Billboard Cover Letter: When A Resume Is Just Not Enough
Wednesday, 9. May 2012
Let's face it, with the ever-present recession and slowed economy, finding a job is tough. So how do you stand out from the crowd? A professionally written resume is a good start, but what happens when a resume is just not enough? Well it's time to get a little creative.
Take these job seekers for example. Tifani and David have gone above and beyond to get noticed with their billboard, which was placed off of Hwy 80 in Sacramento, CA:
Tifani Goldsmith, a Sacramento native, states that the billboard idea originally came from David, when they both agreed that the investment to market themselves was priceless.
A billboard can be a very creative way to get the word out that you are looking for work when a resume is not enough. Think of it as a unique, if not very expensive, cover letter. But as Tifani pointed out, it can be well worth the investment, especially if it only takes a month instead of four months to land a job.
Since both Tifani and David's websites are no longer active we can only hope that their investment paid off.
Pasha Stocking was also 'unemployed and seeking employment':
After being unemployed for over 10 months, she decided to take matters into her own hands. She created a website and rented a 14×48 foot billboard that was located on Interstate 95 in Fairfield County, CT. Although the campaign was a media success, Pasha was unable to gain 'suitable employment' and decided to venture out on her own. She now runs her own Public Relations and Marketing firm called PR Bar.
Although we are unsure if Tifani and David's investment actually paid off, Pasha's billboard did not seem to attract the type of work that she was looking for. So what was wrong with these billboards? The features, benefits, and the unique selling propositions are all "I am unemployed". You wouldn't focus your cover letter or resume on your status as being unemployed. Why not put a more effective message, like "Hire Me – results driven sales manager between assignments" or "Hire Me – full-time accountant available immediately".
Here is an example of billboard that sends the right message:
Mark Heuer rented his billboard in, what he describes as a time of "desperation as he was seeking his next career opportunity". The beginning of the economic downturn in 2008 was hard on everyone, but instead of letting it overtake him Mark came up with a creative way to change careers with his 16×60 foot billboard that was located in Milwaukee, WI, and with the right message, he successfully made that change.


text: Deborah from Help! The Faerie Folk Hid My Ancestors! had a wonderful post that brought tears to my eyes (I'm squishy like that) back at the beginning of April. What can I say...I'm a sucker for a "feel-good" story! I meant to post this so much earlier but I was distracted by shiny objects. Nevertheless it's timeless. Head on over and check it out!


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I've had it, whoever you are. For years, you've been forwarding your "jokes" to me — your crass, tasteless, racist, crude "jokes" — and you've ignored my early requests to stop sending them to me, and over the last few years I've just been hitting delete when I see your name. But I can't simply ignore them in good conscience any more; your last collection of dumbass observations was simply too hateful and bigoted.
The next time I receive anything from you, I'll be posting it here, with your full name and address and IP number. Furthermore, I've noticed that most often your headers have a peculiarity, subject lines that include an odd appended note like "[SEC=UNOFFICIAL]" or "[SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]", and you're apparently forwarding stuff sent from an Australian at defence.gov.au. Vile stuff. I'll also expose his address, too.
I'm not sitting back silently while you spread the hate you consider comedy anymore.Go scuttle under a rock where you belong.