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We will be closed May 25th in observance of Memorial Day. Click for other news.
Monaco, Sunday 13th May 2012: Jaguar Heritage Racing, the new 'works' supported racing programme of Jaguar Cars, scored its debut win with a C-type in the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique, Serie C for Pre-1953 Sports Prototypes. The prestigious FIA sanctioned race was won by Alex Buncombe, in Jaguar Heritage Racing's 1952 C-type.
The Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is widely regarded as the jewel in the crown of historic racing. This is the 8th running of the FIA sanctioned event, which occurs two weeks ahead of the F1 Grand Prix on the exact same circuit around the streets of the principality.
The race winning C-type has an interesting history - its first owner was none other than Juan Manuel Fangio, who bought the car directly from the Jaguar factory.
Alex Buncombe commented from the podium in front of the Royal Box, "It's a real honour to score Jaguar Heritage Racing's maiden victory and what a place to do it, here at the most famous race track of them all, on the streets of Monte Carlo. The team and mechanics did a fantastic job preparing the car, it's super quick and it ran like a dream throughout the weekend. In my view it's the best C-type in the world."
Frank Klaas, Global Head of Communications Jaguar Land Rover said: "Wow! To win the first race we entered with our new Jaguar Heritage Racing programme is a superb achievement, but to do that in Monte Carlo in the prestigious Grand Prix de Monaco Historique is a dream come true. It's a superb showcase for the Jaguar brand across the world. My congratulations go to Alex, Derek Hood and the whole team at JD Classics for this great victory! Well done guys."
Derek Hood, Managing Director, JD Classics added, "This was the perfect start to our new partnership with Jaguar. The whole team at JD Classics is so proud to represent Jaguar and be part of this historic debut win."
The next event for Jaguar Heritage Racing is the legendary Mille Miglia in Italy beginning this week on Thursday, 16th May.
The Jaguar Heritage Racing programme was launched on 12th March 2012 at the RAC Club in London and is operated and managed by JD Classics, based in Maldon, Essex. An established player in the historic motorsport world, JD Classics will prepare both the C- and D-type Jaguars which will take to the track at the Nrburgring Oldtimer Grand Prix (10-12 August) and Goodwood Revival (14-16 September).The season-long programme will also see Jaguar Heritage Racing support numerous additional events on the historic motoring calendar including the Mille Miglia and the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
The Jaguar Heritage Racing programme will supplement the activities of Jaguar Heritage - a charitable trust and custodians of an extensive collection of priceless models from Jaguar's past, including the unique XJ13 prototype. Its cars are not campaigned competitively on-track, but will continue to be exhibited - and demonstrated - at a huge number of events during 2012.


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3,000 watt portable generator great for tailgating, camping, and other outdoor activities. Unit has a Powermate 212cc OHV engine with an overhead valve that provides fuel efficiency, longer life, and less maintenance. Also included on engine is low oil shutdown. Wattage on unit is 3000 running / 3750 maximum with a 4 gallon gas tank that runs up to 11 hours @ 50% load. The control panel has 2-120V 5-20R duplex outlet, 1-120/240V L14-30R outlets and 1-12V DC battery charging outlet and hourmeter. Other features include an automatic voltage regulator (AVR). This unit has a V shape design, dual folding handles and 8" Never-Flat wheels for balanced carrying.
Engine: Powermate OHV 212cc
Voltage 120/240V AC; 12 Volts DC
Compact Roll Cage Design
8'' Never - Flat Wheels
Dual Folding Handles for Easy Storage
Includes Hour Meter & AVR
Running Watts: 3000 Watts
Maximum Watts: 3750 Watts
Brand: Powermate
Type: Overhead valve
Low Oil Shutdown: Yes
Elec. Start: No
Battery charger: No
Automatic voltage regulation: Yes
Gas Tank Size: 4 Gallons
Run time @50% load: 11 hours
California/City of L.A. compliant: Yes
Canadian Standards Association compliant: No
2 year limited
Shipping info
Dimensions (L x W x H): 27.56 x 19.69 x 19.69
Weight: 117 lbs.

subset: commoncrawl


text: miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR System at a glance. The benefit of a universal reverse transcription step. Accurate quantitation from down to 1 pg total RNA starting material. The miRCURY LNA miRNA PCR System uses one single cDNA synthesis reaction for all amplifications, reducing pipetting and saving time and sample. Two LNA-enhanced miRNA-specific qPCR primers enable highly specific and sensitive amplification and single nucleotide discrimination. The fast and easy workflow takes only 3 hours with minimal hands-on steps. One universal RT reaction per RNA sample saves not only reagents and precious samples, but also your time. Data from serial dilutions of human AM6000 total RNA are shown. All miRNA assays exhibit linear readout with correlation coefficients R2 > 0.99.


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Vallejo trying to capitalize on strengths for economic growth
By Rachel Raskin-Zrihen/ Times-Herald staff writer
Posted: 02/17/2013 01:03:51 AM PST
Rather than operate on wishful thinking, a recently completed economic development study suggests the best approach for growing Vallejo's economy is to play to its strengths, economic development director Ursula Luna-Reynosa said.
The $46,000 RDA Global study found that health care, tourism and manufacturing are the three main industry clusters most likely to grow and create jobs here. They are therefore the ones that should be targeted initially for economic development, Luna-Reynosa said.
It makes sense to Vallejo Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Rich Curtola and the chamber's economic development chairman Dennis Klimisch agree.
The study found health care is the city's main employer. This can attract related business, and in fact, already does. In the last six months, for insurance, a doctors group expressed interest in opening a dialysis center here, Luna-Reynosa said.
The study found that while Vallejo is short on Ph.Ds and other higher degrees compared to many other Bay Area cities, it has the largest number of people with technical certifications.
This is precisely what manufacturing requires, which is important because the study shows an available workforce is a major consideration for firms thinking of moving or expanding, she said. Businesses coming here will be able to draw from the pool of some 61 percent of residents that now commute out of the city.
Tourism made the list mostly due to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, but also because the Solano County Fairgrounds development plan (Solano 360) now takes an entertainment-focus approach. It also notes the city's' proximity to Napa, historic Mare Island and other entertainment destinations as well as the ferry link to San Francisco.
Though any direct benefit is likely years away, it is believed that embarking on a well-thought-out strategic plan will generate jobs, creating wealth and allowing the city to provide more public services, Luna-Reynosa said.
"It's a process. There's no magic wand. It will take some time. But, this plan can make it happen if the city stays committed to it and implements it," she said.
"I think it's ideal. It's what Vallejo needed," Klimisch said.
The next step is to prioritize and make recommendations on specific steps, she said.
"We will go to the council with that soon; within next couple of meetings," she said.
Business retention and expansion are likely the most important first focuses, "because 80 percent of all job growth comes from (a city's) existing business base," Luna-Reynosa said.
Actions will include visiting businesses to learn their barriers to survival and expansion, she said.
The plan also includes addressing the perception of the city through marketing, she said.
"The study shows that crime rates don't seem to affect existing businesses, but it does make a difference in attracting new businesses, so this shows it is more a perception issue," she said.
The pace of the city's economic improvement could pick up with the nation's economic recovery, she said.
"The best we can do is be ready to go when the private sector starts to take off," she said.
Contact staff writer Rachel Raskin-Zrihen at (707) 553-6824 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow her on Twitter at Rachelvth.
The recently accepted Vallejo Economic Development Strategic Plan found:
* Four industry clusters drive much of Vallejo's economy and are responsible for more than 60 percent of all employment.
* Health care employed 6,658 workers in 2009, some 27 percent of private sector employment.
* Tourism-linked industries, like arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services, employed 4,516 workers in 2009, or 18 percent of private sector employment.
* A diversified manufacturing-related industrial sector employing some 3,050 workers in construction (1,922 workers in 2009 or 7.8 percent of private sector employment), warehousing and transportation (603 workers or 2.5 percent of employment), and manufacturing (529 workers or 2.2 percent of employment).
* A cluster of higher education institutions, including Touro University, California Maritime Academy, Solano Community College, and a new program offered by Sonoma State employs more than 800.
* A highly skilled and available workforce (the most important decision-making factor among corporate real estate professionals surveyed); about 31 percent of Vallejo workers have an associate's degree or some college education, compared to 22 percent in the Bay Area.
* More than half of Vallejoans who commute out of town, do so for manufacturing, transportation, warehousing, and logistics jobs, as well as healthcare, professional, insurance, and financial services.
* Vallejo is one of the Bay Area's most cost-competitive places for business, with average labor costs here about half the Bay Area average.
* The strategic asset most often noted by Vallejo's business leaders is its location and regional transportation connectivity, with six highways, operational rail infrastructure and near air transportation facilities.
Source: RDA Global's City of Vallejo Economic Development Strategic Plan and Strategic Marketing Plan
Copyright 2005 - 2019, Touro University, All Rights Reserved.


text: Friday, March 30, 2012 APTA Educates Insurers, Policymakers About PT Services in Insurance Plans This week, APTA issued a press release to insurance companies, third-party payers, employer groups, benefit managers, human resource professionals, self-insurers, and policymakers on the association's recently adopted Physical Therapy Model Benefit Plan (MBP) Design. APTA's MBP includes a description of the role and value of physical therapists (PT) in health care that emphasizes the use of evidence in reducing disability and clinical costs, guiding principles for access to physical therapists, the role of medical necessity in decision making, the coverage of physical therapy benefits, and appropriate cost-sharing provisions. Physical therapists can use MBP to advocate for appropriate access to and coverage of physical therapist services. An APTA podcast provides an overview and background information on MBP.


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Make a statement in this trendy, attention-getting, 18-karat-gold plated lock necklace.
Materials: 18k gold plated stainless steel
Measurements: 20" length, pendant: 2.8 cm x 1.8 cm
Closure: Toggle
Allergy Information: Hypoallergenic
What makes Ellie Vail different?
Ellie Vail jewelry is made from hypoallergenic metals such as stainless steel and copper, which are then plated in 18k gold. We set out to create fashion jewelry that actually lasts.
What does this really mean?
You don't have to worry about your jewelry getting a funky smell, rusting, irritating your skin, or turning it green.
- Won't turn skin green (water/sweat resistant)
- Won't irritate skin (bye-bye infected ears!)
- No funky smell
*Some people may react differently to metals, even if the metal is hypoallergenic. Hypoallergenic materials are a better option for those with sensitive skin, but may still result in skin irritiation.
Our jewelry is pretty low mantience, but to keep your jewelry looking its best follow our below recommendations.
- Store jewelry separately to avoid scratching
- Wipe away dirt and oil buildup with a soft cloth - preferably a microfiber, or jewelry cloth. Dirt and oil buildup will temporarily darken the apperance of the jewelry unless cleaned properly.
- Avoid direct contact with chemicals (lotions, perfumes, ETC) as both will contribute to fading
- Do not sleep in delicate necklaces
Domestic Shipping Rates:
- USPS First Class Mail (Standard 4-8 business days) FREE
- USPS Priority Mail (Express 1-3 business days) FREE on orders over $150. This option is available for $9.99 for orders under $50.
International Shipping Rates:
- USPS First Class Package International (7-21 business days) FREE on orders over $150. For orders $150 this options rate will be calculated at checkout.
*These are delivery time estimates provided by USPS. USPS does not guarantee delivery dates or times.
- Orders placed Monday-Friday before 2:00 PM (EST) will be shipped the same day.
- Orders placed Monday-Friday after 2:00 PM (EST) will be shipped the following day.
- Orders placed Friday after 2:00 PM (EST) or over the weekend will be shipped the following business day.
Custom Items:
- All custom items take up to 6 weeks to ship. If an order contains a custom item and an in stock item, the custom item will ship separately at no additional cost.
How do I return?
- Visit our returns page here
- Enter your order number and email address in the fields above and click Start
- Follow the instructions and select the items you want to return
- You will get a confirmation email with the shipping guidelines once the return request is approved
What items are returnable?
You can return your items within 14 days of receipt of your shipment or 20 days from order date. Custom items and discounted items are not returnable.
- They must be in original condition
- In the original packaging
Are there any charges for return?
- There are no charges for return
- Original shipping charges are non-refundable
- You are responsible for the charges of the return shipping
How soon will I get my refund?
- Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.
- If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied original method of payment, within 5-7 business days.
Customer Reviews
Love my chic necklace with 🔒! Great quality & looks super chic!
I love the necklace and quality.
This necklace is one of my favorites - I wear it almost every day.
Best jewelry!! This jewelry is exactly the style I love and it is a huge bonus that I can wear it while swimming without having to worry!
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A beloved Oberlin landmark and Oldenburg's first commissioned public sculpture, Giant Three-Way Plug (1970) was conserved with support from a National Endowment for the Arts grant. One of the most problematic condition concerns was crevice corrosion around the bronze prongs due to contact between the dissimilar metals (the bronze prongs and Cor-Ten steel body). The resulting corrosion put pressure on the bronze, causing it to bow inwards as much as half an inch. In addition to the sculpture's conservation, improved drainage at the site will ensure that the sculpture will be accessible for teaching and learning for futures generations of Oberlin students and the general public.
Click here for a link to flickr images, including photographs of preparatory drawings of the work by the artist; early photographs of Oldenberg with a model of the plug discussing its location with AMAM staff; the plug's arrival and installation in late summer 1970; its 2008 excavation and removal for conservation; and its May 2009 re-installation.


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|With considerable deliberation I formulated a proper and effective response...
The motorist traveling the other direction yelled at my back, as he hit the gas and made his loud engine even louder, something angry, along the lines of "GET OFF THE ROAD!" I considered his apparent demand seriously. What should my reaction be? Should I reply?
My first reaction, which I quickly damped down, was to spin around, chase after him, and just ask him what he meant. No-win response, though, no chance of actually finding out what he meant by doing that, so I quickly ruled that out.
Next, I considered shouting back an anatomically impossible demand of my own. For, while being anatomically impossible for him to do, the demand seemed to satisfy some need I had to lash back out at him, as it queued up in my brain and headed toward my mouth. But, no, I damped that down, too, another no-win, as he was not likely to even attempt my anatomically impossible demand, but rather, would be angered further by it, if he even heard it. Which was unlikely, since he was speeding off into the distance. Probably the only person who would hear it would be some kid, who would then ask his parent what the anatomically impossible demand meant, and I didn't want that, either.
I considered actually doing what he told me to do, and get off the road. Immediately. This was hampered by practical considerations primarily, since I was riding in a bike lane on a street with no sidewalks. I pictured myself turning 90 degrees to the right and getting off the road immediately anyway, waving back at him, "Sure thing, mate! Any other demands?", and then just riding across the lawns, churning up the expensively manicured sod, hoping that someone would yell at me to get off their lawn so that I could go back to riding in the bike lane. "Why the hell are you riding on my lawn?" one of the lawnowners might inquire, to which I would reply, "Because a motorist demanded that I get off his road, and this seemed like the only alternative available!"
But no, I decided that I would not get off the road, and furthermore, that probably NO ONE EVER WOULD, in response to such a demand. In the history of bicycle riding, has anyone, anywhere, EVER, actually gotten off the road when a plain old motorist driving the opposite direction yelled at their back to do so? I think not. Furthermore, I believe that the motorist knew this when he yelled it, that there was no chance whatsoever that I would actually get off the road. So what would possess a motorist to yell such a thing, knowing that it was an absurd, impossible, and entirely unlikely to be obeyed demand? Desperation driven to such lengths of untoward impossible irrational absurd unlikely blurting and shouting is difficult to fathom, but I would wager some form of mental insufficiency, or personal frustration, or unresolved deep-seated emotional trauma, which just explodes out of him at the slightest provocation, and pushes him even further into the dark depths of dysfunction and failure.
On the other hand, I found that my previously advised response to such situations, to disengage, to take away the power, to escape, evade, and move on down the road, lacked a certain feeling of closure to me. It was unsatisfying, frankly. I was still simmering. It felt like I couldn't let it go, and shouldn't just ride on passively the next time someone yells something impossible at me, either in terms of anatomical impossibility, or as a demand that no one would accede to, ever. Put that way, there's a clear and simple response, that I will always have ready for now on, whenever a motorist yells something at me. This response also has the virtue of being appropriate for more or less any pointless, absurd, impolite shout or act by a motorist toward a cyclist on the road, so I like it. It feels like it would give me closure, while still accomplishing my desired end of not stooping to the depths of dysfunction despair and failure which lurk in the interior of the vehicle the shout or act originated from in the first place, no I won't go there. That's their zone, not mine.
Next time this sort of thing happens, which is infrequently by the way, people seldom yell at me, I have my reply ready. I will instantly turn, and shout at the top of my voice at his back (since that appears to be his preferred mode of communication, back-shouting), NO!!!!! That's it. Nothing more than NO!!!!! I have no need to dignify the dysfunctional back shout with further elaboration or action. Moving on now.
It seems perfect to me. GET OFF THE ROAD! NO!!!!! End of discussion. Having answered his impossible demand in a clear and logical, definitive manner, I will ride on without further ado. Useful in reply to any foul-mouthed, angry motorist, with a sense of closure and clarity. I like it. Let them roll on down the road with their full load of dysfunction intact and on board, since you reflected it right back where it came from.
I even imagined this becoming a sort of secret handshake greeting for cyclists who pass each other going opposite directions, one yelling at the back of the other GET OFF THE ROAD!!! and the other responding back at the top of his voice at the back of the first, NO!!!! a challenge-response style of greeting of mutual acknowledgement and confidence: in the face of absurdity and irrational demands, our unassailable, rational, and powerful response is known in advance: NO!!!!


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POLI-131 World Affairs
Examines state behavior in the international system in light of countries' abilities and limitations. Causes of state action, leaders' decision making and the role of power are discussed. Explores why states go to war, the role of the United Nations, the benefits and costs of free trade, and the effects of the environmental and human rights movements. Case studies and current events are used to illustrate theories and provide a framework for discussion. 4 SH. CC: Social Interactions.


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All News Releases By Date
Rhode Island Air National Guard Agrees to Minimize Air Emissions under EPA Settlement
Release Date: 07/24/2014
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017
BOSTON – The Rhode Island Air National Guard will tighten its emissions limits and comply with federal and state air pollution laws at its North Kingstown aircraft repair facility, thereby ensuring that air quality in nearby communities is better protected.
The R.I. Air National Guard, 143rd Airlift Wing, has agreed to pay a $39,400 penalty to settle EPA claims that it violated air pollution laws at this facility where it spray paints aircraft parts. As part of the settlement, R.I. Air National Guard also agreed to meet more stringent emissions limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), to use coating practices that minimize emissions, to cap its annual VOC emissions, and to apply for state air permit.
The R.I. Air National Guard conducts general aircraft maintenance, among other things, at this facility. As part of these operations, it has a paint spray booth and four spray guns used to apply coatings that contain VOCs to metal aircraft parts, such as wheels, steering mechanisms, and nose gear.
EPA alleged that the R.I. Air National Guard violated air pollution laws by failing to apply for a required New Source Review permit in 2001 before installing a paint spray booth and before buying four spray guns. EPA also alleged that it also violated air pollution laws for coating of metal parts and products by failing to comply with specific certification and recordkeeping requirements.
"Paint spraying operations are regulated to avoid excess emissions of VOCs, which contribute to ground level ozone," said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA's New England office. "The actions being taken by the R.I. Air National Guard under this settlement will help protect the air Rhode Islanders breathe."
More information:
- Enforcing the Clean Air Act (https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/air-enforcement)
- Report a Violation (https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violations)
# # #
Search this collection of releases | or search all news releases
View selected historical press releases from 1970 to 1998 in the EPA History website.


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Zestawienie w raporcie Cushman & Wakefield
The global occupational office market recovered from the downward trend seen in 2009 to positive rental growth in 2010 according to the latest research data from Cushman & Wakefield.
Stronger demand resulting from an increase in business activity caused rents to climb in a growing number of countries. The recovery was led by the Asia Pacific region where rents climbed by 8% over the year. Hong Kong - the most expensive market globally - and Beijing saw huge jumps in rental growth of 51% and 48% respectively.
Growth around the world was very varied. Some of the most mature markets, including London and New York, rallied strongly, with equal if not stronger growth coming from some of the major emerging markets.
Rental growth in Europe was positive. The upturn was led by London, with both the City and West End seeing an increase in occupier confidence and recording the highest rental growth over the year as supply levels dropped. The most expensive European location, and the second most expensive globally, was the London West End submarket. Moscow CBD ranked second in Europe and seventh globally.
In the Americas, exceptional rental growth of almost 50% in Rio de Janeiro and a strong uplift in New York saw the region experience an encouraging rise in rental values in 2010. These cities were also the two most expensive locations within the Americas and ranked fourth and fifth respectively on a global basis.
Barrie David of the Cushman & Wakefield Global Research Group said: - Like the impact of rising food and commodity prices, the higher cost of office accommodation is increasingly a global factor for businesses to consider. However, it is not just a matter of rental growth being pursued by landlords. Tenants also face a cocktail of rising occupancy costs due to inflation-fuelled service charges as well as governmental action pushing up taxation costs in some markets. With these pressures likely to continue until at least the first half of 2011, we expect to see a further increase in occupancy costs.
John Siu, Executive Director Hong Kong, Cushman & Wakefield, commented: - With fierce competition amongst tenants for limited prime office premises in Hong Kong, it is expected that grade A office rents in the Central Business District will be driven upwards by 20 to 25% over the next 12 months. Some multinational corporations are reviewing their corporate strategy and may consider relocating some of their operations to lower cost countries such as Singapore and China to reduce their overheads.
Michael Creamer, Partner in the Global Client Solutions Group, Cushman & Wakefield, said: - Conditions remain more favourable for occupiers than landlords. However the balance of power has definitely started to shift, though European markets still have more slack than Asian cities. In an increasing number of markets, particularly major gateway cities, the opportunities for tenants to renegotiate their rent or lease, or trade up to better premises, will start to fall away during 2011.
James Young, Head of Cushman & Wakefield's City office in London, said - London led the bounce-back from a European perspective with rents rising by 25% over 12 months. It remains the most popular city for businesses to locate in due its many cultural, geographic and language advantages.
Richard Aboo, Partner, Head of Office department at Cushman & Wakefield in Warsaw, said: - In 2010 Poland saw a surge in occupier demand almost doubling that of the previous year. With vacancy rates falling rapidly and new supply still limited, rents are set to grow in 2011.


text:
Posted by Editor on 08/10/07
Canadian Company Buys Cycling.tv
Internet cycling broadcaster Cycling.tv is to be purchased by Canadian narrowcaster JumpTV for $4.95 Million (U.S.). Cycling.tv airs free and paid subscription webcasts of major cycling events, such as the Tour de France (daily wrap up), Vuelta, the Spring Classics and world championships, as well as providing coverage for the UCI online (UCI.tv). JumpTV streams live television over the internet and currently offers over 250 channels from more than 70 countries. In July, JumpTV reached an agreement to purchase a U.S.-based provider of NCAA sports coverage Broadband Network (owned by XOS) for $60.25 million U.S.
Cycling.tv generated $466,616 (U.S.) in revenue for the 5 months ending May 31st and had an operating loss of $339,844 (U.S.). The company currently has 18,000 paid subscribers and reports 130,000 unique visits per month.
In a statement, JumpTV CEO Scott Paterson said "This acquisition is in line with our pursuit of exclusive, hard-to-find and high-affinity Internet video content."
"We are confident that, as part of JumpTV, the world's top cycling races will be able to afford their worldwide fans the best in an online experience."
The Cycling TV website will continue in its present format, and Cycling.tv CEO Simon Brydon will continue in his position. The company will become part of the JumpTVSports division, along with the above mentioned acquisition - Broadband Network.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Willy, a mental patient, mimes driving a car as he runs through the halls of the asylum. An orderly asks Willy what he's doing.
Willy replies, "I'm going to Chicago for the weekend."
The orderly enters another patient's room and catches Bob pleasuring himself.
When asked what he is doing, Bob replies, "I'm screwing Willy's old lady while he's away in Chicago."


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The inspiration for this quilt was not only the beautiful Moda fabric but my strong urge to take the piecing to the edge, stretch my abilities in piecing and inspire you to do the same.
The quilt is shown in Queen size 85″ X 85″
The quilt can be easily adjusted to 12 blocks, a Twin size 65.5″ X 85″.
Alternate yardage provided below in parentheses.
Chocolate Stars
Featuring Marti Michell Template Set R
Queen Size (twin size)
29 Fat Quarters of FreeBird by MoMo (22 FQ's)
3 yards sashing Freebird Ovals Nest sku #32245-19
29 Fat Quarters of FreeBird by MoMo (22 FQ's)
3 yards sashing Freebird Ovals Nest sku #32245-19
6 yards backing Freebird Leaves Melon sku #32243-13 (4 yards)
1 yard binding Freebird Oval Melon sku #32245-13 (3/4 yard)
Queen Kyoto Bamboo Batting
Organize your fat quarters and chose 16 (12) for the large blocks
{I suggest the largest prints–refer to picture below}
Press fabrics and cut {16}(12) 15.5″ blocks.
Set aside.
Next choose 13 (10) fat quarters for the sashing stars and press {I chose mostly dots and lighter prints}
In order to maximize your dark brown sashing fabric cut 15.5″ X Width of Fabric (WOF) strips.
Do this for a total of 6 strips.
Turn your yardage and sub cut into (7 or 8) 5.5″ X 15.5″ strips.
Make atleast 40 sashing strips 5.5″ X 15.5″.
Using the #96 template in set R, place the template on the fabric edge as shown and cut.
Repeat for opposite side.
Disgard the corners.
The result is a sashing that looks like this.
Now take the "sashing star print" fat quarters and sub cut them as shown.
5.5″ – 5 5/8″ – 5 5/8″
Do this for all 13 'sashing star prints' (10 for twin size)
Using template 97 and 97R (97 flipped) sub cut the 5 5/8″ strips as shown.
Cut atleast {8} 97 and {8} 97R from each fat quarter.
Now take the 5.5″ strip and sub cut into {2} 5.5″ squares.
A design wall or area is essential for this quilt.
I started by cutting all my pieces and laying out the rows.
I did this for the entire quilt BEFORE I started sewing.
Next start assembling the sashing.
Take a brown strip and sew the 97 and 97R template pieces to the sides as shown.
**Note** to construct the block properly there are {2} 97 and 97R pieces needed for each sashing strip.
***12 of the sashing fat quarter prints are used twice in this quilt.
The 13th fat quarter print is used only once.***
This shows how to match your template seams.
Look how closely they match.
Next, pin pin pin!
Sew and press.
Piecing the sashings as rows was the most organized construction for this quilt.
Continue to sew the 97 template pieces to the dark brown sashing.
And continue to piece the rows.
Here I added the 5 inch print square.
pin, pin, pin!
Again, look at how nicely the seams match.
now once the pieced sashings are complete, start assembling rows with the large print 15.5″ squares.
And assemble the rows that are just pieced star sashings.
Take care in organizing your rows as you sew them to keep pieced sashings in the correct direction to form the stars.
Here the quilt top is starting to come together.
At 85″ X 85″ it doesn't quite fit on my design wall.
Once the rows are assembled then the rows can be sewn to each other.
The top is done!
Quilt, bind with lovely orange Freebird fabric and you're done.
Chocolate Stars Quilt
Queen size
I hope this tutorial inpsired you to try a new template, stretch your quilting skills and use some fun fabric too!
Thanks Vickie E


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Cliff Nursery offers a stimulating and rewarding experience for children aged 6 weeks to 5 years in a caring and friendly environment.
Children experience a full and exciting Early Years programme, complemented by a variety of fun activities delivered by specialists. These includes Melody Bear, Ballet, Spanish, Drama and Cookery. Dates and times for these fun activities are shown on our online calendar.
In our individually designed rooms we are able to provide children with the opportunity to develop and grow with the emphasis on the child. Our qualified and dedicated team encourage the children to have respect for themselves, for others and for the world we live in.
Here at Cliff Nursery our objective is to develop each little person to become confident and happy, building the social skills and learning foundations to help them make a seamless transition to school.
From Monday 1 June 2020 Nursery re opens for all children
Important Notice
Please see our Useful Documents June 2020 Newsletter
for information on return to Nursery.


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Hooks and Needles
November 11, 6:00 PMElk Valley Branch Library
Type: Arts & Crafts
Age: Adult and Teen
Topic: Crafts
Join other needle crafters and work on your current project at the library. Bring your own supplies. Beginners through experts welcome. Adults and Teens.
Location Details: Meeting Room AB
Contact Name: Ellie Teaford
Contact Email: email@example.com
Contact Phone 304-965-3636


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Si Scott Studios - Check out his website for jaw dropping typographic illustration.
Jack Unruh - One of my favorite animal painters. (Although he is equally known for stylized portraiture.) Anyone in New York - The Bronx Zoo's Congo Land singage features a series of gorilla paintings that I just adore.
Anita Kunz - I love lots of her work, but it's the human/animal hybrids that are always my favorites.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Three Deer
Si Scott Studios - Check out his website for jaw dropping typographic illustration.
Labels: Three Things
2 comments:
I like a game which you need use dofus kamas to play. If you want to be online to play this game, I can borrow kamas to you. When you have cheap kamas, and than you can go on this game. Of cause, when you are first to play, you can dofus gold. If you have enough buy dofus kamas, you will be able to different games.
sometimes you can go to earn the mabinogi gold for your own life and you can also get a lot of happiness in the game if you play the game well. you can brush the cheap mabinogi to upgrade and then you are very strong. You think that you want to play the game well and then you can get the mabinogi money for your own. you can go to buy mabinogi gold alone and you can give some for your friends; it can make you very happy I think. As long as you play the game you can get the mabinogi online gold as the rewards in this game.


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Saturday, October 15, 2011
Wee Memories Challenge 72!!
16 comments:
- Lynn said...
What an adorable story about Carter! So fun to watch them grow!
Gorgeous card...I love the embossed background...so sweet!
- 15 October, 2011 07:53
- Laurel said...
Oh my gosh this is too cute! Love the embossed backgroud.
- 15 October, 2011 08:28
- Karen B. said...
Amazing card, perfect for the holidays! I too started going through and selling/giving a way the baby stuff. Sad, but it is nice to have the room!
- 15 October, 2011 08:51
- Brandi said...
So adorable!!! I just love that lawn fawn stamp!
- 15 October, 2011 09:22
- Handmade Creations by Stephanie said...
love this such a sweet card!!!!
- 15 October, 2011 10:53
- Virginia L. said...
Super cute! I hope my new LF stamps arrive SOON...so I can PLAY!!! LOVE your card, Anita! Have a great weekend! xo
- 15 October, 2011 11:53
- Barb said...
Don't ya love when they start talking up a storm?! Cute story, Anita.
Love this darling card! The stripes and embossing look wonderful together!
- 15 October, 2011 13:07
- Laurel Beard said...
Sooooo cute Anita! Love this.
- 15 October, 2011 13:38
- Tenia Nelson said...
- 15 October, 2011 13:55
- Anne said...
This is so cute Anita! Love the striped paper along the bottom and how you paper pieced his scarf too- fabulous holiday card!
- 15 October, 2011 14:08
- Dawn T said...
such a sweet card. Carter is now at that amazing age when friendships start happening... enjoy.
- 15 October, 2011 20:13
- Trinh said...
This card is so adorable, Anita! I love the little scene you created & all of those embossed snowflakes.
Your story about Carter is so sweet! It's amazing how fast it goes by.
- 15 October, 2011 20:57
- Brenda said...
What a cute story Anita! And your card is even cuter! I love that little snow bunny!
- 15 October, 2011 21:12
- Michelle Bertuzzi said...
This is too cute Anita! Love the embossed background and the snow effect. Hey, we're going to have that soon in the part of our world ya know?! :)
- 15 October, 2011 23:14
- Donna B. said...
Very cute winter bunny card!! Love the snowflakes!
- 16 October, 2011 09:29
- Emily Leiphart said...
Aw, I love your story about Carter! I love watching Damian do the same with the kids at the park. It's adorable!! Your card is super sweet, Anita! I love all the textures and papers.
- 17 October, 2011 17:09


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On Monday several members of Congress have said they are open to restrictions on assault weapons, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg insisted it's time to take action. NBC's Tom Costello reports.
Updated 4:36 p.m. - A handful of pro-gun Democrats showed signs of willingness to consider strengthening regulations on firearms in the aftermath of last week's elementary school shooting in Newtown, Conn.
But that might not mean anything without the cooperation of Republicans, whose senior leaders and rank-and-file members have been mute about their interest in cooperating in a legislative effort to curb gun violence, making the prospects for any new, federal gun law unclear.
After President Barack Obama vowed at a vigil Sunday evening in Newtown to lead "an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this," several Democrats with long track records of supporting gun rights said they would be willing to consider new proposals, like renewing the ban on assault weapons or limiting the capacity of ammunition magazines that are available for sale.
"Anyone saying they don't want to talk and sit down and have that type of dialogue is wrong," West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, D, said Monday morning on MSNBC. "Everything should be on the table."
If gun laws are going to be changed, advocates will have to overcome past opposition from strong NRA supporters in Congress. Sen. Joe Manchin, a lifelong member of the National Rifle Association, D-W.V., discusses.
That pronouncement carries a degree of weight, considering the source. Manchin has won endorsements and support from the National Rifle Association during his career, and even appeared in a 2010 campaign ad shooting a copy of the cap-and-trade environmental regulatory bill.
Another West Virginia Democrat, Rep. Nick Rahall, also suggested he was interested in action.
"As a lifelong defender of the Second Amendment, I believe that gun safety is essential, but, so is addressing the gaps in our mental health system and the issue of drugs and violence in our culture and prayer in our schools," he said in a statement. "Let us act deliberately, but, for the sake of too many already lost, let us act."
A Kentucky Democrat, Rep. John Yarmouth, a prior proponent of an assault weapons ban who hails from a Republican-leaning state, went so far as to apologize to the 27 victims of the Newtown shooting on Monday for not having pushed harder for new laws.
"I have been largely silent on the issue of gun violence over the past six years, and I am now as sorry for that as I am for what happened to the families who lost so much in this most recent, but sadly not isolated, tragedy," he said in a statement.
NBC News' Chuck Todd joins a conversation on the Newtown shooting and what the political response may be. Will the president tackle gun reform in a second term? Todd thinks it could be possible.
And Virginia Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat who has had an "A" rating from the NRA, called the Connecticut shooting a "game changer" in terms of gun control.
"I join with the president – and, I think reasonable people in both parties and the overwhelming majority of Americans who are gun owners who believe that we've got to put stricter rules on the books," he told a CBS affiliate in Richmond.
One of the reasons major gun legislation hasn't advanced through Congress in recent years is the increased number of gun-friendly Democrats elected from swing districts and more culturally conservative states. The influx of these pro-gun Democrats made new gun control regulations a virtual impossibility.
But no Republican leader – so far – has joined this Democratic chorus in calling for stricter control of guns in the aftermath of the Newtown massacre. And a new poll, conducted in the aftermath of the Connecticut incident and released on Monday, showed that opinion on gun laws had only shifted marginally in the days following this most recent mass shooting.
Fifty-four percent of Americans said in a Washington Post/ABC News poll released Monday that they favor stricter gun control laws – a slight uptick in the poll numbers preceding Newtown, but hardly near the 67 percent who favored tighter gun control in May 1999, following the massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado. And more Americans – 49 percent – said the most effective way to curb gun violence is through enforcing existing laws, versus 32 percent who favor passing new laws.
That said, 52 percent of Americans now believe that the recent shootings are emblematic of larger problems in society, a sea change from July 2012, when 67 percent of Americans, in the aftermath of the movie theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., said recent mass shootings were more likely the isolated acts of troubled individuals.
In the meanwhile, Democrats are girding for a potential fight in Congress next year over guns after California Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D, said will introduce new legislation on the first day of the next Congress to reinstate the assault weapons ban, which lapsed in 2004. Other Democrats have discussed including rules to limit the capacity of ammunition magazines, or to address mental health.
One pro-gun Democrat who faces re-election in 2014, Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, emphasized mental health in a statement Monday and sidestepped any mention of guns.
"After multiple tragedies across the country, there is no doubt that we must do more to keep our families and communities safe and that is why I believe we must start with the ever-pressing issue of mental health services in this country," he said.
Feinstein said Monday on MSNBC that she had called the president this morning to enlist his support for her bill, but hadn't heard back.
"I'd like to talk to him about his help in moving forward with this," she said.


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When the Falcons stumbled to a 24-2 loss against the Giants in the playoffs last season, they failed to convert a pair of fourth downs that helped swing the game to the Giants.
This is a new year, though, and fourth down has worked out a lot better. The Falcons, led by safety William Moore, stuffed Seahawks fullback Michael Robinson for a loss on fourth-and-one from the Atlanta 11-yard line with 5:38 remaining in the half. Three plays later, Matt Ryan hit Roddy White for a 47-yard touchdown pass that extended Atlanta's lead to 20-0 with four minutes to go in the half.
Seattle failed to get the first down on a run by Robert Turbin on third down, raising the question of why Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson weren't the guys trying to get the first down in a situation the Seahawks deemed critical. The Falcons defense may have stoned them as easily as they did Turbin and Robinson, but you gotta go down with your best players.
Ryan is 9-of-12 for 107 yards and two touchdowns since a first quarter interception. And the Falcons are rolling in Atlanta.


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NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. – Laura McHoul and Laura Puccia recorded six points apiece to lead the University of New Hampshire women's lacrosse team to Monday afternoon's 12-3 non-conference victory against Iona College at Mazzella Field.
UNH improved to 3-4 overall while Iona fell to 0-4.
McHoul extended her assist streak to six games and point streak to 14 games with two goals and four assists. Puccia tallied four goals and two assists to record her sixth multiple-goal game of the season.
Kayleigh Hinkle matched her career high of three goals for the second consecutive game, and she also had two assists for a total of five points. Molly Gaffey also finished with multiple points with two goals. Marissa Gurello netted UNH's other goal.
Taylor Hurwitz recorded five of her seven saves in the first half. Rachael Nock finished with an assist and team-high four ground balls. Hinkle contributed a team-leading four draw controls.
Iona goalkeeper Maria Ortiz was credited with nine saves.
Iona, which was shut out by the Wildcats last year, raced out to a 3-0 lead. Erin Pugh scored 40 seconds into the game and then Mary Kate McCormick and Bernadette Gennaro potted goals 41 seconds apart – at 27:12 and 26:31, respectively.
The Wildcats held the Gaels scoreless the rest of the game, however, to take a 4-3 lead into halftime. Hinkle and McHoul scored 23 seconds apart at 24:13 and 23:50, respectively, to trim the deficit to 3-2. McHoul, who assisted on Hinkle's goal, also set up Puccia's game-tying goal at 22:10.
Hurwitz denied Iona's bid to regain the lead with a save against Meghan Testoni at 19:59. Five minutes later, Gurello was denied by Ortiz to keep the score deadlocked. Gurello would not be denied the next time, however, as she converted McHoul's feed into her second goal of the season and a 4-3 UNH lead at 12:03.
Hurwitz preserved that one-goal advantage with a stop against Pugh on a free-position shot at 8:24. At the other end of the field, Gaffey had a free-position shot blocked at 7:39, but the 'Cats maintained possession and Gaffey's shot was stopped by Ortiz at 7:11.
Testoni was once again turned aside by Hurwitz at 5:48, and then at the other end of the field McHoul hit the post at 5:07. Nicole Grote (Ellicott City, Md.) gathered the ground ball and moments later McHoul's attempt to extend New Hampshire's lead was stopped by Ortiz.
Neither team recorded a shot the rest of the half. UNH held the slimmest of margins in shots, 11-10, through 30 minutes.
Puccia scored goals 5:26 apart to open the second-half scoring and extend UNH's lead to 6-3. The assists went to Hinkle and McHoul, respectively.
Gurello hit the post at 17:56 and Becca Graves (Rowley, Mass.) picked up the ground ball to keep possession for the 'Cats, and that led to McHoul's goal and a 7-3 lead at 15:27. Nock set up that tally, which prompted the Gaels to call their second timeout of the game.
The Wildcats then had a sustained attack in which Nock was denied by Ortiz, Grote fired a shot wide, McHoul sent a shot high and Gaffey converted Grote's pass into an 8-3 lead at 12:19. Gaffey struck again at 11:05 to extend the advantage to six goals.
Hinkle netted back-to-back goals at 10:00 and 7:39 – on a free position and then Puccia assist – to make it 11-3 and the Gaels called their final timeout. Hurwitz recorded saves against McCormick at 6:12 and Veneziale at 4:24. Puccia, with Hinkle's assistance, capped the scoring at 3:31.
UNH recorded a 17-3 shot advantage in the second half to finish with a 28-13 edge overall. The Wildcats also had the edge in ground balls (21-9), draw controls (10-7) and turnovers (11-13).
New Hampshire returns to action March 14 (3 p.m.) at home against Fairfield University. The Wildcats then play host to the University of Colorado on March 16 (12 p.m.). Both games are scheduled for Cowell Stadium.


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Pacific Fibre has secured another pre-build customer, with major Australian ISP iiNet signing on for capacity in 2014.
The New Zealand-based company is planning a submarine cable network with two 5 Tbps-capable fibres connecting Australia, New Zealand and America via the Pacific, a route currently connected by the Southern Cross Cable Network and Telstra's Endeavour cable (the latter focusing on Telstra's own traffic). Other cables, such as the AJC, Telstra Reach and PPC-1, travel north to Asian destinations (with US connectivity available via third-party routes).
A new Perth-Singapore link is also planned by Leighton's, owner of Australia's Nextgen Networks.
The deal comes hard on the heels of Pacific Fibre's announcement that it has awarded its build contract to TE SubCom.
Pacific's main competitor, Southern Cross Cable Network, has announced plans to upgrade its capacity following successful trials of 40 Gbps equipment that would, if implemented, give the network an aggregate 6 Tbps maximum capacity.
For iiNet, the route will provide both expansion of its current trans-Pacific capacity and, presumably, redundancy on the route. ®
Sponsored: Webcast: Simplify data protection on AWS


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Save & View
We're always trying to find ways to make the website building experience at Virb easier. One of the hurdles we've noticed has been the disconnect between making edits and viewing them live on your site. Without a quick way to see your live site while editing, you're forced to do the two-browser-tab-boogie. Well, put your dancing shoes away because we've just implemented Save & View.
Now, when you make edits to any page on your site you can simply click "Save & View" and the page will save while your site automatically slides into view. Check your edits then click the bar at the top of the page to return to the one you were editing—simple. We've even included a handy URL so you never forget which page you're viewing.
We hope that this saves you a little time when creating and editing pages, and keeps you from having to toggle and refresh multiple browser windows. Now close those extra tabs and get back to building that site of yours!


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Ks assistant manager Graham Harper defended a smash-and-grab display at Tonbridge Angels on Saturday, a 2-0 victory which preserved the team's unbeaten start to the season.
While a first ever win at Longmead should have been an occasion for unqualified satisfaction, this was a surprisingly disjointed showing, typified by a Ks midfield struggling for shape and cohesion.
"It wasn't tactics," said Harper.
"It's just how the game ended up being. We didn't go out to sit back and hit on the break. We're better than that.
"I believe we'll be a good match for every side in this league so we'd never go out with that negative attitude because the players we've got are too good to do that.
"It just got a bit scrappy. We were just saying to the lads, 'look, at this level of football you're very rarely going to go away from home and pass the side off the pitch'.
"And when you haven't got the ball and you're soaking it up for 20 minutes, we've done exactly what we asked the players to do: stay tight, stay together and see the win through."
Indeed, with 14 points from six games, it would be churlish to suggest that new manager Tommy Williams' start has been anything but excellent.
But questions remain over the balance of the midfield and ball-retention – areas in which Ks struggled under former boss Alan Dowson.
Where there are no doubts is upfront, where Andre McCollin has been in stunning form.
And Nathaniel Pinney, who got his first start of the season alongside McCollin, duly rewarded Williams' faith with the critical first-half goal.
A neat move put McCollin clear and, having lost control of the ball, he still managed to 'tackle-pass' the ball to Pinney in the box.
The former Crystal Palace striker then befuddled the keeper by toe-poking into the net at the near post rather than rasping it across goal.
But Tonbridge, with former K's winger Dee Okojie flickering intermittently, dominated the rest of the match, forcing Alan Inns and Sam Page into producing a superb defensive performance.
Amid the pressure and the clearances, it was K's who scored the sucker-punch second 15 minutes from time.
A Rob Tolfrey kick caused panic in the ever-shaky Angels backline and McCollin, falling to the ground, made enough contact to squeeze the ball into the far corner.
K's host Bury Town on Monday evening before playing Hendon at home next Saturday on Non League Day.


text: If you converted a traditional IRA to a Roth in 2009 then your account lost value, you must recharacterize it by October 15 to lower your tax bill. By Kimberly Lankford, Contributing Editor September 16, 2010 Last year, I converted $100,000 from a traditional IRA to a Roth, but now my account is worth just slightly more than $80,000. Can I still undo the conversion and lower my tax bill?Yes, but you need to act soon. You have until October 15 to undo a Roth conversion made in 2009. If you meet the deadline, you can file an amended tax return for 2009 (Form 2010X) and reclaim the taxes you paid on the conversion. If you convert to a Roth this year, you have until Oct. 15, 2011, to change your mind If you were in the 25% tax bracket before adding the conversion amount to your taxable income, the switch to the Roth cost you more than $25,000 because some of the money would have been pushed into the 28% bracket. Undoing the conversion (a process called recharacterization) retroactively wipes out that tax bill. This makes sense even if you really want a Roth. If you wait 30 days after the recharacterization, you can reconvert the account. And you'll owe tax only on the shrunken balance – a little more than $80,000 in your case. Undoing the Roth conversion can make sense even if the IRA balance has not declined. Say you're in a different financial situation than you were when you made the switch, and you need the money you paid in taxes -- for example, if you've lost your job and are struggling with mounting debt. You could undo the conversion, get back the money you paid in taxes, and then reconvert the traditional IRA to a Roth later, when it's easier to afford the tax bill. Sponsored Content Reconverting the traditional IRA to a Roth in 2010 buys you more time to pay the tax bill. A special rule allows taxpayers who convert this year to report half the income on their 2011 return and the rest on their 2012 return. Putting off the tax bill could backfire, though, if tax rates increase -- see What Will Congress Do to Your Taxes? Advertisement To undo a Roth conversion, contact the IRA administrator and ask to recharacterize the Roth back to a traditional IRA. The administrator must make a direct transfer from the Roth to the traditional IRA, without sending the money to you. Many administrators have recharacterization request forms available on their Web sites. For more information about recharacterizing, see A Mulligan for Roth IRA Conversions. And for more about Roth conversions, see 2010: Roth Conversions for Everyone . Got a question? Ask Kim at email@example.com.


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Dual-line lubrication systems
for oil, semi-fluid grease and grease up to NLGI 2
SKF and Lincoln dual-line lubrication systems can be used on large systems with dispersed lubrication points that require varying lubrication quantities. These systems utilize two main lines that are supplied alternately with lubricant from a high-pressure pump via a change-over valve at up to 400 bar (5800 psi). Branch lines, along the main lines, are connected with dual-line metering devices to supply a large volume of lubricant to the lubrication points. Within large dual-line systems, end-of-line pressure switches are used to control and monitor the system.
Discover how SKF dual-line lubrication systems work
Overview of dual-line lubrication systems for grease
Benefits and applications
- Flexible
simple to design, easy to extend or reduce
- Reliable
precise, metered amount of lubricant, to up to 2000 lubrication points over long distances up to 120 m
- Variety of applications
heavy industry, metal working plants, pulp and paper production, mining, mineral processing, power plants, cement factories, steel works and more
- Effectively in harsh conditions
including potentially high lubrication-point back pressure, dirty, wet or humid environments and low temperatures.
- Flexible
Metering devices
Monitoring devices
Control units


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I don't know about you, but I'm a little sad and a little angry that the MTK Music Festival has officially been cancelled. The show, which had a line up of dozens of indie bands, was cancelled due to low ticket sales and also due to competition from the Escape to New York Concert which was in competition with the festival for party goers.
At least that is what everybody is saying.
But I think what this is really about is a lack of people supporting others in East Hampton. The Town of East Hampton couldn't have been more difficult in allowing this festival to happen where it could really be something, and from the get go, they made the producers of the festival not want to be there. This happens all too often when it comes to positive things in our community. We should be embracing festivals like this, not trying to stop them. I'm sure a group of people are very happy about helping stop a live concert from happening, and that's a real shame.
The festival made a public statement about the cancellation. ""It is with heavy, heavy heart that we regret to inform you that the inaugural MTK: Music To Know Festival in East Hampton will not take place. Despite our unique vision and arranging a world-class line-up, ticket sales were not adequate to allow the event to continue. We wanted to let everyone know now before engaging more deeply.
Along with our ticket holders, vendors, sponsors, business associates, colleagues and friends in the community, we too are filled with deep disappointment. We pledge to endure during this difficult time with the same integrity and professionalism displayed throughout the creation of this event. Ticket holders should check musictoknow.com for more information.
Most Humbly, Music to Know LLC.""
This kind of thing shouldn't happen. We need to praise people that organize events that raise money for charity, not try to get rid of them.


text: You may know Patrick Dempsey as Dr. McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy, but did you also know he was the co-driver of the Porsche 911 GT3 that came in fourth place in his class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans? Or that he's the star of a new documentary all about the race? Ask him all about it right now.


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Two people were convicted of bank robbery after bragging about it on Facebook.
Estefany Danelia Martinez, 18, was sentenced Thursday in a Houston federal court to 15 months in prison, while Arturo Solano drew was given a 10-month sentence.
Both pleaded guilty to bank robbery and embezzlement. Martinez was a bank teller who authorities say recruited Solano and another suspect to steal more than $62,000 in a March 23 robbery. Two others involved in the heist will be sentenced next week and next month.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
A tipster contacted police after Martinez posted on her boyfriend's Facebook page, "IM RICH." Another suspect wrote, "(I) WIPE MY TEETH WITH HUNDREDS."
When confronted by the Facebook status updates, Martinez confessed her involvement and implicated three others, authorities said.
Apparently people still aren't learning from the many examples of Facebook stupidity. People have lost jobs, jurors been hauled before a judge and others have lost marriages over careless remarks on the social network, so why should bank robbery be any different?


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MOSCOW, Russia - After accusing Israel of indirectly causing the downing of a Russian military plane near Syria, the Russian President has now blamed the incident on a "chain of tragic chance circumstances."
The Russian military plane was shot down near Syria's seacoast, which killed 15 Russian aircrew.
On Tuesday, Russia's Tass news agency said that the Ilyushin Il-20 reconnaissance plane had "disappeared during an attack by four Israeli F-16 jets on Syrian facilities in Latakia province."
According to the agency's report, the military plane was downed about 35km (22 miles) from the Syrian coast while it was returning to Russia's Hmeimim airbase near Latakia.
Russia accuses Israel
In response to the downing of the plane, Russia issued a statement saying Israel's "irresponsible actions" were to blame.
Russia's Defence Ministry said that the aircraft was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft systems and accused Israel of indirectly causing the incident.
It added that Israeli jets nearby had put the Russian plane in the path of danger.
Russia further added that it was given less than a minute's warning ahead of the strikes, which was not enough time to get the military surveillance plane out of the way.
Further, the country's Defence Ministry threatened to retaliate over what it called a hostile act.
Russian Defence Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian state television, "We view the actions of the Israeli military as hostile. As a result of the irresponsible actions of the Israeli military, 15 Russian service personnel perished. The Israeli planes deliberately created a dangerous situation for surface ships and aircraft in the area."
According to the ministry body fragments, personal belongings and the plane's debris had been found by search ships in the Mediterranean.
Subsequently, reports noted that the Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu held a telephonic conversation with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman and told him that the blame "fully rests with Israel."
Shoigu further added that Russia "reserves the right to take further steps in response."
It was also reported that Russia had summoned the Israeli deputy ambassador to its foreign ministry.
Israel accuses Syria
Responding to Russia's accusations, Israel blamed the Syrian government and its allies Iran and Hezbollah.
While expressing sorrow at the deaths, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) blamed the Syrian government and its allies Iran and Hezbollah in its official statement.
The IDF statement said that the initial Israeli inquiry into the incident found "extensive and inaccurate" Syrian surface-to-air anti-aircraft fire "caused the Russian plane to be hit and downed."
It said, "Israel expresses sorrow for the deaths of the aircrew members of the Russian plane that was downed due to Syrian anti-aircraft fire. Israel holds the Assad regime, whose military shot down the Russian plane, fully responsible for this incident."
The statement added, "The Syrian anti-air batteries fired indiscriminately and from what we understand, did not bother to ensure that no Russian planes were in the air."
Israel further argued that by the time the Russian plane was struck, the Israeli jets were already back in their own airspace.
It added that the Russian plane was "not within the area of the operation" carried out by the Israeli jets.
Subsequently, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a telephonic conversations with the Russian President and expressed regret at the loss of life.
Netanyahu reportedly offered to provide "all necessary information" in the investigation of the incident.
However, Netanyahu is said to have clarified that Israel would continue to take action against Iran in Syria, days after the Israeli military said that it had hit over 200 Iranian targets in Syria over the past 18 months.
Putin attempts to defuse tensions
Later in the day, striking a more conciliatory tone, the Russian President Vladimir Putin said that
Putin said that Russia would need to look into the exact details of the case and told reporters, "I looks most likely in this case that it was a chain of tragic chance events, because an Israeli aircraft did not shoot down our aircraft. But, without any doubt we need to seriously get to the bottom of what happened."
In an attempt to further calm the situation, Putin said that the Russian response would be to secure the safety of its personnel.
The Russian President said that Moscow's response would aim at securing the safety of Russian military personnel in Syria.
He said, "As for retaliatory measures, they will be aimed first and foremost at further ensuring the safety of our military personnel and facilities in Syria. And these will be steps that everyone will notice."


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Is It Time to Replace Your Roof or Windows?
Owning a home means giving constant attention to the building products that go into protecting the structure of your house. While we'd like to believe items like our roof, siding and windows will last forever, that's not the case.
Mark Clement, co-host of the national home improvement radio show MyFixitUpLife, offers a variety of tips for knowing when it's time to replace products on your home.
"The first thing homeowners need to understand is that every element of a home's exterior, from the top of the roof down to the front entry door, will eventually need to be replaced," says Clement. "The key is to know when the time is right to invest in new products. This means an ongoing evaluation of your home's current products, researching new product options and contacting professionals for support."
Clement points out that replacing older products with newer, more energy efficient and longer-lasting products is a sound investment for homeowners. "We have a 100-year-old home and just replaced the original decaying wood door with a Therma-Tru fiberglass door and trimmed it out with long-lasting PVC millwork from Fypon," says Clement. "We also replaced older windows with ENERGY STAR qualified vinyl windows from Simonton Windows and added a new polymer slate roof from DaVinci Roofscapes. These are all man-made products that add more life to our house. Plus, we're saving more on our daily energy bills because of the incredible features of these products.
"Another important aspect to consider when it does become time to replace key products on the home's exterior is to look at upgrading and taking advantage of newer, more aesthetically pleasing products that are on the market. That's what we did with the high-performance, low-maintenance products we selected. Our product choices not only make our home more livable right now, but also more add value to the home and make it more 'sellable' when it comes time for us to put the house on the market."
Tips for Evaluating Your Roof
1. Use a ladder to climb up to the roof or stand from across the street with binoculars and look for problem areas, such as missing or broken shingles.
2. Check the sides of your roof. The southern exposure weathers significantly faster than the other sides of the roof, so make sure to carefully examine this area. Also, shallower pitches weather faster than steeper pitches. So again, if your roof has a shallow pitch – like a shed dormer – make certain you can clearly see it to get a true indication of the condition of your roof.
Tips for Assessing Your Windows
1. Evaluate the functionality of your current windows. If you have condensation between glass panes, the windows are hard to open or close, your energy bills are soaring, or if there are drafts coming in around the window units, then it's time to seriously consider replacement windows.
2. Look at the frames of your windows. If you spend too much time scraping paint and repainting wood frames, consider an investment in vinyl-framed, low-maintenance windows.
Tips for Knowing When to Replace a Front Door
1. If you can see light around your main entry door from the inside, the door is hard to close or lock, or the door itself is warped, it's time to consider a new door.
2. Think about the weather conditions your home's door faces along with your energy bills. If either run to the extreme, consider replacing your entry door with a high-performance fiberglass door (which can have up to four times more insulation than wood doors). Doors with enhanced weather stripping, corner seal pad, door bottom sweep and profiled sill provide more strength and stability in your entry door.
Tips for Evaluating Trim Features of the Home
1. Take a top-down look at your home. Most houses have wooden louvers placed high above the attic or garage space to allow ventilation in those areas. Replacing older, rotting louvers with insect-resistant and rot-resistant synthetic louvers can improve the home's appearance and functionality.
2. Wrap it up. Clement recommends that if you have unsightly porch posts you can easily transform them into showpiece parts of your home by using Column Wrap Kits. The decorative PVC or urethane pieces can generally be installed in less than 30 minutes around existing structural posts and columns to give an upgraded look to any home.
Speak to one of Luxury Homes of Las Vegas Specialists today – call 702-588-6868.
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A Bulgarian diplomat appointed to that country's consulate in Chicago is getting attention for racy photos she posted to her web site.
Lila Georgieva, recently assigned to Chicago, first received scrutiny two years ago when she posted a suggestive photograph of herself -- looking back over her shoulder at the camera, clad only in pink lingerie -- to her web site (now defunct).
The rump-bearing diplomat was disciplined at the time, but now she's landed in Chicago, and some Bulgarian-Americans are none too pleased.
"These are art photographs and I do not think they cut across my duties," Georgieva said when the scandal broke the first time, back in 2007, to Bulgarian news site Novinite.com.
Last week, a television interviewer in Sofia, Bulgaria asked Prime Minister Boyko Borisov about her appointment. According to the Tribune, Borisov ducked the question, but the Bulgarian Embassy in Washington said at least three people have put their objections in writing.
There are about 30,000 Bulgarian-Americans living in and around Chicago, according to the Trib.


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"With Sarah's program I lost weight and regained energy. Life without sugar is much sweeter than I ever imagined it would be." — Shauna Ahern, Gluten-Free Girl
"Excellent book! Ms. Wilson offers a lively, well-researched and engaging way for us all to curb the sugar habit and in so doing, offering another potential key for living longer." – Dan Buettner, New York Times best-selling author
"The I Quit Sugar philosophy is a big part of addressing modern diseases and weight-related complications affecting us all today. I've found Sarah's IQS project to have been an invaluable resource for individuals in Australia and now around the world to start taking control of their health." – Gary Fettke, orthopaedic surgeon, university lecturer and author
"Sarah Wilson breaks things down in easy to assimilate, bite-sized pieces and leaves you with the feeling she is right there holding your hand, as someone who has been there and understands. Sarah herself is a walking advertisement for her own accomplishments and quitting sugar, with Sarah Wilson's help, is the best first step toward total physical and mental health anyone can take." — Nora Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT, author of Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life.
"I Quit Sugar deserves to have become an international best-seller and phenomenon. Everywhere I go with The Coolhunter, everyone is talking about how they're 'quitting sugar with Sarah Wilson'." — Bill Tikos, thecoolhunter.net


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Comes with both 4-pin and 7-pin connectors which easily allows you to connect to a wide variety of trailer applications. The harness includes a pigtail connector to snap into an electric trailer brake system and even allows you to charge a trailer battery when using the 7-pin connector. (Refer to your owner's manual)
Vehicle Applications
2006 Ridgeline


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In development for nearly 3 years, the ATS-1 is the culmination of the exceptional engineering capabilities of the 6D team. The goal was to build the safest street helmet in the world while providing the rider with features and benefits superior to those found in the most premium helmets in the market. The ATS-1 far exceeds these goals with its exceptional energy management capabilities, quality build level, and luxurious comfort and fit. Every detail of this helmet was painstakingly engineered from scratch to meet the design and performance specifications demanded by 6D. The results speak for themselves; aerodynamic, sleek, and functional with exceptionally strong design and aesthetic appeal.
Created Without Compromise.
6D's revolutionary patented Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) technology represents a fully active, in-helmet suspension and kinetic energy management system. Engineered to uncouple the helmet's exterior shell from the inner EPS liner, the system effectively mitigates energy transfer to the head and brain of the rider during any given accident or impact event. The ODS system is comprised of 2 EPS liners separated by an array of elastomeric isolation dampers that allow the system to sheer and displace 3-dimensionally when subjected to impact.
Omni-Directional Suspension functions over a much broader range of energy demands, including LOW, MID and HIGH-Velocity impacts for both Angular and Linear accelerations when compared to other competing helmets, and helmet technologies.
There is simply no other helmet, or helmet technology that can provide the exceptional energy management benefits of Omni-Directional Suspension.
Elastomeric Isolation Damper
This damper is the heart and soul of 6D's exclusive Omni-Directional Suspension technology. An array of dampers work in unison with the dual EPS liners to isolate impact energy from the brain. The elastic properties of the dampers, combined with their unique 'hourglass' shape provide a progressive spring rate that manages low and mid-velocity accelerations, while simultaneously allowing the inner EPS liner to displace and shear in 3-dimensional space. This omni-directional displacement capability of the EPS liners provides 'six degrees of freedom', which became the inspiration for our company name; '6D Helmets.'
ANGULAR ACCELERATION (ROTATIONAL) is generated from oblique angle impacts to the helmet's surface. The result of this type of impact, and subsequent energy transfer is shearing, tearing, compression, and rotation of the brain within the skull. The medical community has determined that angular acceleration is the primary cause of concussion, mild-traumatic brain injury (MTBI), and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Tests conducted by Dr. David C. Viano of the Bioengineering Center at Wayne State University concluded that a helmeted head sustained the same degree of angular acceleration as the un-helmeted head when subjected to identical impacts. So, if angular acceleration is a major cause of concussion (or worse), how is the brain protected by conventional helmet design? Unfortunately, in respect to angular acceleration energy, it is not.
By uncoupling the helmet's inner liner assembly from the outer liner and shell, 6D's revolutionary Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) system effectively mitigates the transfer of angular acceleration to the head and brain of the rider during any impact event.
The 6D ATS-1 helmet incorporates an advanced air flow management system designed to provide adjustable air flow throughout the entire helmet. This air flow system aids in heat and moisture evacuation from within the helmet's interior area providing a cooler and safer environment during extreme riding conditions. 4 adjustable intake ports channel fresh air into the helmet where it is managed by a network of 15 transfer ports and 5 exhaust ports to keep the air moving.
Removable and washable, the 6D ATS-1 comfort liner is as advanced as our helmet! Convertible for warm weather riding by simple removal of the rear vent cover, the air flow characteristics can be significantly altered. High-tech fabrics mated to CAD designed internal padding provide superior comfort, noise suppression, and moisture dissipation. Recess pockets provide room for internal speaker installation. Available in multiple sizes for a customizable fit.
Engineered to provide maximum functionality and ease of use, the face shield incorporates a lock-down lever that doubles to provide incremental ventilation when needed. 10 distinctive ratchet positions offer a setting for every riding possibility, and our articulating pivot ensures a snug fit to the shell when closed. Shield changes are easy and quick requiring no tools and the ATS-1 includes a clear PINLOCK® anti-fog insert. A beveled top edge improves laminar flow onto the helmet's surface reducing buffeting and wind noise, while the shield's flat surface accepts accessory tear-offs for race applications. All shields are treated for anti-scratch inside and out, provide UV protection, and distortion free vision. (Exceeds VESC-8 standards)
Recent medical research has provided alarming conclusions surrounding the causes, severity, and long-term effects of concussions and brain injury. We know that seemingly minor concussions may have much more serious long-term effects on the brain including the onset of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a progressive degenerative brain disease. Concussions can occur from impacts in the lower range of 60 G's in adult males, and even less in women and children.
To meet the extreme test velocity requirements of Snell and ECE certification testing, most conventional helmets are engineered too stiff to effectively absorb energy from low and mid-velocity impacts. The vast majority of impacts in real-world accidents are what we qualify as LOW-THRESHOLD ENERGY impacts. These are impacts well below the pass/fail certification velocities of any given standard, but at or above the velocity required to sustain a concussion or brain injury. The isolation dampers within 6D's exclusive Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) system effectively mitigate low-threshold energy accelerations.
In this critical area of energy management, the 6D ATS-1 pays significant dividends when compared to conventional helmet designs. 6D's proprietary ODS system starts working the instant any force is applied to the shell, making the helmet much more compliant and functional over the highest percentage of real world crash impacts. ODS achieves this benefit without compromise of its high-velocity impact performance as well.
Suspension For Your Head.
Across the entire range of impact velocities the 6D ATS-1 helmet with Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) technology consistently outperforms the competition. 6D engineers meticulously evaluate the shell design, shell layup, damper array, damper durometer, and EPS densities to provide the best possible matrix of the materials for superior impact management performance. No other system or technology is more technically advanced or capable of reducing energy transfer to the brain.
Superior Brain Protection.
TIME-TO-PEAK (TTP) is the measurement of time (in milliseconds) it takes the energy of an impact to reach maximum (peak) G force. Deceleration time is the single most beneficial component of reducing the severity and magnitude of any impact. The more time, the less severe the energy transfer will become. 6D's proprietary ODS technology buys time, in fact more than doubles the TTP in most impacts below 6m/s! The really cool news here is the significant reduction in energy transfer that comes simply with time.
The exceptional test results represented on this website are the actual test data generated from hours of testing the 6D helmet against current model Snell, ECE and DOT certified helmets in a fully-independent, third party laboratory testing facility; Dynamic Research, located in Torrance, California is a recognized as a leader in helmet testing and evaluation and is a pioneer in measuring and evaluating Angular Acceleration.
This testing confirms that Omni-Directional Suspension (ODS) significantly reduces energy transfer to the head and brain during crash impact.
Integrated Speaker Pockets
40mm recessed pockets provide room for most popular internal speaker installations.
Deluxe Helmet Bag Included
Premium helmet bag is the perfect way to transport or store your helmet.
Pinlock Insert Included
Delivers the most effective fog-free riding performance available.
Dimensional weight listed
6D ATS-1 White Carbon Motorcycle Helmet
Produced by 6D of USA


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I am stuck with a rather irritating problem I ran into after installing 11.10 on my macbook pro 5,5.
I did a clean install efi booting into the setup using the desktop cd. Upon the first reboot I was presented with the "invalid arch independent ELF magic" and grubs rescue console.
I have read GRUB: "invalid arch independent ELF magic" after install on SSD but the solution is no solution for me since installing grub via live cd only means installing the mbr version and I can't seem to find any manual on how to install grub-efi while booted into the live cd.
So my question is: How can I either edit the grubx64.efi file in my EFI Partition, reinstall grub-efi with a live CD / DVD or use grub rescue commands to fix this issue?


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If you want to cut into the discussion during a teleconference, you need to prompt the group first, so say something like "Excuse me" or "Question" and then wait a couple of seconds before continuing...In a videoconference, the speaker will be the biggest image on your screen, but there is usually a smaller window where you can see everyone else, so prompt the group by raising your hand, or by raising your hand and saying, "I have a point I'd like to make."Those are the do-it-yourself options, but you also should take the time to ask for these extra helps to make it easier to break in and contribute:
- Email the session leader in advance and ask her to establish that people should say "Question" or raise their hands when they have something to contribute--and ask her to keep tabs on who needs a turn;
- If you see or hear someone signaling and not getting a turn, point it out. Say "I have something to say, but Janet has had her hand up earlier. Janet?" It's a reminder to all to share the mic.
- Request a "catch up and questions" time after each agenda item, to make sure all contributions are heard.
Related posts: Speaking when the audience isn't visible: Tips for conference calls
Check out the community on The Eloquent Woman on Facebook, and sign up for Step Up Your Speaking, my free monthly newsletter, here.


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Pooja Sachan necesitaba un nuevo diseño de camiseta y lanzó un concurso de diseño en 99designs.
Un ganador ha sido elegido entre 181 diseños de 40 diseñadores freelance.
A. Tiziano (http://www.atiziano.com)
Andrew Tiziano is a Contemporary Men's Apparel brand with global appeal, also known on the street as A.Tiziano. We are defined by our sexy, sophisticated styles in luxurious fabrications and fine details.
Our fashion is fresh, fearless and functional.
We fashions Timeless Art, Enduring enough for the most confident of Men.
Our passion is to create:
o Exclusive color stories
o Sexy sophisticated styles
o Luxurious fabrics
o Extreme detail
Visit our website to get an overall feel of the brand and Check out Celebs wearing AT. http://www.atiziano.com
We Retail at Macy's , 4men, J-bees are some of the biggest retail outlets for AT and the
Brands that we retail next to are Ralph Lauren, Rich yung, SeanJohn, Kavi, Lacoste, Akoo
Cities we love to shop and influence us: London, Tokyo, HK, NY, Barcelona
Brands we like
o Hugo Boss, Armani Exchange, Guess
o Robert graham, Ralph Lauren, Zara
o Asian Brands: Tough Denim , Chevignon, EO
A.Tiziano is the ultimate brand for the men ages from 25-35 yrs who demands nothing short of extraordinary.
We are a very Contemporary Urban Brand, We do a collection business and sell coordinated ensembles for men as part of every season Collection and known in the Market to produce some of the best Outerwear, Wovens and Double Mercerized Cotton Polos.
To introduce a series of 3-5 Tees exploring our Guy's Lifestyle with Fun Eye-Catching Street Smart Graphic Elements. We want to design these Streetwear T-Shirt Graphics filled with Artistic fFare and Fun Element.
Year 2011 is a Year of Rabbit according to Chinese calendar and can be used an inspiration for Design.
You can use Bunny (the Logo) of AT really enjoying his lifestyle as basketball player, lounging in the bar, traveling etc.
You can use abstract art, typography, calligraphy, pattern, geometric art, arabesque, stencil art, freehand graffiti and interesting Slogans that can really make the T-shirt stand out!!!!
A.Tiziano is recognized with a hopping Bunny Logo that is used more than words for branding, marketing purpose just like Lactose and Ralph Lauren.
SLOGANS that you may use or can make your own
Freedom & Prosperity
your IMAGE | your CLOTHES | your LIFE
Files Attached
AT Logo
AT Script Logo
Please Note:
All Artwork files submitted in AI format with fonts included (No Corel or Freehand files)
If your graphic is designed to use specific Print Technique, Please illustrate /recommend
All Colors must be grouped or layered in order to be edited
No Skulls/Guns/ rebellious term logy / floral pattern on the graphics please


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The inverse care law
Those most likely to need good healthcare are the least likely to receive it.
JT Hart, The inverse care law, Lancet 1 (1971), pp. 405–412.
The [NHS] still operates as a gift economy despite the most vigorous efforts of governments to change it into a business.
How do you think Dr Tudor Hart will be voting at the next election?


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Part one Given that so much of the time and effort expended by you technical and computing types revolves around standards, just how important are they in the larger sense? And if they are important, who ought to be devising them, and should they be voluntary or imposed?
This might sound a tad odd in this modern age, for the default reaction now seems to be that a) yes of course there should be a standard and b) yes it should be imposed. By law according to many continental types. But that just ain't the way it's worked through history.
Some standards have to be imposed of course: right- or left-hand drive would seem to be an obvious one, given that trying to mix them would be a little messy. But here there's no obvious (or even non-obvious) reason why one way is better than the other, there just has to be a choice made.
Given the obviousness of the point that a choice has to be made, it seems a little over-the-top that this fact is now encoded into international law. The Geneva Convention on Road Traffic of 1949 does just that, insists that the country has to make a choice, which is pretty much a d'oh sort of point to make.
Which choice each country makes is left entirely up to them: Sweden changed to the right in the '50s to be as one with their icy neighbours, while Samoa changed sides only two years ago (cheaper to buy second-hand cars from Oz and NZ, instead of having to get them from the US).
Similarly, the railway gauge is probably something that we want to be the same within one railway network, although even that's not certain.
The Great Western managed well enough with Brunel's wider one until the 1890s: systems such as Ireland's or Australia's, which do not link into others, have remained wider than standard. The difference between Russian and European gauges causes some amusement at Brest Litovsk (where your railway car is winched over onto bogies of the new gauge) but then there's not a great deal else to do there of an evening.
Weighty issues
We could even talk weights and measures: surely that's a place where we really should have an imposed standard? Well, actually, looking at the history of the world's weights and measures, this doesn't really seem to be true. As long as everyone understands which measure is being used, conversion from one to another is simple enough.
Prices on the Taiwan gold market, where they still use taels as the unit of measurement, don't vary much from those in London, where Troy ounces are used. Sure, it's important that we all know what a kilogram is, but whether we use pounds or kgs isn't that important: whatever the European Union tries to insist.
That the US fluid ounce is a different size from the Imperial, the pint a different number of such ounces, is boring and annoying but not necessarily something that needs to be corrected by law. And you can still buy your pate by livres in French markets even if confusion about who is using what system is said to have led to one or two interesting occurrences in space exploration.
Well, OK, but there must be times when it really is necessary to have clear legal imposition of a standard? Perhaps there is, but it's almost certainly a lot further away than many think.
Take language for example. This must be subject to a certain amount of standardisation, otherwise it can't actually be used as language: get Geordie much further away from Cockney and they'd not be mutually intelligible (that they are still, just, is how Cheryl Cole manages).
But this still doesn't mean that we either need or want to impose such standardisation. The French do do that, passing laws to insist that bastard Anglicisms will not sully the glorious French language.
One of these was passed by a Jacques Toubon and I've always had a soft spot for the politician who ever after referred to him as Jack Allgood. English seems to work just fine as we all stumble our own way to mutual understanding.
.--/-/..-. Er, which Morse code did you say you were using?
We can even go further: Morse Code for example, surely that's an example of something that requires a central, imposed, standard? How can two blokes interpret dots and dashes if people are using different systems to do so?
Quite: except that historically they did. There was Morse's original code specification, American Morse Code (which declined to "railroad code"), and then a German, Gerke, got his hands on it, changed 50 per cent of it and thus created the "continental system". Which one was used didn't matter all that much: as long as each side knew which was being used.
But, and I can hear the technological cogs whirring among the readership even now, wouldn't it be better, more efficient, if the standards really were standards right at the beginning? If everyone agreed right from the start and then insisted upon no future changes? Or at least, no changes without consultation, meetings and a committee?
Perhaps, and there are no doubt standards where this is true. But insisting upon this in the case of, just as one example, the English language would have meant no Shakespeare: he's credited with introducing more invented words into the language than any other writer, after all (apparently blank verse and rhymes are easier if you can do this, just make stuff up). It would also mean no Gerke version of Morse, we'd all still be using railroad. For what the absence of a standard allows is experimentation.
Yes, of course, we're talking about experimentation off the back of a generally agreed basic idea: Gerke used dots and dashes, not doo wa diddys, Shakespeare used variations on words and concepts within a common grammar, and extended rather than replaced the vocabulary.
Standards cart before horse
But to insist upon a standard being the start of the process is to assume (and with human beings and their productions, this isn't a good starting assumption) that we've got it right at the beginning.
To put it another way, standards have emerged from accumulations of activity, not the things which need to be imposed to allow that activity.
This becomes important when we start to consider the standards-making processes of our own time: specifically, the technical standards to which some of you adhere in your work (or attempt to ignore, depending upon whether you're an engineer or a programmer).
We probably know enough about Assembler to have a standard (or multiple standards perhaps) version of it: C or Java do have standards, although you're free to play with them at the edges at least.
But what about the things that we're just beginning to play with in any large sense? Cloud computing? Does that need a legally mandated standard yet? Is it even possible to have one yet? Have we been playing around with it enough yet to know what we might be able to do with it, what we might want to stop people doing with it, and do we have enough sense of the possibilities to write a standard?
Tune in for the next episode ... ®
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