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BERLIN- With 2007 becoming 2008 next week, it's a good time to look back and reflect on some of the top sports stories of the year on the local front.
As usual, the outstanding accomplishments of the local scholar-athletes dominated the sports pages of The Dispatch week in and week out, both as teams and individuals. It was another record-breaking year on the local fishing scene, golf continued to flourish and the local youth sports programs continued to grow and succeed. There were so many great sports stories this year that boiling a list down to a Top Ten was again difficult, so with all due respect to all of the area athletes who left their mark on 2007, here is a quick look at a handful of the top stories that captured the attention of local sports enthusiasts in the last year:
"Rebel" Holds On to Win 34th White Marlin Open, $1.4 Million
The 34th Annual White Marlin Open fizzled to a quiet close on the last day this year after a remarkable Thursday that saw the leaderboard, and the fortunes of several anglers, change rapidly in a couple of dramatic hours.
This year, Thursday was the day that provided the most drama with the eventual winner, an 83-pound white marlin caught by angler John Frankos on the "Rebel" out of Nags Head, N.C. highlighting a flurry of action on Day Four. The 83-pound eventual winner was brought to the scale at Harbour Island shortly after 4 p.m. on Thursday of tournament week and took over the top spot in the high-dollar glamour division.
A short time later, angler Gregory Hoffa fishing aboard the "Nasty Habit" out of Cape May weighed a 76-pound white marlin to briefly move into second place in the division. The leader board changed again on the tournament's last day when angler Rhett Bailey, fishing aboard the "Viking 54" weighed a 78-pound white to move into second place.
Decatur Sports Teams Move Up in Class
BERLIN- Further evidence of the continued growth in the north end of Worcester County was revealed this year when it was learned Stephen Decatur High School is now the largest high school on the Eastern Shore in terms of enrollment, a fact that caused the Berlin school's sports teams to move up to a higher classification when it comes to state playoffs.
Because of its increased enrollment figures, Decatur moved from Class 2A to Class 3A, which forces the Seahawks to play stiffer competition in state playoffs for all sports, or even miss the state playoffs in others, such as football, where Decatur was left standing on the sideline after a winning season this fall.
Worcester Prep, Decatur Split Annual Neighborhood Lacrosse Grudge Matches
BERLIN- It's always special when cross-town rivals Stephen Decatur and Worcester Prep face each other in any sport, but lacrosse has provided some of the best grudge matches over the years in both the boys and girls rivalries and this year was no different.
This year's men's varsity lacrosse match-up had a little bit of everything including rumbling thunder, a 30-minute lightning delay, big hits, and lots of penalties, but in the end, the Mallards edged the Seahawks, 8-7, in a thriller in front of a big bi-partisan crowd at Decatur.
While the boys played a tight, one-goal game in the annual rivalry, the match-up between the Decatur and Worcester Prep girls' teams did not live up to the hype. Worcester dominated the series for several years while Decatur's fledgling program matured, but in recent years, it has been the Seahawks dominating the Mallards in the rivalry. This year's game continued the trend with the Decatur girls rolling the Worcester Prep girls, 16-4.
Marathon in Snow
OCEAN CITY- Blinding snow and frigid temperatures did not prevent hundreds of runners from all over the country from competing in this years 3rd Annual Ocean City Marathon, which resulted in the familiar face crossing the finish line first.
A rare Easter weekend snowstorm blew through the area during the race this year and continued throughout the marathon, making conditions difficult for the hundreds of competitors. With strong winds blowing out of the north, the condition were particularly harsh for racers in the full marathon, who trudged up the course's backstretch along Route 611 in West Ocean City into the teeth of the biting wind and blowing snow.
For the second year in a row, Michael Wardian of Arlington, Va. was the first runner across the finish line in the Ocean City Marathon taking first place in the men's division with a winning time of 2:41:20. For a variety of reasons, including uncertainties about the Route 50 bridge closure, event organizers will not host a full marathon but rather will produce a half-marathon and 5K race run entirely within Ocean City.
Seahawk Girls Capture Second Straight Regional Title
BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's girls' varsity lacrosse team's dream of returning to the state championship ended in May with a 13-9 loss to North Harford in the Class 3A-2A semifinals.
Decatur ran the table in the regular season, going a perfect 14-0, and collected its second straight Bayside Conference championship. The Seahawks then got off to a great start in the state tournament, beating Kent Island, 12-6, in the 3A-2A East Region championship game to advance to the Final Four for the second year in a row. However, the magical run ended with a 13-9 loss to North Harford in the state semifinals.
Berlin Little Leaguers Reach State Title Game
BERLIN- The Berlin Little League 9-10 All-Stars reached the state championship game in July after a remarkable run through the district and regional playoffs, but the local nine ran out of gas in the title game.
After five tension-filled games in five days, the Berlin All-Stars finally fell to Conococheague, 13-3, in Cambridge. For five days, the Berlin All-Starts embarked on a wild five-game journey that left them on the doorstep of a state title, but the tank was nearly empty at that point.
Despite a valiant effort, the never-say-die Berlin team fell behind Conococheague and lost the state championship game, 13-3.
The loss did little to tarnish what was an amazing run for the Berlin team, which captured its first District 8 title in several years last week just to reach the state tournament. Berlin cruised through the District 8 playoffs relatively unscathed, sweeping five games, including four shutouts, to take the title.
Decatur Wrestling Dominance
BERLIN- Stephen Decatur's varsity wrestling team continued its dominance on the Eastern Shore in 2007 and made a name for itself among the top wrestling powerhouses in the state.
The Seahawks went a perfect 13-0 in the regular season and captured their seventh straight Bayside Conference regular season and tournament championships.
Decatur made a very respectable showing in the state Class 1A-2A state tournament, finishing fourth among the 66 teams in the field after sending a total of 10 wrestlers to the state meet. Two Seahawks wrestlers, Trevor Rickett and Danny Miller won individual state championships in 2007. Rickett won the state championship in the 112-pound weight class, while Miller collected a state championship in the 189-pound class.
20th Tuna Tournament One for the Record Books
OCEAN CITY- The 20th Annual Ocean City Tuna Tournament in July was one for the books with a record number of boats participating and a record payout to the winners in several categories.
When the drama ended, a mere single pound separated first place from second place in the heaviest tuna division resulting in a difference in cash payout of $351,147 for first place and $64,540 for second place. Ocean City's own "Press Time," with Captain Luke Blume, took first in heaviest tuna category with a 184-pounder caught by angler Ted D'Anna worth $351,197. The "Press Time" just edged the "Let it Ride," which hung a 183-pounder. Twelve-year-old Charlie Gravina was the angler who caught the 183-pound second place tuna on the "Let it Ride" and was named Top Junior Angler in the tournament. The second-place single largest tuna caught on the "Let it Ride" was worth $66,040. Third-place in the heaviest single tuna category and a check for $37,582 went to the "Cyntinory" and local angler Terry Layton.
30 Years and 300 Wins Later
BERLIN- A pair of Stephen Decatur High School head soccer coaches with 30 years and over 300 wins between them announced in February they were resigning their positions with each citing personal reasons and the need to spend more time with their families.
Long-time mens' varsity soccer coach Steve Berquist in February resigned at head coach and womens' head coach Amy Fenzel-Mergott announced she was stepping down shortly thereafter. The resignations are not related to any problems at the school or with the programs, rather each coach cited the need to move on for personal reasons as the catalyst for their rather sudden departures.
Berquist took over the Decatur mens' soccer program in 1988 and had been at the helm every autumn for 19 years. Fenzel-Mergott, meanwhile, came to Decatur in 1996 and started the school's women's soccer program. She collected her 100th win at Decatur early last season.
Furyk Opens Glen Riddle Course
BERLIN- About 14 hours after coming tantalizingly close to winning the U.S. Open at Oakmont in the Pennsylvania town of the same name not far from where he grew up, high-ranking PGA professional Jim Furyk was in the resort area in June to help dedicate the War Admiral course at the Glen Riddle community.
A clearly tired Furyk helped cut the ribbon for the new course and fielded questions during a press conference before playing the course with scores of fans following him around.


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'Eye See You' 100% Silk Twill Scarf
A super fun (and creepy?!) pink silk scarf featuring eyes, eyes everywhere! At Sunshine Frankie we want you to be wearing something unique - a talking point, and we think 'Eye See You' will do the job.
Scarf size - 60x60cm
100% high quality silk twill, 100% gorgeous, and proudly shipped from the US.
Care guide:
For best results, store in the box this gorgeous scarf arrived in and try to avoid any jewellery accessories or makeup that may catch on its fine, delicate surface.
Ideally let a professional dry cleaner handle the scarf but if you find a last minute stain before you head out to rock the town, take a look at our care guide.
For Silk
For best results, store in the box this gorgeous scarf arrived in and try to avoid any jewellery accessories or makeup that may catch on its fine, delicate surface.
Ideally let a professional dry cleaner handle the scarf but if you find a last minute stain before you head out to rock the town, here's what we suggest:
Get your sink prepared by cleaning to perfection, then fill it up baby! We're using cold to body temperature water as not to damage the silk's high quality. Grab yourself a specialised silk liquid soap and be super gentle with how much you're using. Staying delicate, you want to squeeze, and massage your scarf and VERY lightly rub on any mark you find.
Done? Beautiful. Now rinse, rinse, rinse with cold water! Don't let any soap bubbles stick around; you'll lose that beautiful soft touch.
To dry, we love to treat it special, laying it flat on a towel, folding, and pressing the water out softly. We're almost there! Hang your scarf and let it dry naturally. Whip out the iron as we take out those ugly creases. We generally suggest a medium heat but PLEASE start lower if you're unsure at first - there will most likely be a silk setting. Make sure the base is clean and get pressing! We'd also recommend flipping your luxurious scarf on it's back and iron this side first. The only thing worse than a stain is a burn!
Now your scarf is all clean and fresh, get out there and take on the day in style x
Please allow between 2-3 days for your order to arrive in the US, 6-7 days internationally. If an added 3 days have passed according to the above guidelines, please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com to review the status of your order, and we will look into it.
Our policy lasts 10 days. If 10 days have gone by since your order, unfortunately we can't offer you a refund or exchange.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be unused and in the same condition that you received it. It must also be in the original packaging.
* Any item not in its original condition, is damaged or missing parts for reasons not due to our error. * Any item that is returned more than 10 days after delivery
Refunds (if applicable)
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 to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.
Late or missing refunds (if applicable) If you haven't received a refund yet, first check your bank account again. Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted. Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted. If you've done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at email@example.com
Sale items (if applicable) Only regular priced items may be refunded, unfortunately sale items cannot be refunded.
Exchanges (if applicable) We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at email@example.com and send your item to: 30 Broadwey Close, Weymouth, DOR, DT3 5PJ, United Kingdom.
To return your product, you should mail your product to: 113 oriole ct Hummelstown, PA 17036
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary.
If you are shipping an item over $50, you should consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don't guarantee that we will receive your returned item.

subset: commoncrawl


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Ask the MB: Dress Shirts That Don't Look Like Dresses
A: Roughly 66 percent of American men are overweight and about 25 percent are obese. Meanwhile, 100 percent of male models either have a six-pack, anemia, or both. (Plus-sized models are a strictly female phenomenon as far as we know.)
But while off-the-rack shirtmakers are happy to perpetuate oppressive ideals of masculinity (yes, we're totally joking) when creating their print ads, catalogs, and websites, they have to tailor their shirts to that tubby 66 percent if they want to make any money. If you're fit, which it sounds like you are, these shirts are going to make you look like you finished third in the latest season of The Biggest Loser (i.e., you lost some weight, but not enough to finish in the money and purchase a new wardrobe).
The solution? Places like Brooks Brothers offer slim fit dress shirts, and most dress shirt brands at a place like YOOX have a more Continental (aka "less fat American") fit.
What we've been getting into since our feature on custom dress shirts is, well, custom dress shirts. Our current fave is Chicago-based Deo Veritas run by Vinnie Sikka. They've got top quality fabrics and construction, and we've tweaked our dimensions to perfection, which for us is slim through the torso but leaving just enough excess to easily achieve artful dishevelment.
Earlier: Untucked Sport Shirts With Shorts


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Wiki » History » Revision 23
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tsaitgaist, 08/13/2019 12:52 PM
add version information
Osmocom SIMtrace 2¶
- Table of contents
- Osmocom SIMtrace 2
Osmocom SIMtrace 2 is a software, firmware and hardware system for passively tracing SIM-ME communication between the SIM card and the mobile phone, and remote SIM operation.
While it was designed for SIM-ME communication, it supports all ISO 7816 smart-cards using the T=0 protocol (the most common case).
It is a followup of the SIMtrace project, providing more functionalities (e.g. remote SIM operation) and supporting multiple boards (e.g. SIMtrace with SAM3S, sysmoQMOD).
The SIMtrace 2 firmware supports several boards.
The firmware is written for an ATSAM3S4B micro-controller.
Note: The SAM3S is meanwhile labelled as not recommended for new designs by Atmel. However, there are plenty of hardware and software compatible upgrade options, including SAM4S. The upgrade is possible in the future.
SIMtrace v2¶
The main purpose of this board is to sniff the communication between a phone and a SIM card (or any card reader and smart-card).
This is the same circuit board as the previous SIMtrace v1, with the exception that the ATSAM3S4B micro-controller replaces the old AT91SAM7S64. Since the SAM3S is pin compatible with the SAM7S, any SIMtrace v1 board can be converted into a SIMtrace v2 board simply by replacing the micro-controller.
Note: This hardware is open source.
The SAM3S micro-controller with SIMtrace 2 firmware is also used on the sysmoQMOD board to provide remote SIM operation capabilities.
Note: This hardware is not open source.
The SIMtrace 2 firmware source code is available in git.
Pre-built firmware binaries are available here.
The firmware are currently under active development and we recommend to flash the new firmware images to profit from the latest bug fixes and added functionalities.
The SIMtrace 2 firmware is a complete rewrite and can only be flashed on hardware with SAM3S ARM Cortex-M3-based micro-controllers.
The SIMtrace 2 firmware is not compatible with the older SIMtrace v1 using SAM7S ARM7TDMI-based micro-controllers.
- connect a USB to UART cable either to the 2.5 mm stereo headphone connector (tip = TX, ring = RX, sleeve = GND) or the nearby DEBUG port (pin 1 = GND, pin 4 = TX, pin 5 = RX)
- open the serial port with the following configuration: 921600 8N1 (115200 8N1 before version 0.5.1.2-80d9 from 2018-08-28)
- reboot the board using the RESET button or by re-plugging the USB connector
- you should see a banner containing the version information:
============================================================================= SIMtrace2 firmware 0.4.195-acb7 (C) 2010-2016 by Harald Welte =============================================================================
The trace application firmware allow to sniff the communication between a phone and a SIM card (or any card reader and smart-card).
It is intended for the SIMtrace v2 hardware and its function is analog to the SIMtrace v1.
The sniffing is completely passive. It uses the RST, ATR, PPS (baud rate tested with F/D up to 512/32), and WT (waiting timeout) to properly parse the ISO 7816-3 TPDUs.
Currently only the T=0 protocol is supported since this is the most common protocol used (we haven't seen T=1 in use).
The application firmware to be flashed using DFU is simtrace-trace-dfu.bin.
To compile the firmware using the source code, or participate in the development, please refer to the instructions provided in the README .
The firmware images can be flashed as described here.
Host PC Software¶
The SIMtrace 2 host PC software are available in the simtrace2 git.
libosmocore, libpcsclite and libusb.
to install those packages:
sudo apt-get install libusb-1.0-0-dev libosmocore-dev libpcsclite-dev
Compiling it¶
git clone git://git.osmocom.org/simtrace2.git cd simtrace2/host/ make
Accessing it¶
Add udev rules so to be able to use SIMtrace 2 devices and access the device as non-root user:
# add current user to plugdev group (user needs to re-login for this change to take effect) sudo adduser $USERNAME plugdev # grant access permission to SIMtrace 2 for plugdev group sudo wget -O /etc/udev/rules.d/99-simtrace2.rules https://git.osmocom.org/simtrace2/plain/host/99-simtrace2.rules # reload udev rules sudo udevadm control --reload-rules sudo udevadm trigger
allows to list all SIMtrace 2 compatible devices:
./simtrace2-list USB matches: 1 1d50:60e3 Addr=4, Path=2-2.3, Cfg=1, Intf=0, Alt=0: 255/1/0 (SIMtrace Sniffer)
This is useful when you have multiple devices (such as with the Wiki) and have to specific with device to use by the other applications.
This will use the trace firmware and retrieve the sniffed phone-SIM communication.
The activity will be shown on the consol output:
./simtrace2-sniff simtrace2-sniff - Phone-SIM card communication sniffer (C) 2010-2017 by Harald Welte <email@example.com> (C) 2018 by Kevin Redon <email@example.com> Using USB device 1d50:60e3 Addr=4, Path=2-2.3, Cfg=1, Intf=0, Alt=0: 255/1/0 (SIMtrace Sniffer) Entering main loop Card state change: reset hold Card state change: reset release ATR: 3b 9f 96 80 1f c7 80 31 a0 73 be 21 13 67 43 20 07 18 00 00 01 a5 PPS: ff 10 96 79 PPS: ff 10 96 79 Fi/Di switched to 512/32 TPDU: a0 a4 00 00 02 3f 00 9f 22 TPDU: a0 a4 00 00 02 7f 20 9f 22 TPDU: a0 a4 00 00 02 6f 46 9f 0f TPDU: a0 b0 00 00 11 81 43 43 43 20 45 76 65 6e 74 ff ff ff ff ff ff ff 90 00 Card state change: reset hold
The TPDU will also be sent the GSMTAP frames to UDP/IPv4 localhost:4729.
This also allows to analyze the communication in wireshark using the GSM SIM dissector.
Binary Packages¶
Osmocom provides binary packages for several flavors of Debian and Ubuntu GNU/Linux on a variety of architectures (i586, x86_64, armhf, armv7l). Unless you are a software developer interested in developing on Osmocom, it is recommended you use those packages instead of building from source.
For more details see Binary_Packages
Updated by tsaitgaist over 4 years ago · 23 revisions


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So America's first "Asia-Pacific President" who brought America "back" to Asia after eight years of supposed neglect under the Bush Administration has cancelled his Indonesia-Australia-Guam trip yet again. I add up an unprecedented four cancellations ("postponements") for this particular Presidential trip. Indonesians fully expected him there in November of last year at the end of his visit to South Korea, Japan, China, and Singapore (APEC host). The expectation was strong enough that Obama had to personally tell Indonesian President Yudhoyono that he couldn't make it. And the drama over the March trip is well known. Two cancellations in that month - over the health care debate in Washington.
Look, it is hard to hold the circumstances of this latest cancellation against the President. He needs to assert leadership in resolving the environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico. That's a multifaceted problem, much more complicated than trips down to New Orleans are going to solve. If fixing it means staying in the US to better devise and co-ordinate the federal response, fine.
The real problem with cancelling this Asia trip should be traced back to March. That was a political crisis - and scheduling nightmare - of Obama's own making. It's not as if the Administration didn't know reforming one-sixth of the US economy was going to be contentious, and the Administration itself largely controlled the calendar. There should have been better co-ordination and balancing of priorities.
In March, President Obama chose his domestic political agenda over an important foreign commitment to steadfast allies in Australia, budding partners in Indonesia, and Guam. (Guam, it should be noted, is not only part of the United States and represented in Congress, it is saving America's military presence in the Western Pacific by taking Marines forces displaced from the restructuring of bases in Japan. A day there to express appreciation would be nice.)
The more you put things off, the more risk you run of new problems popping up. And that's exactly what has happened with the June trip. I'm not sure, in fact, it was ever 100 per cent. From reports of an overlapping Ahmadinejad visit to Jakarta in June to repeated (failed) attempts to get official confirmation of the dates and itinerary, there has always been some reason to doubt how firm the President's visit really was. Now, the hole in the Gulf of Mexico has ended all speculation.
Of course, the President didn't control the timing of the oil spill. He did, however, control his March schedule.
Already, since this latest cancellation, speculation has begun (particularly in Indonesia) that the trip will be rescheduled for November this year, again around APEC. November could also be problematic. Obama is now committed to visit Seoul (G20), Yokohama (APEC), and India that month. And he's going to add Indonesia and Australia? Any chance that he'll also go to Hanoi for a meeting of the US-ASEAN Summit with heads of government from South-East Asia is now completely dead. That Summit, by the way, was a great idea. But unfortunately, the Summit is also a plank in the "America is Back" argument that seems to be melting away in the face of reality - and mismanagement. The best the President can do is probably a meeting with leaders on the margins of APEC - precisely the innovation that the presumably absent Bush Administration initiated.
Most likely, something else on the November agenda has got to give. The sooner the Administration can make clear what that is, the better. All concerned, the Japanese, Koreans, Indians, Australians, Indonesians, and the Guamanians deserve clarity. Basic to any good relationship is managing expectations. A lesson the President should have learned by now.
Presidential trips may seem like "just protocol", but these things are not to be taken lightly. There is big downside in messing them up. And right now, that's exactly what the President is doing. Let's hope he can pull it together.
First published by The Heritage Foundation on June 4, 2010
See what other readers are saying about this article!
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Walter Lohman is Director of The Heritage Foundation's Asian Studies Center.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.


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- What We Do
- Agriculture and Food Security
- Democracy, Human Rights and Governance
- Economic Growth and Trade
- Education
- Ending Extreme Poverty
- Environment and Global Climate Change
- Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment
- Global Health
- Water and Sanitation
- Working in Crises and Conflict
- U.S. Global Development Lab
Worldwide, an estimated 2.4 billion people depend on biomass fuels (wood, dung, crop residues) to meet their cooking needs and heat their homes, including approximately three-quarters of the households in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The use of these solid fuels in open fires and rudimentary stoves is not only inefficient, but can also result in high levels of indoor air pollution; negative local and global environmental impacts, including global warming; and loss of productive opportunities for women and girls - who usually bear the burden of collecting the fuel.
USAID is working to reduce the adverse effects of household energy use by encouraging families to switch to cleaner, more efficient fuels and technologies. Our programs support the adoption of alternative fuels and affordable stoves that require less fuel to meet household energy needs and release fewer pollutants. These stoves can help us accomplish many international development objectives, such as
- improving health;
- reducing environmental degradation;
- mitigating climate change;
- fostering economic growth and;
- empowering women
Our overarching goal is to develop evidence-based practical approaches to scaling-up and sustaining these interventions.
USAID is a founding partner of the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, and is working closely with the Alliance and other U.S. Government partners to collectively disseminate 100 million clean cookstoves by 2020. Our commitments to the Alliance are concentrated in three primary areas:
- Developing the clean cookstove sector via projects that strengthen the business operations of cookstove enterprises and encourage private sector participation;
- Increasing understanding of consumer needs and preferences, in order to help the global community bolster adoption of clean cookstoves and reduce exposure to indoor air pollution;
- Working with financial institutions to increase private-sector finance available to consumers seeking to make cookstove purchases and enterprises working along the cookstove supply chain
The following table summarizes the programs that constitute USAID's commitment to the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves:
Region | Program Descriptions | Implementing Partner | Years |
LATIN AMERICA & THE CARRIBBEAN | The Haiti Improved Cooking Technology Program seeks to establish a commercial market for efficient household charcoal stoves, and convert commercial food vendors to liquid petroleum gas (LPG) | Chemonics International | 2012-2015 |
The Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASHplus) program is assessing consumer needs, preferences and willingness to pay for fuel-efficient biomass stoves in Bangladesh and Nepal, and will develop strategies to improve clean cookstove dissemination |
The Translating Research into Action (TRAction) project is funding randomized control testing of behavior change communications to reduce indoor air pollution in India, while increasing the dissemination and use of cleaner-burning cooking technologies |
Duke University | 2011-2014 | |
The Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) is supporting research in Nepal to determine how cookstove technologies affect the incidence and prevalence of acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia in children under five. If successful, this study will provide crucial evidence that levels of household air pollution (HAP) directly influence child health. |
National Tuberculosis Center and University of California, Berkeley | 2014-2017 | |
The Catalyzing Clean Energy in Bangladesh (CCEB) project is working to identify appropriate technologies and support market development for improved cookstoves. |
Deloitte Consulting LLP | 2014-2017 | |
A randomized control trial in India is measuring the impact of four economic and marketing tools aimed at reducing barriers to adoption of a cookstove that contains a USB charger allowing excess energy produced while cooking to charge small electrical devices. |
BioLite LLC | 2013-2015 | |
Two TRAction-funded projects are testing various marketing and payment mechanisms while establishing local production and dissemination of gasifier stoves in Uganda |
Impact Carbon and PATH | 2011- 2014 |
Cookstove marketing and distribution channels are being developed to serve displaced populations in Ethiopia and the Darfur region of Sudan, with the aim of establishing a self-sustaining stove distribution organization in a humanitarian context | Potential Energy, Inc. | 2012-2015 | |
Fuel-efficient stoves are being provided to host communities of the Kakuma refugee camp in Northern Kenya. The program will seek to evaluate the relationship between the use of fuel-efficient stoves and women's and girls' risk of exposure to gender-based violence during fuel collection | World Food Program | 2012-2013 | |
Energy efficient stoves are being produced locally for use in schools and other institutions in Lagos and Ebonyi states. | International Centre for Energy Environment and Development | 2012-2015 | |
The Developing a Sustainable Cookstove Sector program is working with the Kenya Union of Savings and Credit Cooperatives (KUSSCO) and Micro Enterprises Support Program Trust (MESSPT) to develop new financial products for customers and distributers of efficient stoves. The program is also working with Burn Manufacturing and Boma Safi to help these firms scale production and distribution of efficient stoves in Kenya. | Winrock International | 2012-2016 |


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Skin care services include facials, microdermabrasion, dermaplaning, non-surgical face lift and other treatments and lotions.
The customized skin care treatments offered have been developed over the years by French scientists and physicians.
The spa's offering also include body massage and nail care.
Products include Biologique Recherche, Tata Harper, Kat Burki, Darphin, ZOYA and Pure Fiji.
elanskinspa.com, 951-2233.
Elan Skin Spa, 1806 S. Osprey Ave., Sarasota.
Published in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune Business Weekly on March 3, 2014.


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delivered 31 July 2005, Cooperstown, NY
What a beautiful day this is!
I stand here today before you humbled and a grateful baseball player. I am truly honored and in awe, honored to be in the class with my fellow inductee Wade Boggs. And as I look behind me here, wow, at the greatest players in the history of the game, I am in awe. I know that if I had ever allowed myself to think this was possible, if I had ever taken one day in pro ball for granted, I'm sure I would not be here today. This will come as a shock I know, but I am almost speechless.
The reason I am here, they tell me, is that I played the game a certain way, that I played the game the way it was supposed to be played. I don't know about that, but I do know this: I had too much respect for the game to play it any other way. And if there is a single reason I am here today, it is because of one word: "Respect."1 I love to play baseball. I'm a baseball player. I've always been a baseball player. I'm still a baseball player. That's who I am.
(I love you too.) [response to audience]
I was a baseball player when I was 10 or 12 years old pretending to be Willie Stargell or Johnny Bench or Luis Tiant, when my bat was an old fungo, my ball was a plastic golf ball, when the field was the street and my older brother Del and I would play all day. I was a baseball player at North Central High School in Spokane, Washington even though I was all-city in basketball, even when I signed a letter of intent to play quarterback at Washington State. That's why Del advised me to turn down the chance to play football and sign with the Phillies out of high school. I had too much respect for the game to leave it behind or to make it my second or third sport in college.
Everything I am today, everything I have today, everything I will ever be is because of the game of baseball, not the game you see on TV or in movies; baseball, the one we all know, the one we played with whiffle ball bats pretending to be Yaz or Fisk or Rose, in dirt fields, and in allies. We all know that game. The game fit me because it was right. It was all about doing things right. If you played the game the right way, played the game for the team, good things would happen. That's what I loved most about the game, how a ground out to second with a man on second and nobody out was a great thing.
I was taught coming up in the Phillies organization to be seen and not heard by people like Pete Rose, my hero growing up, and players like Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton and Manny Trillo. I understood that.
My parents, Derwent and Elizabeth, who are no longer with us, understood that. My mom was at every single game I played as a kid, rain or shine. My dad always said, "Keep your nose clean, your mouth shut and your eyes and ears open because you might learn something." My sister Maryl and my late brother Lane knew this too; so did my first professional manager, Larry Rojas, a guy who was always in my corner as I climbed through the Phillies organization; guys like Bill Harper, the scout that signed me; Ken Eilmes, my high school coach; PJ Carey, a Phillies coach. They taught me to respect the game above all else.
The fourth major league game I ever saw in person, I was in uniform. Yes, I was in awe. I was in awe every time I walked on to the field.
That's Respect.
I was taught you never, ever disrespect your opponent or your teammates or your organization or your manager and never, ever your uniform. Make a great play — act like you've done it before. Get a big hit — look for the third base coach and — and — and get ready to run the bases. Hit a home run — put your head down, drop the bat, run around the bases, because the name on the front is more — a lot more important than the name on the back.
That's Respect.
My managers like Don Zimmer and Jim Frey, they always said I made things easy on them by showing up on time, never getting into trouble, being ready to play every day, leading by example, being unselfish. I made things easy on them? These things they talk about — playing every day? That was my job. I had too much respect for them and for the game to let them down. I was afraid to let them down. I didn't want to let them down or let the fans down or my teammates or my family or myself. I had too much respect for them to let them down.
Dallas Green brought me to Chicago and without him, who knows? I couldn't let him down. I owed him too much. I had too much respect for him to let him down. People like Harry Caray and Don Zimmer used to compare me — they used to compare me to Jackie Robinson. Can you think of a better tribute than that? But Harry, who was a huge supporter of mine, used to say how nice it is that a guy who can hit 40 homers or steal 50 bases or drive in a hundred runs is the best bunter on the team. Nice? That was my job. When did it — When did it become okay for someone to hit home runs and forget how to play the rest of the game?
When we went home every winter, they warned us not to lift heavy weights because they didn't want us to lose flexibility. They wanted us to be baseball players, not only home run hitters. I played high school football at a hundred and eighty-five pounds and played big league baseball at a hundred and eighty-two. I'd get up to maybe 188 in the off-season because every summer I'd lose eight to ten pounds. In my day, if a guy came to spring training 20 pounds heavier than what he left, he was considered out of shape and was probably in trouble. He'd be under a microscope and the first time he couldn't beat out a base hit or missed a fly ball, he was probably shipped out. These guys sitting up here did not pave the way for the rest of us so that players could swing for the fences every time up and forget how to move a runner over to third. It's disrespectful to them, to you, and to the game of baseball that we all played growing up.
A lot of people say this honor validates my career, but I didn
't work hard for validation. I didn't play the game right because I saw a reward at the end of the tunnel. I played it right because that's what you're supposed to do — play it right and with respect. If this validates anything, it's that learning how to bunt and hit and run and turning two is more important than knowing where to find the little red light at the dug out camera.
If this validates anything, it's that guys who taught me the game — coaches like Billy Williams, Chuck Cottier, John Vukovich, Jose Martinez, Billy Connors, and Ruben Amaro; teammates like Larry Bowa who took me under his wing, Rick Sutcliff who was like an older brother, Bob Dernier, the half of the daily double — they did what they were supposed to do and I did what I was supposed to do.
There was Gary Matthews, the "Sarge." He wouldn't let me down. He was always in the on-deck circle when I was batting, and if there was a pitch that almost hit me or knocked me down, Sarge would be halfway to the mound and screaming at the pitcher to, "Get the ball over the plate or face the consequences." I saw a lot of fastballs down the middle because of Sarge and I had too much respect for how hard he played to give it any less than he did.
Sure I worked hard to get [the] most out of my God-given ability, but that's what we all did back then. That's what every one of these guys sitting here did. There were a lot of players who worked just as hard as I did and if you didn't, you didn't stay in the big leagues.
There were guys like Bill Buckner, an incredible big league hitter, the — the first pure hitter I spent time with in the big leagues. I saw him come through town with the Spokane Indians in Triple A with Tommy Lasorda and a whole team full of guys who went to the World Series. They all worked hard.
There was Shawon Dunston and Mark Grace, and together we were a double play combination for ten years. Shawon Dunston, who knew three weeks in advance if we were facing Nolan Ryan and always had a hamstring pull planned for the day before. Mark Grace, who made sure Shawon knew he was supposed to get every popup from foul line to foul line on the infield. We could read each other's minds on the field and off. They worked hard. How could I let them down? By not being prepared for everything that might happen in the field, at the plate, or on the bases?
Andre Dawson — the "Hawk." No player in baseball history worked harder, suffered more, or did it better than Andre Dawson. He
's the best I've ever seen. Stand up Hawk. The Hawk. I watched him win an MVP for a last place team in 1987, and it was the most unbelievable thing I've ever seen in baseball. He did it the right way, the natural way, and he did it in the field and on the bases and in every way, and I hope he will stand up here someday. We didn't get to a World Series together but we almost got there, Hawk. That's my regret, that — that we didn't get to a World Series for Cub fans. I was in the postseason twice and I'm thankful for that. Twice we came close.
It reminds me of the guy walking down the beach. He finds a bottle, pops the cork and a genie comes out to grant him one wish. The guy says "My wish is for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. Here's a map of the Middle East." Genie takes the map, studies it for hours and hours. Finally gives it back to the guy and says, "Is there anything else you want to wish for? This is impossible." The guy says, "Well, I always wanted to see the Cubs in a World Series." The genie looks at him, reaches out and says, "Let me have another look at that map."
In baseball, there's always the next day. I always thought there would be another chance. It didn't happen, but I feel fortunate for the two chances we had and it's just a shame we didn't go to a World Series for Cub fans. You — You can't do it on your own.
And I want to say "thank you" to every teammate, coach, manager, and just as important my opponents, who made the game fun for me. I want to say thank you to friends like Doug Dascenzo, Yosh Kawano, Arlene Gill, Jimmy Farrell, John Fierro, my Cubs trainer for ten years, and Marty Hare, an old high school teammate. To Jimmy Turner, Kathy Lintz and Peter Bensinger, advisors, confidants and close friends, thank you. Also, Barry Rosner, great writer and good friend. It's fun talking baseball with you, Barry. Thank you.
To the Baseball Writers Association, I thank you for granting me this incredible honor. I think a large part of this is the fact that I was a great interview and gave you so many quotes you could wrap a story around. Seriously, I know I wasn't the best interview for many of those years, but I wasn't trying to be difficult. I had other things on my mind. Baseball wasn't easy for me. I struggled many times when maybe it didn't look like I was struggling, and I had to work hard every day. I had to prepare mentally every day. I had to prepare physically every day, and I didn't leave many scraps for the writers.
I hope you also understand why I would not campaign for this or help you sell this. It's the best award in all of sports and I think if I had expected anything, if I was thinking about it too much or crunching the numbers, it would have taken away from the prestige of this incredible honor.
To the great folks here at the Hall of Fame, Jane Forbes Clark, Dale Petrosky, Jeff Idelson, Kim Bennett, Brad Horn, Ted Spencer, Evan Chase: Thanks for making this entire year a joy for me and my family, one we will certainly never forget.
I've been lucky enough to be welcomed into three new families since I arrived in Chicago. As great a public speaker as I am, I don't know have — I don't — I don't have the words to describe Cub fans who welcomed me as a rookie, were patient through my 1-for-32 start, and took me into their homes and into their hearts and treated me like a member of their family. You picked me up when I was down. You lifted me to heights that I didn't know I could reach. You expected a certain level of play from me and you made me play at that level for a long time.
I know there are a lot of Cub fans here today. I feel like every Cub fan in the world is here with me today. And by the way, for what it's worth, Ron Santo just gained one more vote from the veteran's committee.
Thank you to these men here, these Hall of Famers, the greatest players in the history of baseball who have welcomed me in and treated me as an equal. It's going to take some getting used to, but I thank you for your kindness and respect. This is the second best thing that's ever happened to me.
Lastly, I joined a new family when my wife Margaret, BR, Adriane and Steven took me, Lindsey and Justin into their family, and together we have made quite a happy family. I love all of you.
You are probably wondering, "What was the first?" — when I said this honor is the second best thing that's ever happened to me. My wife Margaret is the best thing that's ever happened to me. She is my best friend. She is the love of my life. She is my salvation. She's my past, my present, my future. She is my sun, my moon, my stars. She is everything that's good about life and I thank her for entering my life at a time when I needed her most. I love you.
The feeling I've had since I got the call is a feeling I suspect will never go away. I'm told it never does. It's the highest high you can imagine. I wish you all could feel what I feel standing here. This is my last big game. This is my last big at-bat. This is my last time catching the final out. I dreamed of this as a child but I had too much respect for baseball to think this was ever possible. I believe it is because I had so much respect for the game and respect for getting the most out of my ability that I stand here today. I hope others in the future will know this feeling for the same reason: Respect for the game of baseball. When we all played it, it was mandatory. It's something I hope we will one day see again.
Thank you, and go Cubs.


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Several items of interest:
1. Rafi G. has a sweet cellphone commercial.
2. Miriyummy shares some lovely memories of her summers in the Catskills.
3. A fellow mother of Israeli teens, Baila writes about summer vacation.
4. In honor of Parshat Korach, Laura prepares an edible model of Aharon's mateh.
5. What would you do? Hannah discusses chicken which was left out overnight.
6. And finally, are you looking for that special entree to, um, tempt your guests' appetites? Toby has the answer… Not!


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Atmospher Sci & Global Chg
Staff Awards & Honors
May 2008
Staff Recognized at Science Team Meeting
This poster excerpt (by Sherman Beus, Todd Halter, Nicole Keck, and Matt MacDuff from PNNL) won a People's Choice Award at the ARM Program Science Team Meeting in March 2008. It shows the results of a visualization tool that helps ARM staff manage thousands of data files. Here, the color-coding indicates which files were archived successfully in a database. Enlarged View
Staff from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) were among those recognized at the 2008 Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program Science Team Meeting, which took place March 10 through 14, 2008 in Norfolk, Virginia. The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) ARM program is a multi-laboratory science collaboration that advances understanding of atmospheric processes that affect climate change.
Seventeen PNNL staff were recognized for seven exemplary posters at the meeting. Dr. Warren Wiscombe, ARM Chief Scientist, presented awards to Sutenay Choudhury, Victor Morris, John Schmelzer, and Yan Shi and Drs. Larry Berg, Connor Flynn and Evgueni Kassianov (two posters each), Xiaohong Liu, Chuck Long, Sally McFarlane, Mikhail Ovtchinnokov, Beat Schmid, and Weiguo Wang. Additionally, a poster by PNNL's Sherman Beus, Todd Halter, Nicole Keck, and Matt MacDuff received second place in the People's Choice Awards.
This year's meeting brought together 270 ARM researchers, ARM Climate Research Facility infrastructure members, and leading scientists from 10 countries around the world, including China, Japan, Australia, Niger, France, and Germany. Highlights of the annual meeting included a session focusing on the role of observations in climate change research and breakout sessions with topics ranging from current field campaigns to new instruments.
View the posters from the meeting, including the award winners. Presentations from the meeting, including many from PNNL scientists, also can be viewed online.
Acknowledgments: PNNL strengthens U.S. scientific foundations for innovation by transforming the Nation's ability to predict climate change and its impacts.
The ARM Program is sponsored by DOE's Office of Science and managed by DOE's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. Scientists at PNNL play a key role in the ARM Program by addressing scientific questions related to the effect of atmospheric processes on energy flow. PNNL also serves as a key contributor in managing and operating the ARM Climate Research Facility—ground stations, a mobile facility, an aerial vehicles program, and data systems—that scientists worldwide use.


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Machine wash, line dry.


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This article is more than 1 year old
Last of the indie dedupe firms: We CAN fight off backup giants
Chris Mellor chats with Exagrid CEO Bill Andrews
Interview Bill Andrews, Exagrid's CEO, is a driven man, even though he's been at Exagrid for seven years. But Andrews still has a job of work ahead of him bringing Exagrid out from under Data Domain's massive market shadow.
In these days of every mainstream storage vendor having deduping backup-to-disk arrays – with the notable exception of NetApp – Andrews is running the last of the independents, a small company selling against giants like EMC, HP, IBM, etc.
What's his play? It's to have one of the better products in the game, one which provides the shortest backup window and the fastest restore – which, Andrews adds, has no restrictions on which backup apps are supported and no scalability problems, as well as no forklift upgrades over a range of separate products – the curse of Data Domain users.
The Register was there for one of Andrews' presentations, where he quickly dismissed what he classed as knock-offs from competitors; defined weaknesses and benefits of his firm's products against that of its rivals; and looked at Exagrid's coming attack plan.
Exagrid is focused on small and medium enterprises with its sweet spot being 10TB - 80TB backup. It has been shipping product for five years and has passed the 1,500 customer level – with 300 of its customers featured in user stories, a fact of which Andrews is very proud.
Customers get a seamlessly scalable deduplication product which scales out in a grid, not a cluster, architecture. Andrews says this is because Exagrid uses a zone deduplication architecture and not the block-based dedupe used by Data Domain, Quantum's DXI products, HP's D2D and the Dell 4000.
He says competitors using the block-based model need huge hash table indices as backup data size increases, and need to implement a controller-shelf architecture which can only scale up via forklift upgrades from one product in the supplier's range to a bigger one.
Exagrid does post-process dedupe, with an incoming backup stored in a landing area, so to speak, and deduplication processing taking place after the backup stream has finished coming in. This means restores from the latest full backup, Exagrid keeping the last full backup un-deduped, are fast because no rehydration, no re-building of the full file or folders from a deduplicated set of elements, is needed. Restores from deduped data though are the same speed as Data Domain.
Exagrid does not compete with Sepaton and IBM's ProtecTIER which, he says, are high-end, byte-level dedupe, Fibre Channel connect, virtual tape library (VTL) devices. Sepaton, he says, only gets four new customers a quarter. Nor does it compete, that much, with software-only dedupe products like Symantec's 5200, limited to NetBackup, EMC Avamar, and Commvault's Simpana, with its, he says, 35,000 customers.
Andrews says he doesn't see FalconStor dedupe anymore, saying that company is concentrating on CDP (Continuous Data Protection) now.
Tape lives... VTL dedupe shrinks
Interestingly, 50 per cent of Exagrid's customers write backups to tape from the dedupe hardware boxes. The firm can replace tape as the primary backup but many customers are keeping it as a secondary backup facility.
The VTL dedupe market is shrinking. Data Domain concentrates on NAS-interface product. What that means is that Data Domain is direct competition, near-overwhelming competition, to Exagrid. Andrews says Exagrid picks up disaffected Data domain, Quantum and other controller-shelf architecture product customers who get frustrated with the forklift upgrades made necessary by their backup data amounts increasing beyond an installed product's capabilities.
He says that the Exagrid range will expand upwards; a bigger model coming in the fist quarter of 2013 and another a year later. All models can be incorporated in the grid.
Channel-wise Andrews is not interested in OEM deals, saying: "No successful storage company has an OEM strategy" – traditional resellers being his core partner base. He has a telephone bureau phoning 25,000 prospective customers a year, "and 85 per cent still use tape."
What about remote site sales? "We don't chase remote sites. In our market remote sites are all done by software (replication). We don't do anything for remote sites."
Exagrid is private and the hoped-for prospects are an IPO or acquisition. We note that NetApp does not have a backup-to-deduping-disk-array product. Andrews is convinced it must ultimately have one; the market is too big to ignore and EMC can use Data Domain as a Trojan horse in NetApp accounts.
NetApp doesn't have a deduping backup disk array and needs one. Exagrid, meanwhile, has one that scales better than EMC Data Domain kit and could do with a big brand partner or owner. Will NetApp make the step to buy in a non-ONTAP deduping box? We'll see but NetApp is not renowned for moving quickly in these cases.
Meanwhile Exagrid and its channel are out on the mean backup dedupe to disk streets, hustling for a living – slowly growing, not catching up with Data Domain much, even though it can undercut prices in deals it goes for, but not falling behind either.
Exagrid is like a small terrier with its teeth in Data Domain's ankle. It doesn't hinder Data Domain much, but it won't let go, not for a moment. ®


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Church-based scouting alternatives attract interest. They have pledges. They have merit badges. And they may go camping.
But they're not Boy Scouts.
Across the country, there are decades-old religious alternatives with names like Pathfinders (Seventh-day Adventist), Royal Ambassadors (Southern Baptist), and Royal Rangers (Assemblies of God).
As the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) considers whether to change its membership policy to admit gay members (but continue its ban on gay leaders), some of these groups are fielding inquiries from people concerned about the action the BSA may take.
Leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church's Pathfinders have been asked about their program in light of the pending Boy Scout vote, said James Black, the Adventists' North American director of youth ministries.
"If individuals saw the Pathfinders as a viable option for their children, we would welcome them with open arms," he said.
Some denominational leaders with strong ties to the Boy Scouts—including Roman Catholics and United Methodists —have said they are still mulling the Scouts' proposed change, which will face a vote during the BSA's May 22-24 annual meeting.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which hosts more Scout troops than any other organization, said it is "satisfied that BSA has made a thoughtful, good-faith effort" with the proposed resolution. But Frank Page, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, said the change "would force sponsoring churches to subordinate their convictions to stay involved with the Boy Scouts."
A recent story in Baptist Press included tips on how a church can start a Royal Ambassadors program. The missions-focused program for elementary school boys is hosted in about 3,000 churches, most of which are Southern Baptist.
Steve Heartsill, managing editor of the program's curriculum, said there has been "some uptick in phone calls" as the vote approaches.
The Assemblies of God offices in Springfield, Mo., have received many calls in the last few months about its Royal Rangers program. "The inquiries come in waves, increasing each time a new report on the topic releases," the denomination said.
Dick Broene, executive director of the Calvinist Cadet Corps (CCC), said his evangelical organization heard from Scout leaders who had considered leaving the BSA when it appeared that the group might approve including gay leaders. CCC includes Bible lessons in weekly meetings and connects merit badges to Scripture.
"We are very similar in many ways with the merit badges and rank advancement, uniforms, and emphasis on camping," said Broene, whose organization drew 1,200 participants to a 2011 triennial camporee in Michigan. "The difference is we have Christ at the heart of everything we do."
Like CCC, Christian Service Brigade (CSB) Ministries is not connected to a particular denomination. It recently moved from Wheaton, Ill., to Hamburg, N.Y., and has fielded inquiries.
"We are difficult to find," said Dale Kinkade, CSB Ministries' Ohio Valley regional director, who is handling Scout-related calls. "Despite that, we have had quite a few inquiries of who and what we are."
Kinkade said his evangelical group is not as outdoors-oriented as the BSA, but it has a "Shape N Race Derby" that resembles the Scouts' Pinewood Derby races. It also features the rank of "Herald of Christ," which is similar to the Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout.
"Our goal is to go beyond raising up character, and especially in citizenship, but really focuses in on building up a young man who has awareness of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ," he said.
Supporters of OnMyHonor.net, a new organization spearheading efforts to oppose the BSA policy change, said in a May 5 simulcast that some Scout-affiliated church groups are considering pulling out if the vote doesn't go their way. Religious groups charter 70 percent of the Scout-sponsoring organizations.
"That relationship is at risk, as is the future of one of the last nonreligious institutions that has not yielded to political correctness," said a narrator of the simulcast, which was hosted by the Family Research Council.
Boy Scouts officials are quite aware of the potential effect of a gay-related policy change on their local religious units. According to an executive summary on the BSA website, a change in the youth membership policy "would be consistent with the religious beliefs of the BSA's major chartered organizations." A policy change about both leaders and members could cause "membership losses in a range from 100,000 to 350,000."
Some religious Scout leaders said they have not had any inquiries from people wondering about Scouting alternatives.
"We have no plans to offer alternatives," said Larry Coppock, the United Methodist Church's national director of Scouting ministries.
R. Chip Turner, national chairman of the BSA's Religious Relationships Task Force, said he's grateful the Scouts delayed the process about a potential policy change. Now, he said, it's a matter of prayer as the task force gathers at the BSA annual meeting before the vote occurs.
"I have asked several task force members from various faith groups to lead us in a season of prayer for divine guidance in the voting process," he said.
About the Author
Religion News Service is an independent, nonprofit and award-winning source of global news on religion, spirituality, culture and ethics.


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The International Tennis Hall of Fame toasted this year's inductees with a party at Cipriani on Friday night.
That's Vic Seixas (who? read up!) with Puma muse Guillermo Vilas; Jim Courier also makes an appearance.
Others: Pam Shriver (whose dress is missing a button; she won't say which one), the oft-skewered socialite (and Park Avenue Peerage regular) Tinsley Mortimer, tennis legend Stan Smith (yep, the one with adidas kicks named after him), and Spanish Bumblebee Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario.
Bonus round: Mortimer wears a pink, ruffled Roberto Cavalli dress and clutches a pink purse which she designed herself under the Japanese label Samantha Thavasa. The line also has collaborations with Maria Sharapova, Victoria Beckham, and Sarah Jessica Parker. (source)
Eugene L. Scott honoree Andre Agassi with Brittany and Lisa Gastineau.
(photos by Getty Images)


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What we think
LRQA's experts regularly share their research and insights.
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Chris is VP of Pipeline Services for LRQA, where he is responsible for leading a diversified portfolio of services to the midstream market, including technological and data driven solutions to increase safety and profitability for its pipeline clients.
Previously, he was Director of Pipeline Services for SGC Engineering, a part of Senergy, acquired by LRQA in 2016, where he was responsible for increasing SGC's pipeline business, focusing on new data collection technologies, such as UAS and geospatial data management for pipelines.
With more than twenty five years' experience in the pipeline industry, he has held supervisory and management positions with a major pipeline operator in the North America, El Paso Corporation and a with a consortium company, Portland Natural Gas Transmission System.
LRQA's experts regularly share their research and insights.


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DETROIT (AP) -- General Motors is hiring Volkswagen's top U.S. spokesman as its new public relations chief.
The company announced Monday that Tony Cervone ((Sir-VONE)) would become senior vice president of communications effective immediately.
The 51-year-old Cervone was a communications executive at GM before leaving in 2009.
Before Volkswagen, Cervone headed communications at United Airlines. He also worked at Chrysler before GM.
He succeeds Selim Bingol, who left GM last month.
Cervone developed close ties to CEO Mary Barra when they worked together in communications at GM.
Cervone rejoins GM in the midst of its recall of millions of small cars with defective ignition switches. GM's mishandling of the situation has prompted congressional hearings and investigations by government agencies. GM says at least 13 people have died in crashes linked to the problem.


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1001 was produced by the ID5 Interactive Systems faculty as the result of an iterative draft design process. Apart from design aspects, permanent adaption of the surface to the human body was the working team's main focus. They adopted various approaches as a means of controlling spatial movements. CAD was essential in order to simulate specific deformation of the surface and, in subsequent work stages, to shape this deformation in all its conditions. The aim was for 1001 to be formally convincing not only as an object but also in every possible use situation. More than 30 clusters, each consisting of three elastic rods, are mounted on a spherical base and support the reclining surface, which has a corresponding geometrical pattern but consists of rigid segments.
Design and construction by Thomas Hiemann and Markus Dilger
The project was created in the project group ID5, UdK Berlin with support of Prof. Burkhard Schmitz and Katina Sostmann.


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In my map there are a number of layers. I want my custom legends to show when the related layer feature is visible in the current map view. I am able to turn on/off the display of the legend according to display scale but I need to hide the legend if the feature is not in the map view even if it is in the range of display scale.
I go through the layer collection of the map. I tried to debug when the vector layer feature is visible in the map view but I get layer.features.length
as always zero.
I need it total in terms of openlayers script. I do not want to utilize GeoExt.


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Rockledge is the oldest city in Brevard County, Florida. The city's population was 24,926 at the 2010 United States Census, and is part of the Palm Bay−Melbourne−Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area. == History == Rockledge was officially founded on August 7, 1887, making it the oldest incorporated municipality in Brevard County. The name Rockledge, attributed to Gardner S. Hardee, an early settler, comes from the many ledges of coquina rock that line the Indian River. Other sources refer to a man named Cephas Bailey Magruder, who built his home after settling in the area in 1876 near the Indian River.
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Synopsis: | An animated interpretation of Tolkien's classic tale of the hobbits, wizards, elves, and dwarfs who inhabit Middle Earth. Animator Ralph Bakshi used live motion animation (roto-scoping) to give his characters more life-like and human motion. Well done in spite of the difficulty of adapting from Tolkien's highly detailed and lengthy works. |
Directed by: | Ralph Bakshi |
Producer(s): | United Artists |
Cast: | Christopher Guard, John Hurt |


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"Hide-A-Way Cottages are everything the website described and more. We loved our cabin and will definitely be back in the future!" (Cottage #9)
"Our stay was extremely peaceful. The cottage was clean and cozy. Evenings were quiet, peaceful and nights by the campfire very memorable for years to come. We will be back next year." (Cottage #9)
"We had a wonderful time, the cabin was so comfortable and well equipped. There are so many things to do in the area; we can't wait to return and we'll definitely stay at Hide-A-Way again! The privacy is great!" (Cottage #1)
"We would like everyone to know that Hide-A-Way Cottages is the greatest! We've never had such exceptional service and understanding from any other place we've stayed. We were in a jam without a place to stay due to an unfortunate incident with another camping facility. You guys not only came through for us, you went the 'extra mile' to make our stay a wonderful experience. Thanks guys-we'll be back!" (Cottage #10)
"For less than the price of a decent hotel room, I was able to enjoy a beautiful, peaceful cabin set amongst the trees with only the deer and birds as my visible neighbors. Thank you for providing everything you promised." (Cottage #9)
"We needed an escape from our hectic urban living and found the Hide-A-Way cabins a perfect retreat. We were quieted by the seclusion, the peaceful sounds of the forest, the star-filled sky, plus access to the Clear Creek State forest. We will recommend this to friends & family." (Cottage #9)
"Thanks for leaving the woods intact. Cabins are spaced apart perfectly for privacy. Enjoyed porch swing and trail through the fields. Had a nice picnic by the campfire. Thanks Bill & Sandy for a great 'Hideaway'." (Cottage #7)
"It was a fantastic '2nd honeymoon' weekend! We enjoyed every second of our "Hide-A-Way Adventure"!" (Cottage #7)
"Hide-A-Way is a yearly tradition to us every October because it is where we spent our honeymoon." (Cottage #8)
"My husband & I still talk about how beautiful & quiet it was for our week away from the crazy everyday life. Thank you so much for your hospitality & we are definitely planning a return visit soon! We stayed in cabin number 10 and I would definitely recommend that cabin to everyone I know! Looking forward to The next getaway!"
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Dubai: Further population growth in the UAE is expected to increase remittances from the UAE by 7 to 8 per cent over the next two years, HSBC told Gulf News.
Dubai's hosting of the World Expo will be a major catalyst for the remittance market, as it will attract more expatriates into the country and drive the GDP, employment and private sector growth higher.
The World Bank estimates that global remittances will reach $550 billion (Dh2 trillion) this year and more than $700 billion by 2016. "The Middle East is expected to form a key part of this growth," said Gifford Nakajima, regional head of wealth development at HSBC Bank Middle East.
Nakajima noted that the core business sectors in the UAE have already shown signs of recovery over the past few years and the UAE's remittance market has likewise expanded at a strong pace.
"As we expect the country's core business sectors to continue performing strongly, with non-oil GDP set to expand by 4.5 per cent this year and employment expected to continue rising, it is likely that the UAE's remittance market will also continue to expand over the next few years," Nakajima said.
More expatriates are expected to come to Dubai for work in the run-up to Expo 2020. It is estimated that more than 200,000 jobs will be generated between 2013 and 2021, and some Dh26 billion will be poured into the infrastructure sector.
"As a majority of these [jobs] are expected to be in the country's thriving private sector, we will see a significant increase in the number of
expats in the UAE. This will clearly have a substantial impact on increasing remittance inflows and outflows, which are heavily dominated by the country's expat population," Nakajima said.
Nakajima noted that more expats from India and other Asian countries will to come to Dubai to benefit from Expo-related opportunities. India and China alone are the world's biggest remittance destinations with a total remittance market valued at $131 billion.


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In my continuing interest to explain the narrative function of crafts, I want to address one minor point of comparison. In discursive narrative, verisimilitude, or what Stephen Colbert calls "truthiness" is completely acceptable. In my interpretation of Bruner's article, discursive narrative may be based on real events or fictional, without diminishing our use of it to establish belief or to portray reality in shaping the beliefs of others. A great example is when Ronald Reagan used his movie characters' "experiences" as being valid in explaining and rationalizing positions he took in office as president. In political narrative, it has become completely acceptable to just make stuff up.
I want to compare this with craftwork as narrative expression. Crafts are not about making things up, but about making real things. Narrative, as used in politics, religion and entertainment creates belief based on verisimilitude, on ideas that may appear to resemble truth from certain psychological predispositions but may not be able to pass full muster of physical reality. In other words, in discursive narrative, you get to make stuff up. In crafts, you make beautiful and useful stuff instead, and if you are interested in reality, there is no substitute for the real thing, and I'm not talking Coke.
There is an honesty in craft work that is missing in too much k-12 and university education, and the results can be disastrous for the entire society. The following is from Charles Henry Ham's book, Mind and Hand, 1886:
It is thus that the trained hand comes at last to foresee, as it were, that a false proposition is surely destined to be exploded. The habit of rectitude gives it prescience. It invariably discovers, sooner or later, that a false proposition, when embodied in wood or iron, becomes a conspicuous abortion, involving in disgrace both the designer and the maker. A false proposition in the abstract may be rendered very alluring; a false proposition in the concrete is always hideous. One of the chief effects of manual training is, then, the discovery and development of truth; and truth, in its broadest signification, is merely another name for justice; and justice is the synonym of morality.


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Wireless networking is still a relatively new thing in the world of computers, yet is quickly catching on as more people begin to purchase laptops and want networking on the go, without having to fool with some old twisted pair cable. This trend doesn't appear to be slowing down. Unfortunately, wireless networking isn't yet as strongly supported in Linux as traditional wired networking.
There are three basic steps to configuring an 802.11 wireless Ethernet card:
Hardware support for the wireless card
Configure the card to connect to a wireless access point
Configure the network
Hardware support for a wireless card is provided through the kernel, either with a module or built in to the kernel. Generally, most newer Ethernet cards are provided through kernel modules, so you'll want to determine the appropriate kernel module and load it through /etc/rc.d/rc.modules. netconfig may not detect your wireless card, so you'll probably need to determine the card yourself. See http://www.hpl.hp.com/personal/Jean_Tourrilhes/Linux/ for more information on kernel drivers for various wireless cards.
The vast majority of this work is done by iwconfig, so as always read the man page for iwconfig if you need more information.
First, you'll want to configure your wireless access point. Wireless access points vary quite a bit in their terminology, and how to configure them, so you may need to adjust a bit to accommodate your hardware. In general, you'll need at least the following information:
The domain ID, or name of the network (called the ESSID by iwconfig)
The channel the WAP uses
The encryption settings, including any keys used (preferably in hexadecimal)
A NOTE ABOUT WEP. WEP is quit flawed, but it's much better than nothing. If you wish a greater degree of security on your wireless network, you should investigate VPNs or IPSec, both of which are beyond the scope of this document. You might also configure your WAP not to advertise its domain ID/ ESSID. A thorough discussion of wireless policy is beyond the scope of this section, but a quick Google search will turn up more than you ever wanted to know. |
Once you've gathered the above information, and assuming you've used modprobe to load the appropriate kernel driver, you can edit rc.wireless.conf and add your settings. The rc.wireless.conf file is a bit untidy. The least effort is to modify the generic section with your ESSID and KEY, and CHANNEL if required by your card. (Try not setting CHANNEL, and if it works, great; if not, set the CHANNEL as appropriate.) If you're daring, you can modify the file so that only the necessary variables are set. The variable names in rc.wireless.conf correspond to the iwconfig parameters, and are read by rc.wireless and used in the appropriate iwconfig commands.
If you have your key in hexadecimal, that's ideal, since you can be fairly confident that your WAP and iwconfig will agree on the key. If you only have a string, you can't be sure how your WAP will translate that into a hexadecimal key, so some guesswork may be needed (or get your WAP's key in hex).
Once you've modified rc.wireless.conf, run rc.wireless as root, then run rc.inet1, again as root. You can test your wireless networking with standard testing tools such as ping, along with iwconfig. If you have a wired interface you may wish to use ifconfig to turn those interfaces off while you test your wireless networking to ensure there's no interference. You may also want to test your changes through a reboot.
Now that you've seen how to edit /etc/rc.d/rc.wireless for you default network, let's take a closer look at iwconfig and see how it all works. This will teach you the quick and dirty way of setting up wifi for those times when you find yourself at an Internet cafe, coffee shop, or any other wifi hot spot and wish to get online.
The first step is to tell your wireless NIC what network to join. Make sure you replace "eth0" with whatever network interface your wireless card uses and change "mynetwork" to the essid you wish to use. Yes, we know you're smarter than that. Next you'll have to specify the encryption key (if any) used on your wireless network. Finally specify the channel to use (if needed).
# iwconfig eth0 essid "mynetwork" # iwconfig eth0 key XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX # iwconfig eth0 channel n |
That should be all on the wireless end of things.
This is done in the exact same way as wired networks. Simply refer to earlier sections of this chapter.


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Trident Makes It worth ugrading your windows and doors in Compton 90222
Surely Call Trident Windows And Doors At (949) 478-3812 For A Free Consultation And Quote Today
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Additionally, Trident Windows and Doors can provide financing options to make your upgrade affordable, and homeowners may be eligible for income tax refunds and government grants when replacing their windows and doors.
So, by upgrading your windows and doors, you can achieve a significant return on investment (ROI), with estimates suggesting you can recoup over 70% of the replacement cost through energy savings and increased property value in Compton.
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Certainly, upgrading to energy-efficient windows and doors can significantly reduce your energy consumption and lower your monthly utility bills.
Basically, old or poorly installed windows and doors can be a significant source of energy loss, allowing heat to escape in the winter and cool air to leak out in the summer.
Correspondingly, new windows and doors can improve the curb appeal of your home and make it more attractive to potential buyers. Trident Windows and Doors can help you find the perfect fit for your home and budget in Compton 90222
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Moreover, we are currently offering a Winter 2023 Discount Pricing Package to help you save even more on your window and door replacement project.
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Mon-Sat: 8 am – 6 pm
Sun: Closed
Via Email
Manufacturers That Consider Trident Preferred Window Replacement Specialists
Imperium Windows & Doors
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List Of Cities Near Compton 90222 That Trident Windows And Doors Serves
Quality Window Replacement Services for Orange County | Imperium
Imperium Is A Window Replacement Manufacturer Providing A variety of high-quality windows for homeowners in Orange County, California. Trident is a preferred window installer of Imperium Windows Call Trident Windows and Doors and let us help you choose the window configuration that best fits your budget and style Here are some of the types of…
Continue Reading Quality Window Replacement Services for Orange County | Imperium
Finding a Sliding Door Replacement Contractor: A Guide
Finding a Sliding Door Replacement Contractor: A Guide Replacing a sliding door can be a big investment, so it's important to find a contractor who can provide you with the best quality workmanship and materials. Here are a few tips to help you find a reputable and reliable contractor for your sliding door replacement project.…
Continue Reading Finding a Sliding Door Replacement Contractor: A Guide
Why Replace the Windows and Doors in Your Home
Why Replace the Windows and Doors in Your Home If you're considering renovating your home, replacing your windows and doors should be at the top of your list. Not only will new windows and doors enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home, but they can also improve energy efficiency, increase property value, and provide additional…
Continue Reading Why Replace the Windows and Doors in Your Home


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Chipotle: Guacamole at risk from global warming
LOS ANGELES -- Could guacamole and some salsas become victims of global warming? Possibly, says Chipotle Mexican Grill.
The restaurant chain, in an annual report, listed drought and global weather change among a long list of business risks faced by the company.
"Increasing weather volatility or other long-term changes in global weather patterns, including any changes associated with global climate change, could have a significant impact on the price or availability of some of our ingredients," Chipotle said in the filing last month.
If the cost of ingredients jumps, the company said it "may choose to temporarily suspend" serving items such as guacamole or some salsas.
The warning was highlighted Tuesday by ThinkProgress, a liberal blog.
The good news is Chipotle customers won't have to deal with guacamole withdrawal anytime soon.
"This is nothing more than routine risk factor disclosure. The sky is not falling," said Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold. "I wouldn't read too much into this."
Chipotle says it uses 97,000 pounds of avocados a day -- and 70 to make a single batch of guacamole. That comes out to nearly 18,000 tons of avocados a year.
Chipotle's company's policy includes a "food with integrity" program that stresses using organic meats and crops whenever possible with an eye towards the sustainability of the food supply.
California, a major source of the nation's avocado crop, is currently suffering from a severe drought, despite heavy rains in the last week.
Arnold did not have any figures on how much prices might increase due to the drought, but said a slight price increase is far more likely than any shortages.
"We saw similar issues in 2011 and incurred higher prices for the avocados we used, but never stopped serving guacamole," he said.
A 2006 study by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory projected that California's agriculture production, including that of avocados, could be cut by as much as 40% by the middle of the century due to global climate change.


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In a terse Pashto language statement emailed to the Associated Press on Sunday, Zabihullah Mujahed blamed the "current complex political situation in the country" for the suspension.
Bergdahl, of Hailey, Idaho, was last seen in a video released in December, footage seen as "proof of life" demanded by the United States. Bergdahl is believed to be held in the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mujahed said the indirect talks with the United States had been mediated by the Middle Eastern state of Qatar, where the Taliban established a political office last June. The video of Bergdahl was part of the negotiations which were to lead to the eventual transfer of five senior Taliban leaders held since 2002 in Guantanamo Bay.
"The leadership of the Islamic Emirate has decided to suspend the process for some time due to the current complex political situation in the country," according to the statement. "The process will remain suspended without the exchange of the prisoners until our decision to resume."
The Taliban spokesman did not elaborate on what "political situation" in Afghanistan led to the suspension of talks or say when they might resume. Afghanistan is in the middle of a presidential election campaign. President Hamid Karzai cannot seek another term in office under the Afghan constitution which allows only two terms as president. The election is scheduled for April 5.
The U.S. State Department has refused to acknowledge the negotiations, but a U.S. official familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press that indirect talks were underway. He requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
In response to the Taliban statement, U.S. Embassy Spokesman in Kabul Robert Hilton said: "Sgt. Bergdahl has been gone far too long, however we can't discuss the efforts we're taking to obtain his return."
Efforts at a swap are also seen as a concession to Karzai. Washington would like to see him back away from his refusal to sign a security pact that is necessary for the United States to leave a residual force behind in Afghanistan
Karzai he wants Washington to push reconciliation between the warring factions forward, without offering specifics.
The five Taliban detainees at the heart of the proposal are the most senior Afghans still held at the prison at the U.S. base in Cuba. Each has been held since 2002.
They include:
- Mohammad Fazl, whom Human Rights Watch says could be prosecuted for war crimes for presiding over the mass killing of Shiite Muslims in Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001 as the Taliban sought to consolidate its control over the country.
- Abdul Haq Wasiq, who served as the Taliban deputy minister of intelligence and was in direct contact with supreme leader Mullah Omar as well as other senior Taliban figures, according to military documents. Under Wasiq, there were widespread accounts of killings, torture and mistreatment.
- Mullah Norullah Nori, who was a senior Taliban commander in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif when the Taliban fought U.S. forces in late 2001. He previously served as a Taliban governor in two northern provinces, where he has been accused of ordering the massacre of thousands of Shiites.
- Khairullah Khairkhwa, who served in various Taliban positions including interior minister and a military commander and had direct ties to Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden, according to U.S. military documents. His U.S. lawyers have argued in court papers that his affiliation with the Taliban was a matter of circumstance, rather than ideology, and that he had backed away from them by the time of his capture. His lawyers also have argued that he was merely a civil servant and had no military role, though a judge found otherwise and said there was enough evidence to justify holding him at Guantanamo. His lawyers have appealed.
- Mohammed Nabi, who served as chief of security for the Taliban in Qalat, Afghanistan and later worked as a radio operator for the Taliban's communications office in Kabul and as an office manager in the border department, according to U.S. military documents. In the spring of 2002, he told interrogators that he received about $500 from a CIA operative as part of the unsuccessful effort to track down Mullah Omar. When that didn't pan out, he says he ended up helping the agency locate al-Qaida members.
AP writer Cassandra Vinograd in Kabul contributed to this report. Kathy Gannon is special regional correspondent for Afghanistan and Pakistan.


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It's time for bed on this warm spring evening. The rain falling on your window and the sound of a fan blowing set the vibe for a relaxing night of sleep. Fan noise and raining sounds can be calming on their own but, when combined, they create a sound so soothing. Next time you have trouble falling asleep, try playing this fan sound and rain ambience to help you get the much-needed rest you deserve.
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The Forsyth County Board of Elections will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, July 15, 2014 at 2:00 PM in the 4th floor multipurpose room of the Forsyth County Government Center, 201 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. The agenda will include one-stop site planning for the November General Election. Other business may be discussed.
Please contact the Board of Elections office at (336) 703-2800 for more information regarding the meeting.