text:
We had two glorious days of spring in Portland this week. It was sunny and 65 degrees in Portland and the streets were flooded with pasty white hipsters.
I joined with my fellow pasty-skinned Portlanders and reveled in the sunshine. I even left work early on Thursday, just to soak in a little extra sun. On a whim, the husband and I decided to invite a few people over for dinner that evening.
We BBQed. We sat outside (without jackets!). We pretended it was summer, never once stopping to think about the fact that it's March in Portland.
And while we knew in our hearts that the sun wasn't here to stay, we made the best of it while we could.
It was perfect.
And here we are, 3 days later. As I write this, I am curled up on the couch with a blanket and a cup of coffee. It is absolutely horrible outside and our two days of sunshine seem like a distant past.
But you know what? I'm OK with it. We made the most of those two days, and we'll have more beautiful days to come.
When those days arrive, you can be sure I'll be grilling up some Brussels Sprouts.
Adapted from Serious Eats
Note (1): If it's still cold and miserable where you live and you don't feel like BBQing, these Brussels sprouts could easily be cooked on a grill pan on the stove.
Note (2): This is a very basic mustard sauce, and could easily be adapted. A touch of honey would be lovely with it, or perhaps some crushed garlic.
1 pound of Brussels Sprouts
2 Tablespoons whole grain mustard
2 Tablespoons Olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Equipment needed:
Bamboo skewers
BBQ or Grill pan
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the sprouts (i.e. cook them in the boiling water) for 3-4 minutes. Remove sprouts from the boiling water and rinse with cold water (or plunge into an ice bath).
Remove sprouts from cold water and pat dry. Trim the bottom stems of the sprouts, and remove the outer leaves. Mix together the mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the Brussels Sprouts in the mustard sauce. Allow to marinate for 30 minutes.
Once sprouts have marinated, prepare them for grilling. Skewer sprouts, placing 3-4 sprouts on each skewer. (Note: Since the sprouts aren't cooked all the way through yet, they are a bit tough to skewer. You can also place the sprouts directly on the grill without a skewer, if they are large enough to not slip through the grill grate.)
When the grill is nice and hot, place the skewered sprouts on the grill. Grill for 3-5 minutes on each side, or until the sprouts are nicely charred on all sides. When ready, remove the sprouts from the grill and toss with a bit more mustard sauce.
Enjoy immediately!
P.S. I had a few leftover grilled sprouts, so I tossed them into a curry noodle bowl I had for lunch the next day. It was amazing.


text:
Download a customizable best practices checklist from our partners at
Info-Tech to help you get the most out of your remote meetings.
Related Topics : Intranets, Network Protocols, Networking, OS Interoperability, TCO
The gig economy is clearly disrupting the tech industry, both in positive and negative ways. ... More >>
While HCI is certainly innovative in design, its true measure lies in the practical benefits it brings to data center management and operations. ... More >>
Cost reduction has been the main driver of IIoT adoption. Other contributors are the emergence of ancillary and complementary technologies, including low-power hardware devices, the cloud, Big Data analytics, robotics and automation and smart sensors. ... More >>

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Not much new on Destiny's Child's 'Love Songs'
When Beyoncé announced "new music" from her former girl group Destiny's Child, at first it seemed like this meant a new album. It does not. It means a new song.
Otherwise, "Love Songs" is just that, a compendium of ballads concerning romance by the hitmaking late '90s-early '00s soul pop group fronted by Beyoncé and featuring Kelly Rowland — who also has a solo song included — and later Michelle Williams (and, at various times, LeToya Luckett, LaTavia Roberson, and Farrah Franklin).
This type of compilation can be done right — see: Madonna, "Something to Remember" — but in a digital world of playlist-making it's unnecessary when, as in this case, 13 of the 14 tracks are already available.
Also, listening to the placid "Love Songs" you realize why Destiny's Child released so few ballads and made their bones with more uptempo numbers like "Survivor" and "Bootylicious." With the exception of the Bee Gees-penned "Emotion," many of these songs are short on melody and rhythmically sluggish.
Destiny's Child completists need only download the new track, "Nuclear," a modestly appealing trifle that features quasi-scientific nonsense about "when two become one on a quantum level" and benefits from all the slow jam somnambulance preceding it by being slightly more alert.
Casual fans are better off getting the hits compilation "#1's." It's a great dance-workout disc and clearer indicator of what these children were truly destined to do. (Out now) - SARAH RODMAN
ESSENTIAL "Nuclear"


text:
The trajectory of mobility has been at a torrid pace and perhaps growing faster than any other technology that we have ever seen. With mobile technology, it seems that new and more powerful devices come out almost every fiscal quarter. It wasn't long ago that we were using pay phones, taking pictures with handheld and even digital cameras, capturing video on camcorders, having CD players, browsing the Web and performing work on our desktop computers. We also only interacted socially by meeting each other in person. All of that is now completely possible and at a very high standard with mobility.
Mobility has been the game changer in the past decade and has changed the paradigm of society. It is perhaps the most significant innovation of a generation. What is absolutely clear is that mobility will continue to grow and evolve as we move forward. More facets of our lives will start to converge with mobility. Although it is inevitable that the torrid pace of mobility will eventually slow down, there is no question that innovation will continue. Here's a closer look at the evolution of mobility, provided by Dipesh Mukerji, senior director of product strategy and marketing at Kony.
Related Topics : In Their Own Words: The Four Dark Horses for the Third Major Mobile OS Speak, HTC, Mobile Search, 3G, Location-Based Services
Wearables are revolutionizing the workplace, with innovations that create a safer work environment or enhance the way professionals are able to go about their job. ... More >>
Here are the top 10 strategic technology trends that will impact most organizations in 2017. Strategic technology trends are defined as those with substantial disruptive potential or those reaching the tipping point over the next five years. ... More >>
Digital innovation is by far the biggest influencer, changing the way we do just about everything, from shopping to communication to running a business. ... More >>


text:
April 6, 2019
Free update to the modular particle system adds support for volumetric lighting, shadow catcher material. Read More »
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Free update to real-time archviz software improves Collada import, adds 50+ wood and brick materials. Pro users get new plant models. Read more »
June 25, 2019
Discover how to create clouds, smoke and fog with The Gnomon Workshop's detailed masterclass. Read more »
June 22, 2019
Veteran figure design tool sold to the parent firm of reseller and stock content marketplace Renderosity. Read more »
June 21, 2019
Next update to the 3D software to bring major performance improvements to core systems, new character rigging features. Read more »
Watch the best tech breakdown videos of the year, as chosen by CG Channel's Facebook followers. Read more »
January 12, 2019
© CG Channel Inc. All Rights. Privacy Policy.
CG Channel is part of the Gnomon group of companies:


text:
Gaseous Ring Around Supernova 1987A
HST has resolved, to an unprecedented detail of 0.1 arcsecond, a mysterious elliptical ring of material around the remnants of Supernova 1987A.
In this image, taken with the European Space Agency's Faint Object Camera on August 23, 1990, the ring appears as a yellow ellipse. The tightly knotted debris from the stellar explosion appears as a red blob near the center of the ring. The blue stars to the left and right of the ring are not associated with the supernova.
This raw image, not computer reconstructed, was made in the yellow light of doubly ionized oxygen (5007 angstroms). The blue and red color was added to reflect the object's true color.
The ring, located 160,000 light-years from Earth is destined to be a relatively short-lived structure. Expanding debris from the supernova will overtake and disintegrate the ring within a century.


text:
Traffic Division
Reducing Crashes - Saving Lives
The goal of the traffic division is to generate voluntary compliance of the state's traffic laws. We strive to accomplish this goal by educating the public, by identifying and addressing street engineering issues, and by enforcing the traffic laws of this state. The traffic division, when fully staffed, is made up of three motorcycle officers, four Community Service Officers, one School Resource Officer, and is supervised by a Lieutenant.
The motorcycle officer and school resource officer positions are staffed by officers who are selected for a period of 6 years. The Community Service Officers (CSOs) are sworn officers with limited commission who primarily handle code enforcement, prisoner transport, parking enforcement, traffic control, special projects, special events and many other tasks as needed.
The Traffic Lieutenant also serves as the Police Department liaison to the Transportation Advisory Board.
The traffic division is directly involved with the Safety Belt Diversion Program through the Legacy Trauma Nurses Program, and in the education and installation of vehicle child safety seat devices.
Each of the officers assigned to the traffic unit are members of Clackamas County C.R.A.F.T. (Crime Re-construction and Forensics Team) and assist in the investigation of fatal, serious injury and traffic crime related crashes as well as all homicides in Clackamas County.
Municipal Court (Traffic Court)


text:
Exploring Mars from On High
Orbiters Allow Us to Understand the Planet as a Whole
Orbiters on future missions will examine the planet's environment even more precisely. They will search for evidence of water's existence both now and in the past, on the surface and underground. The history of water is key to all four science themes of the Mars Exploration Program: climate, geology, life, and preparation for human exploration.
Orbiters will also help identify scientifically interesting sites on the surface for further investigation and provide a knowledge of large rocks and other hazards at landing sites to be avoided.
Orbiters Can Assist in Communications and Navigation
Orbiters will also play a key role as communications relays for rovers, landers, balloons, and airplanes. For instance, it won't be practical for rovers, busy navigating hazardous terrain, to point their small antennas towards faraway Earth and transmit information. Instead, it will be easier for the rover to send data to a Mars orbiter, which in turn will precisely point a large antenna at Earth and communicate large volumes of images and other data.
Orbiters can also assist with navigation of other spacecraft approaching Mars. For example, Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter will carry a test camera that pinpoints the position of approaching spacecraft, helping navigators back on Earth know exactly how to direct the spacecraft for precision orbit insertion and landing.
Orbiters Can Assist with Sample Returns
Orbiters may also play a vital role in returning samples from the surface of Mars. Just as it is not efficient to communicate large volumes of science data directly from the Martian surface to Earth, it is not practical to launch a rocket containing samples from the Martian surface and expect it to navigate itself back to Earth and land safely. Instead, the preferred solution is to launch a small canister containing samples into orbit around Mars, have an orbiter rendezvous with and capture the canister, and then eject the spacecraft from Mars orbit back towards Earth.
See the technology section for information on technologies that will expand the capabilities of orbiters in the future, including propulsion and remote sensing.


text:
Event: Environmental Studies Capstone Symposium
Advisers and students are invited to attend the Autumn 2017 Program on the Environment Capstone Symposium. The event is on Wednesday, November 29, from 4:30PM – 8:00PM. The symposium is a great chance to get to know the range of topics students delve into for the Environmental Studies major. There will be both oral and poster presentations.
The symposium will be held in the FSH Auditorium & Lobby, 1122 NE Boat St (uw.edu/maps/?fsh).
Event info and registration: Sustainability game jam Nov 11/12
Passionate about the environment? Like games and want to try making one? The Sustainability Game Jam Nov 11-12 is for you!
What's a game jam? It's a weekend event where participants design a game around a theme – this jam will focus on creating games (using any format) that educate, inform, and promote sustainability. Participants can be assigned to a team or create and register their own team.
Marine Weather Workshop – Kingston, Oct 28 2017
Marine Weather Workshop
Washington Sea Grant is sponsoring a Marine Weather Workshop. Topics include:
Relationships of atmospheric pressure and wind
Determining the path and speed of squalls
Strong wind systems found in the Northwest and offshore; how to avoid them
Key features of low pressure systems
How 500mb wind patterns can help you find "weather windows" for safe passages
How do pressure gradients affect wind in Washington waters
What is a computer model?
Making Government Work for All workshop
Are you interested in advocating for evidence-based policy, but unsure how to begin?
Join us at the Seattle Central Library for Making Government Work for All: a workshop on public comment for science, labor and environmental advocacy.
WHEN: 6-8:30 PM Thursday, October 26
Two UW graduate student-led groups, the UAW Local 4121 Climate Justice Working Group and The Public Comment Project, are working with the Union of Concerned Scientists to bring you an evening of free draft beer, pizza, and public comment.
Event: Indigenous Feminisms Speaker Series
The third installment of our Indigenous Feminisms speaker series is happening next Friday, October 20th at the Intellectual House.
The theme is a Loving Rebellion and both speakers will be discussing issues of violence against women, particularly indigenous women, and their research and grassroots work to bring this topic to light. Please join us and invite your students, faculty, and staff.
Scholarship: $5, 000 Mary Gates Scholarships – info sessions begin today!
The Mary Gates Endowment for Students is currently accepting scholarship applications. Mary Gates Scholarships provide $5,000 ($2,500 per quarter for two quarters) for students to pursue leadership or research projects. These scholarships benefit students in the current academic year, and are open to all UW undergraduate students regardless of class year, major, residency status, or UW campus. Deadlines are coming up soon, so attend an information session!
Event: Jackson School series on 'Trump in the World' in Fall quarter – no registration necessary
We are now opening up this series of talks to all students
Attend any or all of the talks without registering for JSIS 478 A.
Due to the success of our Spring quarter series on 'Trump in the World: International Impacts of the Trump Presidency' we have organized a sequel, with a new series of all-new 'Trump in the World' talks in Fall quarter.
Study Abroad: School for Field Studies Info Session
Come to the 'SFS Lunch and Learn' to hear about Environmental Field Studies Programs!!
Date: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25th
Time: 12:30 – 1:30p
Location: WALLACE COMMONS
Pizza will be provided!!
The School for Field Studies
100 Cummings Center, Suite 534G
Beverly, MA 01915
Tel: 978.380.4795
SFS Blog Facebook Twitter Flickr YouTube
Event: Q Center Welcome!
Welcome to a New School Year Everyone!
I hope you've all had a good summer! May this quarter bring you good grades and at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
The Queer Student Commission is one of nine diversity commissions under the ASUW. We bring queer-focused programs, events, and services throughout the year. My name is Josh, and I'm super grateful to be this year's QSC director!
Event: Healthy Husky Fest @ Dawg Daze
Healthy Husky Fest
Tuesday, September 26th, 10am-2pm, The Quad
Facebook Event
Celebrate the start of the school year on the Quad at Healthy Husky Fest, next to the School of Public Health's Petting Zoo. Explore wellness programs from across campus and set yourself up for a healthy school year.
We will have lots of free giveaways from UW and community resources, arts and crafts stations, and other games and activities to help you learn about self-care.


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on the P&L, why I can't hover over the line item to get details?
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What changed with the QBServer Manager to disallow Administrator users access to company files on a server?
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how do I download Quickbooks Premiere Accountant Edition 2017 to my new computer so I can transfer files from my old computer to my new one?
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text:
Working with the EnvBuilder Class
The venv module provides a simple API that allows you to customize the creation of the lightweight virtual environments. For example, if you want to easily create virtual environments and control which packages are installed after their creation, you can use the API to automate this procedure. Instead of creating scripts in the different platforms and shells, you can use the Python language to customize the way venv works for your needs.
The scripts use the
venv.EnvBuilder class to create the lightweight virtual environments with the provided configuration. It is easy to understand the keyword arguments that the
EnvBuilder class accepts because they mimic the different options I've been explaining. However, you need to pay attention to the defaults because
EnvBuilder specifies a default
False value for all the arguments. The following table shows the instantiation arguments for the class, and the equivalent option in the
pyenv.py script for the different Boolean values:
So, if you want to create an instance of the
EnvBuilder class with the default values used when you invoke the
pyenv.py script without additional options, you must set the
with_pip argument to
import venv builder = venv.EnvBuilder(with_pip=True)
Then, you can call the
create method with the desired target directory or folder for a new lightweight virtual environment as an argument. The following line creates a new virtual environment in
C:\mypythonenvs\virtualenv03 in a Windows system. As you might guess, if something goes wrong, the
create method will raise an exception.
The source code for the
create method is easy to understand. The following lines show the different methods called to create a lightweight virtual environment.
def create(self, env_dir): env_dir = os.path.abspath(env_dir) context = self.ensure_directories(env_dir) self.create_configuration(context) self.setup_python(context) if self.with_pip: self._setup_pip(context) if not self.upgrade: self.setup_scripts(context) self.post_setup(context)
The good news is that you can extend the
venv.EnvBuilder class and override any of the following methods called within the
create method:
ensure_directories: Creates the directories or folders for the new virtual environment and returns a context object that holds the paths in this environment. The next methods receive the context object as an argument to have access to the paths.
create_configuration: Receives the context object returned by
ensure_directories. Creates the
pyenv.cfgconfiguration file and saves the values for the keys.
setup_python: Receives the context object returned by
ensure_directories. Sets up the Python executable in the virtual environment. The method decides whether to symlink or copy the files based on the operating system and the arguments specified in the create method that might force symlinking.
_setup_pip: The
createmethod calls
_setup_pipif you set
Truewhen creating the
_setup_pipreceives the context object returned by
ensure_directories. This method installs or upgrades
pipin a virtual environment. The Python documentation for venv provides an example of extending the
EnvBuilderclass to install pip when you create virtual environments. Because Python 3.4 includes the call to _setup_pip, you don't need to extend
EnvBuilderto achieve that goal.
setup_scripts: Receives the context object returned by
ensure_directories. Installs the default scripts into the new virtual environment. You can override this method to prevent the default installation or to specify a different location for the scripts.
post_setup: Receives the context object returned by
post_setupis just a hook for post-setup modifications of the new virtual environment. You can override the method to perform the installation of additional packages or scripts.
The following lines show a simple example of how to extend
venv.EnvBuilder to override the
post_setup method. You just need to add the necessary code to setup the desired packages in the new virtual environment in the
post_setup method. The
main method code is borrowed from the venv module and the only thing that changes is that the code creates an instance of the
CustomizedEnvBuilder class instead of the
venv.EnvBuilder class. This way, the virtual environment creation will use the overridden
post_setup method.
import os import os.path import sys import venv class CustomizedEnvBuilder(venv.EnvBuilder): def post_setup(self, context): """ Set up any packages which need to be pre-installed into the environment being created. :param context: The information for the environment creation request being processed. """ # Add the necessary code to setup required packages in the new virtual environment pass def main(args=None): compatible = True if sys.version_info < (3, 3): compatible = False elif not hasattr(sys, 'base_prefix'): compatible = False if not compatible: raise ValueError('This script is only for use with Python >= 3.3') else: import argparse parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog=__name__, description='Creates virtual Python ' 'environments in one or ' 'more target ' 'directories.', epilog='Once an environment has been ' 'created, you may wish to ' 'activate it, e.g. by ' 'sourcing an activate script ' 'in its bin directory.') parser.add_argument('dirs', metavar='ENV_DIR', nargs='+', help='A directory to create the environment in.') parser.add_argument('--system-site-packages', default=False, action='store_true', dest='system_site', help='Give the virtual environment access to the ' 'system site-packages dir.') if os.name == 'nt': use_symlinks = False else: use_symlinks = True group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group() group.add_argument('--symlinks', default=use_symlinks, action='store_true', dest='symlinks', help='Try to use symlinks rather than copies, ' 'when symlinks are not the default for ' 'the platform.') group.add_argument('--copies', default=not use_symlinks, action='store_false', dest='symlinks', help='Try to use copies rather than symlinks, ' 'even when symlinks are the default for ' 'the platform.') parser.add_argument('--clear', default=False, action='store_true', dest='clear', help='Delete the contents of the ' 'environment directory if it ' 'already exists, before ' 'environment creation.') parser.add_argument('--upgrade', default=False, action='store_true', dest='upgrade', help='Upgrade the environment ' 'directory to use this version ' 'of Python, assuming Python ' 'has been upgraded in-place.') parser.add_argument('--without-pip', dest='with_pip', default=True, action='store_false', help='Skips installing or upgrading pip in the ' 'virtual environment (pip is bootstrapped ' 'by default)') options = parser.parse_args(args) if options.upgrade and options.clear: raise ValueError('you cannot supply --upgrade and --clear together.') builder = CustomizedEnvBuilder(system_site_packages=options.system_site, clear=options.clear, symlinks=options.symlinks, upgrade=options.upgrade, with_pip=options.with_pip) for d in options.dirs: builder.create(d) if __name__ == '__main__': rc = 1 try: main() rc = 0 except Exception as e: print('Error: %s' % e, file=sys.stderr) sys.exit(rc)
The ability to customize the
venv.EnvBuilder class using Python code makes it possible to tailor the creation of virtual environments to your needs. The venv module includes features focused for the task of using different packages to generate isolated environments in Python. This support for multiple different lightweight virtual environments in Python is a truly useful feature that has been enhanced in the latest Python 3.4.
Gaston Hillar is a frequent contributor to Dr. Dobb's.


text:
Model #PRE-1400N
|List Price:
|Our Price:
|$449.00 New
General Description
We're committed to exceeding your expectations:
- Found it for less? We'll match the price
- 25-Year or Limited Lifetime Warranty
Our customers come first — we guarantee it!
Here's the solution for storing your various–sized games, puzzles, books and toys in an attractive and organized unit.
- Manufacturer:
Wood Designs
From infant care to teacher's storage, Wood Designs has your whole preschool classroom covered. Storage, art, infant care and dramatic play centers are just a few of Wood Designs' extensive furniture lines.
- Width:
- 48 in.
- Depth:
- 14 in.
- Height:
- 36 in.
- Weight:
- 101 lbs.
- Cubby Opening:
- Green
- GreenGuard Gold
- Number of
- 32
- Warranty:
- Limited Lifetime
- Made in USA
- Certified Green
- 15 tote tray shelves.
- 12 regular shelves.
- Five vertical storage shelves.
- Available with assorted colored trays, clear trays or no trays.
- 100% birch plywood (including backs and shelves).
- Greenguard Tuff–Gloss™ water–based paint finish for lasting beauty.
- No formaldehyde, lead, phthalates or VOCs.
- CARB II and CHPS compliant.
- CPSIA conformity.
- Fully–rounded corners and edges.
- Heavy duty swivel casters.
- Built by experienced craftsmen to the highest standards of detail and workmanship.
- Lifetime Coverage: Our Limited Lifetime Warranty guarantees many years of use and enjoyment.
This product is made with pride in the United States of America!
Indoor air quality certified for children and schools
We're committed to exceeding your expectations:
- Found it for less? We'll match the price
- 15-Year or Limited Lifetime Warranty
Our customers come first — we guarantee it!
Shipping & Assembly
- Ships Via:
- Common Carrier
- Leaves Factory In:
- Approximately 3-6 business days
- Assembly:
- Ships assembled
Multi Purpose Storage with 15 Cubbies - No Bins
|List Price:
|Our Price:
Product Family
This product is a part of Wooden 1400 Series Multi-Storage
There are 3 products in the family


text:
18" X 60' Roll CLEAR Abrasive Tape
18" X 60' Roll CLEAR Abrasive Tape
10 Day Processing prior to Shipping
18" Wide x 60' Feet - Color CLEAR
Safety Track® colors commercial grade non-skid tape is the preferred product line when visual warning is required to mark potential slip and fall hazards. It is an aluminum oxide tape that provides a high traction surface and aggressive adhesive system for general use for both indoor and outdoor applications.
Clear non-skid tape is 60 Grit NFSI certified for "High Traction" and meets Prop 65, ADA, and OSHA standards.
- Most orders ship between 1 and 5 business days unless otherwise stated.
- See description section of product marked in RED for additional information if applicable.
- Items ship via US Postal Service or UPS.
- Products may ship from different warehouse locations - based on the item ordered.
- Shipping Options are calculated during the checkout process.
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by Rachel
Anyone heard of black and decker single cup coffee maker before?
Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Gourmet coffee makers.
Singapore Cafes Guide AR
With Augmented Reality, you can "see" literally if the coffee machine can fit into your office or F&B outlet.Posted by Ebenezer Heng on Monday, July 13, 2015
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Venture capitalists and major investors have been funneling money into bitcoin companies in the last year, in what some have likened to the early stages of investing in Internet companies.
There have been a number of setbacks for the virtual currency, including the Mt. Gox bankruptcy and an investor alert from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
So just how much is at stake and where are the investment opportunities in bitcoin now?
Those questions could be answered at the CoinSummit conference in San Francisco on Tuesday and Wednesday, where several venture-capital firms will be sending their investors to talk about why they're betting on the future of digital currencies like bitcoin.
Venture-capital firms scheduled to attend include Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Clearstone Venture Partners and Ribbit Capital.
We'll be live blogging the Tuesday morning fireside chat with Marc Andreessen, who co-founded Netscape and has invested in the bitcoin company Coinbase through Andreessen Horowitz.
Another buzzy name in attendance is Pantera Capital Management, which describes itself as an investment firm focused on bitcoin. Pantera's shareholders include the public hedge fund Fortress Investment Group, as well as Benchmark Capital and Ribbit Capital. Fortress, of course is no newbie to the bitcoin space; it bought $20 million worth of bitcoin over the course of last year.
Watch out for panels focusing on bitcoin exchanges, which have become a sore spot for the industry in the wake of the collapse of Japanese exchange Mt. Gox, as well as panels focusing on the adoption of bitcoin as a payment system. You can find the full schedule for the conference here.
We'll be filing updates and tweeting regularly throughout the two-day event.
-- Saumya Vaishampayan
Follow Saumya @saumvaish
Follow The Tell @thetellblog
Read more about bitcoin from MarketWatch:
Bitcoin swap agreement could lead to regulated derivatives


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I was lucky enough to grab a seat on Boeing's new super plane, the Dreamliner, for my trip to Houston last week to visit my parents for the holidays.
And I was especially lucky to be bumped up to first class.
This wasn't my first time in first class, but it was my first time on a state-of-the art aircraft like the Dreamliner.
It was incredible.
I flew United, one of the first airlines to get the Dreamliner. Overall, the first class experience wasn't any different or special compared to other United flights I've been on. United treats its Dreamliner first class customers the same as they treat first class customers on any other plane.
And the food is just as bad. I had some sort of thick tomato soup and a salad with a sliced chicken breast on top. I could only stomach about half of it. Luckily, first class passengers get all the wine they can drink with their meal, so that made up for it.
The other first class passengers didn't seem rich or famous. I didn't talk to any of them, but most were casually dressed and I assume they were going to Houston to visit family for the holidays just like I was.
The real allure is the aircraft itself.
Every detail on the Dreamliner is meticulously thought out, from the lay-flat seats to the windows that go dark with the push of a button. Even the toilet was impressive.
The Dreamliner also has a special air filtration system that humidifies the cabin so you don't feel like you've spent several hours in a dry germ tube when you land. Instead, you feel clean and refreshed.
I've been spoiled, and I'm not looking forward to flying back home in a few days on a regular old 737.
Want to see what it's like riding the Dreamliner? Check out the gallery below for a photo tour.
Note: Boeing/United did not pay for my trip. My parents were kind enough to fly me to Houston in style. Thanks guys!
Get the latest Boeing stock price here.


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Ferlin Husky, a pioneering
in the 1950s and early 1960s who helped open the door for performers specializing in a distinctively twangy California strain of country, died Thursday. He was 85.
Husky, who was inducted into the
last year, died at a Nashville-area hospital, according to
. He had a history of heart trouble.
"In the mid-'50s, Ferlin would create the template for the famed Nashville Sound, a sound that gave rock 'n' roll a run for its money and forever put Music City on the map," Kyle Young, director of the Hall of Fame, said upon Husky's induction.
After moving to Bakersfield in the late 1940s, Husky joined the burgeoning country music scene there and helped popularize the genre by performing with other musicians and appearing on Cliffie Stone's "Hometown Jamboree" radio and TV series.
From the 1950s into the 1970s, Husky charted more than 50 country hits, the biggest of which were the heartache classic
and the gospel-driven
Signed to Capitol Records in the early 1950s, he helped discover new talent for the label, which was building its West Coast country music division. Merle Haggard and Buck Owens followed him out of Bakersfield.
Ferlin Eugene Husky was born Dec. 3, 1925, near Flat River, Mo., and grew up on a farm. He learned to play guitar before he was 10 and dropped out of school in eighth grade.
After starting his career in St. Louis, he joined the merchant marine during World War II.
His war experience was reflected in the song
The contents of the letter are sung by Jean Shepard, who tells a soldier that she's going to marry his brother. Released during the Korean War, it gave Husky his first hit in 1953.
One of his tours included a young Elvis Presley, but Husky was the headline act.
"He was so eager to learn how to entertain an audience, he'd watch everything I did," Husky later said.
Among Husky's other hits are "A Fallen Star," "My Reason for Living," "The Waltz You Saved for Me" and "Timber I'm Falling."
He also made the charts recording as a country character named
who served as his comic alter ego.
A frequent guest on TV talk shows, Husky appeared in a string of movies that included "Country Music Holiday" (1958) with Zsa Zsa Gabor and "The Las Vegas Hillbillys" (1966) with Jayne Mansfield.
In 1977, he had heart surgery — the first of many such operations — and after that performed part-time until several years ago.
"There were a lot of years when nobody in the business could follow Ferlin Husky," Haggard told the Nashville Tennessean newspaper last year. "He was the big live act of the day. A great entertainer."
Survivors include six daughters, two sons and many grandchildren.


text: How would you feel about a Nexus Mods merchandise store? That is what we would like to find out, and that is why we have designed a survey, so you guys can give us your direct feedback.Nexus Mods merchandise is something that has been requested before, and something that we feel could be a great addition to our site. However, before we get cracking on building a dedicated store for it, we would like to hear your thoughts.Your answers will help us to get an idea as to how many of you would be interested in such a merchandise store, and what kind of items and designs you would like to see there, if it were to become a reality.That being said, to provide an incentive and as a thank you for your participation we are doing another giveaway for a £35 (~$50) Steam Gift Card. Completing the survey is worth a whopping 3 bonus entries, giving those who take the time to voice their opinion a better chance to win.To participate and to not screw up your chances of winning, pay attention to the entry rules below:In order to make sure that the winner comes from the Nexus Mods community, there are some mandatory steps for ensuring your eligibility.1. Leave a comment on this article. You can say anything you want. (The site rules still apply!)2. Log into the contest entry form with your preferred method.3. Click the second entry action that says "Leave a comment on Nexus Mods"4. Enter your Nexus Mods username into the text field.(If you didn't leave a comment here before going to the contest entry form, be sure to follow the link back here and do that.)No comment or valid username = no Steam Gift Card for you.Click here to enter for your chance to win a £35 Steam Gift Card!(Entry period ends on Saturday, September 8th at 11:59 pm GMT)You can read more about why we do monthly giveaways for our social media here.If you are not interested in partaking in the giveaway, but would like to voice your opinion nonetheless, you can access the survey right here.Answering the questions regarding demographic data (e.g. your age) in the separate survey is anonymous and entirely optional.Feel free to answer honestly and leave a comment below to enter the giveaway.Thank you all very much for providing feedback and good luck.Cheers!(This is a mock-up of what a Nexus Mods mug could look like, not an actual, finished product.)


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Jolt Awards: The Best Programming Utilities, July 29, 2013 The top utilities that solve annoying development problems.
Finalist: Fiddler
Fiddler is an unexpected surprise: like a Volkswagen Karmann Ghia with a Turbo 327 under the hood. It shows you everything that is going on behind your browser, mobile device, or Web-aware application. Fiddler monitors traffic to and from browsers (IE, Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Opera); .NET, Java, PHP, and WinHTTP apps; and mobile devices (Android, IOS, WinPhone 7, and PocketPC).
Installation is drop-dead simple. Start your browser, start Fiddler, and HTTP/HTTPs traffic capture begins. Fortunately, the request/response traffic is filterable so you can zero in on traffic from specific sessions. A very useful display is the Timeline, showing the sequencing and absolute time-frame of each message. Need to send a custom request to the server? You can use the Composer to build the request string manually in Raw mode or get simple assists in Parsed mode. Need to modify traffic? Fiddlerscript is a simple language that lets you define rules for tweaking requests and responses. .NET developers have the capability to capture Web traffic (including AJAX requests) for playback with the Visual Studio Web Test product.
I am amazed at what Fiddler provides functionally. My only stumbling point was getting the detailed help that I needed to understand how to exploit its power. The website Help is adequate, but is best for configuring Fiddler for different browsers. Apparently, a book on Fiddler is in the works.
Fiddler was acquired late last year by Telerik, the UI Framework company, so Fiddler has substantial resources behind it. The company has committed to keeping Fiddler as a free product which only enhances the utility's attraction.
Gary Evans


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Made from viscose, it is unlined, non-stretch and is opaque. Fleur dress by fate has a rounded neckline with short sleeves. The women's dress has a relaxed fit, with a centre front knot around the natural waist line. The women's dress falls unevenly to approximately the mid-thigh. Comes in black. This is your new go-to dress! Fun, sophisticated and stylish, what more could you want? Dress up with gladiator heels for night with teardrop earrings and stacked cuffs. For day, wear with flats and a high-pony, great for coffee catch ups or luncheons with the girls.


text:
Fri, 29 February 2008
EA Vander Veer will help you "Facebook: the Missing Manual"... Planned Parenthood doesn't flinch while accepting money from racists. Robert Murphy tells why increasing taxes on oil companies will just bump prices at the pump. Dr. Chad Rohlfsen wants parents to be informed about vaccines.
Direct download: mickelson-2008-02-29.mp3
Category:podcasts -- posted at: 7:52am CDT


text: You are here: Home>Archive>Rugby World Cup Collection>The Norman Walker Collection>Official team headed letter Official team headed letter Official team headed letter Letter addressed to Norman on Milton Keynes Rugby Union Football Club headed paper. It is asking him to become a founder member of the rugby club for £5 or a life member for £50 to aid with their fundraising efforts for the new ground and pavilion. There is a slip at the bottom of the letter to be completed. The letter is dated February 1974 Extent 1 digital file Reference number RUG/002/015 No Comments Start the ball rolling by posting a comment on this page! Add a comment about this page Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Your comment:Name * Email * Website I consent to my name and e-mail address being stored along with this comment, and to the website editors communicating with me by e-mail about the comment if necessary. My name may be published alongside the comment on the website, but my e-mail address will not be published. My information will not be shared with any third party (see our Privacy Statement - opens in a new window). * In this collection Our archive Collection: Rugby World Cup Collection Group: The Norman Walker Collection Item: National Service Team, RAF vs Army, 1958, SingaporeItem: Wolverton Rugby Club practice sessionItem: A team socialItem: Potterspury Pram Race, High StreetItem: Potterspury Pram Race, High StreetItem: Norman and David line marking at the Windsor Street groundItem: Wolverton Rugby Club dinner 1960sItem: Wolverton Rugby Club dinner 1960sItem: Wolverton Match at the recreation GroundItem: Wolverton Rugby Club early matchItem: Wolverton Rugby Team 1974Item: Letter about the Old Bots Fun GameItem: Letter about the Grand Rugby Festival for the opening of the new ground and pavilionItem: Official team headed letterItem: Official team headed letterItem: Sam's Dream Becomes A RealityItem: Milton Keynes 1st XV play Bedford SwiftsItem: Significant win for WolvertonItem: 4 newspaper photographs from a Rugby eventItem: Wolverton Rugby Union Football Club Membership Card. 1971-72 SeasonItem: The Official Opening of Hodges Furze GroundItem: Wolverton Rugby Club Programme No. 645 for Maurice Palmer's Invitation XV versus Wolverton Combined XVItem: Souvenir Programme for a Milton Keynes (formerly Wolverton) R.U.F.C. matchItem: The Open University Rugby Festival Programme Search the archive Text search Date search


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Jiuzhaigou Travel Guide
Special Notes: Since the 7.0-magnitude earthquake occurred on August 8th, 2017 and hits Jiuzhaigou County in Sichuan Province, it had makes great damage to most of the sites and roads are blocked at the mountain area. For this case, Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve is closed till October, 2017 (opening date not sure yet), we suggest taking a tour to the Mount Siguniang or Leshan Giant Buddha and Emei Mountain in Sichuan Province instead.
The town of Jiuzhaigou, a part of the Aba Tibetan Qiang Autonomous Prefecture of northwestern Sichuan Province, lies near the southern extremity of the Min Mountain Range, which itself is situated about 330 kilometers north of Chengdu , the provincial capital. The town of Jiuzhaigou (note that gou means "valley", a reference to the valley that predates the town - in fact, the town of Jiuzhaigou administers a collection of nine villages since Jiuzhaigou means "Valley of Nine Villages") lies on the world's highest tableland on the edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, with the Sichuan Basin lying farther east (in geological-tectonic terms, the area lies along the faultlines that separate the Qinghai-Tibet Plate from the Yangtze Plate). The topography of Jiuzhaigou ranges from roughly 2000 meters above sea level on the floor of the valley to more than twice that on the summit of the highest peaks, at 4300 meters above sea level.
Like many other tourist towns in China, Jiuzhaigou is overshadowed by - if not entirely defined by - the landscapes that surround it, which, in this case, is Jiuzhai Valley. Jiuzhai Valley, in turn, consists of three primary valleys that form an upside down (viewed from south to north) "Y", but with several smaller valleys branching off from the upside down "Y", one of the main smaller valleys being Zharu Valley. All of these beautiful valleys are nestled in the embrace of towering mountains (Shuzheng Valley itself, being the south-to-north oriented "trunk", or main part, of the upside down "Y", is surrounded by a dozen snow-capped peaks, some of which reach the aforementioned height of 4300 meters above sea level). Rize Valley forms the southwestern fork, or leg, of the upside down "Y", while Zechawa Valley represents the southeastern leg of the upside down "Y".
The town of Jiuzhaigou serves as the seat of Jiuzhaigou County, which, prior to 1998, was named Nanping County.
A Dual UNESCO Role
In many respects, the Jiuzhai Valley area (Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area) resembles its nearby cousin, Huanglong Valley (Huanglong Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area), lying some 130 kilometers south of Jiuzhai Valley, except that Jiuzhai Valley is a gentler, plusher, less stark version of Huanglong Valley. Like Huanglong Valley, Jiuzhai Valley is marked by a karst landscape that is dotted with travertine pools (note that travertine is a light-colored, slightly porous calcite (CaCO3), aka calcareous alabaster, or calc-sinter*), but Jiuzhai Valley is also marked to an even larger extent by the bigger-picture tectonic processes - not to speak of the subsequent glaciation - that produced the mountains, valleys, pristine lakes (yes, real lakes, or natural reservoirs (catchements), not just travertine pools) and magnificent waterfalls of the area. The lakes of Jiuzhai Valley eventually feed into the local river, the Jialing River, an important local tributary to the Yangtze River .
Both of these famous valley systems are UNESCO World Natural Heritage Sites, while Jiuzhai Valley is additionally a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The two valley systems are also home to the Giant Panda - still an endangered species - and the Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey, though Jiuzhaigou's population of Giant Pandas, numbering only about 20 individuals, has long since been transferred to Wolong National Nature Reserve some 250 kilometers farther south, since the pandas' needs can better be met by the special facilities that are set up for them there as well as the special facilities set up there for other, similarly endangered species. Jiuzhai Valley is also renowned for its many varieties of bamboo and rhododendron, as well as for its its over 140 different bird species.
Jiuzhaigou's Demographic History
Jiuzhaigou has for centuries been inhabited by Tibetan and Qiang ethnic groups. The Tibetans have traditionally been more numerous and more organized; the nine villages of Jiuzhaigou, for example, all have a Tibetan origin, while the Qiang people live in enclaves in and around these Tibetan villages. In fact, the area was so remote that it was only "discovered" by the Chinese government in relatively recent times, namely, in 1972 (in spite of being located in Sichuan Province, which was a base for the Chinese Nationalist forces while neighboring Yunnan Province was a Chinese Red Army base, Jiuzhaigou played no role whatsoever in the Chinese Communist Revolution (1946-1950), which was the final stage of the Chinese Civil War (1915-1949)).
Of Jiuzhaigou's nine villages, only seven are still inhabited (the uninhabited villages are Guodu and Hejiao). The most easily accessible villages - and the villages most geared to tourist visits - are Heye, Shuzheng and Zechawa, which all lie along the route through the main valley, Shuzheng Valley, though the village of Zechawa lies at the entrance to Zechawa Valley where Zechawa Valley branches off from Shuzheng Valley. Slightly less accessible are the villages of Rexi and Heijiao - the latter uninhabited, as indicated - located at the entrance to Zharu Valley. Near the farthest end of Zharu Valley lie the villages of Jianpan, Panya and Guwa, as well as several large lakes. Beyond the valley system proper, i.e., beyond the exit-point town of Zhangzha, which lies at the border between Jiuzhaigou and Songpan Counties, lie three additional villages which are also Tibetan and which in fact in all other respects are indistinguishable from the 'Nine Villages of Jiuzhai Valley': Penbu, Panxing and Yongzhu.
Lest the reader get the mistaken impression that these seven remaining Tibetan villages and Qiang enclaves are large population centers, it is helpful to note that the combined population of Jiuzhaigou (all its valleys) numbered 1000 in the 1992 census, and this number is spread across a mere 130 Tibetan and Qiang families. Note also that the villages of Guodu and Hejiao are now uninhabited because the government decided to relocate their residents outside the park area itself (the scenic and historic interest area) in order to preserve the park's pristine nature. The inhabitants of all of the villages of Jiuzhaigou formerly eked out a living cultivating the land, though today, the local populace live solely on the revenue generated by the area's tourism industry, which of course provides them a significantly better standard of living**).
Though first "discovered" by the Chinese government, as indicated, in 1972, Jiuzhai Valley was made into a national park a decade later, while the rapacious logging in the area (see the footnote) had been terminated already in 1979. In 1984, the area was opened to the public, though tourism - and in particular, foreign tourism - would first pick up after the necessary transportation infrastructure was in place. This happened in the very recent past, where the Jiuzhaigou Ring Way linking Jiuzhaigou with Chengdu was built, and where the Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport (JZH, serving, as the name suggests, both Jiuzhai and Huanglong Valleys) was constructed, linking both of these national parks with Chengdu (there are long-distance buses that run between Chengdu and these two national parks).
Prior to the area's UNESCO recognition, Jiuzhai Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area became a Chinese National Geological Park and a Class 4A (the country's highest rating) National Scenic Site. Jiuzhai Valley has additionally been recognized of late by the Green Globe 21 initiative, part of the 1992 UN Earth Summit Agenda 21 Principles for Sustainable Development relating specifically to eco-friendly tourism (Jiuzhai Valley was inscribed on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage List in 1992 and was listed as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1997).
Sightseeing Highlights
Jiuzhaigou consists of a primary, Y-shaped valley system consisting of Shuzheng, Rize and Zechawa Valleys. The visitor will typically arrive in a long-distance bus from Chengdu or in a shuttle bus from JZH Airport, both of which points of origin lie south of the upside-down "Y" that describes Jiuzhaigou. The first of the three primary valleys to be encountered is Rize Valley, which is the southwestern leg of the upside down "Y". Next comes Zechawa Valley, the southeastern leg of the upside down "Y", then the trunk of the "Y" itself, Shuzheng Valley. Visits to these three valleys are generally part of any standard sightseeing tour to Jiuzhaigou, while visits to the lesser valleys such as Zharu Valley (more on Zharu Valley immediately below) and Keze Valley are less common, since there is no shuttle bus service for these valleys, though a visit to these off-the-beaten-path valleys can be well worth the effort (if you are the type who abhors the beaten path, then you require no encouragement from me to search out these lesser valleys yourself!).
If you are of a hardy constitution, then the area's ecotourism might appeal to you. Zharu Valley has been designated as an ecotourist site for hikers and campers. Interested parties - accompanied by ecotourist guides, who also provide invaluable information on the local flora and fauna - can tailor a trip in just about any length, moving from area to area within the valley and setting up their tents at designated campsites. Zharu Valley, which is home to 40% of all of the plant species that exist in China, enjoys a unique biodiversity that is one of the prime reasons behind UNESCO's designation of Jiuzhai Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area as a World Biosphere Reserve. The main hike through Zharu Valley follows the ancient Benbo Buddhist pilgrimmage that circumnavigates Mount Zhayi Zhaga, a mountain sacred to Benbo Buddhists (Benbo Buddhism is a mix of Tibetan Buddhism (Lamaism) and the ancient Benbo religion that was animistic (recognizes a spirit in all things, inanimate as well as animate) and which involved certain shamanistic practices - indeed, Lamaism, or mainstream Tibetan Buddhism, itself incorporates numerous animistic elements).
An admirer of Jiuzhaigou Valley could point to specific lakes (called haizi ("sons of the sea", a reference to their bluish-greenish hues that are reminiscent of the ocean... for a Westerner, it can be hard to imagine lakes this pure, and some of the landscapes here are reminiscent of the immense landscapes of the Three Gorges Dam area, except that Jiuzhaigou's haizi are the most placid of waters) by the local Tibetans, even though the term is borrowed from Mandarin Chinese... not so bizarre when one considers that landlocked Tibet had no concept of the oceans) or to specific waterfalls at Jiuzhaigou - and, indeed, they are many and both the lakes and the waterfalls are well-deserving of special mention - but the real pearl of Jiuzhaigou is 'all of it', i.e., the sum total of it, which is so much more than just the sum of Jiuzhaigou's individual parts, for Jiuzhai Valley is nothing less than a little piece of paradise on earth! (except for the temperature, one might well imagine that the Garden of Eden (probably quite warm, since we imagine it to be located somewhere in the Middle East) looked quite a bit like Jiuzhai Valley).
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Jiuzhaigou enjoys a temperate climate with a mean January (the coldest month) temperature of -1 degree Celsius (at or about the freezing point) and with a mean July (the warmest month) temperature of 17 degrees Celsius. The rainfall is moderate, with most of it occurring between May and October, and generally evenly distributed throughout the period. Given its cool summer climate, and given the tendency to clear skies and direct sunlight (which provides extra warmth even if it doesn't warm the air appreciably), Jiuzhaigou is an ideal midsummer vacation venue for those wishing to enjoy an active holiday without having to suffer stifling heat in order to do so, though most who visit the area during the autumn swear that this is the very best time of year to enjoy the full beauty of Jiuzhaigou, since the area is blessed with vast mixed forests, some still relatively virgin despite the former logging, with many deciduous trees whose autumn leaves present a veritable symphony of color.
Quite apart from the natural beauty of the area, the cultural beauty of the area is provided by the ethnic uniqueness of the indigenous Qiang and Tibetan peoples, who regularly stage folkloric performances for the benefit of tourists. You will also want to try the local culinary specialties, just as you will most likely hope to find that "just right" locally produced handicraft item as a souvenir by which to remember your visit to Jiuzhai Valley. In this connection, note also that to the local people, some of the scenic sites of Jiuzhai Valley are more than just natural treasures, they are supernatural treasures, i.e., they are considered holy sites, so the best advice is to always comport yourself responsibly, which, in any culture, generally translates to comporting yourself respectfully.
There are a range of star-rated Hotels - including a number of 5-star hotels such as the Sheraton chain - located in and around the city of Zhangzha, itself situated near the exit point of Jiuzhai Valley, which also puts the hotels comfortably close to Huanglong Valley, since the city of Zhangzha marks the boundary between Jiuzhaigou County and Songpan County, which also suggests that a visit to either of these famous valleys can conveniently be combined with a visit to the other.
Indeed, if one has the time for it (most backpackers are probably included here), and if one is planning to take the long-distance bus from Chengdu, then a trip to these two famous valleys can also be combined with enroute visits to some of the other even more famous (but for different reasons) sightseeing highlights of the region, namely: the elaborate Dujiangyan Irrigation Project constructed by the famous Warring States (BCE 475-221) Period administrator, Li Bing, and Erlang Shen, allegedly the son of Li Bing but also at least a semi-mythical figure with god-like powers who was reputed to be the nephew of the mythical Jade Emperor, the supreme Taoist (alternatively, Daoist) deity; and Mount Siguniang ("Four Maidens Mountain", home to the Giant Panda Breeding And Research Center), another outrageously beautiful mountain-and-valley scenic site that has for centuries been under local Tibetan-Chinese influence.
There is so much to see in this region that the visitor should give him- or herself at least a week to take it all in, or rent a helicopter with pilot and see most of it from the air in a single day, or maybe two... there is a helipad at JZH airport, though I'm not sure that they offer aerial tours (but it's a sure bet that they will be offering them in 10 years' time!). However you choose to view Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area, you will most certainly not be disappointed!
How to get there
Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area is gradually opening up to tourism, with an improved highway system leading from the province's capital, Chengdu, to the Jiuzhai Valley area, which highway also links the closest regional airport, Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport (JZH... and, as the full name implies, it is also a convenient jumping-off point for visiting Huanglong ("Yellow Dragon") Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area) with Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area. However, for the present - and for the realistic near to medium-term future, in fact - there are only two realistic choices for outside tourists (foreign or domestic) wishing to travel to the Jiuzhai area: by highway, i.e., by long-distance bus from Chengdu, which is a 10-hour drive (but you can probably rent a car in Chengdu and drive the stretch yourself, or, if you are a large enough group, you can always rent your own bus with chauffeur); or by air, via a flight to JZH, then via a special, direct coach that is a 1½ hour ride.
Our suggestion, if you contemplate visiting the scenic and historic interest area by long-distance bus, is that you combine, if at all possible, visits to other scenic sites along the route, such that you break up the travel a bit, overnighting at one of the other renowned scenic sites along the way, that way you will not face the ordeal of a 10-hour bus ride. Some high-profile scenic sites along the route Chengdu-Jiuzhaigou are the following: the Dujiangyan Irrigation Project, the stunningly beautiful Mount Siguniang ("Four Maidens Mountain") Scenic Area, and of course there is Huanglong Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area, though all of these sites are either clustered near to Chengdu or near to Jiuzhai Valley.
A better solution, apart from opting for the flight into JZH from Chengdu (and note that there are now direct flights to JZH from Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou), would be to visit the famous irrigation project north of Chengdu, then choose to spend the night at the Qiang ethnic minority village of Maoxian, which is a little more than 1/3 of the way to Jiuzhai Valley, or to skip the visit to the famous irrigation project/ Maoxian and head directly to Songpan County, Aba Prefecture (the county's seat is the city of the same name), which is about 2/3 of the way to Jiuzhai Valley. The city of Songpan has a wide variety of hotels and hostels in a range of price classes, and is additionally blessed with an Old Town that itself is worthy of a visit irrespective of the convenience implied here - you will also not be the first visitor to Jiuzhai Valley who decided to spend the night at Songpan in order break up the long bus ride to and from Chengdu.
The long-distance bus from Chengdu to Jiuzhai Valley can be caught at the Chengdu Ximen Bus Station.
* Calcareous alabaster, or calc-sinter, is formed when spring water rich in carbonic acid dissolves the calcareous (calcium-rich) parts of limestone rock, carrying the dissolved calcareous matter farther "downstream" (eg., down the slope of a mountain) where it is eventually deposited as crystallized calcareous alabaster, or calcium carbonate as it is also sometimes called. Because the source of the dissolved calcareous matter is a natural spring, and if the spring-fed water runs down the slope of a mountain, then the deposits will typically form a step-like, or terraced, series of fanned out pools, each lower elevation pool generally being broader (wider) than the one above it, though each terrace level might well consist of a jigsaw puzzle of smaller pools. Note also that travertine is similar to but not the same as tufa, a calcareous deposit formed by cooler spring water as opposed to the geothermally heated spring water that produces travertine.
** Extensive logging had earlier been permitted in the Jiuzhaigou area until the state quickly (relatively speaking) figured out that it was in its own best long-run interest - as well as in the best long-run interest of the local populace - to develop this unique natural treasure as a tourism venue.
Top Things to do in Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou Travel Ideas
Jiuzhaigou Food
As Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area is located in the mountainous area of north of Sichuan Province, goods and other life needed products have to be transfered from nearby towns and villages. Thus the price of the food are relatively high.Except some star rated hotel in the area,
Jiuzhaigou Weather
Weather ConditionsJiuzhaigou, with an elevation of about 3 kilometers, enjoys a plateau humid climate. It features huge difference in temperature between day and night. The peaks of mountains are covered with snow all year round. There is a little rainfall in Jiuzhaigou, with the annual rainfall of
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Shrugged Collective is a network of fitness, health and performance shows that help people achieve their physical and mental health goals. Usually in the gym, but outside as well. In 2012 they posted their first Barbell Shrugged podcast and have been putting out weekly free videos and podcasts ever since.
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Welcome to the School District of the Menomonie Area! Located just 60 miles east of the St. Paul-Minneapolis area and 30 miles west of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Menomonie enjoys the advantages of access to many resources while being nestled into the beautiful hills of western Wisconsin. The district serves more than 3300 students within five K-5 elementary schools, Menomonie Middle School, Menomonie High School, and nine community-based 4K centers. The community of Menomonie has a long and rich history of supporting education. Menomonie is also home to the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a satellite campus for the Chippewa Valley Technical College. We are very proud of our tradition of excellence, academic programming, and co-curricular and extra-curricular opportunities available to our students.
Recently the district engaged the community in "The Great Conversation." As a result, more than 500 citizens participated in the strategic planning process and development of our new strategic directions. We have outstanding work moving forward. Our district passed a $36 million referendum in April 2012 for the purposes of investing in our facilities. Technology initiatives include progressive integration of technology and several pilots to examine one-to-one implementation. Each of our buildings operates as a Professional Learning Community or PLC. New programming and initiatives are based upon best practice. Our district schools have been recognized for outstanding performance in many areas, including advanced placement coursework, model Response to Intervention systems, PLTW/Pre-engineering programs, and numerous student achievements!
Our board of education and staff are committed to the mission of our district. Please spend some time exploring our website to learn about the many great things we have to offer!


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Recently we had the opportunity to attend a mobile learning expo with guest speaker Travis Allen of iSchool Initiative. This young man shared an amazing timeline of events that led him to create the iSchool Initiative.
This student-led, non-profit organization is dedicated to raising awareness for technology needs in our schools. Travis spoke passionately of his interest in helping others create educational experiences like those that have changed and improved his own college career.
Travis stated, educators must find, filter, and apply technology into the classrooms. The impact of technology and mobile learning in schools continues to broaden opportunities for ELLs.
How will you use technology to create these educational experiences for ELLs?
For more information on the iSchool Initiative: http://ischoolinitiative.org/


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Assistant Professor of Fashion Design
Greg Climer holds a BA in theater design and classical studies and an MFA in Design Technology. His work looks to bridge mediums: exploring not only fashion design but also puppetry, stop motion animation, pattern drafting, and technology.As a pattern maker, he has worked on Broadway (including original production of Wicked, Boy George's Taboo, and Big River), film (including the Stepford Wives, The Village, and Warm Springs), and in fashion (including John Bartlett, The Victoria's Secret Runway Show, Karl Lagerfeld, Todd Thomas, and Imitation of Christ.)For several years he designed his own menswear collection but is currently focusing on exploratory work with technology, pattern cutting, and fashion
fashion design ,fashion technology,menswear,pattern construction
Creative Construction (Fall 2018)
Independent Study
Independent Study (Fall 2018)
Major Studio 1 (Fall 2018)
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Don't worry, Mark, daddy's too worried about spitting on Pearlman, or reading a book he commented on probably without reading, to pay much attention to this little legal entanglement.
While his older brother Michael P. Ditka continues a court battle in his fourth DUI case, records indicate that Mark E. Ditka was recently arrested for DUI for the third time. One of the previous DUI arrests was downgraded to reckless driving, and in the other he was found not guilty. ... Mark Ditka had "red, blood shot eyes, slurred speech, odor of alcoholic beverage on his breath," the report states.
Another of Mike Ditka's sons charged with DUI [TribLocal]


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Check into the sophisticated Park Plaza County Hall London to explore the South Bank of the River Thames. London Waterloo Station, located less than half a mile away, gives you easy access to all the city's top restaurants, sights and events. If you'd like to explore on foot, you can walk next door to County Hall, home to The London Dungeon and SEA LIFE London Aquarium. The hotel is also within a 10-minute walk of other must-see attractions, such as the London Eye, Westminster Abbey and the iconic Big Ben.
In addition to its prime location, our Park Plaza is known for its friendly staff, modern rooms with spectacular views, and family activities like pizza-making classes and movie nights. You can also treat your kids or your business colleagues to a delicious meal at L'Italiano or Spectrum Bar and Café, both located on site. If you need to recharge after a day of meetings or sightseeing, check out the fitness centre and Aurora Spa.
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UFC 9364 was a star which is located in sector 441, in or near the area of space commonly known as the Briar Patch. (Star Trek: Insurrection)
This system's name was not mentioned in the film, but was seen on one of the movie's many computer display okudagrams. The picture was reproduced in The Secrets of Star Trek: Insurrection by Terry J. Erdmann.
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Who's Calling?
Part of the Finding God's Will for My Life Series
Series About:
"Hello?" I intoned. "Who's calling? ... I said, who's calling? ... Which Bill? I know three ... Oh, Jill, how are you? ... What do you mean, who am I? Didn't you just call me? ... I'm sorry, I thought you were a different Jill. This is Theophilus ... I said Theophilus ... M.E. Theophilus ... No, there is no Theodoropoulos here ... No, that is not my first name. You must have dialed the ... Yes, I am quite sure I am not Milton Theodoropoulos. I hope you find him. Goodbye."
A sound of suppressed laughter came from the door. I swung around to see Mark Manasseh. "Sorry," he said, "I couldn't help overhearing." His grin widened. "It was pretty funny, though. 'Who's calling?' Sounds like you and I have the same problem."
I waved him to a seat. "What problem is that?"
"Calling. Vocation. I still don't know what God wants me to do with my life. A couple of times I thought He was calling, but it was just a wrong number."
"I see," I smiled. "What telephone are you using?"
"What do you mean?"
"How do you discern God's will?"
"Oh, Lord. People have suggested all kinds of methods to me."
"Like what?"
"When I was in high school, my uncle told me that whenever he needed to know God's will, he opened the Bible at random, read the first verse that met his eyes, then did whatever it told him."
"So you tried it?"
"Don't laugh. At first it seemed to work. One time I asked God whether I should go out with this really pretty girl named Melissa. When I opened the Bible, the first verse that met my eye was Proverbs 6:25, 'Do not desire her beauty in your heart, and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes.' So I asked, 'Then who should I go out with?' This time when I opened the Bible, the first verse that met my eye was Isaiah 55:12, 'You shall go out with joy.' So I asked out Joy."
"You shouldn't have asked me not to laugh. What opened your eyes?"
"Two things. First, Joy said no."
"What was the other?"
"Well," said Mark, "one day I happened to ask that same uncle why he'd taken up cigarettes. He said 'God told me to smoke.' First he'd opened the Bible at random and read the 1 Corinthians 6:19, 'Do you not know that your body is a temple ... ?' Then he'd opened it again and read Revelations 15:8, 'The temple was filled with smoke.'"
I hid my smile in my coffee cup.
"That's when I figured it out," he said. "We were taking passages out of context and filling them with meanings God never intended."
"Good lesson. What other methods have people suggested to you?"
"What haven't they suggested? The organist for my church's College Choir is big on miraculous experiences, like when Moses saw the burning bush and when Paul was struck down by a vision on the road to Damascus."
"I don't doubt that God sends visions and performs miracles," I said, "but it doesn't seem His routine way of making His will known."
"That's what I think," he answered. "I told her that not many people see burning bushes or lights from heaven."
"How did she reply?"
"She said 'Maybe they're not looking.' Then she told me the story about how she decided to go into the religious music field. Something about a missing cross pendant that turned up inside a piano. I'm sure she made the right decision, but I thought that was a pretty silly reason for making it. She was reading a private meaning into a coincidence."
"Like when you and your uncle read private meanings into the Bible."
"You implied that you've rejected a lot of different methods for discerning the will of God," I answered, "but so far you've only mentioned two. Depending on how you count, maybe three."
"Yeah. The Random Finger Method, the Miraculous Event Method, and, um, let's say the Striking Coincidence Method."
"So what are all these many others?"
"A deacon at my church mentioned what you might call the Casting Lots Method. I know people tried to find God's will by casting lots in Old Testament times, but it worries me that the New Testament mentions it only once, in Acts 1, when the Church was just getting started. If the Church gave up casting lots, maybe there was a good reason."
"Go on."
"Aren't you going to give me any help here, Prof?"
"So far you don't need it. You're doing fine. What's next?"
"Well, a guy I know who's in seminary advised what he called the Putting Out a Fleece Method. When he needs to know God's will he prays 'God, if you want me to do such-and-such, show me by doing so-and-so."
"Like Gideon did in Judges 6."
"Right. There was some fleece, and Gideon prayed — never mind, you know the story."
"But didn't Gideon's prayer show lack of faith, Mark? In the story, God had already made clear what Gideon was supposed to do."
"That's what the minister for my college group pointed out. So it doesn't seem like putting out a fleece is such a good idea after all — at least not until every other way of seeking God's will has failed."
"Go on."
"My roommate follows what he calls the Open Door Method. In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul mentions he was going to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost because a wide 'door' for effective work had 'opened' to him. So according to the Open Door Method, whenever God opens a door for you, you should take advantage of it right away."
"And does that seem reasonable to you?"
"At first it did, but after thinking about it I've changed my mind."
"Because in 2 Corinthians 2, Paul mentions another door that opened to him in another town. He didn't take advantage of that one, because he couldn't find his partner Titus. So I think 'open door' must just mean an opportunity. Not every opportunity is a sign of what God wants you to do."
"I agree."
"My other roommate follows the Closed Door Method. When an obstacle arises to your plan, assume that God's will is behind it, and back off. But that makes even less sense. In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul doesn't say 'We back off from proud obstacles to the knowledge of God;' he says 'We destroy them.'"
"Cut to the chase. Where does all this leave you?"
"There's one method of finding God's will that I'm still considering."
"What way is that?"
"I guess you could call it the Still Small Voice Method. You know, like in 1 Kings 19, when Elijah is fleeing, desperate to know the will of God, and he hears the 'still small voice.' I love that story. I know it almost by heart."
"When the Lord passed by Elijah," I said, "a great and mighty wind tore the mountains in pieces, but the Lord was not in the wind."
Taking up the story, Mark continued "After the wind came an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake."
"After the earthquake came a fire," I responded, "but the Lord was not in the fire."
Mark spoke the conclusion. "And after the fire, a still small voice."
We were silent for a few moments.
"But Mark," I asked, "how is that a method?"
He was surprised. "You listen for the still small voice. Once you've identified it, that's the voice of God."
"What do you take this still small voice to be? A literal voice?"
"No, it's a — well — an inward impression or something."
"And how do you identify it?"
"I suppose it would be like a feeling."
"But there are a lot of feelings, aren't there, Mark? At the times that you're most in need of God's guidance, don't you often have several at once? So if the still small voice is a feeling, which feeling is it?"
"The stillest, smallest one."
"Does that mean the weakest one?"
He seemed confused. "I guess so."
"Then is this what you mean by your Still Small Voice Method? First look inward to your feelings, then see which are strong and which are weak, and finally, whatever the weakest one prompts you to do, do that?"
Mark reddened a little. "When you put it that way — I guess not. But if that's not the method for identifying the still small voice, what is?"
"I didn't say there was a method. You did."
"What do you mean?"
"The story doesn't teach a method for discerning the will of God; what it teaches is that the will of God has to be discerned. The reason God's voice in the story is called still and small is that sometimes — as in this case — it isn't easy to do that."
"I didn't say the still small voice would be obvious."
"For Elijah, the problem wasn't that it was less than obvious, but that it wasn't what he wanted to hear."
"What do you mean?"
"If God's will wasn't obvious to him, it should have been. He had no reason to flee. Yes, he'd been threatened by the king, but by the power of God, he had just won his greatest victory. So why was he running away? What was he doing out there in the wilderness, all alone?"
"That's just what the still small voice asked him."
"Yes, and it told him to go back."
"You're saying there isn't any method?"
I hesitated. "Not what you've been calling a method. Discernment has its own spiritual laws, and of course they have to be followed. If you want to call that a method, you can, but it's not like what you've been calling methods. Those so-called methods are just gimmicks — not ways of discerning God's will, but ways of avoiding discernment."
"So what do I have to do? Become a prophet or a mystic or something?"
I smiled. "The first law of discernment is Preparation. Seek God's help to become the right kind of person inside — develop the right spiritual habits. Otherwise you haven't a chance to find His will."
"Habits like what?"
"The habit of prayer. The habit of faith. The habit of distrusting the desires and devices of your own devious heart. The habit of patience — what Scripture calls 'waiting on the Lord' — because God might guide you only a few steps at a time. The habit of submission in every matter where you already know His will, for He has already blessed us with revelation. The habit of seeking wisdom — learning to know His ways. Most of all, the habit of loving Him with your whole heart, and of loving your neighbor as yourself."
"Pardon me for saying so, Professor T, but that all sounds pretty obvious."
"It wasn't obvious to the people who invented the gimmicks."
"Hmm. I guess not. What's the second law?"
"The second law of discernment is Meditation. In the presence of God, contemplate all the relevant features of the decision. Seek human advice too — the Proverbs say 'plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many counselors they succeed.' Since you want to know how God is calling you, the relevant features of your decision include your gifts and talents, your weaknesses and tendencies to sin, the courses of action available, and the opportunities each one affords to glorify God and serve your neighbor. You come last, of course."
"But that all sounds pretty obvious too."
"Does it?"
"Yes. What's the third law?"
"The third and final law of discernment is Obedience. You follow whatever path is wisest."
Mark was silent for a few seconds. "That's all you're going to say?"
"That's all there is."
"But that's not what I came here to find out," he pleaded. "How do I know which path is wisest?"
I looked at him with compassion. "If you have to ask the meaning of the third law," I said, "then you aren't taking the other two seriously."
He didn't understand yet, but I knew he would.