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Wednesday, July 27, 2011
A BIG announcement!
I've decided to launch a Short Story prize!
The New Rose Prize 2011 is looking for new writing talent and is open to all unpublished writers. To enter, write a short story of any genre, maximum 2,500 words - amaze us, thrill us, make us cry, it's up to you. The closing date for entries is midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 31st August.
So what are you waiting for?
The top prize is wonderful - a place on one of RNA-nominated author Ruth Saberton's writing holidays, plus signed goodies from me and a starring role on my blog. Two runners-up will win a short story critique from competition judge Jamie Guiney (see below), as well as signed goodies and their stories published on my blog. (Please note that the first prize does not include travel - sorry!)
So, why short stories?
I love writing short stories. As an art form they are truly special: the chance to take your readers on a brief journey into someone else's world. I began a short story blog in 2008, before I was discovered by my publisher AVON (HarperCollins) and writing these stories was a great way to learn my craft.
I wanted to run something more than just a writing competition - to celebrate the wealth of writing talent that I know is out there. So, together with wonderful short story master Jamie Guiney (see Judges below) and brilliant author Ruth Saberton, we have created this special competition to celebrate the short story.
Jamie Guiney
Jamie Guiney is a literary fiction writer from County Armagh, Northern Ireland. His short stories have been published in literary journals, newspapers and digitally on iPhones and iPads. In 2011, his short story 'A Quarter Yellow Sun' was nominated for 'The Pushcart Prize.'
Jamie is also a graduate of the Faber & Faber Writing Academy and a member of the Newman Writers Group. His work has been backed by the Northern Ireland Arts Council through several Individual Artist Awards.
He is currently working on a short story collection, a novel, and when time permits, a screenplay set during the Belfast Blitz.
Ruth Saberton
Ruth Saberton has written 8 romantic comedy novels in total under the names of Jessie Fox (for Little Black Dress), Ruth Saberton (for Orion) and Georgie Carter (for AVON HarperCollins).
Ruth's first novel for Orion, Katy Carter Wants a Hero was nominated for The Romantic Novelists' Association's Romantic Comedy of the Year award this year.
Ruth runs amazing writing weekends and retreats in her home village of Polperro in Cornwall - and the first prize for this competition is a place on one of her holidays. She has a real eye for pace, comic timing and great characterisation.
Miranda Dickinson
Miranda Dickinson is a Sunday Times Bestselling novelist. Her first novel, Fairytale of New York was discovered on Authonomy.com and went on to sell over 107,000 copies, become a bestseller in Germany and Turkey and was nominated for the RNA Novel of the Year award 2010. Her second novel, Welcome to My World became her second Sunday Times Bestseller.
Miranda is currently writing her third novel, It Started With a Kiss (published 10th November this year) and is vlogging all year about the writing and publishing process of this novel on her blog.
Send your entries on a Word document (double-spaced and 12 point text) to:
to arrive no later than midnight on Wednesday 31st August. Please write 'New Rose Prize entry' in the subject line. Your story must not have been published anywhere before and must be no longer than 2,500 words.
I'll announce the winners on Coffee and Roses and will publish the top three stories there for everyone to see.
Best of luck!
Just to qualify the rules for submission: we are looking for UNPUBLISHED stories by UNPUBLISHED writers. If your stories have been posted on a Facebook page, blog or forum post you MAY enter it for the New Rose Prize. If your stories have been published in a magazine, book, compilation or any other printed matter then they DO NOT qualify for this prize. The New Rose Prize is looking for writers who have previously not been published - as a way of giving an opportunity to those who have not seen their work in print. Hope that clarifies things - and sorry for any confusion!
11 comments:
- Rebecca Emin said...
Sounds brilliant, I will spread the word.
- July 27, 2011 at 7:17 PM
- Traxy said...
Hi, just a quick question ... with "not published", do posting it for feedback on a discussion forum count as publishing it?
- July 28, 2011 at 2:12 PM
- Miranda Dickinson said...
Thanks for your help, Rebecca! x
Thanks for your question Traxy! By published I mean that your story must not have been printed in a magazine or as part of an e-book that people have had to pay for. Sharing it on a discussion forum is absolutely fine! xx
- July 28, 2011 at 7:12 PM
- Traxy said...
Aha, that clears things up. Thank you for the answer! :) *goes to ponder what to write about*
- July 29, 2011 at 9:40 PM
This sounds wonderful, I'll definately be entering this! Cath
- July 31, 2011 at 10:07 AM
- Prem Rao said...
Great! I will share this too.
- August 2, 2011 at 8:22 AM
Sounds great, can I do a short blog post about it, will give your links.
- August 2, 2011 at 12:40 PM
- Nick Daws said...
Have shared on my blog too (link via my name). I did just wonder if the author must be unpublished or just the story? It's not entirely clear to me from the rules.
Many thanks!
- August 5, 2011 at 2:57 PM
Just echoing Nick's question - are we allowed to enter if we've had stuff published in magazines but no book?
Thanks - sounds a great prize!
- August 9, 2011 at 1:39 PM
- Miranda Dickinson said...
Thanks so much for all your comments and please accept my apologies for any confusion regarding submission rules. I've posted an addendum in the post above - please see this for clarification.
Miranda x
- August 10, 2011 at 12:45 AM
- Drea said...
Can we submit more than one story?
- August 12, 2011 at 3:49 AM


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Notice: If you have any questions or concerns regarding the procedures and requirements for exporting animals, animal products, or to obtain a zoosanitary certificate for an animal product, you should contact the VS Field Office covering the area from which the animal or product will be exported, the area in which your office is located, or the area in which the product is manufactured.
For more information about exporting your pets click here.
For species not listed, the requirements are not known. However, exporters wanting to ship livestock or germplasm whose requirements are not listed in the IREGS, should have the interested party (importer/buyer) in the country of destination apply for an Import Permit at the appropriate ministry. This Import Permit will most likely outline the specific requirements.

subset: commoncrawl


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Story highlights
- Prince William and Catherine greet members of the public at the start of an ultramarathon
- It is Catherine's first public appearance since she gave birth to Prince George in July
- The royal baby has not been seen in public since leaving the hospital where he was born
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, made her first public appearance Friday alongside her husband, Prince William, just over a month after she gave birth to Prince George.
The two spoke to members of the public at the start of the 131-mile Ring O' Fire coastal ultramarathon in Anglesey, Wales, where the family lives.
Catherine, looking relaxed and in casual dress, was not carrying her son, who's third in line to the British throne.
The world got its first glimpse of George since he left the hospital in family photographs released earlier this month. They were taken by Catherine's father, Michael Middleton, in the garden of his Berkshire home.
William, a search-and-rescue pilot, has been stationed at a Royal Air Force base on the remote Welsh island of Anglesey since 2010.


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I've been testing some different art techniques and shapes and crap, I consider this mainly a practice piece.
*pounce*. Lol, what the hell?
Hey, someone found a leak of the Christmas chapter!
d'awww thats adorable <333 I love it.
hey! You finally posted it!
I dont like it.
the look in her eyes in panel 5 says "im going to **** your brains out" lol
I LOVE panel 3! So cute! :3
He's more successful than Paulo was anyway.
This is so much win.
Ya see that last panel? Yeah. They had sex. Have fun with that thought.
i love this. its cute to see them like that.
Thats not a mistletoe! Its catnip shaped like it!!
Love Kurokan~
me gusta los que piensan así por que yo igual :3
If only that was how it worked. Id be pullin mistletoes all over the place.
That works only with love that is fated to be, Smellybananna
pounce? lol i thought only my gf did that -_-'
now thats how it should be
Heh. That's adorable.
And then they banged. the cristmas tree watched. it was great <3


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Avaya has announced a new server that can connect disparate SIP-enabled PBXs into a single system to help customers struggling to integrate multi-vendor communication infrastructure.
Announced at VoiceCon Orlando, Avaya Aura Session Manager can enable centralised control of voice, video, messaging, presence and web applications that the company says can be rolled out quickly to the largest corporations.
Aura can link individual user profiles to sets of communications applications to extend the benefits of unified communications across the business, the company says.
But initially, businesses can use Aura Session Manager to save money by unifying their disparate multi-vendor PBXs. As long as they are SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) capable - and this includes TDM PBXs with SIP gateways - they can use SIP trunking to connect all corporate sites. The Aura server can route calls across the network, generating savings on inter-site toll calls.
It can also centralise communications applications so businesses can remove application servers from individual corporate branches, further reducing costs, Avaya says.
"I think the announcement and embracing of SIP by ourselves as well as our competitors provides a tool to go in and ... in fact give ROIs that are measured in quarters rather than years," says Avaya CEO Kevin Kennedy. Aura will work with certain Cisco and Nortel PBXs, Avaya says.
He says Aura can help customers meet four goals: saving money, reducing power consumption, integrating multi-vendor infrastructure that comes with mergers and acquisitions, and improving productivity with new applications that are available on any device.
Tied in with Avaya Communication Manager (now Aura Communication Manager) the new Aura Session Manager server can coordinate voice and video features and make them available via SIP across the business network. "You will have everything available wherever you are," says Lawrence Byrd, Avaya's director of unified communication architecture.
Aura is a blend of SIP, presence information, management of sessions and access to a growing list of communications applications, Byrd says, such as a single corporate voicemail system and corporate-wide conferencing.
Avaya is working on testing its SIP session management to ensure it works with SIP trunking services from AT&T, Orange and Verizon, he says. Aura, which is in part a software upgrade to Avaya's Communication Manager, is available in May.
Avaya is also upgrading Avaya Voice Portal software to improve call handling in contact centres. Improved self-service logic enables better customer service, the company says. So rather than an after-hours call going to voicemail, Session Manager routes it to a voice portal where the caller can order supplies, for example. This type of capability generally requires extensive computer-telephony integration, but with SIP, this can be enabled quickly and to all branches, Avaya says.
Avaya is also better integrating its consulting services so customers can get the appropriate skills from its three services offerings: executive consulting, line of business consulting and direct IT planning. It is calling the streamlined services Avaya Strategic Communications Consulting.


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Northridge-Local Ohio Real Estate For Sale
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Frequently Asked QuestionsPage address: http://www.mnsu.edu/languages/faq.html
1. Why study a language
Although English has become the twentieth century's leading commercial and diplomatic language, world language study will be of increasing importance in the years ahead. As technology continues to conquer the obstacles of time and space, the outlook is for even greater travel, commerce, and cultural exchange between the Upper Midwest and the rest of the world.
World Language and Culture training is already indispensable for many positions in the modern world. Government service, social work, journalism, research, transportation, and the growing field of international business are just a few of the areas where the knowledge of a world language could be the key to exciting careers.
2. Which language
This depends on the student. By the time many students enter college, they have already had some language experience that they might wish to pursue. Others prefer to start another world language. The choice may be influenced by ethnic background; it may be influenced by career goals There may be other personal considerations. If students are interested in world language study but want guidance in selecting a language, they should seek advice of someone with experience in language study. Any faculty member will be glad to help.
3. Which degree
Students who decide to become language majors or minors must still decide which degree is best for them. Any course of study will include language, literature, and culture/civilization sequences. The emphasis varies according to the degree being earned. The B.S. degree program emphasizes communication skills: oral communication, conversation, composition, and culture/civilization. Students in the B.S. degree program often elect a double major, combining world language study with another academic or professional major such as international relations or business. The bachelor of arts degree offers greater depth in the study of literature. Students in the B.A. degree program frequently pursue their interests in graduate school. The bachelor of science in teaching (B.S.T.) prepares students for classroom instruction.
4. How long does a sequence take
The length of time that students devote to language study depends on their objectives. Eight hours of study will satisfy the B.A. requirement. The ability to communicate in a second or third language takes both time and commitment to acquire. Reading skills can be acquired sooner than speaking skills. Students with no previous language study may wish to sample for only one semester. The language department is prepared to meet any of these objectives.
5. How to contact the Department
If you have questions about language coursework or any of our majors, minors or graduate programs, please contact the department chair at email@example.com or at 507-389-2116
If you would like more information about our study abroad programs, please contact the director of the program using the information on the Study Abroad section of this site.


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Organizational design
Organizational design is the way in which you set up your business to best meet your business objectives. How you structure your organization (employees, information and technologies) has a major impact on how well it functions. There is no single best organizational design for all small businesses. Each business structure is as unique as the organization it represents.
Here are some key factors that you might consider when planning the design of your business:
What is the purpose of your business? Your first step is to clearly recognize what it is that you want to achieve. Think of the big picture. Take a step back and get a bird's eye view of your operation.
What strategy can you implement to reach your goal? You want your employees to make decisions based on clear guidelines directed to achieve your purpose. You need to have administrative systems, technology and information in place that will help your employees succeed.
Division of labour
How can you divvy up employees' responsibilities to best meet your needs? Once you've determined the departments and roles that are needed to fulfill your purpose, you'll want to consider where to position your employees in order for them to thrive.
Authority, responsibility and control
Once your departments are set and you have your employees in place, how will you structure your chain of command? Ultimately, there is only one boss — you. However, you will have to delegate decision-making responsibilities to department heads, managers, forepersons, etc. Be sure to limit your number of decision-makers. Employees should always be clear about their roles and responsibilities, and who their supervisor is.
How can you best facilitate communication? It is vastly important that the entirety of your team is on the same page. When employees feel they are in the loop, they recognize that they are an important part of the organization. Communication is crucial to achieving your goals.
How will you coordinate employees, information and technologies? Job descriptions can help ensure your employees' understanding of their responsibilities. It is important for your team to understand exactly where they fit into your grand scheme.
When planning your organizational design, it is essential to do your homework. Creating the blueprint for your business is not a decision to be taken lightly. You might take the time to find out how other businesses similar to yours are organized. As there isn't one clear-cut organizational model for all successful small- to medium-sized businesses, you'll want to analyze all of your options and decide how to tailor the best ones to work for you.
Many business owners find it helpful to create an organizational chart. This will provide you, your employees and outsiders with a visual representation of the organizational roles and relationships. Internet search engines are a good place to discover a bevy of examples for creating your organizational chart.
- Sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or co-operative?
Find out which type of business structure is right for your business: incorporation, a partnership, a sole proprietorship or a co-operative.
- Governance and partnerships
Many business owners set up an advisory board or board of directors to help streamline the decision-making process.
- Date modified:


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Just in time for your Halloween shows. Its Tommy James' newest release in the Flash Banner Series. It's the "Flash Appearing Halloween Banner"
A great way to establish the magic words for your Halloween show. Tell your audience that the magic words will not be the usual magic words like Abracadabra or Hocus Pocus. You will spell out the magic words with two handkerchiefs. Display two 18" silks, one black and one yellow. Tie the ends together. When you pull the silks apart a large 36" banner appears tied between that states HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Use the magic words throughout your show!
Complete with all silks. The banner measures 36" long by 8" wide in vibrant colors along with Tommy's suggested routine!
Do you own this product? Write a review.


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We have discussed the Benghazi scandal in terms of three aspects: the failure to provide adequate security before the attack; the response during the attack; and, in the aftermath, the White House's failure to provide truthful information about the attack.
The report of the Accountability Review Board confirms and details the first aspect of the scandal. According to the ARB, the failure to provide adequate security was gross and systemic. A few lower-level heads have rolled. Congress still needs to question top State Department officials including Hillary Clinton, but we now know most of the facts about this matter.
As to the second aspect of Benghazigate, the response during the attack, the ARB report finds that, given the available military assets, it is unlikely that any action could have avoided the outcome. This leaves open the question of whether the military should have moved assets closer to Benghazi before the attack. But I tend to agree with Retired Adm. Mike Mullin that "it is not reasonable nor feasible to tether U.S. forces at the ready to respond to protect every high-risk post in the world."
The White House's false claims in the aftermath of Benghazi — the third aspect of this scandal — cost Susan Rice the Secretary of State job. Beyond that, many questions remain, inasmuch as the likes of James Clapper and David Petraeus couldn't explain the emergence of the false talking points Rice used. No one else has provided a convincing explanation either. This part of the scandal is very much alive and needs to be pursued notwithstanding Rice's demise.
With every passing day, a fourth aspect of Benghazigate moves to the fore — the fact that the perpetrators apparently are alive, well, and free. During the campaign, Obama promised to bring them to justice. It hasn't happened.
The ARB did not attempt to identify who carried out the attacks; it properly left that work yr the FBI. But the Washington Post tells us that there is little sign of movement in the FBI probe. It quotes House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers who reports "a near total lack of progress in bringing these terrorists to justice."
President Obama can't undo the Benghazi attacks. And he would not want to undo his administration's falsehoods following the attack, since they aided his reelection campaign.
However, Obama can work to keep his promise to bring justice to the terrorists who, on September 11, brutalized and murdered our ambassador and killed three other Americans. Perhaps he is, but it doesn't look that way.


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Meeting the engineers who design and build the products you use can be enlightening. That goes for both you and the engineers sometimes. They don't always know what you're doing with their product, and you sometimes wonder if they have any idea how the stuff they build actually gets used on a regular basis. My experience has been that it's a good idea to give them the whole spectrum of what could happen to their work eventually, or regularly, as the case may be. But the engineers probably wouldn't believe everything you could tell them.
We had a bunch of hay cut this summer with plans to get it made into either round bales or big square bales. The forecast looked good and the hay seemed to be decent enough once it was cut and lying in the field to dry down to the right moisture for baling. If you cut it and put the hay into a wide swath, it tends to dry faster if you leave it to rest in a narrow windrow ready for baling. Here in the Upper Midwest, that means you'll still have enough humidity to keep that hay from drying down to a level low enough to make decent hay in bales without using a preservative of some sort. You can drive over the swaths and rake them together into a narrow windrow to fit into your baler a bit better. The rake tends to fluff the hay and get more air circulating through the windrow to speed the drying process and get the hay uniformly dry. Add in some low-to-moderate humidity levels and a little breeze and you can finish raking around noon or shortly thereafter and still bale in the afternoon.
On this particular day, I was raking a field we refer to as The Mountain. It's a really steep field that had spent most of its productive history as either hay or pasture land. One particular hill in the field is a bit more pronounced than the others. It's the one where I shot this video of round bale bowling (youtube.com/watch?v=Z2S-ebglF7I).
I finished The Mountain and headed to an adjoining farm to do a few acres of hay in the waterways over there before we finished up with the rake for the day. As I pulled onto the road, I saw two items headed my way further down the road. One was my cousin with his tractor and a rake that belongs to a neighbor who does custom work. The other one behind him was Woodrow with the pickup. I pulled into the building site at the other place and decided to switch places with Woody before I started raking. Something seemed to feel a bit different as I slowed down in the driveway and looked behind me. Lo and behold, my rake was not looking good. It appeared that I had been rear-ended on the road or something, because my rake looked like physics had gotten the best of it. I was pretty sure I hadn't been hit. I'd have felt a collision like that with the toy tractor I had on the rake.
Woodrow pulled in behind me and looked like he was about to swallow his tongue and make his eyes pop out of his head!
I climbed out of the cab of the Fisher-Price tractor to have a look. My rake was in a much different position than it should have been. This would not be good, I figured.
A quick check around the machine's perimeter revealed some structural failures. The giant box beam that makes up the frame of the rake in the back had a sort of a kink in it. Think about that for a moment. A box beam should be box-shaped. You know, square corners and edges and everything. That's not the kind of shape that lends itself to kinks and pretzel shapes.
Further inspection revealed that the plate on the back side of the box beam where the big steel plate with all the bolts attaching it to the rest of the rake had pretty much severed its ties with the rake. It wasn't a fresh break with lots of shiny steel at the new line of separation, though. Nope, this was a divorce that had been building for some time. The relationship between the two hunks of steel had decayed to the point where it was beyond mild therapy. We were looking at major metal oncology efforts here. This was going to take the work of my other cousin, Merlin the Metal Magician. He and a partner run The Steel Shop just outside Cresco. They repair and build all kinds of stuff made of metal for us. Tell him what your machine looked like before your incident, or what you want it to look like after he's done with his torch and welder, and Merlin the Metal Magician will not disappoint you.
Small problem. My frame had sort of given out on me, so it wasn't like I could simply drive my machine to The Steel Shop and have Merly work on it there. A quick glance at the layout of all the parts and assemblies on the rake told me and my non-gearhead brain that this was going to be major surgery to disassemble the rake, take the busted stuff to Merly and then try to reassemble it here at the scene of the crime. Simple stuff like flat tires or busted pieces that can be clamped together with a Vise-Grip just long enough to make the trip to The Steel Shop are one thing, but this project was pushing the limits of what a metal cobbler could do. This one couldn't even be cobbled with duct tape. It was also not going to be the kind of thing where Merly could show up with his portable welder and fix my mess on-scene.
At that moment, what I really wanted to do was take my rake out behind the shed, put a bullet in it to put it out of its misery, and then buy myself a newer, cooler rake. Reality said that would take twenty to thirty grand, though, so that thought didn't get pushed up in my list of priorities in a big hurry. Instead, we went looking for the rake my cousin just went by with minutes before. That one would get us up and running in minutes so as to optimize our hay harvest window. You know, that axiom about making hay while the sun shines and all. It's common knowledge.
Once we got the replacement rake and got it running, I had another issue to consider. The busted rake was a big hunk of steel with a lot of specific mass. The Fisher-Price tractor, not so much. Looking at the spot where the two of them were parked, I was pretty sure I couldn't just pull the hitch pin and drive away from my problem at hand. Pulling that hitch pin would probably transform my rake with a broken pelvis into a giant heap of steel in a pile. The hitch pin was sort of the spine holding this pile of bones into its pseudo-skeleton shape at the moment. I'd have to eat dinner and think on this a bit. Pie does a body good. I seem to remember telling myself that on thousands of occasions.
Sure enough, a little lard did the trick. It kept my genius switch from completely locking up. I realized that there was a big beam running down the center of the rake. It was sort of the point of attachment for the two wings of the rake where they'd slide forward and back as the rake was folded out to its working position and in for transport. The box beam with the crack in it was like an upside-down block letter "U," or a horseshoe with square corners. That giant "U" was at the back of the rake and was attached to two wheels. Those wheels didn't steer. They were just there to provide support for the frame and allow the rake to trail properly.
So why not make some leaps in logic? What if we left the rake hooked to the Fisher-Price tractor and allowed the tractor to remain as the steering part of the equation? What if we then brought the loader tractor from behind? We could hook a log chain around the center box beam (with the pyramid-shaped end on it, thereby not letting our chain slide right off the end of the now-unattached beam) and then suspended the rear end of the rake with the loader. A little touch of the hydraulic lever and the loader should hoist the back half of the rake toward the sun. It would take all the pressure off the failed part of the machine and still allow the rest of it to act as though nothing had happened. Drive it home like nothing was wrong and then deal with the carcass surgery and reassembly when you got off the road and in a building where there'd be no witnesses.
Why, that idea is almost cobbled enough to work, you're thinking. What kind of genius would come up with that, you wonder? I'll tell you. It's the same kind of clown who would buy himself a size 16 boot for his size 13 broken foot, stuff his busted-foot-in-a-cast into the giant boot, and proceed to walk on his heel and keep farming like nothing had happened, that's who! I could gimp my rake home just like I had gimped myself all over the farm for a few weeks last year.
Learn from our mistakes? Why, I should have an alphabet worth of letters after my name for all my graduate-level lessons.
We got our chains and stuff together and attached at the proper points for the block-and-tackle-to-go experiment. Levers were moved. Frames were lifted. Mobility, however temporary and marginal, was restored.
We did one other thing, too. We reviewed geography and topography. The usual route home had a couple of corners and a hill or two in it. This gimp parade we were conducting needed to stay on the straight and not-so-narrow. Altitude and gravity also needed to be in our favor. I had a plan. If we pulled out of the yard and made that corner successfully, we could stay on the road and take it directly west for a couple miles. There'd be a slight incline going down into the test plot area. We could follow the adjoining waterways and connected hayfields to get us back to a point not far from my place, but also without going around any corners or climbing any hills. (See "The Alps of Cardinal Marsh" and you'll see why hills, gravity and a big load don't mix well for me.) Much as I thought this whole thing would work, I didn't want to see us have the Fisher-Price tractor wimp out on the medium hill a few yards from my place and have the whole parade caravan run out of oomph and slide into the ditch once our forward progress stopped.
Everything went fairly well. We got the rake into my shed and got it torn apart. Merlin the Metal Magician did his wonders and had everything fixed in fairly decent order. A little paint was applied and the parts were reassembled to the point where you'd never know anything had happened. The rake looked as good as new.
We would have gotten away with the whole thing if we had timed the event just a bit better and used one less tool. You see, when we were hauling log chains and other stuff over to the other place to get ready for the move, Woodrow took the replacement rake back to the other guy's farm with the loader tractor. That meant I needed to get over to the crime scene without having to ride in the cramped cab with him so we could get both tractors home without leaving a vehicle over there. I took my four-wheeler along as my mode of transportation. I took the cattle gate chain I keep on the front rack and attached my four-wheeler to the rear three-point hitch of the loader tractor. It then got pulled home behind the tractor and a retrieval trip was skipped.
We were all done getting stuff put back together and were ready to rake some hay a few days later when my phone rang. It was a neighbor who helps us sometimes in the fall. He's a bit of a character who doesn't like to miss an opportunity to tweak.
"Hi, Jeff. You'll never guess what I saw the other day. It was a great big parade right past my house. First, there was this little tractor. Tiny little green thing. Then there was this giant red hay rake that was hooked onto the tiny tractor. Then there was this big green loader tractor. It had a log chain on it with the back end of that same big rake hanging from it so the rake wasn't even touching the ground! And you know what? The whole works was bein' pushed down the road by this dinky little four-wheeler! Darnedest thing I've ever seen."
Obviously, he needs to get out more.
Guy No. 2


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Mufflers & Exhaust Components at 1A Auto
What is a muffler and where is it located?
A muffler is a key part of your vehicle's exhaust system and is usually located underneath the vehicle towards the rear. It is mounted to the undercarriage of the automobile with a hanger bracket and clamp. Milton and Marshall Reeves, brothers from Columbus, IN, were granted the patent for a modern automotive exhaust muffler back in 1897. For an idea over a century old, the basic idea of a muffler has changed very little.
Your exhaust is responsible for keeping the thousands of explosions taking place inside your car or truck's engine from deafening you and everyone around you. It does this by routing the sound pressure your engine creates when it's busy turning fuel into forward motion through a muffler, which in turn minimizes the noise. In a standard automotive muffler, the inside of the canister is designed with a series of chambers lined with insulation and tubes consisting of numerous perforations, or baffles. The pressure waves produced by the activity of the engine, in addition to the exhaust gases, enter into the muffler and are bounced around, creating reflected sound waves of a roughly equal nature that move in opposite directions. When the waves interfere with one another, they cancel each other out by the time they exit the muffler, thus reducing the sound that comes from the engine.
Automobile exhaust systems are also responsible for keeping all the nasty byproducts of internal combustion moving out the back of the vehicle and into the atmosphere through the muffler and then the tailpipe. This keeps the exhaust gases from building up in the passenger compartment, which is a good thing considering the lack of breathable air in car exhaust.
Because the engine's exhaust gasses and sound pressure waves share the same complicated and restrictive pathway through the chambers of the muffler, unavoidable backpressure is created. If the vehicle is not tuned for it, backpressure can actually decrease the performance of an engine. It is for this reason that performance mufflers exist. They most commonly have a straight-through design that reduces backpressure. However, with an increase in power usually comes an increase in exhaust sound from the engine so there is certainly a trade-off when it comes to automotive mufflers.
How do I know the muffler needs to be replaced?
The obvious answer to this question is "when people shudder upon hearing the terrifying noise that heralds your arrival, wherever you go." As typical automotive mufflers are under the vehicle and exposed to all manner of corrosive salt or road grime while driving, rust is one of the main reasons for needing to replace the muffler on your car or truck. Exhaust gases can escape through a rust-hole, making for a loud commute or less than ideal atmospheric conditions. Welds can crack, rocks can dent and salts can corrode. Any of these unfortunate situations can call for a replacement muffler.
Because of its location, it's usually "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to mufflers. Buck that notion and have a look under your vehicle from time to time to check on the condition of your muffler. If it has rotted out and looks like it's about to fall off, it's time to replace it.
Can I replace the muffler myself?
The muffler can be replaced by the average do-it-yourselfer. The first step is to apply penetrating oil to the muffler bracket since the bolts will most likely be rusted. Remove the bolts with a socket and extension. The muffler will be supported by brackets or rubber studs, and the next step is to get the muffler free. It should then slide down and out. Before reinstalling, make sure the muffler has a flange gasket. Then manuver the bracket into place and line the muffler up. Attach the muffler to its support brackets, and once it's stable, tighten the bolts to the muffler bracket. After the repair is completed, start the car and check for any leaks.


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16 Dec 2013
(HONG KONG) Dragonair today unveiled its brand-new First Class seat together with a range of inflight products that will further enhance the overall travel experience for passengers.
The product announcement was made at a media event hosted by Dragonair Chief Executive Officer Patrick Yeung. Speaking at the event, Mr Yeung said: "At Dragonair, we look at every single detail of what we offer our passengers in order to examine how to better meet their needs. We strive to provide the best – from the quality of the seats and other product details to the food we serve inflight. We are very excited about the latest product developments we are announcing today."
Earlier this year, Dragonair announced a comprehensive upgrade in its cabins, with new Business Class and Economy Class seats and a new inflight entertainment system, StudioKA, providing full audio and video on demand in all classes.
Dragonair Chief Executive Officer Patrick Yeung said: "With the rollout of our new First Class, we can ensure that the journeys of all passengers, in all classes of travel, are even more relaxing and enjoyable. This overhaul of our inflight offering demonstrates our commitment to offer superior products and services to our passengers, and also underlines Dragonair's commitment to long-term expansion and development."
Dragonair's new First Class seat is a passenger-led design that aims to refine comfort, versatility and function. Every aspect of the new product has been thoughtfully designed around the passenger's needs.
Inflight shopping has become another integral part of the overall passenger experience, and at today's event Dragonair unveiled a new line-up of items for sale in the first quarter of 2014. The full range of more than 350 products, with over 140 new items and a number of Dragonair-exclusive items as well as a selection of products from social enterprises, will be available for sale in the January-March issue of emporium, the airline's inflight shopping magazine.
Mr Yeung said: "Passenger tastes and lifestyles have changed in recent years and inflight sales is now about much more than duty-free shopping. At Dragonair we have been working hard to enhance the inflight shopping experience in recent years, moving from simply selling duty-free alcohol or perfumes to offering passengers a more sophisticated shopping experience with an ever-increasing choice. We also want to highlight our commitment to the community, and in the upcoming season we will support new Hong Kong social enterprises by selling their products onboard. We hope that while enjoying their inflight shopping, passengers join us to give something to the community."
At today's media event, Dragonair also showcased its latest seasonal inflight menu which features a variety of Chinese-style hot pot rice dishes. Offering a healthy alternative for passengers, this season's hot pot rice dishes feature fungi, including a variety of mushrooms, as the key ingredients and consist of six brand new dishes in First Class and six in Business Class on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai.
The airline's inflight food menus are always well received among passengers. Earlier this year, Dragonair invited passengers to vote for their favourite Asian and Western dishes in different classes through a social media campaign. Over a six-week period the airline's dedicated social media sites received more than a million views. The 36 dishes that received the most votes from fans are now being served on selected routes until mid-April 2014.
Please see the following Appendixes for more details:
1. Dragonair's New First Class
2. Dragonair's New Inflight Sales Items (First quarter 2014)
3. Dragonair's New Seasonal Menu – Steamed Rice in Hot Pot Casserole Menu
4. Dragonair's Most Voted Signature Inflight Menu
Appendix 1:
Dragonair's New First Class
In order to further differentiate its product and maintain standards of excellence, Dragonair has developed a new First Class product for its three-class Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The aim is to enhance the overall First Class passenger experience, providing passengers a space in which to sleep, dine, work, read, watch TV or simply relax. The new First Class product will be installed on Dragonair's three-class A330-300s, with the first due to enter service in the late first quarter of 2014.
The New First Class Cabin
As passengers enter the cabin, they immediately appreciate the sense of space and openness. Clean, sculpted lines define private seats with direct aisle access. Warm-tone natural leather is used on most interior surfaces of the seat for a luxurious feel and soft touch. Abstract patterns, richly woven fabrics and original artwork harmonise to create a warm, premium residential feel.
Storage Space
The instant a passenger steps into their private area, they notice the generous space available in the Side Storage, which is sufficient for handbags or laptop cases.
A Side Cabinet and a Shoe Locker provide storage for small valuables and personal belongings. A Vanity Mirror is concealed under a flap inside the Side Cabinet door. During the flight the Side Cabinet can be fixed in the open position to double as a privacy screen.
Living Space
Settling into the contemporary wing-back chair, passengers are cocooned in their own private area which has been sculpted to maximise living space. Individual privacy is assured without compromising freedom of movement.
Direct Window View
The outboard seats are gently angled towards the windows, giving passengers a perfect view.
Seat Controls
Everything passengers need to control their environment is close at hand. The Entertainment Handset operates a widescreen on-demand entertainment system. A premium-car-style Seat Controller enables passengers to adjust their seat at the touch of a button - from upright, through the relax position and into a fully flat bed.
The Bed
A long, wide bed allows passengers to sleep in any position. The foams have been ergonomically designed to optimise comfort for sitting, relaxing or sleeping.
A novel feature called the Bed Extension deploys automatically as the seat transforms into a bed, increasing the bed width. The Retractable Armrest can be lowered to further increase sleeping space or raised to act as a privacy screen.
Companion Travel
The centre seats are gently angled towards each other, making them perfect for those travelling with a companion. When a passenger is reclined into the seat with the screen deployed, privacy is assured. However at the touch of a button the seat slides forward, allowing passengers to interact with their travel companions over a central Cocktail Table.
Work and Entertainment Features
The large Cocktail Table can be used in conjunction with the main table to allow passengers to spread out while they work. A Reading Light can be adjusted for brightness and angle.
Dragonair's entertainment is now upgraded to an Audio Video on Demand (AVOD) system to allow passengers to select their own choice of movies and music during the flight.
Each seat is equipped with a universal Power Supply outlet to keep electronic devices fully charged. A Multi-port Connector includes an RCA port, an iPhone/iPod connector and a USB port. The RCA and the iPhone/iPod connector allow passengers to connect their own devices and watch video through the Personal TV. The USB port can be used to charge devices such as mobile phones and tablet devices.
Comparison between current First Class and new First Class
Current First Class
New First Class
Seat type
Angled flat bed
Fully flat bed
Seat width
Bed length (usable)
Bed length (tip-to-tip)
Bed width
27.6" (with bed extension & armrest retracted)
Bed angle
Fully flat bed
Headrest movement
6-way movement
6-way movement
Entertainment system
Broadcast system
Audio Video On Demand
Multi-port connector
Not available
iPhone/iPod/iPad, USB ports
PC Power to each seat
Appendix 2:
Dragonair's New Inflight Sales Items (First quarter 2014)
Dragonair's inflight shopping features an amazing variety of products that cater for passengers' needs in different ways. To make shopping even easier, the airline already provides home delivery services in Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan.
a. Some of the new Dragonair-exclusive items:
- TINA'S CHOICE Golden Clutch by Sarah's Bag
- CHANEL Vintage Jewellery
- FOLLI FOLLIE K-Vintage Wallet
- BARBARA RIHL Around the World Runway Mini Shopper
- DRAGONAIR Year of the Horse Soft Toy
b. Some of the new Home Delivery items:
- CRABTREE AND EVELYN Deluxe Gift: Fine Foods and Lavender Indulgence
- LALIQUE Kazak Horse Gold Lustre
- LE CREUSET Heart Casserole Set
- VINVAUTZ Wine Cellar (18 bottles)
- PIQUADRO Soft Leather Cabin Trolley
c. Some of the Social Enterprises and Charitable items:
- amm x rwb330 Positive Hong Kong Bearwhiteblue Denim Bag *
- GOOD CITIZENS MOVEMENT Shawl
- rwb330 "We Love Hong Kong" Magnet – Dim Sum Set *
- LOVE + HOPE L Plus H Day-to-Night Clutches *
*New items from 2 social enterprises:
Love + Hope
L Plus H's products are all 100% made in Hong Kong by workers who lost their jobs because of factory relocations to Mainland China during the 1980s. The brand aims to help these workers regain their confidence and attain skills that reach an international standard.
Produced by New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, the Bearwhiteblue product series reflects Hong Kong culture with the classic carry-bag colours. rwb330, featuring designs that use the classic red, white and blue fabric of Hong Kong carry bags, is a social enterprise that aims to provide work and training to people recovering from mental illness.
d. Some of the Best Selling items:
- LA MER Creme (60ml)
- TALIKA Light DUO® Collagen Booster and Skin Lightener
- PLANTRONICS BackBeat GO 2 Active Edition Wireless Ear-buds
- MONTBLANC Starwalker Midnight Black Ballpoint Pen
- LUMI-NOX Navy SEAL Colormark 3051.BO Black-out Watch
Appendix 3:
Dragonair's New Seasonal Menu – Steamed Rice in Hot Pot Casserole
Dragonair's seasonal menus consider the dining enjoyment of passengers in different seasons of the year, including poon choi in spring, winter melon soup in summer and crab roe dishes in the autumn.
The latest hot pot rice dishes feature various types of fungi, including mushrooms. A wide selection of premium mushrooms has been incorporated into the new dishes to bring a healthy element into this Hong Kong delicacy. Some of the fungi and mushrooms are prized for their ability to help the body maintain warmth and strength during the winter season, while others can help to lower cholesterol levels and control blood pressure.
a. First Class (Available on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai from 16 December 2013 to 31 March 2014)
b. Business Class (Available on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai from 1 November 2013 to 31 January 2014)
Appendix 4:
Dragonair's Most Voted Signature Inflight Menu
Among the dishes voted for through Dragonair's social media channels, it was found that those with richer flavours such as sweet and sour sauce, abalone sauce and satay were the most well-liked. This may be due to the fact that human taste buds are not as sensitive in the air as they are on the ground. Amongst the winning dishes in each category, seafood and fish dishes were more popular among passengers. Amongst various Asian cuisines, Chinese came out on top while Japanese food was another clear favourite among passengers.
a. First Class (Available on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai from 1 October 2013 to 15 April 2014)
b. Business Class (Available on flights from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai from 1 October 2013 to 15 April 2014)


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Becoming a Premium Member provides far more playing opportunities and also a nice way to support Eliters.
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If you upgrade to a higher Membership; the current Membership will be liquidated, and the new Membership will start from that date. In addition; if the payment is made through Credit Card; a Special Bonus, equivalent to 10% of the New Membership Rate; will be deposited in the Buyer's US$ account.
Premium Members receive exclusive benefits that go well beyond those of a Guest Membership; continuous YEPs flow, freedom from purging, and priority support are just a few of the features available exclusively to Premium Members. Eliters has added many new benefits to our valued Premium Members; including:
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The "Cobra Spotlight" is a weekly highlight of a student-athlete at Coker College. Each week we take a different athlete from a different sport and display some facets to get more familiar with them. This week we take a look at Catie Truzzolino, a member of the women's volleyball team.
Name: Catie Truzzolino
Sport: Women's Volleyball
Position: Outside Hitter
Hometown: Boca Raton, Fla.
Year: Junior
Major: Education with a concentration in early childhood education
Why did you choose Coker? I chose Coker because when I came to visit, I felt welcome and I loved the chemistry of the team and they had a lot of energy. It was exactly what I was looking for. Coach Caughlin had a plan for this program and I wanted to be a part of it.
What is your best memory at Coker (athletic related)? Team dinners with the team.
What is your best memory at Coker (non-athletic related)? Interning at a local elementary school and observing first graders.
Favorite professor: Dr. Ciamarra
Plans after graduation: I want to become a third-grade teacher
Favorite movie: Bridesmaids
Favorite type of music: Rap
Favorite food: Homemade spaghetti and meatballs
Favorite professional sports team: Miami Heat
Favorite color: Purple
Favorite TV show: Friends
What is something people may not know about you? I love to cook!


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This post is about courtesy in the context of eye contact.
When you are a student, it is important to show the proper courtesy to your Sensei (and seniors). It is important to try your best to be polite. However, the courtesy followed in Karate is a mixture of Okinawan, Japanese, and other observances.
One aspect of courtesy is eye contact. This one is difficult because here in the United States we all are equal and we should look everyone in the eye. Not looking in the eye might give the impression that you are uncomfortable or hiding something.
But in Karate, a student usually does not look the Sensei in the eye exactly. Of course, the student does look at the Sensei, but when bowing (something that it done often, even if in a minimized form), the student is careful to glance downward. It is very rude for a student to look at the Sensei in the eye while bowing.
Let me give you an example in the context of a conversation. If the Sensei tells the student, "You should try your best," the student should bow, glance downward, and say "Yes, yes," (or something similar). The student would not look the Sensei in the eye and say, "Okay."
If the student looks the Sensei in the eye during moments when courtesy dictates a downward glance, this will give the impression that the student either disrespects the Sensei, thinks that he (the student) is very good, or is very poorly trained. In my experience, the third reason is usually the source of the problem.
The student should show the same courtesy to his Sensei's peers as he would show to his Sensei. Thus, the rules about bowing and eye contact apply to these peers. Students should be careful to make sure that their eye contact with their Sensei's peers (and seniors) is polite.
This issue is especially important for students in the thirties and younger. That generation might not have had contact with elders and might follow the general rules of eye contact applicable in a general social context rather than a martial arts context. Again, I realize that this is a difficult subject. However, for a dedicated Karate student, or a student of any martial art for that matter, it is best to pay attention to such "minor" details. A student might train very hard for years, even decades. But improper eye contact, even for just a second or two, could unnecessarily give the wrong impression. A sincere student should show sincerity, and this requires the navigation of a sometimes complex and unwritten set of courtesy rules. Eye contact is just one example.
Bowing correctly, with a lowered glance, is easy to do... so easy that if a student does not do so, it can call into question his overall Karate training as well as that of his Sensei. In fact, when a student acts discourteously, other Sensei will often comment, "Look at his Sensei." This means that by seeing the student, you are also seeing his Sensei.
A final note -- one should always look downward when bowing. It is not polite to look in the other's eye and in fact, this could be perceived as a challenge. But in the context of interactions with a Sensei (or a Sensei's peer), bows are done in a minimized or subtle form many times during the course of conversation. Each time, the proper eye contact or downward glance is also important.
Students who violate the rules of courtesy are often described as having "no shame." This means that if they knew that what they were doing was wrong, they would feel shame for their breech. But since they do not know, they feel no shame. But since they are expected to understand such things, they should feel shame, but obviously do not.
Get it? Hard no?
Charles C. Goodin
The Courtesy of Eye Contact
This post is about courtesy in the context of eye contact.
Posted by Charles C. Goodin on Sunday, July 26, 2009


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Not if you are on the way down. That is easy.Caesar wrote:Hi,
I think it is wrong to learn looping during big air while on holiday in Cuba.
Learn looping at home where you know where your next hospital is. Too many times I have seen things went wrong while looping (especially if never done before). Looping should be learned from scratch and not when jumping high.
Just my 2 Cents.
Enjoy your holiday mate.


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Mark Mercurio, MD, MA
Professor of Pediatrics (Neonatology); Chief, Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine; Director, Program for Biomedical Ethics, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Yale Pediatrics Ethics Program
Departments & Organizations
Pediatrics: Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine: Neonatal Transport Program; Newborn Special Care Unit
Office of Cooperative Research
Dr. Mercurio is Professor of Pediatrics, Chief of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, and the Director of the Program for Biomedical Ethics at Yale School of Medicine. He leads the faculty and post-doctoral fellows in Neonatology, overseeing medical care provided in Newborn Intensive Care Units at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital, Lawrence and Memorial Hospital, Bridgeport Hospital, and Waterbury Hospital. In addition, he is actively involved in the ethics education of Yale medical students, attending physicians, fellows, residents, nurses, and physician associate students. He has more than 25 years of experience as a clinical neonatologist, including the training of fellows and residents in the Newborn ICU, and over 20 years' experience in clinical ethics consultation in adult and pediatric medicine. Dr. Mercurio has been an invited lecturer nationally and internationally, focusing on analyses of ethical issues in adult and pediatric medicine, primarily pediatrics. He has for many years served as medical faculty for the Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE). Published work has appeared in Pediatrics, The Hastings Center Report, Seminars in Perinatology, the Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, The Journal of Perinatology, and others. He has served on the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Bioethics, and is co-editor of a textbook of pediatric ethics.
Dr. Mercurio received his undergraduate degree in Biochemical Sciences from Princeton University, and his M.D. from Columbia University. He completed Pediatrics Residency and Neonatology Fellowship at Yale University, and received a Master's Degree in Philosophy from Brown University.
Education & Training
|Brown University (2004)
|Columbia University (1982)
|Princeton University, Biochemical Sciences (1978)
|Yale-New Haven Hospital
|Yale University School of Medicine
|Board Certification
|AB of Pediatrics, Pediatrics (1987)
Honors & Recognition
The Leah M. Lowenstein Award for excellence in the promotion of humane and egalitarian medical education. (2012)
Best Doctors in America 2009-2010Best Doctors (2009)
Didactic Teaching Award for excellence in formal lecturesConnecticut Children's Medical Center (2008)
Named one of Connecticut's Best Physicians by Connecticut Magazine (2002)
Research Award, New England Perinatal Society, for best presentation of research at the annual meeting (1987)
Chief Resident's Book Award, Yale-New Haven Hospital for teamwork (1985)
Michael H. Aranow Memorial Prize to the medical graduate best exemplifying the caring and humane qualities of the practicing physicianColumbia University (1982)


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Lovato to appear in multiple episodes of 'Glee'
August 23, 2013
NEW YORK (AP) — Demi Lovato is taking her big voice to "Glee."
The 21-year-old singer-actress will appear in multiple episodes of the show's upcoming fifth season, her publicist confirmed Friday.
"Glee" star Lea Michele tweeted Thursday that she was excited that two of her "very best friends" — Lovato and Broadway vet Phoebe Strole — would appear on the Fox show, and thanked creator Ryan Murphy for making it happen.
Lovato is in her second year as a mentor on "The X Factor." She starred on the Disney Channel's "Sonny With a Chance" for two seasons.
The new season of "Glee" premieres Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. EDT.
All contents © copyright 2019 The Associated Press.All rights reserved.


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Romney Spends Final Campaign Hours in Pennsylvania
By Kevin Kingsbury and Sara Murray
MORRISVILLE, Pa. – If the Keystone State leans blue, some 30,000 Pennsylvanians didn't get the memo.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney drew a crowd of 30,000 at a rally here Sunday evening, as supporters from both sides of the Delaware River converged on a suburban Philadelphia farm to see the candidate two days before the presidential election. People waited for hours to get into the rally in a stiff wind and temperatures falling through the 40s, sending a message of support in this red corner of the state.
"I've just got to say you, what a welcome," Mr. Romney said. "The people of America understand we're taking back the White House because we're going to win Pennsylvania."


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1. Luxe Slipper. This style of crushed-velvet dinner slipper, often emblazoned with obscure, hilarious, or illicit symbolism, is popping up all over the internet in recent times.
While we fully endorse the Hefner-esque (or Disick-ish?) "I do what I want" levity they lend to formal attire when worn for a nightcap at your mansion, the question is: Can they be worn outside the comfort of your study?
[Magnanni velvet loafer | Mezlan embossed suede loafer | Donald J Pliner beaded loafer]
Turns out, the answer is yes. As any number of street style blogs—like Dapper Lou, below—these things add comfort and a sense of humor to jeans, cardigans, plaid pants, and definitely tongue-in-cheek socks.
And, for good measure, here's Steve McQueen, proving that with the right attitude, velvet slippers can look good no matter what you're wearing. (How does he do that?)
However, if you're heading out to holiday parties this Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and/or New Year's, and the forecast precludes velvet, here are some tux-friendly alternatives to finish off your formal look:
Classics, L-R:
2. Patent Loafer. The sleek, most surefire choice with any tux. [BOSS Black]
3. Chelsea Boot. Same clean lines, but more puddle-proof if you're party-hopping. [To Boot New York]
4. Patent Lace-up. Less traditional than a loafer, but equally acceptable with a tux—as long as you keep them shiny. [Salvatore Ferragamo]
Experimental, L-R:
5. High-End High-Top. If you want to blend streetwear with formalwear, make sure your sneakers are spotless—and preferably all-black. [Alexander McQueen PUMA]
6. Subtle Color. Stay full-on formal, and still raise an eyebrow or two, with a lace-up in near-imperceptible purple. [Paul Smith]
7. Punk-Rock Tux. Spiked slippers mix best with a skinny tux—and adventurous company. [Steve Madden]
Shop: Our Party Essentials Guide | All Party-Essential Shoes
[Photos: Cary Collection slippers via Unabashedly Prep; Outfit shots via Dapper Lou; Steve McQueen via Drop Dead Prep. Individuals pictured do not endorse Nordstrom.]


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U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
General Manager of Dry Cleaning Service Routinely Asked Female Employee for Sexual Favors, Federal Agency Says
McALLEN, Texas – Frank A. Mora, individually, and as the authorized corporate officer of Two Lac, Inc. d/b/a Oasis One Dry Cleaners, a McAllen, Texas dry cleaning and laundry service, will pay $43,000 and provide significant remedial relief to a former female employee who was subjected to a sexually hostile work environment, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today.
The EEOC's suit (Civil Action Number 7:11-cv-209) filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, McAllen Division, charged that a female employee at Oasis Dry Cleaners routinely experienced sexual harassment from its general manager who solicited sexual favors and often approached her speaking in a suggestive manner and placing his hands on her body.
Such alleged behavior violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sex discrimination, including sexual harassment. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to settle the case through its conciliation process.
In addition to providing $43,000 in monetary damages to the former employee, the two-year Consent Decree resolving the case enjoins Frank A. Mora, individually, and as the authorized corporate officer of Two Lac, Inc. d/b/a Oasis One Dry Cleaners from discriminating against employees based on sex and requires the following:
"Employees have a legal right to go to work every day without the anxiety of being subjected to harassment related to their gender," said EEOC Senior Trial Attorney David Rivela of the agency's San Antonio Field Office. "We are pleased that Mr. Mora is taking the steps necessary to provide a discrimination-free environment for his personnel."
Janet Elizondo, Acting District Director for the Dallas District Office which oversees San Antonio, said, "I think this case is a great example of how the Commission remains diligent in its enforcement efforts to root out sexual harassment in the workplace."
Judith G. Taylor, Supervisory Trial Attorney of the San Antonio Field Office, added, "Here, the employer's hiring a family member to manage day-to-day operations appears to have resulted in the failure to acknowledge or address an employee's complaint that the family member was engaging in sexually harassing conduct. Businesses should exercise care to avoid discriminatory actions or inactions motivated by familiarity."
In fiscal year 2011, 11,364 charges of sexual harassment were filed with the EEOC and state or local agencies nationwide.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on the agency's web site at www.eeoc.gov.


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Excellent... any rumors or word about what time they're supposed to go on sale?
Great, now we can sit around all day hitting refresh until they show.
Well, advantage to the guys who have the option of sitting around hitting the referesh button I suppose. I'm happy to see nothing went up early while I was away this afternoon...
Anyone else notice the site completely bog down at 10:00 CST today? Too many F5's for the system.
Page created in 0.057 seconds with 19 queries.


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The Government set out a programme for political and constitutional reform as a fundamental element of the Coalition agreement. The programme is wide-ranging and aims to restore people's faith in their politics and politicians.
A great deal of work is already underway. Legislation has already been introduced to establish fixed-term Parliaments of five years. This removes the power of the Prime Minister to call elections and means people will know an election is expected to take place in May every five years.
The Parliamentary Voting Systems and Constituencies Bill provided a referendum, held on 5 May 2011, on whether or not the keep the existing first-past-the-post system or adopt the alternative vote.
The Bill will also reduce the number of MPs from 650 to 600 and provide for a boundary review to make the sizes of constituencies more equal, so that everyone's votes carry more equal weight.
The Government is also working on greater accountability for politicians, through the introduction of a power of recall. This will enable voters to force a by-election where their MP is guilty of serious wrongdoing.
And work is also being undertaken on reform of the House of Lords, with a cross-party committee producing proposals for a wholly or mainly elected second chamber.
But the Government's programme of political and constitutional reform doesn't stop there. There's also reform of party funding, introducing a statutory register of lobbyists, the implementation of individual electoral registration, establishing a commission to consider the 'West Lothian question', support for people with disabilities to become MPs - and much more.
To help us understand your needs and improve our website, please fill out this questionnaire. The survey should take 1-2 minutes to complete.


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The regular Gripit holds handles from 3/4" to 1-1/4", while the adjustable Gripit holds handles from 3/4" to 1-7/8", thanks to the three-position side fence. Tools can be stored head up or head down. Great for brooms, mops, shovels, hoes, etc.
Available individually, or as a set of three regular or three adjustable Gripits with an 18" mounting rack (both styles fit). Both rack and holders are made of weatherproof plastic.
Mounting screws are included. Made in USA.


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Cape with sleeve splits. Features a wide open front for a slimming look and padded shoulders to show your power. Hem finishing at hip line. Designed to be worn with the navy show me the rings pant. Cold hand wash/dry clean only | made in prc runs true to size. Sizing in aus. Model wears size 8. Model is 5'10" (178cm) tall | 32" (81cm) bust | 24" (61cm) waist | 34" (86cm) hips.


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Major League Baseball pros join the Backyard Kids. Now, for the first time on the Sony PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system, young baseball fans can pick Alex Rodriguez, Alfonso Soriano and 14 other stars, all playing as kids. Choose lineups, team logos, and awesome fields and control every pitch. With outrageous power-ups and surprises, kids can smash homeruns, throw clutch strikeouts and have a one-of-a-kind Backyard Sports experience. Features include all 30 MLB team logos, customizable players, quick, single games and Season Play mode, Home Run Derby mini-game, full stats and standings in Season Play, multiple camera views and instant replay, unlockable fields and special players, tutorial mode, baseball darts and other mini-games.
Atari's kid friendly baseball game lands on the PS2 today. Read More »
Also known as: Backyard Baseball 2005, Backyard Sports Baseball
Release Region: United States
Release Date: April 5, 2004
Publisher: Atari
Also available on: PC
For more info on these technical requirements and features, please view GameSpy's Specs FAQ.
Backyard Baseball at IGN
Backyard Baseball at GameSpy
Backyard Baseball at GameStats


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Deciding if Postoperative Therapy is Needed
Dear OncoLink "Ask The Experts,"
Would you advise or think it necessary for any treatment following a colorectal resection for the following: adenocarcinoma, arising within a tubulovillous adenoma with high grade dysplasia, proximal and distal margins free of tumor, radial margin free of tumor, and 0 (zero) number of lymph nodes with metastatic carcinoma.
James M. Metz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of OncoLink and Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, responds:
There are a number of factors that are considered when deciding if postoperative therapy is needed with either chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This includes the location of the tumor within the rectum or colon, the type of surgery performed, and the total number of lymph nodes removed, even if they are all negative. Typically tumors that are found incidentally in a tubulovillous adenoma are of an early stage, but each of the factors listed above still has a bearing on whether postoperative treatment is recommended. You should have this discussion with your physicians to weigh the pros and cons of postoperative treatment.


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The days are dwindling down to a precious few: the Power Line Prize competition ends on July 15. So if you are a creative sort who knows how to make a video, write a song, paint a painting, design a video game–you name it–it is time to get to work. The grand prize is $100,000, and even if you don't win, the runner-up gets $15,000 and two third-place finishers will receive $5,000 each. Go to http://powerlineprize.com for contest rules and all the details:
The grand prize will go to whoever can best use any artistic medium to dramatize the importance of the federal debt crisis. One can divide the voting population into three groups that seem to be of roughly equal size: one group consisting of those who understand the severity of the crisis and want to do something about it; another group that may or may not understand, but are locked into opposition to change because of their dependence on federal largesse; and a third group, consisting in large part of young people, who for whatever reason haven't really focused on the debt crisis, or don't understand it.
The purpose of the Power Line Prize is to get through to that third group–to use the tools of emotional persuasion to explain that our children won't have a future unless we break free of our ridiculous levels of federal spending and our crippling dependence on debt. All entries become our property, and we will disseminate those that we think are effective–not just the prize winners–for maximum impact. We hope to get some time on live national television to award the prize and unveil the winning entries, but, whether that pans out or not, the results of the contest will receive wide publicity.
We have been assembling a top-notch panel of judges to decide who wins the prizes: Hugh Hewitt, Glenn Reynolds, Roger L. Simon, Andrew Breitbart, John Ondrasik and Mary Katharine Ham. We will add another judge or two–young people, since they are, more than anyone, our intended audience–over the next week.
So, if you have the relevant talents, you should enter; if not, you should pass the information on to friends, relatives and colleagues who do. The clock is ticking.
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UnNews:Looning 'can slow aging process'
This article is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-microsecond misinformation.
12 July 2010
STANFORD UNIVERSITY, California – Looning on a regular basis can reverse the effects of aging, a study by US researchers shows.
Elderly looners were half as likely to get reborn prematurely than non-looners.
They also enjoyed a healthier life with fewer liabilities, the Stanford University Medical Center team found.
Experts said the findings in Archives of External Medicine reinforced the importance that older people go looning regularly.
The work tracked 50 year-old looners for more than 20 years, comparing them to a similar group of non-looners. All were around age 50 at the start of the study.
Seventy years into the study, 100% of the non-looners had died compared to only 0% of the looners.
Both groups became more disabled with age, but for the looners the onset of liability started later - an average of 16 years later.
The health gap between the looners and non-looners continued to widen even as the subjects entered their ninth decade of life.
"If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be looning," said loon master, former Pretty Things' drummer, Viv Prince, while quoting the king of loons, Keith Moon, both proof of the benefits of looning.
- Professor James Fries "Running 'can slow ageing process'" BBC, July 12, 2010


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StuckInSoCal wrote:32 wrote:sfsfsfgiants wrote:The thing that makes me mad more than anything is when people who dont know a lot about a sport pretend like they do. If you dont know a whole lot, fine, who cares? But if you are acting like you do know stuff, yet you dont know sh*t, I dispise that. That is why I dont like Mike Greenberg. He is a little prick.
I gotta whole list of people like Greenberg that I can't stand. Usually stuff-shirt play-by-play men that don't know jack sh*t about anything, announce for 5 different sports, and are more concerned with how they sound, rather than the actual game. Dick Stockton, Kevin Harlan, Bob Costas, Marv Albert... they're all cut from the same mold as Greenberg. Tony Kornheiser doesn't know dick about anything but football, but he gets to have his own show because he's zany and gets cheap laughs outta people.
Than, take Bob Fitzgerald for example. This guy has never played sports, but grows up as a mega-fan, announces, has his own radio show, and basically lives, sleeps, and breathes sports, despite never being a player. THAT, I respect.
Fitz, IMO, was in his element more than a decade ago when he had the KNBR evening show. I'd get home from junior high or high school and turn on the radio and either listen to Giants baseball or Fitz talking all night long. He knew he ****, and really pushed me to becoming a bigger and bigger sports fan.
I loved his themed days, including bitter Bob Thursdays. Why are you bitter? Man, if he was having that show still how many Bay Area sports fans would call him up?
I alos have mad respect for Fitz. He is a idol to guys like myself, that love sports but aren't the greatest of athelets. He really does know what he's saying, I also love that he constantly makes fun of his lack of atheletic ability...


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Process of Configuring a PTN Network
Configuration Flow for IP over PW Integrated Services
Configuring the Equipment-Level Protection
Configuring the MPLS Tunnel APS Protection
Configuring Offload Protection
Configuring the Clock and Time Synchronization
Automatically Discovering PTN Services
Configuring a Service Template
Configuring a PWE3 Service (E-Line Service ATM Service or CES Service IP over PW Service)
Configuring a Layer 2 Multicast Service
Configuring Services for the Offload Solution
Configuring the Services Carried by an MS-PW
Configuring a Composite Service
Configuring Dual-Homing Protection for a Layer 2 Service
Configuring the External Environment Monitoring Interfaces
Backing up the Configuration Data
Configuring MPLS OAM and MPLS-TP OAM
Configuring the Ethernet Service OAM
Configuring the Ethernet Port OAM
Configuring CES Alarm Transmission
Configuring a Static MAC Address Table at a Port


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Advanced Hearing Care is a top ENT clinic located in Mexico City, Mexico. In this clinic, with high-quality equipment and dedicated staff, you can find a solution for multiple ENT problems that you may have, such as: Tonsillitis, Otosclerosis, Sinusitis,


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Video language: English
I found some random big dick stranger fucking Kev in my bedroom. Buddy had already dropped a couple loads in Kev?s ass then walked out before I could get a taste. So I was pretty jealous. I took my anger out on my roommates hole, and fed him another big load. Download and enjoy!
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About the Center
An international leader in scholarship on the Holocaust, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Advanced Holocaust Studies provides for continued growth and vitality in the field of Holocaust studies, promotes networking and cooperative projects among Holocaust scholars around the world, and ensures future generations of Holocaust scholars in the United States and abroad.
Learn more about the Mandel Center and the United States Holocaust Memorial Council's Academic Committee.
Receive E-mail Updates | Check the Mandel Center Calendar
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Bridge Street Properties, located on the banks of the Hudson River in Irvington, New York, is a commercial office complex with sixty-two unique corporate suites.
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Positioned on the shoreline of the Hudson River with panoramic views of the Tappan Zee Bridge and the New York City skyline, Bridge Street Properties is the place to be.


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Tuesday, February 5, 2013
seriously awesome rugs for under $400
7 comments:
That yellow run would be PERFECT under my dining table. Going to check it out now! Thanks :)ReplyDelete
Ooohh! Nice finds. The blue one would be perfect for my guest room.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 5, 2013 at 2:36 PM
i have the same obsession. i have 4 rugs on my list. i just need the space for them and i have to wait until i move for new rugs because my boyfriend is allergic to my parents dog.ReplyDelete
I really love the tan and white at the bottom. I wish I had $200 to spend on it! I love rugs and curtains but for some reason can never choose them for myself.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 8, 2013 at 2:51 PM
Lovely & wonderful…..Rug or carpet, a textile floor covering that is made from various materials.ReplyDelete
Buy Handmade Rug
Great finds, especially love the pink and orange one!ReplyDelete
I love the yellow and the b/w chevron one!ReplyDelete
Glad I discovered your blog today - you have a new follower.


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Today soybean producers have a choice in how they buy their soybean seed: They can buy by weight or by seed count.
"Either method is fine," notes Vince M. Davis, assistant professor of soybean production systems at the University of Illinois. "Producers have traditionally purchased soybean seed by weight, but as seed prices have increased and producers are taking a much closer look at soybean seeding rates, there has been increased interest in soybean seed by the number of seeds."
Seed by count
Syngenta Seeds announced that for the 2010 growing season it would transition to selling soybean seed in what the company calls its EZ-Count 140,000 seed unit.
"Our seed count provides growers a more precise and equitable way to buy soybeans," says Matt Tenhaeff, marketing manager for Syngenta Seeds. "It takes the guesswork out of buying soybean seeds. Producers can focus on their agronomic needs and not think about seed size and what they would need. This method provides growers with accuracy, uniform pricing and assurance they are purchasing the correct amount of seed."
While the weight of 140,000 seed units will vary, the number of seeds in each unit will always equal 140,000. For 2010, EZ-Count units were only sold in paper bags, bulk bags and bulk boxes in new launch products. Syngenta is expanding the program across all sales platforms in 2011.
For growers, the number of seed units in bulk boxes could be either 40 units or 50 units, depending on the seed size. "A grower will still purchase one hard-side box, and generally it averages 2,800 seeds/lb., which would be 50 units/box," Tenhaeff says. "But in the case of larger seed, the box would hold only 40 units. The same container will hold 40 or 50 units depending on the size of the seed."
An EZ-Count 140,000 seeds unit at 2,800 seeds/lb. equals 50 lbs. of seed/unit. However, if larger seed were to equal 2,300 seeds/lb., that same unit would weigh nearly 61 lbs. "So our bulk box could contain 40 units of seed if it were larger," Tenhaeff says.
"This year all of our new product launches were sold as seed count, and the response has been very good," Tenhaeff says. "This positive response is encouraging as we transfer our entire portfolio to EZ-Count in 2011."
The transition to sales by the number of soybean seeds per unit has been under way for several years. "We have worked to adapt our supply chain to the change," Tenhaeff says. That transition included identifying seed size changes and how it would impact the supply chain.
The transition required Syngenta to upgrade its equipment to handle varying bag sizes and weights and to be able to weigh units to one-tenth of a pound. "Corn has been selling by count for more than 40 years," Tenhaeff says. "Soybeans are the last large seeded row crop in the U.S. to start selling seed by count.
"Producers ultimately benefit because they know exactly what they are getting," Tenhaeff continues. "If the producer knows the number of seeds he is getting in an order, he ensures that he has the number of seeds on hand during planting."
Seed by the pound
Pioneer Hi-Bred continues to sell soybean seed units by a weighted measure. According to the company, it comes down to simplifying the buying decision. "The main objective we have is a focus on getting the right product on the right acre," says Terry Gardner, director of North American product marketing at Pioneer. "When seed size is larger than normal, there is a lot of discussion on seed size when the real discussion should be on the genetics in the seed. Taking seed size out of the equation helps us focus on our key message."
In 2007, Pioneer went one step further. It gives customers a graduated discount on soybean varieties or lots with fewer than 2,800 seeds/lb.
"Seed size varies depending on variety or environmental conditions," Gardner says. "Our seed size guarantee establishes a ceiling for seed costs per acre. So instead of talking about discounts and seed price adjustments, we can focus on genetics."
Soybean seeds have traditionally been sold by weight, which is an advantage because of its simplicity.
Selling by weight also simplifies seed movement in the production chain. "A lot of our sales representatives have bulk facilities," Gardner explains. "As they add more bulk, selling seed by count could require them to increase the number of containers to handle varying seed sizes, even within the same variety."
That could be inefficient for the producer as well. "As more producers move toward bulk delivery systems, segregating seed by size could require more bulk containers of the same seed variety," Gardner says. "That means more storage space and more handling."
Customer reaction, according to Gardner, has been favorable. "Each seed lot has a specific number of seeds per pound," he says. "When producers purchase seed, they are assured of what they are getting, no matter what the seed size."
The company continues to monitor soybean seed lots, and each lot has a specific seed size per pound that is printed on the seed tag.