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Easter Chick Girl Personalized Kids Melamine Plate
Our practical and personalized 8-inch or 10-inch Easter chick girl kids' personalized melamine plates with your choice of grace saying are one-of-a-kind and made especially for you upon order. Use it and enjoy it everyday - grace plates are non-toxic (BPA free) and dishwasher safe, but not recommended for use in the microwave. Made of break resistant, durable melamine. Kids love to see their name on anything and everything ... watch them say grace before gobbling up their entire meal to see their name on their very own personalized children's prayer plate. A unique personalized baptismal gift, personalized christening gift for boys, personalized godparent gift for boys, personalized birthday gift for boys or personalized holiday gift idea for boys!
Availability: Ships in approximately 10 business days.
Please note slight variations with this product reflect the handmade craftsmanship. Also, colors may vary slightly from the proof due to browser and computer monitor settings.
Available Grace Sayings:
- Father in heaven hear my prayer, keep me in thy loving care. Be my guide in all I do, Bless all those who love me, too. Amen.
- God is great, God is good. Let us thank Him for our food. By His hands we all are fed, Give us Lord our daily bread. Amen.
- God is great, God is good. Thank you for our daily food. Bless us even as we pray. Guide and keep us through this day. Amen.
- Heavenly Father, great and good, We thank thee for this daily food. Bless us even as we pray; Guide and keep us through this day. Amen.
- Heavenly Father, hear my prayer; Keep me in Thy loving care. Keep me pure and sweet and true. In everything I say and do. Amen.
- For health and food, for love and friends. For everything Thy goodness sends. Father in heaven, we thank Thee. Amen.
- Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for the friends we meet. Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.
- Thank you for the food we eat, Thank you for the world so sweet. Thank you for the birds that sing, Thank you, God, for everything. Amen.
- Bless us Oh Lord, and these thy gifts, which we are about to receive, from thy bounty, through Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
Come Lord Jesus be our guest, let this food to us be blessed. And may there be a goodly share on every table everywhere. Amen.


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User talk:Anal Passion
Your username has been blocked as inappropriate, in line with our blocking policy. You are encouraged to create a new account and contribute to Wikipedia under a more appropriate username, and in a constructive manner. See wikipedia:username for guidance on selecting an appropriate username. Alternatively, edit Wikipedia without creating an account. You are not authorised to edit Wikipedia under an inappropriate username.
Due to Wikipedia's mechanism for enforcing namechanges, your IP address may be temporarily blocked. Unless you have also been engaging in vandalism, we will remove that block as soon as possible - if this doesn't happen within an hour or so, please email an administrator and explain the situation to them - see wikipedia:list of administrators.
Once you create a new account with an appropriate username, you may wish to leave a note at your old user page noting your new name. To merge the contributions from your old account into your new one, leave a note on Wikipedia:Changing username.
--Neutralitytalk 06:21, Jan 9, 2005 (UTC)

subset: commoncrawl


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Will Nebraska Split Its Electoral Votes?
-- Cornhusker football fans paint Nebraska solidly red during the fall months, and so the state typically goes in presidential elections -- it has given all of its electoral votes to Republican candidates since 1964.
But Nebraska is one of two states that can split its electoral votes (Maine is the other), so Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's camp has set up shop in Omaha, the state's largest city, in an effort to wrestle one or more of the five electoral votes away from the GOP.
ABC News' assessment of the state puts it in the "leaning Republican" column, but Obama hopes to tip the scales and turn this red state just a bit purple.
The Illinois senator has an ally in Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., who endorsed him in January.
Nebraska's other U.S. Senator, the outgoing Republican Chuck Hagel, is known as a maverick because of his willingness to break with his party on the war in Iraq and other key issues, drawing many comparisons to Republican presidential nominee John McCain, R-Ariz. But Hagel hasn't endorsed either candidate, and his name was even tossed out as a long shot choice to share a ticket with Obama.
Will history repeat itself with all of the Cornhusker State's votes on the board for McCain? Or will Obama throw a Hail Mary for an upset this political season? Stay tuned as ABC News delivers the highlights this fall.


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IMED 2011, The third International Meeting on Emerging Diseases and SurveillanceArchived
The emergence of cholera in Haiti once again reminds us of the ferocity with which infectious diseases can strike and of the complex interactions of emerging infectious diseases with social conditions, human migration, and the ecosystem.
Necrotising fasciitis due to Vibrio cholerae non-O1/non-O139 after exposure to Austrian bathing sites
This article reports two cases of necrotising fasciitis, a rare condition, each after bathing in one of two Austrian ponds.
Epidemiological update: Cholera in Mexico, 9 October 2013
On 1 October, 46 confirmed cases of cholera, including one death, were reported by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Mexico. Of those, two were identified in the Federal District and 44 in the state of Hidalgo.
Epidemiological update: cholera in Mexico, 13 November 2013
On 13 November, WHO reported 4 additional cases of cholera in Mexico. Since the beginning of the outbreak in September 2013, Mexico has reported 180 confirmed cases of cholera caused by Vibrio cholerae O:1 Ogawa, including one death.
Risk of travel-associated cholera transmission can remain low if precautionary measures are takenArchived
ECDC has issued a risk assessment on cholera transmission related to travel to the Dominican Republic after two cases have been detected in tourists returning to the UK and Germany from resorts in the Punta Cana area of the Dominican Republic.
Epidemiological update: Ongoing outbreak of cholera in Cuba, potential risk for European travellersArchived
On 3 July the Cuban Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of cholera in the south-western city of Manzanillo. It is the first time in almost 150 years that an outbreak of cholera is reported in the island.
Cholera in Algeria – travellers urged to take preventive measures
Algerian health authorities reported over 160 cholera cases, with two fatalities, in five areas namely Algeirs, Bouira, Bilda, Medea and Tipaza in the northern part of the country.
Cyclone Idai: ECDC joins emergency response as more cases of cholera and waterborne diseases expected
ECDC has deployed an epidemiologist under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism to assist in the emergency response in Mozambique. The mission will support the humanitarian response with public health assessments and epidemiological advice. ECDC is also producing a risk assessment on the health risks related to this event.


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Mini Camp - July 8 - 11 2020
Teen Camp - July 13 - 18 2020
Overview of the Retreat
2003 News Report
Now accepting applications for
Mountains & Strings
Mini M & S
Mountains & Strings: More Than Just a Music Camp
Mountains & Strings Chamber Music
Harriman State Park of Idaho is a unique combination of chamber music and outdoor recreation. String students from all over the country bring their violins, violas, cellos, and basses to have the experience of an intense chamber music camp combined with a life changing outdoor adventure. Nestled between Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Mountain Range, Harriman State Park of Idaho is the perfect setting
for young string players to experience chamber music, friendship, and the beauty of nature. Students at the retreat are each assigned to a small chamber ensemble (string quartet or trio) where they receive coaching from professional performers and teachers.
In addition to string quartets and other small ensembles, all students participate in a chamber orchestra. Students also have the opportunity to attend violin, viola, and cello master classes and participate in fiddling, viola, and
cello choirs. Performances include the student quartet concert and the Mountains & Strings Chamber Orchestra concert in Harriman State Park. Outdoor activities during the week include hikes in Harriman State Park, outdoor barbecues, games, and initiative classes.
Join us this summer as we discover the treasures of Nature, Recreation, Friendship, and Beautiful Music.
NEW! - Mini Mountains & Strings for Younger Musicians
10 Years of Great Music Camps
FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
What Every Parent Should Know
Refer a friend. . .or an enemy and get up to $100 off your tuition.
Custom Web Site Design & Ecommerce


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Developer Gearbox Software has released a new selection of shift codes for their recently-released open-world cooperative role-playing game, "Borderlands 2."
This game and it's DLC has become irrelevant to me without them upping the level cap, makes no sense at all.
Anyone finding the DLC to be pretty difficult? Not a bad thing..
All these golden keys just further diminish the value of all other chests in the game, boring game is boring.


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Paris attacks - FAQ travel/security
If you plan to travel to France or if you are currently living there, here are some useful answers to questions regarding security and travel in France since Paris attacks on November 13.
Nov, 20, 2015
You will find below answer to questions on the scope of the steps that have been taken to ensure the safety of the French population and foreign visitors.
- Paris Tourist Office: www.parisinfo.com
- email@example.com - +33 1 49 52 42 68
- Trains: www.voyages-sncf.com
- Metro station: www.ratp.fr
- Aéroports de Paris (Paris airports authority): www.aeroportsdeparis.fr
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr
- Paris City Hall: www.paris.fr
In case of emergency
- Emergency ambulance: 15
- Police emergencies: 17
- Fire brigade: 18
- General emergency services: 112
Are France's borders closed?
No, the borders are not closed, but the President of the French Republic has decided to establish systematic checks at entry points to the French territory (road, rail, port and airport crossing points).
What are the implications of the restoration of border controls (required documents)?
The documents that must be presented during border controls are the same as those usually required for nationals of your country. However, delays are to be expected in airports and stations served by international services (Thalys, Eurostar, etc.).
Do Europeans need their passports to enter France?
Citizens of European Union Member States need a valid identity document (ID card or passport). Generally, the documents required to enter France are the same as usual.
Is my visa still valid?
Yes, the visas issued prior to the establishment of border controls remain valid to enter France.
Are there delays in visa issuance?
The French consular services are doing their best to ensure that visas are issued in the same timeframes as usual.
Are tourist attractions, museums and monuments open?
All public cultural establishments in Paris, the ?le-de-France and France more generally are open. Open sites include, non-exhaustively: Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Château de Versailles, Disneyland Paris, Grand Palais, Centre Georges Pompidou, Notre Dame de Paris, Paris Lido, Crazy Horse, Bateaux Parisiens, and the Moulin Rouge. If required by the situation, the Prefect of Police may order the exceptional closure of certain establishments in order to ensure public safety.
Are concerts and shows cancelled?
In principle, scheduled shows and concerts will go ahead and venues will be open, unless the organizers or prefecture decide otherwise. The sector federations have announced enhanced security measures. The responsibility for the organization and safety of the event is incumbent upon the operator and organizer. Security measures, including access controls and entry screenings, are being enhanced to ensure the
greatest safety of audiences, performers and works.
Are shops open?
All shops are open, including Grands Magasins and major shopping centres.
Are their special measures in French hotels?
As provided for in French law, hotels are required to ask all foreign customers to complete an individual police form (Article 6 of the Decree of 18 August 2015).
Moreover, each establishment has the right to carry out security checks.
Are their restrictions on the opening of restaurants, bars and clubs?
No. Restaurants, bars and clubs are open and operating normally.
Are public events going ahead?
Events organized in public spaces are cancelled or adjourned only in Paris and the wider ?le-de-France region, until 22 November 2015 inclusive.
Will conferences and trade shows go ahead?
The United Nations Climate Conference (COP21) will go ahead, and will be held from 30 November to 11 December 2015. Upcoming trade fairs and conferences will go ahead, with enhanced security measures.
What steps have been taken to enhance the safety of tourists?
- The public authorities and tourism professionals have made safety a national priority:
- A state of emergency has been declared by the President of the French Republic, conferring upon civil authorities extended policing powers in order to ensure the safety of the French population and of tourists. It was initially valid for twelve days, and has been extended for three months;
- The state of emergency does not mean that a curfew has been declared. Generally, the measures implemented aim to strengthen security and have no impact on the quality of the experience of foreign tourists in France;
- Police and gendarmerie reinforcements have been deployed across France. In the Paris region alone, about 3000 soldiers have been deployed to reinforce those already in place. Eventually, more than 5000 additional police and gendarmes will ensure security;
- Inspections and staff levels will be increased in public transport and around sites receiving the public, including tourist attractions (three-fold increase in staffing at Parisian sites);
- Lastly, the representatives of the tourism sector have announced the recruitment of additional security staff in order to ensure the safety of visitors.
Are there travel restrictions within France?
There are no general travel restrictions on travel and journeys. Short-term restrictive measures may however be taken by the prefects of individual geographic Departments. However, law enforcement forces may carry out checks on people and luggage. They also reserve the right to prohibit the carriage of certain personal effects considered dangerous.
Are domestic transport services running?
Air and rail connections are operating and running normally. National and international train services are thus operating a normal service.
Boarding checks have been stepped up for flights and the access to international rail services. Additional delays are to be expected.
In Paris, the metro, buses, trams and suburban rail services (RER) are operating normally, and stations are open. Surveillance and control measures have been enhanced generally in public transport.
Are flights to and from France cancelled?
We have not seen any cancellation of flights since 13 November.
Is there any specific advice for groups?
No specific restrictions have been placed on groups of travellers, who must however comply with the general instructions given by the public authorities. However, school trips have been cancelled until 22 November across France, including those to and from foreign countries.
Can coaches and buses park normally?
There are no specific instructions regarding bus and coach parks. In some rare cases, certain tourist sites have moved their parking towards replacement areas nearby, which are clearly indicated
NB: logo (c) http://www.dreamstime.com


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Ethics Hotline available to University employees
This message was shared with University employees on Oct. 14, 2020.
Dear Members of the Ohio University Community:
In February 2006, Ohio University demonstrated its commitment to promoting a culture of ethics and integrity by contracting with EthicsPoint®, a third-party provider located in Portland, Oregon, to manage the Ohio University Ethics Hotline. This hotline is a toll-free anonymous telephone-based system available to all University employees. It can be accessed by calling (866) 294-9591. A link to additional hotline information is available on the Internal Audit web page.
The system facilitates an anonymous dialogue between anyone making a report and Internal Audit, Legal Affairs, or the University representative who can most appropriately respond to the reporter's concerns.
Employees should report concerns through normal lines of communication. However, when employees are uncomfortable using these methods, the Ethics Hotline offers an alternative for filing concerns in an anonymous manner.
While investigations are performed in a highly confidential manner, it should be noted that records generated in the course of an investigation may be subject to disclosure in accordance with applicable law, including Ohio's Public Records Act.
The University is also required by Ohio law to inform you of a fraud hotline maintained by the Ohio Auditor of State. This hotline can be reached at (866) 372-8364.
If you have a concern about possible fraud, waste, abuse of University assets, or other compliance or regulatory issues, the Ethics Hotline is available and can be reached by calling EthicsPoint® toll-free at (866) 294-9591.
Best regards,
Mary Ann Boyle
Interim Chief Audit Executive


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Voters in Detroit elect Mike Duggan city's first white mayor in four decades
Published Wednesday, November 6, 2013 12:04PM EST
DETROIT -- When Mike Duggan recites the oath of office in January as Detroit's first white mayor in four decades, he may -- in a way -- give the eulogy to a period of racial divide that has defined much of the city's past.
Unofficial general election results Tuesday night showed Duggan defeating Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon 55 per cent to 45 per cent with all of the city's 614 precincts reporting.
But Detroit officially could be bankrupt by the time Duggan moves into City Hall. He also will be expected to have solutions for lowering one of the highest violent crime rates in the country -- in a city that struggles to respond to 911 calls -- and fixing Detroit's many crumbling neighbourhoods. Public transportation is in shambles, as are other city services.
Those are things Paulette Warren wants corrected and it doesn't matter to her whether the person who does it is white, black, red or yellow.
"When you call 911 you want to know an ambulance is coming," said Warren, who is black and voted Tuesday for Duggan. "It's all about who can do the job. It's not about colour."
Race is as much a part of Detroit, its politics, citizenry and relationship with suburban neighbours as assembly lines and the cars that rolled across them.
In the 1950s, about 1.8 million people lived in Detroit, but the lure of new homes in fresh suburbs started an exodus from the urban core. A deadly race riot in 1967 saw parts of the city burn over several days and hastened white flight. And when a brash, black labour leader named Coleman A. Young was elected mayor in 1973, Detroit's growing black populace began to flex its political muscle.
But soon, the same suburbs that earlier welcomed white families became too attractive for the city's black middle class to ignore. Thousands of blacks also left Detroit for safer neighbourhoods and better schools, leaving parts of the city virtually empty. They also took their money and much of the city's tax base.
Detroit's population now is around 700,000 and expected to continue sliding.
State-appointed emergency manager Kevyn Orr says Detroit's debt is at least $18 billion. He has stopped making millions of dollars in bond debt payment and is trying to work out deals with some creditors while awaiting a federal judge's ruling on whether the city will be the largest in the country to be declared bankrupt.
"It's not black or white. It's green. It's who can bring money to Detroit to improve our city services," said black first-term Councilman Andre Spivey, who appeared Tuesday to have won his re-election bid in Detroit's fourth district. "A lot of people who are probably 45, 50 and older remember well when we had the last Caucasian mayor. For most folks, it's not an issue."
Detroit is more than 80 per cent black and until Duggan had not produced a strong white candidate for mayor since former police commissioner John F. Nichols challenged Young in 1973.
"When I started on this campaign, I was not under any illusion about the racial division in this country," Duggan said Tuesday night during his victory speech. "And I said from the beginning that the only way I could get past it was to sit with you . and get to know you one by one.
"At this moment what we have in common is much more powerful than what divides us. And now the real work begins."
Duggan will succeed Mayor Dave Bing, who decided not to seek re-election. He is Detroit's first white mayor since Roman Gribbs, who decided not to seek re-election for a term that ended in 1973.
Duggan moved to Detroit last year from Livonia, a predominantly white suburb just west of the city, to run for the job, but a residency issue forced him off the August primary ballot. He ran as a write-in and received the most votes.
He campaigned heavily on his past work as president and CEO of the Detroit Medical Center and said that when he took over in 2004, the system was facing hospital closures. It later was sold for about $365 million.
"He's got some business experience. You want someone in there who has experience on a major level," said Michael Twomey, who voted absentee for Duggan.
"I just want to see somebody in there with not just good intentions -- somebody who can really do something ... I don't feel the city's had a strong mayor in a long time."
Twomey, a 67-year-old retired truck driver, said he is the only white resident on his northwest side block.
"They just want to see the city run and get back on its feet," he said of his black neighbours. "I think race has become less of an issue with the people with vested interest in the city -- the homeowners."
Councilwoman Brenda Jones, who appeared to win her third consecutive term Tuesday, has an issue with Duggan not because he's white, but because he moved into Detroit to run for mayor.
Black Detroiters have voted to put whites in public office in the past, said Jones, pointing to Maryann Mahaffey who spent 31 years on the council beginning in the early 1970s.
"Maryann Mahaffey was a true Detroiter," said Jones, who is black. "So, is it about Detroit being ready for a white mayor or about Detroit being ready for a Detroiter? Duggan has not lived in Detroit. How can I see him as a real Detroiter?"


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Reality TV shows
Stories this photo appears in:
How Are Reality TV Shows Affecting Society's Perception Of Black Women?
While Black women are clearly underrepresented in films and on prime time comedies and dramas, the same cannot be said of our representation on reality television. The sheer number of reality programs on television today makes it difficult to determine if we are in some way "overrepresented," however, Black women have been entertaining American households through this genre from its inception and continue to do so today.


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On-Air Advertising
To advertise over our radio waves (on the air), please call the station at (507) 376-6165 or (800) 886-5486 (toll-free); or send an email to our sales team.
Website Advertising
Get more out of your advertising dollar. Take your ads online! Radio Works is in the business of providing you with advertising options that drive business to your website and to your front door. Technical details about all available online advertisements are below; for pricing and additional questions, please contact the sales team.
Website advertisement sizes and formats
The following ad placements are available on US 95. These ad placements display in the right sidebar on nearly every page of the website (excluding some policy, general and administrative pages). Only one advertisement will display in an ad placement at a time; multiple ads for the same placement rotate on page reload.
Accepted media formats for all ad units: .jpg, .gif, .png, .swf.
|Max. File Size
|Max. Animation Length (seconds)
|300 X 100 IMU - (3:1 Rectangle)
|300 X 250 IMU - (Medium Rectangle
Ad Unit Samples
300 X 100 IMU (3:1 Rectangle)
300 X 250 IMU (Medium Rectangle)
Additional Notes
>IMU = Interactive Marketing Unit
>All dimensions are measured [width] x [height], in pixels
>File size is in kilobytes (k)
>00:15 second animation includes multiple loops
Note that all sizes on this page follow the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Ad Unit Guidelines. We follow this set of standards to ensure flexibility and extendable advertising.
Design Services
No ads? No designer? No Problem! If you are in need of a designer to create your advertisements, please contact the Radio Works sales team and we will put you in contact with one of our creative partners in the area or in touch with our own in-house creative designers.


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Also in Business Banking :
Liquidity Management Solution
Auto Sweep
Cash pooling is important to a company's financial management strategy. It allows businesses to maximise on both their current credit and debit positions to receive the greatest benefits. The most popular approach to cash pooling is the concentration of cash into one central account. The company maintains enough money in a current account to cover working capital requirements, with all excess funds moved to an interest earning account. This way the business generates interest income from the balance using the auto sweep solution.
Reporting Solutions
In every business reporting is a primary function. CBA provides a number of options customised to fit your unique reporting needs. Our solutions include:
- Mail collection and delivery for printed statements
- Real-time account information via cba@net
- Account statement extracts (CSV, PDF, HTML, XML) enabling seamless reconciliation on your chosen accounting system
Fill out this form now and send it through to us to apply for your Liquidity Management Solution
For more information kindly contact our cash management product specialists on email@example.com


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Waterworld may have drowned at the box office, but this shot of Kevin Costnersailing into the 1,021 ton floating city shows how breathtakingly original and stark its postapocalyptic vision was. Critics mocked Waterworld's massive $175 million budget, but the truth is, you can see every penny on screen. The makers of Waterworld didn't just show us a model or mock-up of the floating city, they actually built the thing.
The city is donut-shaped, with a ring of floating platforms and towers and massive hand-cranked gates. There's a pervasive myth that this set was destroyed by a tropical storm, but really just a smaller and relatively minor set sank, says Rodger Pardee, who worked on the production. Think of it as a proof of concept: If the world really does turn into an aquatic dystopia, we really might need to build fortified cities on the water.
The set was 365 feet in diameter and weighed about 1000 tons, writes Pardee, who teaches at Loyola Marymount University. It had to be able to rotate so you could shoot from different angles and have the ocean in the background while it was moored in harbor. And then the filmmakers towed it out to sea so they could get wide shots of it under attack. It's an engineering marvel, as long as Kevin Costner doesn't open his mouth.
Waterworld - On Location [Rodger Pardee's Webpage]


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Well finally after many years of empty overview maps, since a few weeks (as written in my last posts) mkgmap was able to write simple overviewmaps. So much faster zooming/panning when zoomed out fast in Mapsource, Basecamp, QLandkarteGT. From todays map update onwards, the overview map now has several layers. This makes the orientation when zoomed out far, still a lot better.
Therefore I also update the Europe map again, because on large area maps, this is even more important. However not only is it faster now on the desktop - but also on the GPS the basemap will become visible earlier, making zooming out work much faster (before I always had to compromise between speed on GPS, vs speed on Desktop, not anymore). Therefore however again I had to add some types to the .typ-file (0x11f04, 0x11f05, 0x10f0a).
Besides the work on the overview map, I will start to work on a worldwide basemap. The problem is that currently some Garmin GPS come with a routeable basemap, in some cases this destructs the routing of detailed maps, like openmtbmaps and velomaps. I will try to create a good basemap, that can go in combination with velomaps/openmtbmap showing the most important map features there are (rivers, lakes, sea, huge cities, borders, motorways, maybe some major railways...).
Fixed bug that Ireland and Northern Ireland was not updated over the last 3 weeks.
Further changes:
add bridge=culvert and bridge=boardwalk.
fix some more bugs related to autorouting in velomap/openmtbmap
and some more little bugfixes...
the new overview map at 150km zoomed out, Detail level High. Very fast...


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The biggest bottleneck in a modern day smartphone is its battery. Within just a few years we have gone from single core processors to quad and octa core gigahertz monsters, WVGA to full-HD displays, and 3G to 4G connectivity. However, the battery technology has been struggling to keep up. LG Optimus G, which touts latest innovation from LG Chem, has a battery rated at 3140 mAh. That's more than double that of what Xperia X10, a handset released more than three years ago had. However, even that probably will not last a day of reasonably heavy usage. No matter which smartphone you use, your battery probably won't last 24 hours.
Researchers around the world are attempting to come up with a battery that can meet the demands of the next-gen smartphones and other mobile devices. The good news is that a group of scientists might have made some headway in Seoul, South Korea. A team led by Prof. Hyun Taek-hwan of Seoul National University claims to have increased the capacity of a lithium-ion battery by up to three times by using a nano structure of iron oxide and manganese oxide, instead of lead, as the cathode of the battery. The new battery is also believed to be more efficient, losing only 0.5 percent its performance even after numerous recharges.


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Thank you for entering*
Texas Angel Creations carries a wide variety of customizable items. Her items are adorable and well made.
I was sent 2 Christmas themed applique shirts for my girls. She has great customer service and works with you to make sure you get exactly what you are looking for. The shirts I received had a thin sparkly neckline which made the shirts look more festive than if they had been plain. My oldest daughters shirt said Joy and my youngest had a reindeer. She added texture to the appliques which made them so unique. My girls were in love with these shirts and wore them multiple times. They were washed quite a bit during the holidays and they held up very well. I encourage you to take a look at her facebook page and see all that she has to offer.
Giveaway (CLOSED)
Go to Texas Angel Creations and tell me what you might purchase if you win.
One of my readers will win a $10 Gift card from Texas Angel Creations. (does not include shipping). You can enter by filling out the form or leaving a comment, include all of your entries at once. Please leave your email with your entry so I can contact you, entries without emails are disqualified.
Mandatory Entry:
Earn Extra Entries (not required):
Like Texas Angel Creations on Facebook.
Make a purchase during this giveaway (will be verified).
Like Valerie's Reviews on Facebook.
Follow this blog via Google Friend Connect.
This giveaway will end on February 9th and the winner will be announced within 24 hours.
The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is limited to US residents only - 18 years old and above.
Winner will be chosen at random.
Good Luck!


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Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart were in Tofino, British Columbia yesterday – where Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds were married but not at that resort – shooting around South Beach and the Wickaninnish Inn. More of that is happening today. Rachelle Lefevre is said to be around too. Cliff diving, near drowning, and rescue…or something. Am sure you twi-hards know exactly. Please, you don't need to tell me.
Here's Taylor getting to know his surroundings. Is he growing? Or is that just me projecting?
Taylor deserves some squeals too. Am told he was glimpsed with his shirt off at one point. Ripped.


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Radcliff United Methodist Church
Friday, October 30, 2020
God's People Filled with God's Presence Fulfilling God's Purposes
WSG Small Group (Women Serving God)
Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Time: 6:00 PM -
Location: Fellowship Hall
The WSG small group meets on Tuesday's from 6:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. Childcare is provided. This group is active in Bible study as well as being in ministry with Helping Hand of HOPE. POC: Meredith Linscott, email@example.com Page


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Jason Segel Is Too Good for the Muppet Sequel
Jason Segel, the sitcom star who is just dying to make it big in the movies, luuurrrrvved The Muppets so much that he convinced Disney to bring the franchise back and cowrote their recent movie. But now that he's popular in Hollywood he's too big for the Muppet's planned sequel.
Vulture reports that Segel is just too busy with all of his other projects to write the movie, which now falls squarely on the shoulders of his cowriter Nicholas Stoller. While Stoller is slaving away at a laptop at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf somewhere in L.A., Segel will be filming How I Met Your Mother, promoting Five Year Engagement and This Is Forty, and writing some other screenplays. Oh, he still might step in and star in the thing once all the hard work has been done. That's real nice of you, Jas.
[Image via Getty]


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I-5 Bias: the Hot Stove Edition
Welcome to I-5 Bias: the Hot Stove Edition! This is the first in what we hope will be an occasional, throughout the season collaboration between this Angels blogger and Matt Lowry of Dodger Familia Thoughts, a great Dodgers blogger and friend of this blog. Between two Giants World Series wins in three years (sorry Matt 😉 ), the AL West making quite the exciting splash in September 2012 and the ensuing Postseason, and recent shrewd personnel moves throughout the AL and NL West, MLB's attention sure seems to be packing up and heading west these days. Matt and I are both incredibly excited by this development and especially by all of the attention recent Hot Stove moves have brought to my Angels and his Dodgers. So we thought that we would share our perspective on these two Freeway Series rivals, to entertain, inform and, hey, to spark conversation and debate. Why not! East Coast bias? Nah, forget that. From now on it's I-5 bias instead!
For this edition, we have posed six questions prompted our teams' offseason activities and the ensuing fan and media commentary, to be answered on both of our blogs. We hope you enjoy this freeway collaboration and, hey, if anyone has any burning questions for future editions (yes, even snarky ones), please ask away:
Which of your team's offseason moves do you think was the strongest?
Kristen says: I imagine everyone is expecting me to say Josh Hamilton here. Hamilton was a huge signing and should be a boon to the team, combining with Albert Pujols, Mike Trout and Mark Trumbo to make the Angels offense a formidable one indeed (at least on paper — I am very careful about how excited I allow myself to get before the teams actually take the field when, as any longtime baseball fan can tell you, anything can happen). However, I actually think the Angels strongest move was the most recent — the trade for Jason Vargas. As a player, Hamilton is definitely on another level than Vargas and will probably contribute more to the team directly. But trading for Vargas set the rest of the Angels roster in ways that will benefit the entire team and make Hamilton's talents that much more effective. In addition to providing another reliable, workhorse arm to a starting rotation that needed exactly that, the Kendrys Morales for Vargas trade ensured that the Angels do not have to make less advantageous trades to get said arm. They no longer have to worry about trading the more versatile slugger Mark Trumbo, whose bat has the potential to be more explosive in the lineup with Hamilton. They no longer have to worry about trading Peter Bourjos, who can instead be the gold glove caliber centerfield anchor between Hamilton and Trout in what should be a truly scary Angels outfield — oh, and having Bourjos and Trout tear up the base paths together won't hurt either.
Matt says: As important Pitching was this off-season I'm not going to say it was Zach Greinke or Ryu. I think the strongest was Mark McGwire as the Dodgers hitting coach. The Dodgers had issues with getting hits and runs in games and that hurt the Dodgers playoff chances. Look at what Mark did as hitting coach with the Cardinals. They were pretty much in the top ten in Runs, Batting Avg, and OPB. For a Dodger Team with Matt Kemp, Hanley Ramirez, Adrian Gonzalez, Andre Ethier, and Carl Crawford that's going to be huge help for them.
What, if anything, do you think your team still needs to do?
Matt says: I still think the Dodgers need to address the Bullpen and bench. Dodgers lack a LHP out the pen. Scott Elbert is still out, Paco Rodriguez isn't really ready for a full stent like that, and missed the chance at resigning Randy Choate. The only thing the Dodgers did for the bullpen was resign Brandon League. They have Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang out there on the trade block so maybe they trade them for Bullpen help. Bench wise I believe the Dodgers have to address getting a 4th Outfielder because lets be honest Yasnel Puig isn't really ready quite yet. They traded for Skip Shoemaker which help but a 1st/3rd Baseman off the bench along with a 4th Outfield will really help.
Kristen says: Well, if we were asking these questions earlier in the week, I would have said that the Angels need another starting pitcher in bold, italicized, all caps, 24 point font. But, thank you Santas Jerry Dipoto and Arte Moreno, that seems to be taken care of – see previous response. Instead I'm going to enter complete fairy tale land here (Well, it is Christmas after all — might as well wish big!) and say that I think the Angels need to move Vernon Wells, even if it means eating almost all of that huge contract. Nothing against Wells himself — he has been a smiling example of good attitude, trying hard to improve at the plate and gracefully moving wherever the team asked him to, including the bench. But this acquisition just hasn't work out, and that's putting it mildly. I would love it if any of the, quite frankly, trade porn rumors surrounding one team or another showing interest in Wells worked out…even if the deal is for practically nothing! The Angels would seriously benefit from having the room on the 25-man roster and I think Wells himself would benefit from the chances offered by that supposed panacea, the change of scenery.
Now that we know what you want your team to do, what do you think they will do? Any trade/move/signing predictions?
Kristen says: I think that, with the Vargas trade, the Angels are pretty much done. I suppose that you might hear about a smaller move here or there — one lesser known bullpen pitcher or non-top minor league prospect for another, but other than that they're done making deals for the offseason. Although, if Jerry Dipoto chooses to see this as a challenge — because of course the Angels read my blog 😉 — and moves Vernon Wells just to spite my prediction, I certainly wouldn't mind being wrong.
Matt says: I think the Dodgers will end up Trading Aaron Harang or Chris Capuano along with Dee Gordon for a Left Hand Arm out the bullpen. Theres been rumors about Andre Ethier being traded but I don't see that happening at all. As far as signings go I believe the Dodgers will look into the Market for a Outfielder or Corner position player off the bench but at the same time I think they're done.
There is A LOT of money being spent in LA/OC these days. A LOT OF IT! Does your team's payroll size or amount being spent worry you at all?
Matt says: To be honest yes it does. With the amount of money being put into the Dodgers I would hope winning comes with it. You can't buy wins or world series and playing Yankee ball can only work when done right. I fear of the Dodgers being like the Red Soxs. All the money being spent and no playoff apperance or anything. Not only that but the fear of Contracts back loading up to where the Dodgers can't do anything in the future but the Dodgers said they have deep pockets and a new 2 Billion dollar TV deal is coming in soon so we shall see what happens but I can't say it doesn't worry me or isn't in the back of my mind. Everyone tries to play Yankee Ball but the only way that works is if you get the players that fit and generate wins.
Kristen says: Absolutely. Spending this much money should scare anyone. Every player, no matter how talented, is a risk. No one wants to see it happen but any player has the potential to age, slump, lose their swing/pitching location/etc., fail to mesh with a given team and (God forbid) get injured. And when you've spent outrageous sums of money acquiring that player, the end result of any such occurrence is devastating because suddenly you're priced out of just eating that paycheck one way or another to move the player off your roster. And if this happens on several such deals? Yeah, say hello to a nice block of ever-so-much-fun-for-the-whole-team-family "rebuilding" seasons. No. Thank. You!
Here's the thing though – I think that more and more teams are going to need to come to terms with this level of spending as we go on. Teams are wisely locking up their talent before they hit free agency with greater frequency, leaving smaller free agency pools for teams in a buying mode to fight over. Nothing against Zack Greinke — he's one hell of a pitcher and I wish the Angels had been able to keep him — but do you really think he would have garnered this impressive a contact if the Giants, Phillies and Angels had allowed Matt Cain, Cole Hamels and Jered Weaver to hit the free agency market in 2013 as scheduled? And Greinke is just the latest example of this phenomenon. And, of course, when quality players are making those kinds of dollars you know that marquee players will command even more from their current team or on the FA market (Holy Staggering Albert Pujols Contract, Batman!!). The end result is that, while the Dodgers and Angels may seem to be leading the charge at the moment, more and more teams will be joining in that charge out of necessity over the next several seasons — as a trend this is both kind of exciting and very scary.
The MLBN analysts seem to think that the Dodgers and Angels offseason moves are all about one upping each other. Do you think there is any truth to this? How do you feel about that?
Kristen says: To quote Annie Savoy, "Baseball may be a religion full of magic, cosmic truth, and the fundamental ontological riddles of our time, but it's also a job." Or, from the owners' perspectives it's also a business. I'm sure Arte Moreno and Magic Johnson and partners do consider things like Los Angeles/Orange County market share when they're making decisions about advertising, overall ballpark experience and the price of parking, beer, etc. But I highly doubt that this thinking extends to personnel decisions. Competitive teams that win games and reach the Postseason make fans happy and draw them to the ballpark. In order to do that, it's far more important to be competitive within one's own division than with an interleague rival as I'm sure all owners and GMs involved are well aware. I can see why the timing of some of the Angels and Dodgers free agency signings lead to the comments in question on MLBN, but I think that both the signings and their timing had little to do with Freeway Series rivalry. Yes, the Angels wanted Zack Greinke and so did the Dodgers. But at least half a dozen other teams also seriously wanted Greinke. He was the best free agent starting pitcher on the market this season. Once the Dodgers signed Greinke, I'm not surprised that the Hamilton signing followed so quickly on its heels. Suddenly the Angels had a lot less pokers in the big money free agents fire and could just concentrate their efforts on Hamilton.
Matt says: You know that's an interesting question. I honestly don't think it's one upping at all and theres two reasons for that. 1- The Dodgers and Angels are filling needs that prevented them from making the playoffs. Thing was it just so happen the Angels signed Hamilton in the heat of the Dodgers making serious moves. 2- The Angels turned out to be the mystery team that was after Hamilton and got him just like last year with Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson So they've done this before. People predicted the Dodgers having money to throw at Free Agents before Off-Season. I don't believe it's one upping at all but It has caught the attention of the National Media so I like the westcoast attention the Baseball Media is giving.
Now on to something really important – the annual LA/OC billboard war. Which team do you think will have the most/best billboards plastered all over town?
Matt says: Hahaha It was a year ago when the Angels had billboards all over LA/OC until the Dodgers got new owners. I believe it'll be fairly even. In the OC you have Albert Pujols, Jarred Weaver, Josh Hamilton, and Mike Trout where in LA you have Matt Kemp, Zack Greinke, Clayton Kershaw, and Adrian Gonzalez. I believe the Dodgers will have them posted all over L.A. knowing Magic and his promoting of the Dodger brand and the Angels will do a lot of marking themselves as well. It'll be interesting to see.
Kristen says: *snerk* The "billboard wars" always make me smile and laugh. I take the 605 freeway to work. Most seasons that freeway is littered with Dodgers billboards heading south and Angels billboards heading north as if both teams were making a concerted effort to convert their rival fan base. Honestly, the arrival of the billboards is one of my favorite So Cal signs of spring. Last season at the height of all of the Frank McCourt ick in L.A., the Angels rather dominated the local billboard space and, as much as I like seeing red everywhere I look, it just wasn't nearly as much fun as when it's a "battle." (Yes, mine is a long and boring commute and I take my simple pleasures where I can. Why do you ask?) However, between Arte Moreno (who made his fortune in advertising and billboards, don'cha know) and Magic Johnson (who also seems to have an admirable grasp of the importance of good marketing) I am sure both that teams will being trying to convert us all once again this season — looking forward to it, in fact!


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Room in the Inn
1. Ah, Joseph, how you wearily implore
that someone will have pity on your plight,
And, with compassion, open wide the door—
For Jesus will be born this holy night.
Will no one offer shelter to the stranger?
Must Christ the King be cradled in a manger?
That night there was no room in the inn;
This night may there be room within—
Within my heart for him.
2. Ah, Mary, how you patiently endure!
While heav'n awaits the blessed baby's birth,
You wait outside the inn—alone, obscure—
And pray for some compassion here on earth!
You would have given shelter to the stranger.
Why must your Son lie cradled in a manger?
3. O Father, how thy sons and daughters cry—
The lonely ones, the weary, the oppressed.
Fill thou my heart with love, that I may try
To lift another's burden, give him rest.
Oh, may I have compassion for the stranger.
Remembering that Baby in a manger!
Text: Marvin Gardner
Music: Vanja Watkins
Artist: Gardner/Watkins
Album: Music Published in the Church Magazines: New Era
Composition Date: 1989-12-01
More Info: New Era
Christmas, inn, Joseph, Jesus Christ--birth, Mary, service, love


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Judge considering whether Smolinski family harassed son's ex-girlfriend following his disappearance
NEW HAVEN -- A judge who is considering whether relatives of missing man William "Billy" Smolinski Jr. of Waterbury harassed his ex-girlfriend zeroed in Thursday on statements the Smolinski family allegedly made to police that they wanted to "break her down."
Judge Thomas Corradino held a post-trial argument hearing Thursday in Superior Court for the civil case.
"This is a disturbing case, and no matter what I do, it will cause pain and suffering," Corradino said.
Madeleine Gleason of Woodbridge, who dated Billy until they broke up just prior to his 2004 disappearance, sued his mother, Janice Smolinski of Cheshire, and his sister Paula Bell, in 2006. The lawsuit claims the defendants falsely accused Gleason of involvement in Billy's disappearance and defamed her. Gleason is seeking monetary damages.
Corradino questioned attorney Mark Lee of Waterbury, who represents the Smolinski family, about an arrest warrant affidavit for Janice Smolinski, which quotes her as saying she was saturating areas where Gleason went with missing person posters about Billy because she was "trying to break" her, so Gleason would "give up information" on her son's whereabouts.
"How can you say 'We didn't put up posters to harass her,' and then say 'We are doing it to break her and we think she knows more than she is saying'?" Corradino asked.
Lee told the judge his clients deny it. He pointed to Janice Smolinski's testimony during the trial, in which she denied ever saying she was trying to break Gleason and called the claim "nonsense."
During the trial, the family denied harassing or threatening anyone, and said they put up posters about Smolinski, thousands throughout the region, solely to try to find him. The family noticed posters had been taken down, and were shocked to learn Gleason was doing it, according to trial testimony.
Gleason, who did not attend Thursday's court proceeding, acknowledged during the trial that she ripped down posters about Billy, because they were "saturating" areas where she lived and worked.
Corradino questioned attorney John Williams of New Haven, who represents Gleason, about whether his client suffered any damages. Corradino noted that the same warrant says Gleason in 2005 said she "did not wish to press charges of any kind," over the missing person posters and alleged harassment.
While Woodbridge police did ultimately arrest Janice Smolinski on trespassing and disorderly conduct counts, the charges were dismissed in court.
Williams asserted Thursday to the judge that the case caused Gleason "anguish."
"The plaintiff was tormented to the point of torture," Williams said.
Testimony in the civil trial before Corradino concluded in December. Corradino indicated Thursday he wants to issue a decision by the end of May, but the deadline is another 120 days, or mid-August.
Police have said they believe Billy Smolinski, who disappeared Aug. 24, 2004, at the age of 31, was murdered. He has never been found.
Police have indicated they believe Gleason's son, Shaun Karpiuk, killed Smolinski. Karpiuk died in 2005 at age 27 of a drug overdose.
Billy Smolinski and Gleason had just broken up when he disappeared. Gleason told Waterbury police Smolinski broke up with her because he thought she was cheating on him, and he left her place in the early morning of Aug. 24, 2004, "a little depressed," and that was the last time she saw him.
Police reports show Gleason had also been seeing Chris Sorensen of Woodbridge, who told police he received a phone message Aug. 24, 2004, in which the male caller said, "Chris, you better watch your back at all times." The caller was identified as Billy Smolinski. The last three calls Smolinski made prior to his disappearance were to Sorensen, police reports show. Sorensen testified he never saw Smolinski that day.
Call Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at 203-789-5707. Follow her on Twitter at nhrinvestigate.


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Why do we observe gamma rays?
Light, or electromagnetic radiation, comes in many forms. There are radio waves, microwaves, infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, X-rays and gamma rays, all of which form what is known as the 'electromagnetic spectrum'.
Oddly enough, visible light – to which human eyes are sensitive - is the smallest band of radiation. To our eyes, what we see seems like the entire Universe; yet there is much more out there.
Different types of objects in the Universe emit different types of radiation. Our Sun is a rather obvious source of visible light. But it also glows in radio waves, infrared, ultraviolet light and X-rays. Some objects emit only radio waves or only X-rays. This is why it is important to study the Universe with various kinds of space observatories.
ESA's Integral satellite is looking at the Universe, mainly concentrating on the gamma rays. These are produced by spectacular events in the Universe such as stars exploding, matter falling into black holes and celestial objects colliding. By collecting gamma rays, astronomers are able to see these violent events and can judge exactly how they shape the Universe.
For example, some chemical elements are created during explosions in which individual stars blow themselves to pieces. The new chemicals leave gamma-ray fingerprints in the fireball for astronomers to find. By studying these, Integral is piecing together how these chemicals are created.
Integral is also studying the mysterious blasts known as gamma-ray bursts. These explode at random in distant realms of the Universe and are probably caused by the collision of neutron stars (the hearts of dead stars) or may be the explosion of very massive stars.
Integral is designed to capture not just gamma rays but also X-rays and visible light. This complementary data is also helping astronomers identify the celestial object that is releasing the gamma rays and allow it to be more fully analysed.
In 1999, ESA launched XMM-Newton, which is looking at the Universe in X-ray wavelengths. In May 2009, ESA launched Herschel to observe the infrared, and Planck to observe the microwave region of the spectrum.


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For Immediate Release
Patricia Kiernan Johnson;
New York, NY —
OPERA America
, the national service organization for opera, announces that four finalist teams have been chosen for its first
Director-Designer Showcase
As part of a continuing effort to foster emerging opera artists, the bi-annual Director-Designer Showcase seeks to benefit promising stage directors and designers interested in breaking into the world of opera. It is intended to bring new talent to the forefront and connect promising artists with those who are in a position to hire them. To be administered as part of OPERA America's
Opera Fund
, the inaugural Director-Designer Showcase is supported by a special grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Working from a diverse list of American operas, applicants were asked to complete a production concept, including an explanation of the staging; ideas and initial research for scenery, props and costumes; required personnel; and suggestions for adaptations and/or editing, if any. A total of 41 director-driven teams submitted proposals for consideration; four of these were selected as finalists.
Each finalist team will be given $1,000 to be used toward the production of renderings and models. Up to two representatives from each finalist team will be flown to OPERA America's
Opera Conference 2009
in Houston to present their proposals to general and artistic directors at a special session.
"The Director-Designer Showcase supports talented emerging artists by providing them with unparalleled access at the Opera Conference to the field's decision-makers," stated Marc A. Scorca, president & CEO of OPERA America. "The production proposals displayed the remarkable range of talent and creativity of these young directors and designers. By highlighting these artists at the Showcase, OPERA America is proud to assist in furthering their careers."
The four finalist teams were selected by a panel that included Peter Dean Beck, designer; John Duykers, singer/teacher; Christopher Mattaliano, stage director/general director of Portland Opera; Diane Paulus, stage director and Darren K. Woods, general director of Fort Worth Opera.
"I was astounded at the level of preparation and creativity of the applicants," declared Mr. Woods. "Most all of them had done mounds of research and then translated them into incredible images and drawings. I think the winning teams' projects could go directly from the page to the stage — they were that good."
OPERA America Director-Designer Showcase Finalists
Mourning Becomes Electra
Andrew Eggert
, director;
Anka Lupes
, set and costume designer;
Aaron Black
, lighting designer
Florencia en el Amazonas
Lawrence Edelson
, director;
Martin T. Lopez
, set and costume designer;
Josh Epstein
, lighting designer;
Lauri Stallings
, choreographer
Mike Donahue
, director;
Anya Klepikov
, set and costume designer;
Ji-Youn Chang
, lighting designer;
Sara Erde
, choreographer;
Daniel Vatsky
, projection designer
Einstein on the Beach
Elise Sandell
, director;
Liz Freese
, set and costume designer;
Gordon W. Olson
, lighting designer;
Keturah Stickann
, choreographer
As a core tenet of OPERA America's mission to support North American works,
The Opera Fund
and its precursor funding programs have awarded more than $10.5 million in grants to companies throughout the U.S. and Canada since 1983.
The Opera Fund
supports three areas: Repertoire Development — production of new operas; Audience Development — building appreciation of American works; and Artist Development — support of artists who create and interpret the repertoire. The Director-Designer Showcase is a component of
The Opera Fund
's Artist Development program.
The Opera Fund
has been supported thus far by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Canada Council for the Arts, the George Cedric Metcalf Charitable Foundation, Lloyd and Mary Ann Gerlach, Lee Day Gillespie, the Helen F. Whitaker Fund, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The Opera Fund
was launched in 2001 and the Director-Designer Showcase is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.
In addition to selecting finalists, the panel recognized four additional noteworthy proposals:
Four Saints in Three Acts
Michael Rau
, director;
Sara Walsh
, set designer;
Jessica Pabst
, costume designer;
Derek Wright
, lighting designer
Einstein on the Beach
Gregory Keller
, director;
Dipu Gupta
, set and lighting designer;
Melissa Schlactmeyer
, costume designer;
Brady Paul
, choreographer
Joseph Cermatori
, director;
Michael Locher
, set designer;
Paul Carey
, costume designer;
Burke Brown
, lighting designer;
Stephanie Ybarra
, producer
X — The Life and Times of Malcolm X
Eric Einhorn
, director;
Kathryn Kawecki
, set designer;
Candida K. Nichols
, costume designer
OPERA America leads and serves the entire opera community, supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera.
Artistic services help opera companies and creative and performing artists to improve the quality of productions and increase the creation and presentation of North American works.
Information, technical, and administrative services to opera companies reflect the need for strengthened leadership among staff, trustees and volunteers.
Education, audience development and community services are designed to enhance all forms of opera appreciation.
Founded in 1970, OPERA America's worldwide membership network includes nearly 200 Company Members, 300 Associate and Business Members, 2,000 Individual Members and more than 16,000 subscribers to the association's electronic news service. In 2005, OPERA America relocated from Washington, D.C. to New York as the first step in creating the first-ever National Opera Center. With a wide range of artistic and administrative services in a purpose-built facility, the Opera Center is dedicated to increasing the level of excellence, creativity and effectiveness across the field.
OPERA America's long tradition of supporting and nurturing the creation and development of new works led to the formation of
The Opera Fund
, a growing endowment which allows OPERA America to make a direct impact on the ongoing creation and presentation of new opera and music-theater works. Since its inception, OPERA America has made grants of nearly $11 million to assist companies with the expenses associated with the creation and development of new works.


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Roenicke urges Gomez to be cautious with knee
CINCINNATI -- Before Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez took the field on Friday for the first time since he sprained his right knee on Aug. 15, manager Ron Roenicke talked to him about taking it easy while easing his way back into things.
Gomez was happy to oblige -- for the most part.
In the top of the sixth inning in Milwaukee's 6-4 win, Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips hit a drive to deep center field. Gomez, as he's accustomed to doing, tried to climb the wall and rob Phillips of a homer. Not only did the ball make it over the wall, it also marked the only point on Friday that Gomez's knee bothered him, as he came down on his right leg.
"Anything else, it's fine," Gomez said of the knee. "But it's that stupid [stuff] that I did."
In the lineup again on Saturday, Gomez said he was surprised at how little soreness he felt. He also said he felt good at the plate Friday, but added that defense is a slightly bigger challenge. Roenicke mentioned Friday night that a completely healthy Gomez likely would have prevented two runs from scoring on Zack Cozart's single in the fourth inning, and the 27-year-old center fielder agreed.
Entering Saturday, Gomez had stolen 30 bases to go with 18 home runs and 55 RBIs. He admitted that he needs to be smart about what he tries to do with the knee, and Roenicke said that includes being aggressive on the basepaths, but Gomez said that shouldn't be an issue going forward.
"If I'm playing, I should be stealing," Gomez said. "If I get on base, and I get an opportunity to steal a base, I'm going to do it."


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Kevin Keller must be doing something right. He just celebrated his fifth year as CEO of the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards. When he took over, he was the seventh person in less than seven years to hold that position.
Maybe his staying power has something to do with the fact that he helped transfer the CFP Board from Denver to Washington five years ago this November. As he told me in a late July interview, the CFP Board "had no public policy infrastructure" until it moved its headquarters to Washington.
It's been a crucial time for the CFP Board, as part of the Financial Planning Coalition, to be able to sit alongside other advisor trade groups before Congress to help fight against, for instance, House Financial Services Committee Chairman Spencer Bachus' bill calling for a self-regulatory organization (SRO) for advisors—which looks to be on hold at least for the rest of this year—and to fight to make sure that a fiduciary standard for brokers sees the light of day (which has yet to happen). Commissioners at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) are "still pretty tight-lipped" about when a fiduciary duty rule may emerge, Keller says.
The three groups that comprise the Coalition—the CFP Board, the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA)—"barely even spoke" before striking their accord, Keller says. But now, the CFP Board not only has a seat at the public policy table, Keller says, "but a loud, clear voice."
The Coalition agrees with Chairman Bachus, R-Ala., that there is "really a serious problem" with the fact that, on average, an advisor is examined only once every 11 years, and Keller believes Bachus "did the right thing by shining the spotlight on the need for more advisor examinations." Still, Keller says, "we're pleased that he's taking a step back, though, to look at more solutions to the problem."
However, Bachus' fight to have an SRO oversee advisors continues. He took to the op-ed page of The Wall Street Journal in early August to implore the investing public and "all interested parties" to join the debate concerning how to boost advisor exams. "I see no way to deter bad actors and to protect American investors without increased oversight," Bachus wrote. "Who conducts those examinations and how is still open for debate, and I urge all interested parties, especially the investing public, to join this debate." Bachus went on to write that "the risk of another [Bernie] Madoff scandal ought to be a sobering thought not only for Congress and the investing public, but for the investment adviser industry as well. It is in their best interest that we work together to reach consensus."
Of course, the Coalition still believes that providing the SEC with the resources it needs "is the best solution to the [exam] problem," Keller says. But finding a way to ensure advisors face more exam scrutiny—either through an SRO or via user fees paid to the SEC—will be a "long-term issue that we will have to deal with," Keller says.
So why was there such a high turnover rate among CFP Board CEOs before he took the helm? Keller readily admits that there "was a great lack of trust between the other financial planning organizations, the certificant community and the organization, so I think that contributed to some of the turnover."
Joining the Coalition has certainly helped boost that trust factor, but Keller says that during his time as CEO, he's "worked very hard" himself, as well as with the board of directors, "to get a positive balance in the 'trust bank'—that is, increasing the transparency around what we do, increasing the dialogue" in various forums the CFP Board holds throughout the year.
Since taking over as CEO, the number of CFP certificants has jumped from about 54,000 to almost 67,000 today—a 22% boost. Part of that boost has come from the Board's $40 million public awareness campaign, which was launched last April. "We're seeing awareness increasing," Keller says, "and we have a third-party independent research firm that is tracking our brand. We've seen some preliminary results, but raising awareness is a long-term initiative." While "we're pleased with where we are currently," Keller says, "the Board has committed to initially a four-year plan and has agreed at the end of two years—which would be next July—they will take a formal look at [the campaign] and make adjustments."
One of the priorities that the Board set in July for the next five years is to continue to increase public awareness about the CFP designation, Keller says. "Without the public recognition of the value of financial planning, there really isn't a future for the emerging profession of financial planning."
Another five-year priority for the Board and the Coalition is to ensure financial planners are regulated—an effort that lost steam last January when the Government Accountability Office (GAO) told Congress that an additional layer of regulation specific to financial planners does not appear to be warranted. But Keller says the CFP Board still wants "to see those who call themselves financial planners be regulated."
While there are nearly 67,000 CFPs, Keller says it "isn't nearly enough to serve the public broadly." But he points out that the CFP Board isn't looking for "growth at any cost," but "growth while we maintain our high standards." Of the 150 credentials out there, CFP Board is "one of the very few that has an active enforcement process."
Indeed, recently released research that the CFP Board conducted with the Aite Group bears out the merits of earning a CFP. The research found that advisors who carry the CFP designation not only add value to their firms, are more productive and provide a higher level of client satisfaction, but they also provide a boost to revenues.
And more colleges and universities—100 to be exact—offer an undergraduate degree in financial planning. "Now an 18-year-old student can earn a financial planning degree that will allow them to sit for CFP certification," Keller says.


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Cinema tickets – You can purchase cinema tickets on the day or in advance for any film ODEON is screening, as soon as they are on sale via the ODEON website, mobile apps and at the box office. Films are put on sale each Tuesday afternoon for the coming week.
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Cinema ticket types – ODEON have a range of cinema ticket types including adult, senior, teen and student as well as family tickets and child tickets. Please check your local cinema for more information. There are also special tickets for Wheelchair users and CEA card holders.
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Health & Wellness
An empowered consumer is a smart consumer, and an educated consumer is an empowered consumer. That's key everywhere in life and especially for your health.
Healthy living takes effort and initiative, so how do you keep up with trends, find new ideas, enhance your health and fitness and still keep up with the day-to-day challenges of, well, life?
We're making it easy for you, putting the resources you need only a click away. This section is dedicated to providing easy-to-read, easy-to-access tips and tricks on how to live healthier while going on with the business of life.
Here you'll find:
- Easy meal planning tips
- How to get fit by walking
- What to eat for your mood
- Tips for healthy cooking
- Better-for-you recipes that taste great
- A quick list of helpful, healthful resources
- And more!
Stay educated and be empowered… for your health!


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Find houses in City Of London or flats in City Of London with Rightmove.co.uk - the UK's number one property website. Rightmove is the best place to find the very latest property for sale in City Of London. You can also find property to rent in City Of London, a list of estate agents in City Of London or view sold house prices in City Of London.
Take a look at our current list of property for sale in City Of London. Rightmove.co.uk lists over one million flats and houses to buy or to rent across London and the UK. We update our listings continuously. You may also want to see houses and flats in other areas of London, including Westminster.
Focus your search on exactly where you want to live with Draw-a-Search


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Contact Us
- Toll-free: 800-533-8095
- 702 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987-1320
- Questions or comments?
Showing 1–8 of 8 results.
In the time allotted for this exercise, answer each question to the best of your knowledge. Each set of questions corresponds to the units you will study in this course and represents content you will cover in more detail in …
A self-quiz, or self-assessment, on faithful citizenship.
A reading on how to lead a Socratic seminar.
A resource on how to use the jigsaw process, with is a method where students share information and insights from different readings to create a larger picture.
A resource on how to conduct a justice simulation.
A reading on teaching and talking to students about differing abilities, along with several reinforcing activity ideas.
A lesson plan entitled "Students Teaching Students about Environmental Justice."
This resource is part of the Living in Christ Series. It offers various project ideas for students who have recently studied ecclesiology, especially ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.


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Wedding Cakes
Your wedding cake is like the exclamation point on the reception and it should be a total reflection of your style and taste (pun intended). See 1000's of wedding cake photos and then find the right baker to help you pull it off.
Real Wedding CakesAll Real Wedding Cakes ▸
Wedding Cake Advice + EtiquetteAll Wedding Cake Advice + Etiquette ▸
Local Wedding Cake BakersAll Local Wedding Cake Bakers ▸
More Wedding Ideas
Your wedding cake may just be the most significant confection you ever buy, so it's key to know what you're getting into. A good place to start is by reading our top tips from wedding cake bakers from around the country. Next, the fun part (well, besides the tasting), is to start searching through wedding cake pictures to help figure out which wedding cake designs suit your style. From classic cakes to more ornate styles, we have something for every taste – literally! Then check out local wedding cake bakers to find a pro near you.


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The leading man of what perhaps was the presidential campaign's most intriguing subplot stepped into public view the morning after the election wearing a now-trademark blue fleece and warning of an approaching nor'easter.
With an epic storm having crippled part of his state and another on the way, Gov. Christie was still in disaster mode Wednesday morning, allowing him to easily deflect the many questions that circulated after fellow Republican Mitt Romney lost his bid for the presidency.
Was he responsible for Romney's loss after he buddied up with President Obama last week? No. Was he running for president in 2016? He loves his job now. And what about reelection next year?
"I'm dealing with this storm, man," Christie said, flanked by emergency workers on Long Beach Island. "I don't have a timetable on any of that other political stuff."
But Christie, who on Wednesday called himself the most important Romney surrogate other than vice presidential candidate U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R., Wis.), has been surrounded by political intrigue from the start. The governor's presence book-ended the 2012 campaign.
Thirteen months ago, he was a sought-after potential candidate who had yet to declare. After opting out of the presidential race in a nationally televised news conference, he became among the first in the nation to endorse Romney, affirming him as a front-runner in the Republican primary.
Christie stole headlines throughout the race. He went after hecklers at a Romney rally in New Hampshire before the first vote of the primary season had been cast, and he delivered a convention keynote speech that some Republicans murmured was too Christie-centric.
At the end, in a remarkable display of bipartisanship just six days before the election, Christie toured the Sandy-ravaged Jersey Shore with the president - the very man he had campaigned against - and praised him for helping in Sandy's aftermath.
Even before the polls closed Tuesday, some conservatives blamed Christie for "embracing" Obama, saying it ruined Romney's chances.
"I wouldn't call what I did an embrace of Barack Obama," Christie said Wednesday. "The fact of the matter is, I'm a guy who tells the truth all the time, and if the president of the United States does something good, I was going to say he did something good and give him credit for it."
That doesn't take away from the fact that he raised tens of millions of dollars for Romney and traveled tens of thousands of miles on his behalf, Christie said.
"I was extraordinarily disappointed last night; I was surprised it ended as quickly as it did," he said. "But that's the way it goes."
Christie said he didn't want to bother Romney on the phone so soon after the loss, but he said he would contact him by e-mail (their preferred mode of communication) later in the day.
He said he would not say why Romney lost, because he was not a "pundit."
The Internet and cable TV had no shortage of pundits Wednesday, though, offering one reason for Romney's loss: Christie.
Fox News cited exit polls showing that Obama's handling of Sandy was the most important factor for 15 percent of voters. Commentator Monica Crowley said Christie's association with Obama "damaged Mitt's narrative, that he was the only one who could work across the aisle."
Conservative pundit Dick Morris, who had predicted a Romney landslide, explained in a column that he underestimated the effect of Christie's "fawning promotion of Obama's presidential leadership," which "made all the difference" in the election.
From the left, Chris Matthews on MSNBC agreed: "It really may have put this election back on track for Obama."
The blame-game began before Election Day. Early in the week, the Huffington Post reported, based on anonymous sources, that Christie had turned down Romney's request to appear at a rally Sunday night in Bucks County.
Christie denied that, saying Romney knew he couldn't leave New Jersey during a crisis. He said he surmised that the "noise" was "coming from know-nothing, disgruntled Romney staffers who, you know, don't like the fact that I said nice things about the president."
They weren't the only one. Rupert Murdoch, chief executive of News Corp., which owns Fox, tweeted in the waning days of the campaign: "Christie, while thanking O, must re-declare for Romney, or take blame for next four dire years."
By 8 o'clock Election Night, Fox host Bill O'Reilly said Christie's walk "down the beach" with Obama "wiped [Romney's] campaign off the map."
Christie's brother, Todd, took to Facebook to lash out at those who pinned the Romney loss on the governor.
"Amazing to me, listening to the far right try and blame an apparent Romney defeat on the Governor of NJ thanking a sitting President for expediting aid to a state ripped apart by a natural disaster," he wrote.
Christie himself was less combative Wednesday.
"I don't think I'm ever responsible for anybody else's wins, and I don't think I'm responsible for anybody else's losses," he said.
Beyond the sniping, there were less cynical analyses of Christie's approach.
Jon Stewart concluded his Election Night Daily Show on a serious note, saying Christie and Obama taught America a "remarkable lesson" on how bipartisanship could work.
U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), a long-standing Christie foe, mentioned Christie's name in a speech after his reelection Tuesday, describing Christie as someone who would help the state recover from Sandy.
And Obama seemed to give Christie a shout-out in his victory speech: "I've seen [the American spirit] on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and level of government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckage of a terrible storm."
But in the social-media sphere, there was open speculation that there were other motives at play. A mock video depicted Christie celebrating Romney's loss because it would mean Christie could run for president in an open field in 2016.
As talk of 2016 dominated the chatter Wednesday, Christie was listed as one of the top candidates.
"I want to get through this storm today, OK?" Christie said when he was asked if he was the new leader of the Republican Party.
He added: "Politics becomes much smaller when you're dealing with life-and-death issues."


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705 S. University Ave., Suite 200
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
Phone: (920) 887-9272
UW Health Providers see patients at other health care facilities in Beaver Dam. Learn More
Building Hours: 8am-5pm Monday-Friday
Lab Hours: 7:30am-4:30pm Monday-Friday
Free wireless Internet available
With each visit to a UW Health clinic, we strive to exceed your expectations. You are welcome to contact the clinic manager if you would like personal assistance with any issue. Simply call the scheduling number for the clinic you visited and ask for the clinic manager. If you would care to Submit a Compliment, Concern or Complaint in a more formal manner, please contact Patient Relations.


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I'm wondering if this is possible. I'd like users to be able to launch screen on some of our hosts for the purpose of multiplexing their terminal login sessions. However, I don't want them to be able to detach the screen and leave it running in the background.
The reason for this being that the only way to log in to these machines is through a cluster job submission system, so if a screen becomes detached and the user logs off the only way to get back would be if they happened to land back on the same node on their next job submissions.


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- HEATING ELEMENTS: our standard is FeAlCr (2,300°F). These coil elements are winded up around a ceramic tube for support. It gives a better heat distribution because all the surface of the elements is in contact with air. We use low-density elements which offer a longer lifetime. For copper alloys, we use Silicon Carbide (SiC) elements for higher power and temperature (2,550°F).
- QUALITY INSULATION: 7" of insulation; 4 ½" thick low-density refractory bricks (rated 2,600°F) and 2 ½" fibreboard (mineral fibre rated 1,900°F). At the bottom, underneath the crucible, we use castable and refractory bricks together.
- TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER C/W HI-LIMIT OVERSHOOT PROTECTION: our standard controller is Watlow Ez-Zone PM6 (1/16 DIN).
- HI-LIMIT OVERSHOOT PROTECTION: this device will shut the furnace when the preset temperature is exceeded. A reset button has to be pressed by the operator in order to get the furnace to heat up again.
- QUIET OPERATION: the electric version is much quieter than the gas version. The gas version includes noisy equipment; air combustion blower, gas nozzle, etc.
- TO EMPTY THE MELTING FURNACE: two different versions are available; the tilting version which tilts with the use of hydraulic cylinders. With the stationary Version, an operator needs to use a ladle to take the metal in fusion and pour it into moulds.
- EASY TO INSTALL: these furnaces are "plug and play". The customer needs to install the crucible, connect the electricity supply (or gas) and go through "Initial firing schedule" of the operation manual supplied with every unit.
- HOW TO OPEN THE FURNACE: the furnace was designed with a lever very easy to operate. To move the cover, lift the lever and push it sideways (swing top cover with lateral displacement).
- CRUCIBLE: our standard is SiC. Other materials are available.
- Sort by Default Order
This is our industrial size electric melting furnace for non-ferrous metals such as Copper alloys, Aluminium, Zinc, Silver, Gold.
This 25 place fusion (assay) furnace is electrically powers by a 24000 Watt heating element allowing it to reach and hold a temperature of 1200 degrees C (2200 F). With a working area of 56 cm deep X 59 cm wide X 19.5 cm tall, this furnace will hold:
- 25 x 50 or 65 grams crucibles
- 42 x 30, 40 or 55 grams crucibles
This Beginners FIRE ASSAY KIT has as equipment required to help miners with their laboratory startup. Probably the most important factor of success in prospecting and gold recovery mill operation is the number of assay completed - you can do 6 assays at a time with this Kit. At one time, fire assaying was a deep dark secret. Now in this modern world, education can be had by those who want to learn. Many miners have learned to do their own fire assays and we offer complete fire assay kits with instructions! Simply mix your ore with our Premixed Flux (non-leaded flux available for international sales-obtain & add lead locally) in a Crucible. Place it in the Furnace. In an hour, pour the entire batch into the Pouring Mold. When it has cooled, break off the lead button that has formed. Place the lead button on a Cupel and back into the Furnace. Soon any precious metals present will remain in the form of a small bead. All materials and equipment are included in this kit so that you can do your own assays and determine the weight of the bead, without other equipment. The Advanced Fire Assay Kit offers additional equipment and supplies to the Beginners Fire Assay Kit, including the Automatic Temperature Control for the Furnace. The Analytical Balance is an easy-to-read digital unit. An excellent laboratory setup for any operation striving towards professional results. (You may substitute the #9 furnace with a larger one for the difference in the price.) Power: 110 or 220 VAC BASIC BEGINNER $4,000 EXPERT ADVANCE $11,000
Our fuel fired barring furnace technology with which balances the weight of the upper pivoted furnace weight, resulting in reduced toque demand during furnace tilting. Reduced torque curve means reduced drive jitter and better pouring control. This means smaller torque worm gear drives and more accurate tilting control. Available with VSD worm gear drive or higher tech servo motor drive technology. Features also include horizontal crucible loading and pivoted lid opening. No more vertical loading of heavy handle-less crucibles under that annoyingly positioned furnace hood. Ideal for use with our FEMS high capture rate, low profile extraction systems. DESIGN
- Unique patented linear spiral counterweight technology for balancing empty furnace body
- Hinged furnace lid with horizontal loading design of crucible
- Worm gear electric motor drive standard
- Optional servo motor drive control for enhanced tiling control
- Steel constructed welded body
- SS304 rolled and welded furnace body
- LBK26 insulating lining on furnace body rated to 1450 °C
- Cast insulating refractory on lid
- VSD pendant control with forward, reverse tilt and speed potentiometer
- Tilt position interlock limits
- Burner two stage switching or modulating control with high temperature alarm limit
- Power and Burner on illuminating lights
- Pendant controlled rotary position dial for servo drive technology only
- Flue gas temperature sensing with digital display. Sacrificial immersion probe available on request.
- Cascade Table/Trolley
- Crucible Loading Lift Table
- TPX843 crucible rather than AX300
- FEMS dynamic modelled extraction hood systems
- Servo Drive
Whether you need your floor mounted (stand alone) or Benchtop Laboratory Muffle Furnace for Heat Treatment & Pyrolysis, the table top "F" series are small furnaces for heat treating, laboratory and jewellery applications at maximum temperature of 2,300°F. These furnaces offer a rugged industrial construction with a top quality coating. Characteristics
- Sturdy Construction
- Small Compact Design to Fit in Labs and Smaller Shops
- Reliable
- Easy to maintain and service
- Incomparable service
- General Heat Treatment
- Research & Laboratory Work
- Pyrolysis Process
- Investment Casting
- Jewellery
This propane fired furnace can smelt ore concentrates, fire assay, melt pure metals, old scrap jewelry. Included in your home Gold Ore Smelting Kit KK12 :
- will be a custom USA built precision machined
- bi-metal brass tipped Propane Burner,
- 6' Hose with 30 psi regulator and needle valve,
- Olympic Analog Pyrometer
- Kiln liner maintenance kit.
- A5 clay of a 15 lbs capacity (brass) (900 cc) or 17 kilos of gold if filled to the rim.
- Alumina Silica Refractory interior rated for up to 2300° F.
Deluxe Gold Smelting FurnaceThe Deluxe KK-12 Kit will include: An A5 clay graphite Salamander crucible and 10 pounds of our premium black gold flux - or - white flux for silver or copper. Shipping box will be 20" x 15" x 15" and weight will be around 38 pounds or 43 lbs deluxe.
The Deluxe KK-8 Kit is the first, ultra quiet, sectional propane gas fired furnace that can smelt ore concentrates, fire assay, melt pure metals, old jewelry. It can do it all and in larger quantities. Included in this Kiln Kit:
Available Accessories:
- A custom USA built precision machined bi-metal brass tipped Propane Burner
- 6′ Hose and 30 psi regulator
- Needle Valve
- Olympic Analog Pyrometer
- Liner Maintenance Kit
- Height: 11" x Width: 8" Diameter
- Chamber: 5" Diameter x 5" Tall
- Weight: 10 lb
- Propane Fired (Do not use Mapp Gas)
- Stainless Steel exterior
- Alumina Silica Refractory interior rated for up to 2300° F.
- Modular design – provides easier access & removal of crucible from chamber for pouring.
- Olympic Analog Pyrometer
- Custom made 160,000 BTU Bi-Metal Burner
- A2 Clay Graphite Salamander Crucible
- Fused Silica Crucible
- 18″ Tongs
- Graphite Conical Two Depression Mold
- Premium Flux
A modular mid-size propane gas kiln. If the mini kwik kiln is too small for your needs and our KK-8 too large, the KK-6, the perfect size. Deluxe Kit includes:
- 6″ round by 7″ tall refractory kiln with 3″ diameter x 4″ tall chamber
- 1 clay crucible stand
- 1 Salamander A0.5 clay graphite crucible, which can melt up to a kilo of silver
- 14″ tongs
- Liner maintenance kit
- 1 lb kwik kiln silver melting flux
- 1 lb GPK premium gold flux
- Graphite combo loaf mold
- Instructions
The KK-6 is 6″ round and fits in between the 4″ Kwik Kiln and the 8″ KK-8. The KK-6 can melt precious metals in minutes, similar to all of our kilns, and can also smelt your ore concentrates.
- 6″ round by 7″ tall refractory kiln with 3″ diameter x 4″ tall chamber
- Comes with clay crucible stand
- Liner maintenance kit & instruction booklet
- With Mega Torches
A Portable propane Gold Melting Furnace fired kiln designed to melt precious metals with speed and ease. Melt 1 to 6 oz of fine placer gold (1 to 3 oz silver). The Deluxe Kwik Kiln II Melting Kit with Mag-Torches includes:
- One 4″ OD x 4″ tall kwik kiln,
- spacer,
- (2) mini graphite crucibles,
- (1) graphite 2 oz gold (1 oz silver or copper) loaf mold,
- 6″ scissor tongs.
- Included are two MT200 pencil tip torches. Propane bottles not included.
Portable propane fired Metal Melting Kiln designed to melt precious metals with speed and ease. Melt 1 to 6 oz of fine placer gold (1 to 3 oz silver). The Melting Furnace KKiln has a straight/vertical chamber and is a bit taller. The mini graphite crucibles are custom made for the kwik kiln. Other sizes will not fit properly. The GPK Kwik Kiln is designed to be heated with 2 pencil tip PROPANE torches simultaneously. Mag-Torch MT-200 pencil tip torches are highly recommended by our designer, for being more stable. They are an 'all position' torch and work well with the propane bottle on its side, are all brass and are made in the USA. Please note: We cannot warranty any GPK Kwik Kiln heated too high, improperly, or in a manner that goes against their design. This includes using other types of torches, or using Mapp gas, which gives off more heat. We recommend using propane only.
This 50 place cupellation furnace is electrically powers by a 10500 Watt heating element allowing it to reach and hold a temperature of 1200 degrees C (2200 F). With a working area of 45 cm deep X 25 cm wide X 14.5 cm tall, this furnace will hold 50 x 6A, 7A or 7AS cupels.
Our newest model modular midsize kiln has a chamfered chamber, to accommodate a #12 Mabor Cupel, with which you will cupel the lead from a lead prill, after first performing a fire assay, thus ending up with whatever precious metal is in your ore.Please note: this kiln is not for melting or smelting. It is only for cupelling.Features:
Kit Includes:
- Height: 6″
- Width: 6″ Diameter
- Chamber: 3.5″ Diameter x 3.25″ Tall
- Weight: 2 lbs 12 oz
- Stainless Steel Exterior
- Modular Design
- Propane Fired: Requires (2) 6000 BTU Propane Torches; Bernzomatic TS4000 or equivalent
- Alumina Refractory Interior is safe for up to 2300° Fahrenheit
- Kiln with clay cupel pedestal
- (4) #12 Mabor cupels
- 8″ bent tongs
- Fire Assay book
- Liner Maintenance Kit
- Instructions Manual


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Pedal board order help!
Pedal board order help!
Hey all,
Looking for some advice on pedal board order - I've been gigging this rig for a while but i dont seem to get what I want out of the pedals, individually they sound great though, I'm just getting alot of noise and squeal when all on a board but also I lack warmth and tone out of the guitars I use. So any advice appreciated. (Maybe i should mention this is for my metallica tribute band, but I dont want that quite "thin" new metallica sound)
Guitars are all EMG loaded (EC1000, KH25,KH3, Jackson 90's custom) apart from my Fender Strat Blacktop, Rhoads RR5fr and LTD TE212)
So here is my rig:
5150Mk2 + Mode Four Marshall Cabinets
Pedal board: MXR Micro amp, KH Wah, ISP Decimator, Boss Chorus, MXR 10band EQ, Tuner.
Should I use the FX Loop on the 5150?
Give me some advice please people!
I find it best to use as few pedals before the preamp as possible but each amp is a little different. I'm not that familiar with the 5150 so you'll have to experiment. Personaly I would look at putting the tuner, micro amp and wah before the amp. Experiment with the order to see what works best. The EQ could go before the amp or in the effects loop. I would try it both places and see which sounds best. My expereince for Metallica type sounds is in the loop but YMMV. The Decimator is another one that could go either place. I've had the best luck with these types of pedals as either the last pedal before going into the preamp or the first pedal in the effects loop, but again YMMV. The chorus would definitely be a candidate for being in the effects loop. A good starting point might be:
Tuner -> Micro Amp -> Wah -> amp in effects send -> Decimator -> EQ -> chorus -> effects return
Then try moving a few pedals around and see how you like it.
As a 5150 mkII user, I played around alot with my pedals and the effect loop.
I posted my setup in the "Post your set up here"-post. Unfortunately the forums wont allow me to link to it, so I'll paste it again:
Boss TU2
Dunlop Crybaby Kirk Hammet signature Wah
MXR Super Comp
Mesa Boogie Flux Drive
Mesa Boogie Throttle Box
Fulltone OCD
Pigtronix Gatekeeper
JAM Pedals A/B looper
- MXR Micro Chorus
- Boutique Phase!?
- TC Electronic Flashback Delay
- TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb
See where I have the A/B loop-pedal? Thats where you go through your Effect loop. The way my board is set up is that I can easilly use the effects loop in my 5150 and use the loop pedal to switch the effects on/off for when I play at home where my practice amp doesnt have an effect loop.
A rule of thumb that I use is following:
Always have the tuner first.
Compression, distortions, overdrives, boosts and equlizers always before the preamp. Wah-pedals aswell, however you decide if you put it in front of behind the distortion pedals. I use mine in front, Jimi had both in front and behind the distortions.
Reverbs, delays, choruses, flangers, phasers, basically all modulators go in the effects loop.
The Decimator (and other noise reductors) have input/output/send/return jacks. You use it both for the signal chain before the effects loop and after it.
I would suggest this for your pedals:
Tuner (always first)
MXR 10band EQ (to EQ the base sound from the guitar)
KH Wah (Wah the clean sound from the guitar)
MXR Micro amp
ISP Decimator Input
ISP Decimator Output to Amp input
Loop Send:
MXR Chrous
ISP Decimator Send
ISP Decimator Return to Return in the amp
But as R2dhart says, play around with the sound. After all, an original sound is what makes us unique!
Good luck!