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This magnificent urn is generous in size. Finished in earth tone speckled colors. Wide metal band brings an additional burst of metallic charm to the piece. While the extended lid with exposed metal rim gives this piece a unique character of its own. Simple sophistication makes this urn
a wonderful memorial for your loved one.
Black velvet box included with Urn
MATERIAL: BrassDIMENSIONS: 3"H x 2"D
CAPACITY: 3 Cubic Inches
Protected with GlossCoat™
Handcrafted with Love by LoveUrns®


text: Let me start by saying I had a totally false impression of Philadelphia before visiting a couple weekends ago. Sure, I'd been there in the past, but it had always been for school trips and so all I remembered was an awesome science museum and the Liberty Bell. I also somehow had it in my … Continue Reading

subset: commoncrawl


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Information Security Asset Management and Inventory
Accelerate your asset identification, inventory and management for better threat detection with the AlienVault Unified Security Management™ (USM™) platform.
Most IT networks are in a constant state of flux. With devices continually being connected or removed from the network, it's easy to lose track and leave some assets unmonitored. This creates a serious exposure that attackers can exploit to gain access and conduct malicious activity. To meet this challenge, you need robust information security asset management and inventory tools that make it easy to keep track of all your devices being added or removed from your network.
AlienVault Unified Security Management™ (USM™) delivers information security asset management and inventory capabilities that provide:
- Automatic Asset Discovery
- Host-based Software Inventory
- Asset Prioritization and Remediation
Automatic Asset Discovery
Before you can protect your assets, you first need to know what all your assets are and then be able to determine which systems are the most critical to your business. Not knowing or understanding your assets can create blind spots across your enterprise that malicious actors can exploit and subsequently remain hidden.
AlienVault USM provides built-in information security asset discovery capabilities that begin to discover detailed security asset information to help you visualize your entire network from the moment it's installed.
It does so using both active and passive network scanning techniques. Active Network Scanning probes machines connected to the network and identifies them based on the responses. Passive Network Monitoring monitors the network traffic, hosts and installed software to identify the protocols and ports used.
The combination of these two techniques allows you to build up an accurate inventory of all the information security assets connected to your network.
Host-based Software Inventory
For your critical systems, you need to know more than what's happening at the network level. You need to take a deeper look into the host to build an accurate information security asset inventory of all software, processes and system files that reside on it.
AlienVault USM includes the ability to scan for available ports that can provide a detailed and granular level of visibility into the available services on your critical assets.
It enumerates all ports listening on the machine – adding valuable context to your information security asset inventory and allowing you to quickly and easily spot where unwanted software or processes are running.
Asset Prioritization and Remediation
Not all information security assets are equal as some are more critical to the business than others based on the data, application or regulations that may apply.
When prioritizing remediation efforts, simply having an inventory of information security assets alone is not sufficient. You need to factor in which information security assets need to be prioritized.
The unified capabilities of AlienVault USM work in concert
with Information Security Asset Management and Inventory capabilities to help prioritize remediation with multiple technologies such as Host and Network Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), Vulnerability management and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM).
AlienVault USM eliminates the ambiguity that can occur in managing your information security assets by analyzing and correlating security events and arranging them using the Kill Chain Taxonomy. This allows you to focus on the most pressing events on the most critical information security assets based on how they're impacting your environment in five categories.
- System Compromise
- Exploitation & Installation
- Delivery & Attack
- Reconnaissance & Probing
- Environmental Awareness


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Good evening!
Hope you are having a pleasant Sunday so far. However, that might change slightly when you read this blog sent by a reader. Its disturbing to even read it but immediately identifiable as something many of you might have faced. I am glad that you have begun to share your stories with me. It will help many of our readers to learn from your experience.
Here's the first one in the series of Reader's stories:
A.B.U.S.E. – When Things Fall Apart But The Pieces Fit
"He is a sociopath," she said, in her typical matter of fact way. "Yeah he was a bit weird but come on! You can't call your ex a sociopath, S!" I replied with a slight laugh. She didn't retaliate and the conversation veered off to her new obsession with mason jar salads.
A year later, I finally understood what she meant. Except the man in question is a malignant somatic narcissist.
Involvement with a narcissist begins and ends the same way – it's like being hit by a train – sudden, fast and mostly, out of the blue. The emotional roller coaster rides makes you confuse intensity with intimacy and soon you are walking on eggshells trying to make sense of what is going on. I spent an entire year thinking about him and his erratic actions, believing them to be peculiar idiosyncrasies borne out of past relationships and childhood trauma. Six months after he cruelly and uncerimoniously discarded me, I am still struggling to put the pieces together.
Recognising Abuse
Weeks after the sadistic discard, I continued to believe that I was at fault. That I was a horrible, immature woman who drove her loving and kind man away! I hadn't spoken with him for days after that telephone call where he told me "you are not what I am looking for" and laughed after I told him how much I cared for him, missed him and yes, even loved him.
I erased his sudden insulting, degrading behavior and narrated the story to everyone of the 'night that everything unravelled' from his perspective. I wanted my friends to confirm that I was at fault – so that I could fix it by apologising and that there was nothing fundamentally missing in our 'love'. I wrote a long letter to him, taking ownership of everything and telling him how much I wanted him to be happy and go find the love he thinks he deserved.
He later informed me of his new relationship with someone who 'appeared just after we broke up' and who was 'so amazing'. She knew all the details of his life, including my presence, but that they were perfect for each other. All that while he acted like we had meant nothing and while he did have feelings, they all went away because of my unpardonable behavior, for which, by the way, 'I had apologised too late'.
I was miserable at first. And then one day, thanks to six degrees of seperation, I got to know he lied to her and to me. The clear intention was to hurt me. And he loved playing it like a child loves chocolate. Like I had once loved his smile.
I couldn't understand it. Maybe he was just a jerk, an emotionally unavailable ass who didn't like me enough and now found the love of his life. A friend who saw me lose my sanity over this suggested I speak to a psychologist. It was in her office that sunny afternoon that I first heard of Narcissism. And the pieces started to fit.
What Does Narcissism Mean?
Most people think narcissist is an adjective for a vain person, full of himself. But in reality, he is a person in love with his reflection. Devoid of any true personality or 'True Self', these are conmen who seek power and validation and thrive on destroying people.
The more I read, the more I believed. But occassionally, self-doubt emerged.
I checked my story with therapists, self care portals, facebook groups – anyone and everyone. I soon realised narcissists were very common and that many people I had interacted with or met socially had had similar experiences. I read books and watched YouTube videos. It all checked out.
I saved articles and shared it with my friends. Nearly all thought it was an exaggeration. "He is a stupid boy, not worth your time," they said. "It isn't that serious", "Stop obsessing" and "It has been so long, move on!" they cried.
But it IS serious and it takes time to heal. Narcissistic break up are not like regular break ups. It is the difference between shooting someone with a bullet and stabbing someone in the heart and then twisting the knife slowly while enjoying yourself and telling her she deserved much worse.
And here's what makes it worse.
You have been deliberately lied to and manipulated by a person you gave your best to. While you struggled and frantically flapped your wings to make it work, he idealised, devalued and discarded you like a gadget. You blame and hate yourself. You even feel suicidal. You cannot believe it happened to you, you cannot understand how you gave your heart, mind, body and soul to a vampire who sucked you dry.
You not only need to build your life, self worth, self esteem, ability to love and trust, mental and emotional sanity from scratch but you also need validation. Friends give you advice on 'moving on' and they do it with the right intention, but they cannot and will not understand. For those who know of people suffering from this, as great and kind as your intention might be, asking victims to get on and be 'greatful he is out of your life' only further confuses, invalidates and alienates her (or him). Either say nothing or educate yourself on the topic before giving any advice. I request you to.
Emotional abuse doesn't leave visible scars like physical or in some cases, sexual abuse does. It creeps in quietly and eats you from inside. You realise it when it is over, when all that is left are crumbs of your existence and a shadow of the person you once were. It took me nearly 4 months to recognise what may have happened, another 2 to get confirmation and I still feel that maybe, just maybe, there is another explaination to this. Or that perhaps this is just a nightmare (Trust me, I would rather be wrong about this but I know, despite my many questions and theories, what it is. In my bones).
The clouds have no silver lining and the there is no light at the end of the tunnel. You are an emotional pendulum. You can't eat, sleep or concentrate. You frantically google abuse, narcissism and find out more. Sometimes it makes you feel better, other times, much worse. You struggle, gasp for air or are simply numb. I have spent days trying to convince my friends that he is a narcissist. Sometimes to get validation, other times just to talk. I am truly blessed to have a large number of people I feel comfortable in sharing this experience with, though barely a few fathom the intensity of this. But it helps to know that you are loved and cared for. And it's not just the old ones. I met wonderful people who have had similar stories to share and as morbid as it may sound, it is a relief to be able to talk to someone who knows what you are going through.
While Google and Sam Vaknin have helped me get answers to most of my questions, the fact is that narcissistic abuse is so complex that one cannot hope to understand more than 45%-60% of what happened. Some questions will be left unanswered but it is important to know and acknowledge that yes, you have been abused. And that there is no other word for this.
– The writer prefers to describe herself as a Survivor. Currently struggling with the aftermath of abuse, she prefers to stay anonymous and hopes to reach out to as many survivors as possible.
Akancha's Note:
It would help for everyone to read about Idealize- Devalue- Discard. Thats a classic move of a narcissist/sociopath/psychopath. They first make you feel like the most important person in the world, then begin to demean you & lastly discard when they don't have use for you anymore. Like we would discard an appliance that we don't want. Dispassionate & cold. I shall write about this in detail in my next blog.
An important point in the above story was- please DO NOT ADVISE others on steps to be taken unless you are very sure & educated about mental disorders. Best advise is to direct them to a trained professional & stand by them unconditionally. An emotionally abused person is in any case too battered to process information. Also, you do not understand the trauma unless you have really gone through it. Do not dismiss it lightly. Let a psychologist/psychiatrist deal with it in the right manner.
Lastly, hey my reader, you are NOT a survivor. You are a winner. You are a wonderful person who got targeted due to her wonderful qualities. But guess what, you are now out and about to conquer the world again! I wish you all the very best. Do write to us on your further journey, we would love to read.
To kindness, faith & strength!


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There is a "space", if you will, where the energies are high, the veils & air are thin and one has vibrationally activated the LightBody (Crystalline Body, Multi-Dimensional self, etc.) to feel and see into the beyond. These are all but terms that you use there to understand. We refer to this as "the other side", "the invisible" or "the forgotten", yet it exists only in a frequency that you have yet to be able to fully access, or in the physical, achieve.
You are being integrated, or merged, into these higher frequencies at the "rate" that you can comprehend. For you, as an energetic being already exist here, yet your human self must increase vibrationally for you to to be able to merge dimensionally.
Your physical shall feel more in these densities of the dimensional merges of these higher frequencies. Bugs, rodents, reptiles, spiders & more are used to desensitize your human fears of this. Each time you dream or encounter a "thing" that makes you jump or scream, you further release the energy of fear to that which you see. This is a necessary part of your human process in "shifting up" as you see it, vibrationally.
You are not going anywhere, you are not moving to a new place. You are not leaving where you are physically, you are re-evolving as an energetic space. In this space you are everywhere, all at once and in all times. Here you shall see everything, yet in pieces according to the limits of your own human mind.
In these times of high frequencies, you can see and feel that which you could not previously see. These visions, or experiences, appear new to you, yet they are memories of that which you have forgotten yourself to be.
You will feel tingly at first, then something crawling on you. You may discount the experience or even question your own sanity. Yet inside, you know it to be real, yet not according to your human reality.
This is necessary and shall increasingly occur, as when you are to "walk into the new" (the invisible or forgotten), you shall already be there before you know it, as it happens subtly.
Translation note: The one who writes this, called Transcendence, is shown these things to be able to translate what she sees. She has reached a vibrational frequency that allows her these experiences, then given the words in order to share and teach. We needed someone who didn't filter or compromise with human needs. For this she speaks as we speak, for she exists in these vibrations that allows her to speak as WE. All shall come to a place of no separation within and as they do, they too shall also see. It is in this space that WE exist and shall also speak to you directly. WE are the Galactic High Council and it is with love that we now speak.
5/18/2018 03:59:28 pm
that is beauty ,power and perfect t.y
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Support Change and help me keep sharing to assist all in unity and bringing forth the "new" (Remembered) here. With the utmost appreciation and love. Mahalo. ♥
Thank you to Marinette Lepine with TransLight for sharing and translating in French! Wow, so very honored! Thank YOU!
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Transcendence is my first"Remembered" name, Ithara is my Galactic identification and Lisa is my human name.
January 2016
Lisa Transcendence Brown (Ithara) ☼
Ascended Master WayShower, Author, NEW Earth Existence Sharings, Transformational Speaker, Light Embodiment & Empowerment Physical Ascension Guide (all from within)
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Information and Support
Everything we provide, share, and offer, is a way for each to choose consciously what each values as important and worth, in supporting and accelerating their own heart-opening experiences here, as well as further activating their own LightBody too. Each one of us does this differently, yet to understand that all is important and serves a much bigger picture/purpose, we start to understand that Energetic Exchange is a way to respect, reciprocate, gift and in-turn support the vastness of what we receive ENERGETICALLY and that all of these things are just tools and ways to activate, therefore it's not about a "thing" anymore.
All are here because they receive something, through the Light Encoded sharings and various ways to activate, elevate and expand by way of opening our Universal/Cosmic heart/ higher mind chambers and Gateways, often in seemingly unorthodox ways. By combining various activation tools and utilizing each for the purposes of stimulating and awakening pure beauty, kindness and a deep sacred connection from deep within, all of these "things" are just something that we each consciously choose to use. The value is not the value of a "thing", yet instead the value of what we decide is our reasonable exchange in order to receive heart-opening Soul activations, which is determined by how we utilize these "things". The value is determine by you, how you value and place worth on your your own Awakening Soul journey, and what tools you feel will most benefit and assist you with this. The value is the value you place upon yourself, your energy and what you choose to utilize to accelerate your own awakening journey and current (LightBody) phases you are in.
The tool itself doesn't matter. Your openness, your making a conscious choice and deciding what's important and how you desire to do this for yourself, as what "things" you feel will most benefit you in opening your heart. Your conscious choice is a very important part of the your own Awakening processes here.
Through our own higher states of love-consciousness, we take the focus off of the thing and we shift it to what we feel will most assist us with our current processes and phases. We shift the value off of the "thing" and onto our energy, our vibration, our LightBody, and what we feel will assist us with opening our hearts to/through more beauty, unity, kindness and love.
Our Entire Value System evolves, as we start to value ourselves and our Light/Energy, we start to value the energy, the work, the contributions of others too.
Here, each is supporting ENERGETICALLY the work, the programs, services, those working in Dedicated Service to create, share and provide the vastness of all that is offered to support, inspire, awaken, assist and consciously evolve.
Each is contributing to a much higher purpose, the Evolution of a much Higher Consciousness HUmanity. Your CONSCIOUS EXCHANGE becomes a part of this. ♥
In essence, what you are investing in, is your own SoulBody/LightBody and you are consciously choosing (free-will) activation tools to work with, in order to further assist you with the acceleration of this. You are exercising a conscious exchange of Love Energy (In form) in order to do this, which will in-turn assist with fulfilling higher purposes and Service to HUmanity roles here.
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We will update this section again with more information in order to assist you soon.
"WE" totally love, honor, respect and appreciate you and your presence, participation and contributions for all of HUmanity too!!! ♥


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New Airport Security to Slow Down Holiday Travel
With the holiday travel season fast approaching, recent stepped-up security screening at the nation's airports has provoked an outcry from passengers and airline pilots alike, with some of the latter group even threatening to boycott intrusive new checks during the Thanksgiving rush.
CBS News travel editor Peter Greenberg says, regardless of how many airline pilots chose not to pass through security to go to work, the additional security measures are likely to cause longer lines and delays as Americans head off to see their loved ones this holiday season.
The new measures include a new type of walk-through scanning machine which uses very low doses of x-rays to scan travelers' front and back, creating what many have called a "naked" image.
In addition, Transportation Security Agency agents are now allowed to conduct a very detailed, very personal, body search of passengers who refuse to pass through the new scanners. The agents are allowed to use fingers and the palms of their hands to feel around breasts and genitalia.
A growing number of people, including the 11,500-member Allied Pilots Association, brand these new searches humiliating. The pilots' union has dubbed the new measures a "virtual strip search" and a "grope."
The new personal searches, which the TSA calls "enhanced patdowns," came into effect in late October.
Growing Backlash Against TSA's "Naked Strip Searches"
Scanner Tested to Make More Liquids Plane-Safe
The concerns over privacy, coupled with fears over the long-term exposure to low-level radiation, have the APA, the largest independent union of pilots in the world, calling for its members to boycott the scanning machines.
Greenberg says the government's official plan was to replace all the old airport magnetometers (the metal detection machines airline passengers must walk through as part of the security protocol) with electronic body scanners at all 2,200 security checkpoints in all 450 commercial airports in the U.S.
Slowly but surely, the new scanners, which cost between $150,000 and $170,000 per machine, are coming online.
In a preview of the new scanners' arrival at U.S. airports, acting TSA Administrator Gale Rossides told CBS News correspondent Bob Orr the x-ray images created by the new scanners are never kept on a database.
"These images cannot be stored," Rossides told CBS. "An officer cannot print off the image. So as soon as that analysis is made of that image, that image is destroyed."
Aside from the worries over privacy and safety, Greenberg says the new scanners and patdowns will inevitably lead to longer waits for holiday travelers this year.
Waiting during peak times at TSA checkpoints averaged 12 minutes in 2006. By 2008, the average wait had grown to 15 minutes. The new procedures threaten to increase those waiting times further, says Greenberg, not just because of the time it takes to go through the scanner, but because if any passenger "opts out" of going through the machine, they will then be subjected to a the much more invasive, and time consuming, physical "enhanced patdown" by TSA agents.
With the new machines, "you need to take absolutely everything out of your pockets... everything. Not just metal, but paper, money, everything, and then wait to be screened by the machine, and then wait for another TSA person looking at the images in another room to clear you," says Greenberg. This can take up to five minutes per passenger. That's assuming nobody opts for the patdown.
"If more than one passenger at a time opts out, then the delays can become exponential," predicts the travel editor.
Greenberg's recommendations if you're headed to an airport this holiday season: Show up at the airport with nothingin your pockets. The machines are not at all airports, so pick an airport (if you can) that doesn't yet have them. At the airports that do have the new machines, they have not totally replaced the old magnetometers. You will frequently see security checkpoints that have both machines in place - so whenever you can, pick the old magnetometer, even if the line seems longer.


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non-conforming loan
Use non-conforming loan in a sentence
" You should try and see if taking out a non-conforming loan would be a better way to get some quick cash. "
" We could not get a house because the loan that we would require would have been a non-conforming loan, so the bank denied us. "
" The prospective entrepreneur visited many banks in an attempt to obtain a non-conforming loan, but the institutions were reluctant to bend their standard terms when lending money. "


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Along with the colorful leaves, brisk weather, and longer hours of autumn come three months of holidays marking religious and nonreligious days of celebration and reflection. These occasions are marked by the opportunity for excessive consumerism; this is especially true of Halloween. Walking through a store earlier today, I found at least 15 aisles dedicated to Halloween merchandise including costumes, decorations, candy, and trick-or-treat gifts. Equally prevalent are the thousands of pumpkins that have been grown at nearby farms specifically for this occasion.
Is it possible to find a balance between the enjoyment of a holiday and sustainability? The key to the next three months of celebrations is awareness of what and whom our dollars support, no matter where we fall on the consumer/sustainability spectrum.
What is the impact on our limited resources of using a food source (pumpkins) as a temporary decoration? In most areas of the United States, pumpkin seeds are planted in the spring then harvested in the fall. During those three months, the plants require soil, water, nutrients, and human resources to grow. Once harvested, the pumpkins are purchased by Halloween shoppers for carving and decorating. Some folks may save the pumpkin seeds to roast and consume while many others throw the seeds away along with the 'meat' of the pumpkin fruit. Once the pumpkin has served its purpose on Halloween, it often ends up in a landfill where the anaerobic conditions are not conducive to decomposition.
This year, consider an alternative to the wasteful use of a potential food item as a temporary decoration. Instead, create or purchase a ceramic or cloth decoration that can be used for decades to come. If you are concerned about your children missing out on pumpkin carving, engage them in other family activities around the holiday; give them a ball of clay and teach them how to 'carve' it to make a long-lasting decoration and teach them why you are choosing to forego using food as a decoration.
Individually wrapped Halloween candies are another source of significant waste during the holiday season. Besides being nutritionally deficient and unhealthy, this candy comes wrapped in plastic or paper that will end up in the same landfill as those discarded pumpkins. Consider giving inexpensive and reusable treats: pencils, erasers, or bookmarks. Stay away from one-time-use or plastic items that will be discarded once Halloween has passed.
You're welcome to stop by my house to trick-or-treat. I will leave the porch light on, just for this evening. You'll find a basket, which I have been using for about 15 years, full of pencils. Take one or two; may they serve as a reminder throughout the several months you'll use them to carefully consider the choices you make and the impact you have on our Earth.
Make a goal this year to reduce your Halloween consumption by a few notches. stickK to it by making choices that will reduce wastefulness.


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Joplins Cords black&white
Fashion ethnic and Bohemian style with different printing colors
Cord rope is made of cotton
This eyeglasses rope can help prevent your eyeglasses falling
Great gift for decorating your reading glasses, eyeglasses and sunglasses
- Rope width approx. 5mm/0,2inch
- Total lenght approx. 70cm/27,55inch
Born to be green. Joplins' main purpose is to promote a healthier and more ecologically sustainable lifestyle. For this they have created frames made from sustainable materials such as cotton fibers, recycled wood, wood pulp & bamboo.
We want you to be 100% happy with your purchase and we stand by the quality of our products. We accept returns and exchanges within 14 days from the date that you received the package. To complete your return, please send us an email to email@example.com and we will send you all the information you need to proceed. Although you are eligible to get a full refund for the item you bought, you will be responsible for paying shipping costs associated with returning your item. We strictly follow brand's applicable policy.


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Departures: Ecuador
Galápagos Land-based Discovery
Traversing three islands in five days, this tour offers a top Galápagos land-based experience that highlights the best of San Cristóbal, Isabela, and Santa Cruz, each with its own distinct personality and wildlife. Hike through beach and volcano environments, swim and relax on pristine tropical beaches, and snorkel with incredible sea life in turquoise waters. Experience the unique evolutionary paths of endemic species as you move between islands quickly and comfortably.
We believe that to travel responsibly, a portion of our tour cost should benefit the communities we visit. For this trip, we will donate to The Charles Darwin Research Station, whose work is focused on the conservation of the habitat and unique wildlife of the Galápagos Islands.
Departures available throughout 2018. It's not too early to book for 2018!
Day 1
After a morning flight from the mainland to San Cristóbal Island, we continue to our hotel for lunch and a trip overview, followed by a visit to the Galápagos National Park Visitor Center, which focuses on the history of the archipelago's ecosystems, flora, and fauna.
Afternoon: As we hike over natural lava rock trails of Frigate Hill, our guides tell us about the flora and fauna surrounding us — Galapagos cotton, palo santo, acadia and citi, as well as the blue-footed boobies, frigatebirds, pelicans, herons, gulls, warblers, mockingbirds and finches. Afterwards, stop at beautiful Punta Carola Beach for a swim and snorkel with sea turtles and sea lions. Watch the sunset at the beach, and return to our hotel for a gourmet seafood dinner.
Day 2
Morning: Explore the coves and cliffs of the north coast of San Cristóbal, viewing sea turtles, sea lions, frigatebirds, blue-footed boobies and Nazca boobies. Get up close and personal with sea lions in their favorite playground. Snorkel here to see eagle rays, golden rays, Galapagos sharks, starfish, clams and thousands of tropical fish.
Afternoon: After the sun sets on our day under the waves, we return to our hotel for dinner and a relaxing evening. Take a walk to explore the friendly town, and visit the colony of endemic Galapagos sea lions next door.
Day 3
Morning: Our journey continues via a short flight to Isabela, largest of the islands, and continually evolving due to the six shield volcanoes that make it one of the more active volcanic areas in the world. Settle into our hotel set between a pristine white-sand beach and wildlife-filled wetland. Set out on a hike through an incredible variety of coastal ecosystems on the way to the Wall of Tears, a towering wall of lava rocks built by former penal colony prisoners. Along the way spot giant tortoises, flamingos, and other wildlife.
Afternoon: After lunch, we'll explore Tintoreras, a group of small islets filled with hidden coves and isolated beaches. Here we'll find the Galapagos penguin, as well as reef sharks, sea turtles, and sea lions. Return to our hotel at idyllic Puerto Villamil.
Day 4
Morning: An invigorating speedboat ride takes us to Santa Cruz Island as we watch for whales and dolphins. Arrive at the private dock of our waterfront hotel overlooking Academy Bay for check in. Then head to El Chato Tortoise Reserve in the highlands, home to the Galapagos giant tortoise—who can live to be over 175 years old. El Chato is also home to a variety of birdlife including the beautiful vermilion flycatcher.
Afternoon: Our hike continues through lava tunnels created by flowing magma. Legend has it that the buccaneers who frequented the island used these caves to hide Inca gold plundered from Spanish ships. The path goes through a forest of endemic Scalesia trees covered in ferns and epiphytes. Return to our hotel with a beautiful view of the bay.
Day 5
Morning: Visit the renown Charles Darwin Research Station, where local scientists rear endemic plants and animals for educational, scientific and conservation purposes. We'll learn about ongoing conservation efforts to protect the future of the Galápagos. Transfer to Baltra Island for our return flight to the mainland.
Optional Extensions
Choose to extend your stay and visit the pristine Ecuadorian Amazon, the ancient ruins of Machu Picchu, and/or other South American destinations. Ask for details.
For pricing and hotel information, contact us at HOW TO BOOK. The specifics of this itinerary are subject to change based on local conditions at the discretion of Ponte Travels.


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With the beauteous late autumn comes a gorgeous new chapbook from Finishing Line Press: Patina, by Tess Kincaid.
Let me first say that one ground-breaking thing about this collection is that Ms. Kincaid is heretofore unpublished in the traditional sense but very published and lauded in the blogosphere. She is in fact, among the best of the poets who post their work online to make it available to a readership with a click, bypassing the tiresome ceremonies of submission, enduring rejection, resubmitting ad infinitum until at last, a placement.
In truth, not much seems to have changed since the days in which male editors controlled the literary magazines and if you were a woman writer you had to write like the male poets du jour to get published, i.e. with a dissipated, alienated voice in short lines, emotion controlled.
I remember those days well, when Lyn Lifshin, Marge Piercy, Carolyn Forche, Mary Karr and I were among those who hung in until we could be and would be taken seriously, our work appearing in the infamous The Little Magazine, in the early Ms., and other signature journals of the 70's. With the rise of the blog and the many permissions we not so incidentally give each other to share and support one another's work– some of us carrying on in both old and new worlds– we get to bypass all of that rigamarole.
More than the purists believe, the new practice of publishing independently online has become an entirely legitimate way to be read and a legitimate form of independent publishing and building readership. Witness that Ms. Kincaid has collected work that originally appeared on her blogs and had the mss accepted by the highly regarded Finishing Line. Witness that poets Floyce Alexander, Joy Harjo, Maureen Doallas, Dawn Potter, and yours truly post work to blogs with a host of others and that a number of excellent and traditionally published poets and poet/editors such as William Pitt Root post poems in "note" form on Facebook, "tagging" a wide readership accustomed to digesting vast amounts of information in very small type!
In fact, Ms. Kincaid hosts two blogs, Life at Willow Manor that has accrued quite a following as well as an award from Google Blogger, and a blog/meme called Magpie Tales wherein she posts a weekly prompt, a photograph of a cultural artifact or object of interest, to summon forth our associations and engender a poem. Many of us have been able to grow audience from Ms. Kincaid's endeavor as well as to produce weekly drafts ourselves.
Patina is a collection of poems grounded, as the title suggests, in a valuation of the past, and the richness in the work surpasses the merely quaint or anomalous. Consider these luminous lines, from Pocket Watch for Peachy Bright, 1841-1865: You slip from the wool lens pocket,/and hit my hand full and hard,/like a splash of cold Mississippi. In this first poem Kincaid gives us a moment resonant with history and poignancy wherein a Union soldier hopes to return from the Front: April hope swarms a homebound boat;/dashed dreams blaze bitter-bright./'The Sultana sinks that night, at Paddy's Hen.
Most of us read poetry not for history, but for language and beautiful and/or compelling specificity. And listen to the crispness and singularity of this music: April hope swarms a homebound boat/dashed dreams blaze bitter-bright. It is the distinctiveness of Ms. Kincaid's language that pulls the reader into these poems; it snaps and cajoles the senses, and the imagery oh so thankfully, surprises.
The title poem Patina comes fairly early in the collection: I especially love, "Under his bifocals/his eyes had accrued/a thick luminous layer, ripe/with tales of the great depression." While there is a disjointed predication here– that the mucousal elderly eye is ripe with tales of… we have the stunning image of under his bifocals/his eyes had accrued/a thick luminous layer— with their hard yet resonant consonance. And a sweep of tenderness in this poem: I listened, mostly, mute/afraid to shout large/enough for him to hear. And a killer final stanza "The sound might discharge/ the fragile pod, a burst/of woolly seed, his DNA/in parachutes. There is a linguistic confidence in these lines that deliver an old man's fragility so distinctively.
The poem Fifth Street is a tour d'force of language and a beautiful casting of what we used to call local color, and Depression era American life. Here is the first stanza:
They declared their chips in Kansas
Ace came round in a new fangled motor,
Wore a fancy suit. She flew to him
Like a railbird. Freehand wrangler,
He scooped her up, built his deck
With brick and mortar..
Again, marvelous and crisp alliterative consonance: declared..their…round..railbird.. freehand wrangler…brick..mortar. Short descriptors distinctively and carefully layered give life to the subject of the poet's attention.
In The New Order Ms. Kincaid comes to the book's central disclosure: I am a magpie/My fleshy nest/is feathered in flotsam./ Not a hoarder, but rather/a hunter, gatherer of thoughts,/a scavenger of curios and the curious. Again lovely alliteration, compressed description—this poet has mastered several deeply significant principles of poetry: that meaning should emerge from the figure, i.e. the image, the metaphor—and that there need be no over-elaboration or commenting upon the image; the image should be trusted to speak forth as the bearer of meaning.
This poem's last stanza is also telling and exquisite: I, too, am carefully wrapped,/boxed, and labeled "assorted secrets/and stories", a discreetly forgotten casket,/stowed dowerless, in a thrift store of dirt. To be "stored dowerless"! Oh fate that waits for us each.
Another feature of the work is the judicious use of place names, themselves lyrical and resonant. In Apprentice the poet writes, I helped you tinker/clocks, remember? You gave me/a salt shaker in the shape/of a pink flamingo, like gold/from the ruins of Knocknasheega.
Again and again in the collection we are reminded that at issue is the object in which the past is incarnate. In Blue Plate Special: History grinds on,/as I yell out, "Blue Willow!"/whenever they pop up/on checkered tables/from here to Albuquerque,/in The Duke's wild hand,/or as Stanwyck takes a film-noir sip. These lines of course refer to the Blue Willow-ware many of us know, love and remember that became part of the iconography of family gatherings, touchstone to those we love and remember, for generations.
I am impressed by the consistency of quality in this chapbook from poem to poem, as well as a congruence of moving, beautiful imagery: from I Am October: I toss my gathering/from harvest cradle/to the breeze of gods,/like an old galosh/pulled from a pond. The harvest cradle—distinctive; the old galosh—an exquisite, squashing, slapping and splashing surprise—wetter than wet.
Poem after poem in this book is dedicated to prior generations of the speaker's family—people we don't know but do know, as if each poem were an epitaph—but one of great tenderness. The person's name is spelled out with exactitude, complemented by the resonant dates of the life span, e.g., 1891-1932.
Several of the poems do not cast into the past, but offer up appealing intimacy and are again wrought with great care. Ms. Kincaid's daughter is a soprano, and in Lamb Chop we are given a beautifully sustained metaphor:
Lamb Chop
It was a long hot summer
Of pastries and Pavarotti.
Little did I know,
Craving donuts and opera
Would bake up a tasty creampuff
With a mouth wide for song.
Not till the judge tossed his pencil
And leaned back in his chair,
Did I realize your splendid fare.
Sometimes the recipe was wrong,
But you opened those brave chops
And sang like a daughter of God.
The ovens have been hot;
Your crust is not as tough
As it seems. After the wild flour
Settles, your sweet bel canto
Puts Krispy Kremes to shame.
These poems with their wit and care put me in mind of the phrase The Unbearable Lightness of Being, title of the brilliant novel by the Czech Milan Kundera– 'Insoutenable légèreté de l'être . With a deft, discerning hand Ms. Kincaid sketches a moment, a person caught in a revelatory pose with physical, resonant detail but lightly, gently; this is a book that doesn't hit us over the head with the edict "Thou shalt value the past", but compels us to think of our own histories and geneology as caches of poignant, lyrical information.
There are errant small weaknesses in the work—-occasional prosaic lines that would be better served by a figure, but these are minor and such things afflict all of us, no matter how accomplished. I have high hopes for Ms. Kincaid's growth as a poet and am blessed by our interaction and interest in one another's work. To this debut collection I say "Brava!"
Order Tess Kincaid's Patina from Finishing Line Press. Visit Magpie Tales and Life at Manor by clicking on the live links.
About Tess Kincaid; she is " …a self-proclaimed magpie, and Hoosier by birth, living in Dublin, Ohio at Willow Manor, a ramshackle limestone on the banks of the Scioto River, with her husband and resident ghosts."
Poet, Critic, Blogger and Memoirist Jenne' R. Andrews' work has appeared in a number of journals including, most recently The Adirondack Review; her collections include the small press book Reunion, Lynx House Press, The Dark Animal of Liberty, Leaping Mountain Press, and In Pursuit of the Family, Minnesota Writers' Publishing House, edited by Robert Bly. She posts work in draft at La Parola Vivace in addition to submitting individual work and book-length collections to journals and presses. She has recently been writing "Rilke variations"—an exercise that has become a vital part of her daily writing practice.
In the interest of getting new voices out into the world, please link to this review. Thanks.


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This morning it is my pleasure to do a spotlight feature for author Laura Madeleine as part of the blog tour for her debut novel The Confectioner's Tale which was published last week.
After a childhood spent acting professionally and training at a theatre school, Laura Madeleine changed her mind, and went to study English Literature at Newnham College, Cambridge. She now writes fiction, as well as recipes, and was formerly the resident cake baker for Domestic Sluttery.
She lives in Bristol, but can often be found visiting her family in Devon, eating cheese and getting up to mischief with her sister, fantasy author Lucy Hounsom. You can find her on Twitter @esthercrumpet.
At the famous Patisserie Clermont in Paris, 1909, a chance encounter with the owner's daughter has given one young man a glimpse into a life he never knew existed: of sweet cream and melted chocolate, golden caramel and powdered sugar, of pastry light as air.
But it is not just the art of confectionery that holds him captive, and soon a forbidden love affair begins.
Almost eighty years later, an academic discovers a hidden photograph of her grandfather as a young man with two people she has never seen before. Scrawled on the back of the picture are the words 'Forgive me'. Unable to resist the mystery behind it, she begins to unravel the story of two star-crossed lovers and one irrevocable betrayal.
Can you tell us a little bit about your debut novel The Confectioner's Tale?
I started writing The Confectioner's Tale about four years ago, after a whirlwind summer holiday driving around France. I was in Saint-Émilion when I discovered canelés: little French custard pastries. They have a fascinating, three hundred year history of fiercely guarded recipes, rivalry and craftsmanship. My interest in the art of patisserie started there. It's also one of the reasons that Gui's home is in Bordeaux.
What inspired you to set your debut novel in Paris?
Paris during the Belle Époque represents the absolute height of our romantic ideals: decadence, glamour, abundance and artistry, but it was also a world on the brink of collapse. The weight of that wealth and luxury was never going to be able to sustain itself. The city was also a place of poverty and disillusionment for the vast majority of people. The era was like a beautiful, dying, glittering creature. It was an irresistible setting.
What are your favourite confections to create?
I love making cakes. My real passion is for flavours, scents and textures. Unlike the chefs at Patisserie Clermont, I'm not very good at fiddly sugar work or decoration. I enjoy working with flavours that trigger memory or emotion; freshly-picked blackberries and hazelnuts in autumn, orange blossom in spring, ripe peaches and vanilla in summer, sloe gin, treacle, ginger and cinnamon for winter...
What is it about time slip novels that you feel make them so appealing to the reader?
I think a lot of people are fascinated by the relationship between past and present: we're always looking for the connections, trying to follow the threads that connect then and now. Time-slip novels allow us to trace those lines, through chances and coincidences, and I think there's something profoundly satisfying about the moment when two stories become one. They also allow us to escape to lost worlds and far away places, whilst keeping us grounded in the present.
What can we expect from you next?
I'm currently working on another time slip novel. It's set in different periods, 1919 and 1969. Similarly, it takes place across France and England, but this one is set in the fierce heat of the South, rather than the elegance of Paris. It's the raw, earthy, vivid counterpart to The Confectioner's Tale's refinement.
What is the best writing advice you have ever received?
While The Confectioner's Tale is my debut novel, it isn't the first one I ever wrote. The first novel was a chaotic explosion of a story that I started when I was nineteen. I'm glad I wrote it, but at the time, it just wasn't working. Someone told me that if I could put it on the back burner and move on, write something new, then I should. So I did. It sounds counterintuitive, but I think that knowing when to delete or move away from something is a hugely important aspect of writing.
Are you going to treat yourself to something nice to celebrate the publication of your first book?
Maybe an almond croissant and a glass of something sparkling!
Have you anything exciting planned for publication day?
I'm actually using it as an excuse to go to a new restaurant in Bristol that I've been wanting to try for ages; it's called Birch and I've heard very good things. I should be having a proper launch party at some point over the next few weeks though; watch this space!


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Matt and Rich, the boys behind Guild Ball, join us to discuss our initial impressions of Games Workshop's new Warhammer Age of Sigmar.
John Demaris, Warmachine super fan and Muse On Mini's man about town, joins us to talk about what else...Warmachine & Hordes!
Up first: Lock 'n Load, Privateer Press's annual convention in the north west. What's it like and what makes in unique?
Later we get the run down from John on the Warmachine and Hordes games as they are today...has Privateer Press managed to keep them balanced and fun? What keeps folks playing?
All that plus:
If you'd like to discuss the show with us and others in our forum thread: click here.
The following fine organizations help make this show possible:
==Quick Reference==
App of the Ep: 1 hr 1 min
Lock n Load: 1 hr 4 min
Total Fan Girl: 1 hr 43 min
Hollywood Minute: 1 hr 50 min
Warmachine & Hordes Update: 1 hr 55 min
Links Discussed in the show:
Craig's Blog: www.McNerdigansPub.com
Russ's Blog: http://www.RussRant.com
Total Fan Girl Blog: Link
Pulp Gamer Network: Link
John DeMaris, Warmachine super fan and Muse On Mini's man about town, joins us to talk about the 2015 season of Game of Thrones. What did we think and how does it compare to the books?
Caution: Here be spoilers.


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wow... was yesterday wild or not! i played a veteran's day program yesterday and sight read most of the music, including lots of sousa marches, on euphonium (secondary instrument). i'm not a fantastic sigh reader in the first place, i was sharing a stand, using folio size music, and freezing. that made it a REAL challenge!!! its a great adrenaline rush!
but that has me thinking about the marches... i know the sousa march collection is on line now and can be downloaded, but i'm hoping someone has already downloaded and combined all the euphonium parts in to one file? that would save a LOT of time. i'd like to have them so i could at least play through them occasionally so i wouldn't be going into something like this again... while it's fun and all that, i still had some embarrassing moments.


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I rode out of Houghton Lake and my buddy Matt rode out of Traverse and we met at the M72 Blue Bear parking lot. 7-10" of fresh fell and all the secondary trails are in great shape where there was base left. Trails have wet spots and some spots have an icy base left. The groomer took off out of the gas station on M72 heading south so I know that the trail down to Houghton lake was being groomed. I don't know who else will be grooming but they are for sure and honestly with as cold as it's going to get by the weekend it should hold up for one last ride. It was like early season riding but with frost in the ground. We got into areas today in the woods that had 2 + feet of snow still.
So if you considered coming up on to get one last ride in I would recommend it. Who knows how it will hold up through the weekend but you can ride.
The best snow fell from Traverse City area over to just south of Gaylord, down to Houghton Lake and back over to Lake City.


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Australia makes 1 change, Argentina 4 for Canberra match
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Still searching for victory in the 2017 Rugby Championship, Argentina made four changes to its starting XV and the Wallabies just one for Saturday's test match in Australia's capital.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika on Thursday said Rob Simmons would line up for his 75th test cap alongside Adam Coleman in the second row, with Rory Arnold cut from the squad.
"Rory's work-rate needs to be higher," Cheika said. "Consistency is king. We've had some good leads but we haven't been able to be consistent through the games and I want to make sure that every player knows that."
Lock Izack Rodda will get a chance to play in his second test if called upon from the bench, while the match could also mark international debut for rugby league convert Marika Koroibete.
The Fiji-born Koroibete switched from the Melbourne Storm to Super Rugby's Melbourne Rebels after the 2016 National Rugby League season. He has taken Curtis Rona's spot on the Australian reserves bench.
"I want him to get the ball and take someone on, that's when he's so good," Cheika said of Koroibete. "His strength is that he's got some serious ability when it comes to carrying the ball at the opposition."
Australia had a 23-23 draw with South Africa last week after two losses to the All Blacks. Argentina lost at home and away to South Africa before last weekend's 39-22 loss to New Zealand.
For Argentina, Tomas Lezana, Martin Landajo, Ramiro Moyano and Matias Orlando were added to the starting XV.
Lezana will start at No. 8 in place of Benjamin Macone, and Landajo replaces former Canberra-based ACT Brumbies scrumhalf Tomas Cubelli. Joaquin Tuculet and Santiago Cordero have been replaced by winger Moyano and outside center Orlando, with Emiliano Boffelli to start at fullback.
Australia: Israel Folau, Henry Speight, Tevita Kuridrani, Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper (captain), Ned Hanigan, Adam Coleman, Rob Simmons, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Scott Sio. Reserves: Jordan Uelese, Tom Robertson, Allan Alaalatoa, Izack Rodda, Jack Dempsey, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete.
Argentina: Emiliano Boffelli, Matias Moroni, Matias Orlando, Jeronimo de la Fuente, Ramiro Moyano, Nicolas Sanchez, Martin Landajo, Tomas Lezana, Javier Ortega Desio, Pablo Matera, Matias Alemanno, Guido Petti, Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, Agustin Creevy (captain), Lucas Noguera. Reserves: Julian Montoya, Santiago Garcia Botta, Enrique Pieretto, Marcos Kremer, Juan Manuel Leguizamon, Tomas Cubelli, Santiago Gonzalez Iglesias, Manuel Montero.


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The is suitable for this period, neither too hot nor too cold.
A serious top but with style, to be worn at work, at home and in your spare time.
In short, a top suitable for all situations that cannot be missing in your wardrobe.
He will warm you and Embrace you all day long!
Easy Wash and Premium Material!
Don't miss it and be Pampered!
Material: COTTON & Polyester
Sleeve Style: REGULAR
Sleeve Length(cm): Full
Clothing Length: Short
Weight: 330
Collar: Hooded


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There is no 28th Amendment (yet) , which, by now, we should all know is wishful thinking. However, yes, there is something wrong with this picture:
I challenge you to read this and NOT have the will to pass it on.
No one has been able to explain to me why young men and women serve in the U.S. Military for 20 years, risking their lives protecting our freedom, and only get 50% of their pay on retirement. While Politicians hold their political positions in the safe confines of the capital, protected by these same men and women, and receive full-pay retirement after serving one term. It just does not make any sense. If each person who receives this will post it to 20 people, in three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one proposal that really should be passed around.
Proposed 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: "Congress shall make no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives; and, Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the citizens of the United States ."


text: About UsMichael Milner is an accredited professional photographer with over 20 years experience and is commissioned by leading companies for his photographic skills, precise attention to detail and his exquisite control of light. Michael's photography work covers commercial advertising and product, beauty and fashion, architectural & interiors, gigapixel photography, and corporate headshots. He's also comfortable and actively enjoys photographing across a range of other genres.


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Hi everybody! Happy Thursday! Who is looking forward to the long weekend? I know I am! Check out my last post for some Fourth of July festive outfit inspiration :)
Today I have the pleasure of introducing you to Icy Li. She is a brilliant photographer, and a lovely person. You can check out her amazing work on her website here or her instagram here. I felt so privileged to shoot this outfit with her, as I wanted to capture the lightness of the skirt. She did a beautiful job!
This outfit is a go-to for me during the summer months when the heat really cranks up – and so does the AC. I love dressing in layers to field the wide temperature swings, and this chambray top is the perfect answer. It's comfy and light, but provides a much needed extra layer of insulation once I walk inside. And this skirt has become an instant favorite of mine. I love the pleat detailing – it lays so nicely – and the cut of the hem is just unique enough to catch the eye. And its so light! Easy, breezy and just how I like it.
How are you beating the heat this summer? Thanks so much for stopping by!
Top: Banana Republic tank (similar), Madewell chambray (very old, similar here)
Bottoms: Chelsea28
Shoes: Charlotte Russe
Bag: BP Brand (sold out, similar here and here)
Accessories: Ralph Lauren sunglasses (old), LOFT earrings (similar here and here), Bauble Bar rings (old, love this ring here)
Photography: Icy Li
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India has transformed into 1 of the rapidly growing markets with an ever-increasing demand for high performance sport bikes in the world. Each and every sport motor cycles manufacturing company is constantly striving to launch faster and better sports bikes in the country.
A 1000 cubic centimeter 4 stroke engine paired with an ultra sexy and sporty styled body with power and speed thrown in for a good measure and tubeless tyres as standard fitment, no wonder these motor cycles capture the attention of motorcycle enthusiasts and the general public alike in India, especially the fortunate deep pocketed elites in society and others with matching spending power. Listed below are the best and fastest 1000cc sports Bikes in the country.
Best And Fastest 1000cc Sports Bikes
1. Yamaha YZF-R1:
The Yamaha YZF denotes the paradigm shift of performance, technology and drivability among class beating sports bikes. The Yamaha YZF has been designed and developed to be the perfect cornering genius of the super sport open club.
Drawing inspiration from Yamaha's M1 Moto GP sports motorcycle, this next generation 1000 cubic centimeter YZF sports the cross plane crank shaft design with uneven firing order for producing outstanding but easy to manipulate torque and a linear exceptional throttle feel not experienced previously. Hold on, there are far more cutting edge features of the YZF than only a totally revamped engine.
The cross plane crank shaft technology has been proving its capability through victory over victory on Moto GP motorcycles produces a high technology uneven firing interval. Dissimilar to run of the mill in-line 4 engine designs where the 2 inner and 2 outer pistons move as a pair at 200 degree interval, the crossplane crank shaft has the connecting rods each at 100 degrees with a unique and unusual firing order at 280 degrees – 190 degrees – 100 degrees – 190 degrees.
Also Read: Top 6 Fastest Cars In The World.
Thus this technology over comes the fluctuations inherent with inertial torque at every engine revolution with accompanying peak torque traits. Rather combustion torque progressively builds up giving the driver better throttle response linearly with spectacular traction and power when handling corners.
The Yamaha YZF retains all technological advantages developed for its precursor, the YCCT. Otherwise known as Yamaha's Chip Control Throttle, its inspiration is drawn from Moto GP's fly by wire technology utilized to deliver throttle response instantly.
YCCI is another technology denoting Yamaha's Chip Control Intake and is a variable in-take system that widens the spread and scope of power. Advanced fuel injection system offers optimal air and fuel mixture for the best in class power and a seamless throttle response.
Yamaha R1 sports Yamaha DMODE or the world-famous drive mode having driver preferred throttle control to program Yamaha's chip control throttle performance characteristic for every driving condition.
2. Bajaj KTM RC8:
The Bajaj RC8 began as a 1000 cubic capacity V2 and later on it became the 1000 cubic capacity V4. Eventually KTM completely dumped these versions to develop a brand new 1150 cubic capacity twin V7 from square one within a time span of just under 24 months.
KTM's first ever super bike is not just light in weight and is also extremely powerful. The Bajaj KTM's RC 8 chassis is created out of molybdenum chromed steel and swing arm is manufactured out of sheet metal and anodized cast.
The RC8 is a versatile and surprisingly responsive motorcylce, with easy drivability and quite accommodative ergonomics. The motorcycle has been fitted with an adjustable sub rear frame that modifies the seat height through almost 1 inch enabling the drivers to keep both feet firmly planted when the motorcycle comes to a halt.
It's an aggressive sports bike created exclusively for die-hard sports motorcycle fans. If you manage to handle it well, even rough and bumpy roads will transform into a super smooth ride on the Bajaj KTM's RC 8.
3. Aprilia RSV4 Factory:
The Aprila V4 RS is another motorcycle in the ultra sports segment. This is a motorcycle that is extremely powerful with stunning looks to match. Aprilia has put in a lot of effort working day and night to bring this gem of a motorcycle to Indian shores.
The motorcycle has been powered by the 1000 cubic capacity V4 which churns out a maximum 190 brake horse power and an admirable 120 Newton metre of torque. This motorcycle has been fitted with Brembo's disc braking system with a suspension from Ohlins.
Initial production of this bike started in the year 2009. This motorcycle was launched in February 2009 at the International Group Piaggio Convention in Italy, Milan. The motorcycle is powered by the 1000 cubic capacity V4 engine, the manufacturer's 1st produced 4 cylinder engine. The company claims that the current engine was specifically designed for super bike racing and the engine is capable of producing over 210 brake horse power in a race bike setting.
4. Suzuki GSX-R1000:
The 2012 Suzuki GSXR would once again prove itself to be a legendary motorcycle with spectacular throttle response, acceleration and power at middle range speeds combined with awesome fuel efficiency. Developing and engineering dream bikes to drive fast is never the top priority at Suzuki, rather the ability to turn at your command and stop as you prefer is equally important to Suzuki as it is for the rider.
The GSXR series delivers outstanding braking capability fitted with Brembo's braking system and stainless steel heat-resistant brake disc. The motorcycle corners and maneuvers like a charm with an extremely responsive suspension system and a great chassis design.
These are the unique foundational technologies of the GSXR series of motorcycles and the foundational base upon which it will continue to be developed upon will thrive for many more centuries to come. Indeed it is the global support for its motorcycles and Suzuki's intense passion for excellence and innovation that will mark the launch of the 1 millionth GSXR motorcycle to be rolled out of its factory in record time.
. MV Agusta F4 RR Corsa Corta:
The motorcycle has a 4 cylinder 4 stroke engine churning out a awe inspiring 250 brake horse power. An unusual fact is even though there is an increase of power, the original F4 had a maximum top speed of 190 miles per hour and the F4 Corsa RR Corta has a 185 miles per hour top speed.
The company has enhanced the acceleration time for a better response from the engine which has resulted in a slight decrease in the maximum top speed.
6. Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R:
Kawasaki ZX10R Ninja is a sports motorcycle, a worthy sequel and successor to the hugely successful ZX9R. The motorcycle had been originally launched in 2005 with minor updations in 2006. The motorcycle design combines an ultra slim and compact chassis, radial brakes, and less weight. In 2005 and 2006 the Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R won the best super bike award from the magazine, cycle world and the internationally prestigious master bike competition award.
Based on the data published in the year 2008 by the Institute of Highway Safety Insurance in United States of America, the Ninja ZX10R has the country's highest claim rate loss from collision damage of any other motor cycle registered between 2002 and 2008. The Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R has been powered by a 16 valves in line 4 dual overhead cam shaft engine with the tried, tested and trusted liquid cooling Kawasaki's technology incorporated.
The high-powered engine of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX10R is the sole reason behind the ultra-high performance thus enabling it to deliver a power of 140 kW at 12,600 rpm. The motorcycle's torque does not settle anywhere below the mark of 84 pound per foot at 8800 revolutions per minute.
Related Article: Top 6 Fuel Efficient Indian Bikes
Do you own any of these fastest 1000cc sports bikes? If yes, do share your thoughts and opinions about the 1000cc sports bikes with us!


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Children and young people aged from 0 to 18 years who have a Neurodisability that is affecting the muscle tone of the upper limb will be seen in this pathway. Neurodisability is an umbrella term for conditions associated with impairment involving the nervous system and includes conditions such as cerebral palsy. Children who have a history of an acquired brain injury or brain cancer that has caused a change to the muscle tone of the upper limb will also be seen in this pathway. However not all children with cerebral palsy will need to be seen through this pathway, for example children with diplegia may have unaffected hand function.
Current referrals for this group include newly diagnosed young children where the Occupational Therapy service is requested to provide advice and therapy to encourage bimanual hand use, for postural management and seating of more complex children. Older children are referred because of difficulties with self-care tasks such as putting hair up, managing toileting independently, dressing, using cutlery, writing and recording work in school. Older children may also be referred due to poor hygiene in the hand and difficulty with cleaning and dressing by carers.
This pathway was developed following benchmarking of local, national and international services and review of the literature -
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) published guidelines (updated Nov 2016) for the Management of Spasticity in Children and Young People. The guidelines recommend that a management programme is developed and implemented in partnership with the child or young person and their parents which is individualised and goal focused.
Ongoing monitoring of the child or young person's condition should be made for review of the response to treatment, worsening of spasticity, the development of secondary consequences of spasticity e.g. pain or contractures, and for the need to change individualised goals.
Physical therapy (in this context, physical therapy encompasses occupational and physiotherapy) is recommended by NICE and this includes strength training and the use of task-focused active-use therapy such as constraint-induced movement therapy and bimanual therapy to enhance manual skills. It is recommended that this intervention is provided as an intensive programme over a short period (e.g. 4-8 weeks).
Further evidence for this pathway has been obtained from the Cerebral Palsy Upper Limb Pathway (CPUPS), the Swedish care pathway for children with cerebral palsy. CPUPS encompasses the hip surveillance protocol which has been adopted in Scotland as CPIPS (Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway Scotland). CPUPS also includes a care pathway for management of the upper limb of children with cerebral palsy. This pathway includes routine measurement of upper limb range of motion and monitoring of occupational performance and is carried out by Occupational Therapists across the country.
The Scottish OT Cerebral Palsy and Neurodisability Network has spent the past 3 years working on an upper limb management pathway. This work has included reviewing the current literature and collating information about available assessment and treatment options. The work of the Network is ongoing and will be published on the NES Clinical Knowledge Publisher and NES Managed Knowledge Network. This work has helped to inform the development of this pathway.
The literature also provides evidence and guidance on the role of Occupational Therapists in the management of children who have Cerebral Palsy with upper limb involvement.
Interventions include:
Children with Neurodisability affecting the upper limb will routinely be managed at the specialist level, although some interventions and programmes will be carried out by the team around the child or young person for example carers applying splints or carrying out home programmes.
To reduce the impact of spasticity and abnormal tone on the long term function and wellbeing of young people with Neurodisability by:
Children who are referred to the community paediatric Occupational Therapy service will be offered a First Contact appointment within six weeks of the referral. The purpose of this appointment is to determine the concerns that the family and child have and to direct them to the best pathway to meet their needs.
Children who are identified as having abnormal tone in the upper limb and are over the age of 5 or who have previously been known to the service will be directed to the Upper Limb Clinic. Where possible the date of the next clinic will be provided at the First Contact Appointment. Some children will be referred to the Occupational Therapy service as a Priority 1 and will not attend a First Contact appointment. If the child is not already known to the Upper Limb clinic, they will first be allocated to an Occupational Therapist and inclusion in the clinic will form part of their care plan and ongoing management.
Initially the Upper Limb Clinic will be conducted by the child's named therapist and the Advanced Practitioner in Neurodisability. Band 3 and 4 staff will assist in the setup of the room and preparation of assessment forms, and elements of the assessment etc. The intention is that in the future the Upper Limb Clinic will be organised and run locally by a band 6 Occupational Therapist who has an interest in Neurodisability. This therapist will be supported by the child's named therapist and/or Band 3/4 staff.
There are 4 parts to the clinic:
The MACS was developed to describe how children with cerebral palsy use their hands when handling objects in daily activities. It is based on the child's self-initiated ability to handle objects & need for assistance or adaptation and classifies both hands together rather than each hand separately. Determination of the level is by asking people who know the child best and not by assessment.
There are five levels:
The benefits of classifying children's function are:
Please note that the MACS is a classification system, not an outcome measure and is therefore not sensitive to changes with intervention. Evidence suggests that MACS classifications are stable over time i.e. children who have a MACS of 4 at the age of three will continue to have a MACS of 4 throughout their life.
Discussion with the parent and child to determine concerns and the impact of upper limb disability on the child's participation in everyday activities, play, leisure and school. For children with some level of independence or hand function the Abilhands-Kids Questionnaire will be conducted. This questionnaire is available for free from Rehabscales. It is a questionnaire designed for children with Cerebral Palsy to determine if they are independent, have difficulty, or cannot do a range of day to day tasks, such as removing a coin from a pocket, opening a bag of crisps.
For children with more complex needs several questionnaires are being considered: CP-QOL, and the Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI).
Range of motion measures will be taken, following the protocol of the CPUPS. Two therapists, a plinth and appropriately sized goniometers are required. One therapist positions the joint while the other places and reads the goniometer. Shoulder and elbow measurements are taken in supine; with forearm, wrist and finger measurements taken in sitting.
Measurements are then compared to the CPUPS traffic light system to identify if measurements fall into green, amber or red values.
The modified Tardieu score is also taken at the elbow, wrist and long finger flexors to determine if spasticity is present. This assists in identifying children who may benefit from Botulinum Toxin-A injections.
Children who are known to the service, may already have been supplied with splints such as thermoplastic night splints from Orthotics, neoprene functional splints, Lycra garments. Children are requested to bring any splints to the Upper Limb Clinic which provides an opportunity to review the splint, its effectiveness, compliance with wearing regime and fit. Children who have Lycra garments will not be re-measured for their garments during the Upper Limb Clinic but will be asked to bring the garment to check that it continues to meet their needs.
If the child is all or mostly within green values of the CPUPS traffic light system and there are no functional concerns then no intervention will be provided and the child will be reviewed according to the protocol outlined in Follow up (see below).
If there has been a change in ROM or functional concerns have been identified, the next step will be dependent on the child's MACS level; children with a MACS 1-3 follow one pathway and children with MACS 4 and 5 follow another, as detailed below.
Additional assessment may be required to obtain more specific information about the underlying causes of the child's functional difficulties. A range of assessment tools can be used including: Assisting Hand Assessment for children with Hemiplegia; Melbourne Assessment; and others.
In order to help the child set realistic and accurate goals, a task analysis of the child attempting or performing the task needs to be made. For example if the child wishes to be able to tie their shoelaces, observation of the task will allow the therapist to determine if the child has difficulty reaching their laces because of elbow spasticity, if they have poor motor planning, poor hand strength for grasping the laces etc.
Setting of functional goals that are Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic and
Time based (SMART); the Goal Attainment Scale or other goal setting tool can support writing of goals and the use of goals as an outcome measure.
If the measurement of ROM and observation of functional performance suggests the presence of spasticity, the child or young person should be referred for upper limb botox.
Evidence in the literature is clear that Botox for the upper limb is most effective when coupled with goal directed therapy. Intervention following Botox should commence 2-4 weeks after the injections are made and should be intense with therapy sessions ideally occurring twice per week for 4 to 6 weeks and with home programme activities carried out by parents or carers.
Treatment will follow goal setting, with or without botox. Treatment modalities can include: Bimanual therapy ; goal directed therapy (i.e. practising the skills that the child and parent have identified as being the goal); modified constraint induced therapy ; strength training (see below for definitions of the treatment modalities).
Therapy may be provided intensely or through the provision of home programmes. Therapy sessions may be carried out by Band 3 and 4 staff with the named therapist overseeing the activities and progress.
Splinting should also be considered when spasticity is present and there is a risk of loss of range of motion. Splinting should include a referral to orthotics for a night splint that provides stretch to the appropriate joints. A 'night resting splint' is not recommended as it may not maintain the long finger flexors and thumb sufficiently stretched to reduce loss of range.
Functional splints can provide stabilisation to the joints, particularly the thumb and wrist to allow a more optimal position for function. Functional splints include off the shelf neoprene splints e.g. thumb spica; custom made Lycra gloves and gauntlets; or kinesiotaping.
Goal setting with the child and parent/carer. Goals may be around ease of dressing, washing the palms of the hands.
Where the ROM values are in the amber or red zone or where the presence of spasticity impacts on functional tasks the child should be referred to his or her community paediatrician for review of tone medication. If this has happened recently, referral should be made to the Complex Motor Disorders clinic for tone management. Intervention at this level may include Botox. Therapy post Botox for this group does not require the same level of therapy intervention, however goals are still essential and a treatment plan in place to ensure the goals can be met and the benefit of the Botox maximised.
As for children who have a MACS 1-3, children with MACS 4 & 5 should be referred to Orthotics for night splints that provide stretch to fingers, thumb and wrist. Where children have no active hand function, it may be appropriate for them to wear thermoplastic splints during the day.
Parents and carers should be provided with strategies and advice to support them in the achievement of functional goals. This may include advice for positioning the child to support dressing or bathing, or how to move the child's arm to minimise the impact of spasticity or increased tone.
Children may require a stretching programme to increase and maintain range of motion.
The NICE Guidelines recommend ongoing monitoring of spasticity (or abnormal tone). The CPUPS guidelines ensure that children are seen on at least an annual basis throughout childhood so that changes in joint range of motion or function can be picked up quickly and intervention provided in a timely fashion.
As per the CPUPS guidelines, children on the Upper Limb Pathway will be monitored as follows:
Once an episode goal has been completed, and if no further concerns or goals are presented, the child will be moved from the named therapist's active caseload to be held at Team Level on EMIS Web awaiting review.
An intensive intervention for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. It uses carefully planned, repeated practice of two-handed, or bimanual, games and activities to improve a child's ability to use their hands together. Appropriate for all ages who have some ability to use their affected arm and hand.
Children with less ability may be encouraged to use their arm/hand to stabilise objects using bimanual activities. More able children may be encouraged to develop grasp, release and manipulation.
Constraint of the non-affected upper limb to encourage use of the affected arm/hand. It must be combined with intensive skills training.
A component of upper limb motor impairment is learnt and can therefore be reversed. CIMT creates the opportunity for the child to learn how to use their hemiplegic limb. Constraint is achieved through a splint placed over the non-affected hand. Intensive skills training is provided using activities that are achievable using the affected hand.
Multiple models available and choice of model may be dependent on age:
Highly variable individual response to treatment. Children who make the least improvement tend to have significant cognitive impairment or very dense hemiplegia.
Hybrid CIMT - combines CIMT with bimanual therapy.
Muscle weakness of the shoulder, arm and hand is a known contributing factor in difficulties with functional tasks. Strength training can increase muscle strength and improve functional performance. Strength training does not increase spasticity.
The resistance, number of repetitions and how resistance and repetitions are progressed will be tailored to each individual according to established strength training principles.
It has been found that strength gains achieved in a program of at least eight weeks will be lost approximately six weeks after training is discontinued. Therefore, for strength gains to be maintained beyond the program, the client will need to continue their strength training through a maintenance program.
Appropriate for children over 7 with MACS I-V.


text: Hi this is my first time here. I actually saw this website via a bimmer magazine at borders today. I brought my BMW for 800.00 dollars . . However ever since then i have had nothing but problems with it . I live in around the St. Louis Area but on the Illinois side. i drive a e34 525i . I was told by a local guy here . that runs a store called bimmersrus in St Louis that it was one of the first cars off the line . It is when there was still a west Germany . I do love the car. And i have tried to research just on the car company it is self via the books. but i don't know much about cars or anything like that. so any help would be greatly accepted thanks for taking your time to read this and i hope to hear from all of or some of you soon.


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UEFA reportedly changed the formation of Team of the Year to fix Juventus and Portugal star, Cristiano Ronaldo.
According to the Daily Mail's Mike Keegan, the former Real Madrid man came fourth in the voting, with Lionel Messi, Sadio Mane, and Roberto Lewandowski all ahead of him.
This meant UEFA had to change their formation from the usual 4-3-3 to 4-2-2, in order to fix the Juventus talisman at the expense of Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante.
The European body released the star-studded Team of the Year on Wednesday evening, with Ronaldo and Lewandowski at the peak of the team while Messi and Mane supported them from the flanks.
3⃣ from the Netherlands 🇳🇱— UEFA (@UEFA) January 15, 2020
5⃣ from Liverpool 🔴
7⃣ Newcomers 🆕
1⃣1⃣ stars 🌟
Your 2019 UEFA #TeamOfTheYear!
"This is really not good. It is effectively vote-rigging. Such is Ronaldo's popularity at a senior level within the organization, alarm bells sounded when he did not make the cut and, as a result, the formation was changed. It makes you wonder what else they get up to," a source was reported saying.
However, according to a UEFA spokesman, the change in formation was only meant to 'reflect the votes of the fans'.
"The formation for this year's team of the year was chosen to reflect the votes of the fans in parallel with the players' achievements in UEFA competitions. As a result, there are five UEFA Champions League winners and four UEFA Nations League finalists [including one winner]. The formation changes on a regular basis and this year is no exception."
Ronaldo enjoyed a terrific year for both club and country, winning the Serie A title in his debut season as well scoring 21 goals. He also won the Most Valuable Player award for 2018-19.


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4 valuable tips from a pharmacist that could change your life
by Lisa Lozano
Most of us are in a hurry when we hit the drug store and want to just pick up our meds and get out of there. But your pharmacist is a wealth of information that you should take advantage of. Pharmacist Dr. Stacia Woodcock is laying out four crucial tips.
Tip 1: Get to Know Your Pharmacist
If you fill all your prescriptions with the same pharmacist and get to know him or her on a first-name basis, he or she will have a full picture of your medication history and be able to advise you of any possible interactions or side effects.
Tip 2: Ask Your Pharmacist if It's Possible to Save Money on Your Prescription
Rather than not filling a prescription because it will be too expensive, ask your pharmacist if you have any options to reduce the cost. Sometimes they can find you a comparable less expensive medication and call your doctor to change it, or inform you about discounts through the drug manufacturer. Also, some pharmacies have prescription savings programs that could get you antibiotics for free, or generic medications for as little as $4, Dr. Woodcock says.
Tip 3: Read the Back of the Box When Choosing Cold Medication
Dr. Woodcock advises looking at the back of the box and checking out the "Drug Facts" box. This contains the active ingredients and what they do. She ays you should match your symptoms to the purposes of the various ingredients (which are also laid out in laymen's language in the Uses section) to choose the right cold medicine. She advises making sure that 75% of your symptoms match what's on the box, to avoid taking extra medication that you don't need, which could actually make you feel worse.
Tip 4: Ask Your Doctor How to Administer Medication
Dr. Woodcock says that she'd love for more patients to ask her how to administer their medications. She demonstrates how to properly administer eye drops – and it's probably not the way you're doing it!
So we're challenging you to introduce yourself to your pharmacist and get to know him or her a little better. It could save your life!
How job stress might be killing you, and what you can do about it
Prepare for stiff competition to get an associate degree in nursing
Follow a blueprint to a successful physician shadowing experience


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Regen Quinn
Regen Quinn is a Kansas City based artist who specializes in black and white film photography.
Quinn prefers to develop and print everything herself. She says "there is something about developing the negatives and going through the printing process that makes each photograph feel as though an emotion has been turned into a tangible, living creature that [I] can set loose into the world. Being able to create those pieces and have the feeling of setting an emotion free gives [me] a sense of control over [my] bi-polar disorder, and in general a sense of control over life". She is usually photographing anything and everything she fancies and creating work by the seat of her pants. At the moment, Regen is working on a series for no particular reason.
Quinn asks, "when presented with our reflection, do we notice them at all? Are we only seeing past them to the things we want? Are we reflected in the things we want?" and states that "this series explores our desire to own material objects". More questions she asks of her viewers are "why do we want them? Do we want others to notice our unique style? Maybe we purchase a specific object as a symbol of status; we want others to see it and acknowledge our "greatness". Maybe it is because someone told us that is the "in" colour or style of this season. If these thoughts are in our subconscious when we purchase something, are we or are we not surrounding ourselves with projections of our own personalities?"
Quinn graduated from Johnson County Community College in May of 2009.
She has been published twice in the college's magazine, Mind's Eye; she was also awarded their photography talent scholarship and had two photographs purchased for the college's student collection. She was in her first show, Real Art III, in October of 2009. In August of 2010, she displayed her photography at Muddy's Coffeehouse. In October of 2010 she contributed to a group show for the first event held by Artists Helping Artists. Her second solo show was at the All Souls Gallery in Kansas City, MO. She also participated in BOLD, held at the Alcott Arts Center. Most recently, her work was displayed at the Rivermarket Regional Exhibition.
*Opening Reception will be held on Friday, June 7th from 6:00pm-10:00pm*


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DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is heading into the new year with a highly regarded chief executive, $48 billion in cash, a new crossover utility vehicle expected to prove a hit and the projected savings from the departure of a third of its work force.
Then there is the bad news: the automaker is mortgaged to the hilt, struggling with the legacy of wobbly product plans and banking on its third turnaround plan in the last five years to deliver sustained profitability.
With Ford poised to lose its No. 2 spot in the U.S. market to Toyota Motor Corp. in 2007, analysts are weighing the potential payoffs of Ford's painful restructuring against the risk posed by its heavy borrowing.
For now, the pessimism on Wall Street is waning, but analysts caution that it will at least two years before a recovery shows signs of traction.
"Ford is a deep turnaround situation," Morgan Stanley analyst Jonathan Steinmetz said in a recent note for clients.
But the building blocks are forming, said Steinmetz, who sees sustainable positive cash flow from Ford's auto operations as still four years away.
A key reason for a turn in Wall Street sentiment is Ford's new chief executive, Alan Mulally, a restructuring expert who was lured away from Boeing Co. in September.
Since Mulally took over from Ford family scion Bill Ford Jr. in October, he has moved to streamline management, appointed a global product chief and raised about $25 billion in cash through liens, bond offerings and credit lines.
The company has also reached out to Toyota, the increasingly dominant Japanese automaker, which eagerly studied Ford in the 1930s when it was a maker of looms branching out to manufacture cars.
Analysts say Mulally's trip to Tokyo earlier this month to meet Toyota Chairman Fujio Cho might prompt a partnership that would help Ford bring down costs in areas such as parts procurement, technology development and planned plant closures.
"You have to ask yourself what would be in it for Toyota. They are doing pretty well on their own. They are on their way to becoming the world's largest automaker next year [2007]," said IRN Inc. analyst Erich Merkle.
"But a joint venture might work. There are some real possibilities there."
Even before Mulally's trip to Toyota, Wall Street analysts had been growing more cautiously optimistic.
Merrill Lynch analyst John Murphy raised his rating on Ford stock to "neutral" from "sell," citing the company's cash position of $48.3 billion, up from $23.6 billion at the end of September.
Steinmetz of Morgan Stanley also raised his rating on Ford to "overweight" from "equal-weight."
"While this is not a one-man story, new leadership is a part of our call," Steinmetz said in a note for clients.
Ford's revised "Way Forward" restructuring, announced in mid-September, disappointed investors and touched off a sharp sell-off of its shares by steering clear of asset sales and failing to address the company's liquidity position. But Ford's current cash position has eased some of those concerns.
Brett Hoselton, analyst with Keybanc Securities, forecasts that the rapid deterioration of earnings in 2006 should end in 2007 as Ford generates more than $4 billion in savings — most of it in 2007 — from employee departures.
Precarious situation
Everyone agrees, however, that Ford is still in a precarious situation and 2007 is going to be a tough year.
Ford's overall U.S. sales, unadjusted for the number of selling days, slipped 13 percent in December and 8 percent for 2006, partly because of lower demand for its best-selling F-Series pickup trucks.
The company's stock fell 2.72 percent in 2006 and is down 50 percent since early 2005, when its most recent downturn began.
Ford lost $7 billion through September of last year with further losses forecast in the October-December period quarter and beyond. By Ford's own estimate, its North American unit will lose money until 2009 and run through $17 billion cash in the next three years.
The key risk, according to most analysts, is Ford's weak product pipeline at a time when rivals are pushing ahead.
"If you look out through 2009, they don't have any new small-car products coming out," said AMR Research analyst Kevin Reale. "Most of the products are basically refacing of SUVs and small trucks."
Ford launched its new Edge crossover SUV in December and is gearing up for the arrival of three revamped vehicles in 2007 — the SuperDuty pickup truck, Focus sedan and Escape SUV. The company also has a larger crossover vehicle in the pipeline that will be based on its Fairlane concept car.
Ford is aiming to hold its overall share of the U.S. light-vehicle market at 14 percent or more from over 17 percent as it restructures by shutting 16 plants and cutting more than 50,000 jobs.
"If the company loses 4 more points of U.S. market share instead of the 2.5 points we are expecting, the turnaround is much tougher, perhaps impossible," Steinmetz said.
Copyright 2012 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.


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Goldman executives testified before lawmakers Tuesday regarding the financial crisis.
Washington – (WiredPRNews.com) – Executives for Goldman Sachs testified before Congress on Tuesday, defending the company amid allegations of investment fraud. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), CEO Lloyd Blankfein and others denied wrongdoing in the national financial crisis, after a lawsuit was filed against the company by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Blankfein is quoted by the AP as stating during the hearing, "Unfortunately, the housing market went south very quickly… So people lost money in it." The company executive further stated, "We do hundreds of thousands, if not millions of transactions a day, as a market maker."
As noted in the report, a bill has been put forth in Congress designed to implement stricter regulation of the financial industry. Democrats reportedly hoped more drive for the bill's passage would be gained from the hearing; however Republicans have maintained efforts to block it from moving forward.
WiredPRNews.com – The latest in Business News
Photo Credit: Wikipedia


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Wireless File Transfer Using Webserver on an Android Device
Paper Topic :
Mobile Computing and Applications
Author Name :
Saumidh Mhatre
Abstract :
Now a day's high speed file sharing among different devices belonging to different ecosystems is getting quite complicated. Certain Operating systems do not allow devices to share file with different Operating Systems. We have implemented "Android File Sharing" application which helps the user to transfer files between the android device, and any other device connected to the same wireless network. The user can browse the files, by pointing the browser to the local IP address generated by the app. The web interface also allows the user to upload files to the device on which the android app is installed. The main aim of our paper is to simplify the task of sharing files between different devices.


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The barbed wire proves an easy deterrent to navigate as we casually slip around the locked and pinned steel gate. Looking back at the dark promenade we double check for onlookers. Empty. Had there been any passers-by, they would have witnessed an unusual scene for 3 in the morning; three would-be-spies stealing on to Brighton's most iconic nautical landmark, the West Pier.
Darting along a steel reinforced walkway, we traverse the first narrow length of pier with ease, arriving at the broken shell of the first hulking wooden dome. Once an ornate space for the south-coast's elite, the skeleton is now just a rotting, peeling carapace of it's former glory. It oozes classy Victorian façade, albeit half-hidden by mould and erosion. It must have been something very special in it's heyday.
We flank the hall by way of an outer walkway and slowly approach a second thin length of pier, but no re-enforced steel here, just saturated wood and cooing pigeons settling in for the night. Crouching on all fours, we spread ourselves out and work along the brown-turned-green planks, one by one, step by step, passing deep-red, rusting iron chairs where once sat royalty.
It's slow going. lizard crawling in the pitch black on rotting wood forces me to pull out my Nokia 3310 in an attempt to light the way. The ice-cold wind has similar motives, gripping my fingers and prising the object d'art away, pulling it down to the depths below. The little white light dies away quickly, never to be seen again.
After what seems like an eternity we arrive at the main hall – a catastrophic mess of mangled wood and twisted wrought iron, of derelict materials strewn by the high sea winds, of a million birds-nests perched on every protrusion visible.
It's a sobering moment to behold. Cowering out of the cold night wind, blue moonlight streams through gaping holes in the roof, eerie spotlights casting ghostly shadows within the beaten and broken frame. The ancient flooring creaks nervously as we push onward, passing large black holes descending down to the crashing waves beneath. A fall now would be certain death.
We push forwards with a single-minded focus, out to the very end of Brighton's iconic West Pier. We're now so far off the promenade all we can hear is the roar of the wind and crashing of sea far below.
Sliding my head through the last Victorian grating I settle in to a smile, and with the cold sea mist and pitch black night belittling our victory with a patronising laugh, allow the white noise to take over.


text: Anglicanism portal The King's College Choir is one of today's most accomplished and renowned representatives of the great British choral tradition. It was created by King Henry VI, who founded King's College, Cambridge, in 1441, to provide daily singing in his Chapel, which remains the main task of the choir to this day. Today the choir is… Leia mais