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Motor Club of America Enterprises, Inc. was established in 1926 and has-been Recognized by the Better Business Bureau as a provider of benefits ranging from legal representation to roadside assistance.
An uproar from skeptics across the globe ignited MCA When partnered With Their TVC Matrix to Provide members with a business opportunity Which includes an $ 80.00 commission for each Referred member. Nonetheless, Motor Club of America Continues to Provide the following benefits to Their members in Addition to the business opportunity:
Credit Card Fraud Protection up to $ 1,000
Prescription, Vision, and Dental Discounts
Travel Assistance and Planning
$ 150 for Daily Hospitalization Benefits
24 hour Road Side Assistance Including 100 Miles of Towing
Emergency Room Expense Coverage
$ 25,000 Bail Bond
Up to $ 50,000 of Accidental Death Benefits
Hotel and Car Rental Discounts
Stolen Vehicle Reward $ 5000
Legal Representation for Manslaughter Auto, Auto Battery, Auto Assault, and Moving Violations
Stated bluntly, Motor Club of America is not a scam. Considering the quality of benefits provided in Addition to the business opportunity, it's only logical to assume Motor With That membership club of America must cost $ 500.00 or more to join. The average cost of an ambulance trip to the hospital is $ 500.00 However, one of the MOST attractive Aspects of membership STI With MCA is affordability. It only costs $ 40.00 to Become an associate With MCA and the opportunity to quadruple the return of investment is definitely possible. Every Friday, members are paid $ 80.00 for each member They refer to Motor Club of America.
New associates are trained on how to build teams and are Encouraged to find creative ways to market the company's benefit packages. My team, for example, is provided with a FREE website and Hundreds of FREE marketing tools Including video, articles, webinars, marketing classified sites, and one on one support.
Additionally, for each team member is Encouraged to Promote for the other team members Primarily Because of MCA's rotation marketing system. Every fifth person WHO visits an associate's site is redirected to the website That belongs to That associate's sponsor. In essence, every sponsor benefits from the success of the members They bring into the club.
THEREFORE, I created one specific site That Explains MCA's benefits and SENDS visitors to the web pages of all team members THROUGHOUT each day. In return, all team members are Encouraged to Promote Their Own web pages as well as the team's web page. This is a win-win situation for all parties Involved.
Please keep in mind That With Motor Club of America's program, there is nothing to sell. You are only encouraging people the view the benefits that you 'enjoy With MCA-through membership.


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3M's Strategic Focus
Whether it is abrasive material used in paint shops or filters cleaning the air coming into the cabins of vehicles, 3M technology is there. The company has long been a supplier to the auto industry—to both OEMs and other suppliers—and the executive director of the firm's Automotive Industry Center, Tom Beddow, is interested in increasing its role.
#3M #Chrysler
"We need to capture the long-term needs of our automotive customers and align them with 3M's technical capabilities," says Thomas F. Beddow, executive director, 3M Automotive Industry Center (AIC; Southfield, MI). 3M, of course, is well known with regard to its technological developments and is often cited as an important benchmark when it comes to product development. But Beddow explains that they are sharpening their focus when it comes to what the AIC will bring to the auto industry. It is part of a program called "Pacing Plus." This is a technological initiative that, ideally, leads to developments that change the basis of competition. "When we identify opportunities with global potential that are well defined in terms of requirements," Beddow says, "we will resource them more than we would have historically."
Beddow elaborates, "As a technology company, things tend to bubble up because they can, not because there is a market for them. We know how to invent. But we need to do things with global impact." This is not to say that the 3M scientists, engineers and researchers in St. Paul, Minnesota, Austin, Texas, and in other facilities around the world are going to stop inventing. Rather, Beddow maintains that there can be great advantage for all concerned with a specific focus on how they can address specific needs in the auto industry with (a) existing 3M technologies applied in new and different ways or (b) newly developed products.
Featured Content
Changing the Playing Field
One of the things that Beddow emphasizes about the development of products or technologies is that they must actually change the way things are done within an operation. Sometimes these effects may be local. For example, he cites a development of adhesive tape that comes in pre-cut sections and are held in a container in a manner like that used for some Post-It notes. Beddow suggests that the container could be attached to a wrist band and filled with a tape that would be appropriate for wrapping wiring harnesses. This could have a great benefit to those who are involved in that assembly operation, and would change the way that operation is performed.
Then there are the cases that have an effect on various aspects of a product development and manufacturing operation. For example, he cites the use of Thinsulate as a material for acoustical damping in doors and around stereo speakers (yes, the same patented 3M material that is often found in gloves and winter coats). Ordinarily, a material that's an amalgam of felt and rags is used in this application. On a material-to-material cost basis, the Thinsulate would be more expensive. But looked at from the point of view of the implications on a platform or other type of team, there could be benefits with going with it that far outweigh the initial cost:
- There could be a marketing benefit from the standpoint of being able to promote the fact that Thinsulate, a material familiar to many consumers, is being used in the car.
- There is an engineering benefit in that the non-woven material actually "traps" the noise; it works better than the felt and rags.
- There is a benefit in the assembly plant in that it can be easier to apply. Beddow says that the current practice is to spray an adhesive on the inside of the door where the felt/rag material is to be placed, then to stick it on. But Thinsulate mats with a pre-applied low-tack adhesive on the order of that used for Post-It notes could be stacked in the assembly plant and peeled off the stack and placed on the door, onto which it would stick. The need for applying an adhesive to the door would be eliminated (as would, naturally, the equipment needed to do it).
- There is even the after-sales benefit: In the case of an accident, the Thinsulate could be peeled off the inside of the panel; the panel could be repaired and the material reapplied.
Tale of the Tape
One actual example of changing the way things are done—it's being used by Chrysler on the Town & Country minivan and GM on the Safari van—is attaching injection-molded cladding to the lower areas of door exteriors with 3M Acrylic foam tape. Mechanical fasteners would be the typical approach. But this common method involves multiple operations, both in attaching the fastening devices to the cladding and in attaching the cladding to the door. Downstream, after the vehicle has been on the road for some time, there are possible corrosion problems.
But assuming that the part is designed to accommodate tape attachment, it is a fairly straightforward operation: Tape to cladding and cladding to vehicle body. According to 3M analysis, this approach is low cost, durable, and presents no corrosion problems down the road.
"We're moving towards structural applications daily," Beddow says of work that the company is doing in the area of adhesives. "We think that we will be able to replace some welding, which will simplify assembly." Once again: it is about changing the basis of competition.
There is a copy of The Discipline of Market Leaders on the credenza behind Beddow's desk. The authors of that book argue that a company must pick one value proposition from the three primary ones that they identify, then work to be superior in that rather than trying to be all things to all people. One of the value propositions is to be a technology leader; another is to be close to the customer; and the third is to be a price leader. So is Beddow's strategy to go after technology leadership?
"No," he answers, "we have programs to address all three aspects." In addition to the Pacing Plus program, which is on the technology track, there are two others. One is called "Earning Customer Loyalty," which deals with being close to the customer, and the other is "Supply Chain Excellence," which works the efficiency of logistics and manufacturing, which can help reduce costs.
"Right now," Beddow says, "the auto industry represents about 10% of 3M's sales. If we execute it right, the auto market could be the size of another 3M."
3M Building Commitment
Next year, the 3M Automotive Industry Center will be located in a new 60,000-ft2 facility in Livonia, Michigan. Tom Beddow says that the building will be multifunctional. One aspect will be to showcase the various offerings of 17 different 3M product divisions that supply the auto industry. He says that there will be a virtual reality theater in which these products—as well as those from even other 3M divisions—will be illustrated.
There will also be work areas for platform teams.
The windows will be covered with 3M film that helps manage heat load. Lighting will be via 3M "light pipes." They'll be using what they recommend.
"We want to create a place where customers are all the time," Beddow says.
Related Topics
Topology Optimization Explained
Topology optimization cuts part development time and costs, material consumption, and product weight. And it works with additive, subtractive, and all other types of manufacturing processes, too.
Designing the 2019 Ram 1500
Ram Truck chief exterior designer Joe Dehner talks about how they've developed the all-new pickup. "We've been building trucks for over 100 years," he says. "Best I could come up with is that this is our 15th-generation truck."
The Lexus GX 470: You Want Me To Drive This Where?
According to Kunihiro Hoshi, chief engineer for the GX 470: "Three of my top goals were to create a body-on-frame vehicle with sweeping off-road performance and unibody-like on-road capability, and, of course, it had to meet the Lexus quality standard." He met his goals. But why would anyone want to bang this vehicle around on rocks?

subset: commoncrawl


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Take a trip through some pivotal moments in Marin history that contributed to its demographics today. Bay Curious is a podcast from KQED that answers your questions about the Bay Area.
Six years ago, Henry Ma moved to the Bay Area with his wife from New York City. They settled in San Rafael — the perfect location between both of their jobs.
When they had two girls, he started to notice something about where he lived in Marin County.
"Our daughter was the only Asian in the school of 72 kids," Ma said.
It made him wonder: "The Bay Area is one of the most diverse places in the country. Within the Bay Area, why is Marin County the least diverse?"
Looking at the Numbers
The data back up Henry's experience. According to the most recent U.S. Census data, a huge majority — as in 72 percent — of people who live in Marin County identify their race as white. And that doesn't include Hispanic/Latino folks who also identify as white.
For comparison, Alameda County is 33 percent white and 29 percent Asian. Asians make up just 6 percent of people in Marin County.
But look back at Marin County's history and you'll find that it wasn't always that way. In fact, its demographic history is not too far off from the rest of the Bay Area's. Archives at the Anne T. Kent California Room show that what is now Marin County was once almost completely occupied by tribes of the Coast Miwok Indians.
In 1817, the Spanish established Mission San Rafael Arcangel in what is now the city of San Rafael. Between 1834-1846, significant portions of Marin were owned by people of Spanish and Mexican descent.
Finally, there was a huge influx of African-Americans who came to work in the shipyards during World War II, though it wasn't enough to change the demographics significantly.
So what explains the county's demographics as they look today?
A common guess is that it has to do with the lack of public transportation options in Marin County. BART, for example, doesn't reach the North Bay.
Low-income residents who live in San Rafael — home to the highest percentage of Latinos in Marin County — have reported that they live there because of the public transportation options. San Rafael has the most used transit service in the county, and some residents say that better transit throughout the county would allow them to move.
But there's a lot more to it.
How Conservation Efforts Took Up Space
There were a few huge moments in Marin County history that played a role in changing the demographics of the county.
The first came in 1896, when a couple of business-minded conservationists built the Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway.
The railway was an 8-mile long, open-air ride up the side of Mount Tamalpais. At the peak of the mountain was a spectacular view of the San Francisco Bay Area. There was a resort, a grand restaurant, bar and tavern where visitors could stay the night. People from the East Coast and even Europe would travel to Marin County to ride the railway in long dresses and three-piece suits.
But the main purpose of the railway was to showcase the natural beauty of Marin so that people would want to preserve it.
"Seeing those things inspired people to want to create the national parks they have now," said Fred Runner, a historian who wrote a book on the historic railway. "Their whole thing was to show off the lovely scenery and to try to promote wilderness conservation. Everybody who worked on the railroad believed in that."
The railway was just the start of fruitful conservation efforts in Marin County — efforts that today leave around 80 percent of the county undeveloped because of long-standing commitments to land preservation.
Marin County has the most land set aside for preservation of any Bay Area county.
"One of the battles that raged early on was to try and stop building homes," said Runner. "There were a number of legal battles around that — just by the skin of their teeth — being able to stop housing developments and create preserved wilderness."
A combination of limited land, zoning laws and Marin County's proximity to San Francisco created a scenario in which the demand for housing far outweighed supply.
The homes that were built were very expensive. Who doesn't want to live next to a giant park, right? Today, the median household income is nearly $94,000 a year, according to census data. This, over time, began to limit who was able to move into Marin County.
Fights Over Affordable Housing
Marin's skewed demographics caught the attention of the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2011, and it conducted an audit on the county. It sought to answer: Was the county working hard enough to include people of color in its housing plans?
"HUD identified Marin as a county of interest because Marin County is primarily white," said Jessica Tankersley Sparks, who co-wrote a report called the "Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice" for Marin County. "In comparison to surrounding counties, those demographics are strikingly different from the demographics in Marin County."
The county's demographics looked a lot like Westchester County in New York, which became the site of a famous fair housing lawsuit related to patterns of residential segregation. Officials suspected the same thing might be happening in Marin County.
"When you talk about Marin County, you really have to look at the history of segregation," said Caroline Peattie, executive director of Fair Housing Advocates of Northern California and another co-author of the audit. "In some ways it's not atypical. It just played out in slightly different ways."
The audit found that the county had failed to comply with fair housing and civil rights laws, agreeing that it had built only a fraction of the low-income housing mandated by the Association of Bay Area Governments.
By failing to comply with these laws, the audit found, Marin County had failed to take active steps to welcome the people those laws sought to protect — including people of color.
"What we saw by and large was that the effective opposition to affordable housing had a corollary effect of creating impediments to housing choice to people in protected classes," said Sparks. "[That includes] people of color, people with children, people with disabilities."
Marin County isn't the only place with some history of opposition to affordable housing. But other factors — namely, all of the land set aside for conservation — made it that much more difficult to find suitable places to build affordable housing.
"Marin is very wealthy and the houses here cost quite a bit," said Peattie. "It's hard to own property here [and it's] easy to say, 'Oh, it's just a question about money, it's not about race at all.' But it's not that simple."
The Role of Reputation
While the lack of affordable housing answers why low-income people of color might not move into Marin, why aren't high-income people of color moving there?
A report from the Center for Responsible Lending found that people of color in California who can afford to move into expensive neighborhoods typically choose not to. Instead, they mostly still choose to live in low-income, majority-minority neighborhoods.
People are quick to turn to a "self-segregation" argument, says professor Maria Krysan, head of the sociology department at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She thinks that argument doesn't hold up.
"The desire to avoid those settings is not driven by an affinity to live with their own kind, but a desire to avoid negative treatment by their neighbors," says Krysan. "Certainly a perception or reputation of a community, and its openness to people of your own race and ethnicity, is something that comes up more often for African-Americans and Latinos than it does for whites."
This anticipation for hostility, she says, has historical precedence.
"[It] comes from a history of discrimination and discriminatory treatment. It comes from a long history of that for African-Americans moving into white neighborhoods," she said. "People trying to move into these communities were met with a great deal of hostility and violence, and I think that the memory of that and the repeat performance of that over time, creates a dynamic of anticipated discrimination that can make it an unpleasant prospect to move into an all-white neighborhood — especially if that neighborhood has been making the news or has reinforced that reputation of not being welcoming."
Fighting Perception
I met a guy named John Young, who was born and raised in Marin City. He's African-American and he says he knows people of color who have floated around this idea of Marin as a place just for white people.
"That's why a lot of people of color stay away," he said.
But Young hoped to change that. He became executive director of a group called Marin Grassroots, which was all about empowering people of color in local politics in Marin — a task he says was a challenging one.
"There was no baseline for social justice anywhere there," he said. "Even the language of social justice, social equity … there was none of that present in Marin."
Young admits that he had his fair share of encounters with cops because of "driving while black." But he also says he loves Marin.
"We didn't really have whites on this side, blacks on [that side]," he said. "I didn't walk outside saying, 'Oh, this is a racist place where I live at.'"
John lives in Vallejo now because he couldn't afford to stay. But if he could move back, he would. He says there are people in Marin County who recognize the lack of diversity, and who are working to change it — including white people.
A Setting That 'Represents Society'
Marin has made some changes that some say are steps in the right direction. County supervisors are trying to get landlords to rent to more Section 8 voucher holders, for example. They've also taken some measures to begin making up for their shortage of affordable housing.
When I asked Henry Ma why he asked us this question, it was personal — especially when it came to his kids.
"We don't want them to think that they are such a rare occurrence — that being Asian is such a rare situation," said Ma. "We don't know how it's going to shape their view."
And that's important to him.
"We just think that when they get out to society that the representation is not going to be like this," he said. "We want to expose them to a setting that represents society. That's all that we want to ask for."


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NEW YORK, NY - July 11, 2017 - On the heels of June's biggest increase in six years, MTV announced a new summer slate featuring "Siesta Key," a return to the ultimate summer soap from the producers of "Laguna Beach"; "Win Big" (working title), a live game show that sees Rob Dyrdek give away $100,000 to help young people fulfill lifelong dreams; and "Catfish: Trolls," an investigative vehicle that chronicles internet trolls. The lineup showcases five new series and four returning hits.
With an emphasis on youth culture, the network is doubling down on its programing targeted to coming of age moments and stories, and fun, topical content that celebrates the intersection of music and pop culture.
"By embracing a new generation of young people, we are seeing record ratings increases at MTV and our new summer slate will fuel this growth," said Chris McCarthy, President of MTV, VH1 and Logo.
Building on the network's reinventions of "Fear Factor" and "Wild 'N Out," MTV saw June up +12% in share and +3% in ratings - the first time June was up YoY since 2011 (P18-34). July to-date is up +15% from YAGO and +21% in share, pacing to be the first July with YoY growth since 2013. "Fear Factor" was the network's highest-rated premiere in two years and "Wild 'N Out" was up +92% vs. prior season average (P18-34). Additionally, teen-targeted series continue to bring young viewers back to the network with "Promposal" and a reimagined "My Super Sweet 16".
July 31 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
From the producers of "Laguna Beach" comes "Siesta Key," the ultimate summer series that follows a group of young adults confronting issues of love, heartbreak and looming adulthood. As these friends spend the summer together in their beautiful hometown, they come of age while trying to figure out who they are and want they want to be.
CREDITS: Executive producers are Tara Long and John Morayniss for Entertainment One (eOne), Mark Ford and Kevin Lopez for Creature Films. Mark Scheibal, Elizabeth Jones, Gary Kompothecras and Warren Skeels also serve as executive producers.
July 13 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT
A new comedy series, MTV's "SafeWord" is where famous friends become famous frenemies, all for a laugh. From the producers of "Lip Sync Battle" and hosted by Terrence J, the season will feature high profile talent like Kevin Hart, Damien Dante Wayans, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Marlon Wayans, Kelly Rowland, LaLa Anthony, Amber Rose, Ross Butler and Justin Prentice, Lil Rel Howery and more. In each episode, celebrity guests will partner with comedians to play games in front a live audience. In a friendly roast, the celebs are tasked with taking the heat, but can stop the pain using a "safeword."
CREDITS: "SafeWord" is executive Produced Jay Peterson and Jerry Carita for Matador. James Sunderland serves as showrunner. Terrence Jenkins serves as host and executive producer. The series is directed by Michael Simon.
"WIN BIG" (working title)
September 2017
As a pro-skater, television star, and serial entrepreneur, Rob Dyrdek, is a professional "dream-achiever" who carved his own path to fame and fortune by transforming his passions into reality. Now, Rob is teaming up with MTV for a new game show where $100,000 will be given away in every episode to help young people take life to the next level.
CREDITS: "Win Big" (wt) is produced by Superjacket for MTV. Rob Dyrdek, Shane Nickerson and Blake Levin serve as executive producers for Superjacket.
Radio host, television star and internet provocateur Charlamagne tha God, and co-host Raymond Braun, will give everything they've got to stop internet trolls, the most pervasive and consistent troublemakers online. Using the "Catfish" brand of investigating the truth, "Catfish: Trolls" unmasks the internet's most vocal trolls to drag them out of hiding and into the light.
CREDITS: "Catfish: Trolls" is produced by Critical Content
August 16 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
"MTV Undressed" is a one of a kind social experiment that strips away the distractions and superficiality of the digital world. In each episode of this dating experiment, MTV brings together two strangers who must undress each other before getting to know one another for the next thirty minutes, answering questions and performing simple challenges - all designed to test whether or not romance can blossom. At the end, each partner must press a YES/NO button to decide if he or she wants to continue the fledgling relationship or say goodbye.
CREDITS: "MTV Undressed" is produced by Bunim/Murray Productions ("The Real World" and "The Challenge") and Kreative. Executive producers for Bunim/Murray are Gil Goldschein and Julie Pizzi and from Kreative, Joel Karlsberg
July 17 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
For the first time in "Teen Mom" history, a new mom is on the scene. Briana, whose story began on "16 and Pregnant" and "Teen Mom 3," will join Chelsea, Jenelle, Leah and Kailyn on "Teen Mom 2." Briana has juggled raising five-year-old Nova, while trying to balance a career and a boyfriend. This season, Chelsea and Cole welcome their son, and Jenelle feels like things are looking up after welcoming her daughter. Kailyn is on track to graduate, but an unexpected pregnancy with an on-again-off-again boyfriend weighs her down. Leah begins college, but is forced to juggle the education she wants with raising her girls.
CREDITS: "Teen Mom 2" is executive produced by Lauren Dolgen, Morgan J. Freeman, Dia Sokol Savage, Larry Musnik and Annalisa Ellis. Concept by Lauren Dolgen, Morgan J. Freeman and Dia Sokol Savage
"TEEN MUM" (limited series)
July 10 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT
At a time when teens are increasingly spending summers abroad, MTV UK's wildly popular "Teen Mom UK" is crossing the pond for a special three-week "Teen Mum" series. In a thoroughly entertaining British spin on the hit U.S. franchise, viewers will be introduced to Chloe (17), Megan (17), Mia (19) and Naomi (17), where the highs and the lows of young parenthood are showcased.
CREDITS: "Teen Mom UK" is produced for MTV by True North. Fiona O'Sullivan is Executive Producer and Emma Clarke is the MTV Executive Producer. The series was commissioned by Jill Offman.
July 18 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT
In honor of its 30th season, MTV brings together 30 of the series' most conniving, unpredictable players travel to South America for the biggest, baddest, boldest season to date. Villains will go head to head in an epic battle, through the most extreme, daring challenges to compete for their chunk of a million dollars, the largest prize in franchise history.
CREDITS: "The Challenge X XX" was created for MTV by Bunim/Murray Productions. Jonathan Murray, Gil Goldschein, Scott Freeman and Fred Birckhead serve as Executive Producers. Ryan Smith and Danny Wascou serve as Co-Executive Producers
June 29 at 11:00 p.m. ET/PT
The new season of MTV's classic freestyle improv series "Wild 'N Out" brings Nick Cannon and his world class cast of comedians back to New York City and the biggest stage in the world - Broadway. Guest captains for the season include some of the hottest stars in music and entertainment from Rick Ross, Lil Yachty, Vic Mensa and Blac Chyna, to the cast of the "New Edition Story," Run the Jewels, Jake Miller, Remy Ma, Papoose, Young M.A, Wendy Williams, Lil Rel Howery, Tami Roman, Shameik Moore and more.
CREDITS: "Nick Cannon Presents: Wild 'N Out" is executive produced by Nick Cannon and Michael Goldman for NCredible Entertainment. Nile Evans serves as Show Runner and Executive Producer. The series is directed by Steve Paley
About MTV:
MTV is a global youth culture brand inspired by music. MTV is a unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA)
About 495 Productions:
SallyAnn Salsano is the Founder, CEO, Executive Producer and creative force behind the 495 Productions team. Boasting the highest-rated shows for both MTV and CMT with "Jersey Shore" and "Party Down South," along with record-breaking "Martha & Snoop's Potluck Dinner Party" on VH1, 495 Productions has cemented their place in pop-culture history. Some additional shows on 495 Productions roster include: "The Real" daytime talk show (syndicated), "Blue Collar Millionaires" (CNBC), "Invitation Only" (Bravo), "Nashville Star" (NBC), "More To Love," (FOX), "Tattoo Nightmares" (Spike), "Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition," (Lifetime), "Snooki & JWOWW" (MTV), "Disaster Date" (MTV), "Tattoos After Dark" (Oxygen), "Repo Games" (Spike) , "Wedding Wars" (VH1), "Taboo USA" (National Geographic Channel), several seasons of HGTV's #1 rated show "Design Star," Oxygen's #1 rated show "Dance Your Ass Off," "A Shot At Love" (MTV), "Tool Academy" (VH1), and many others. In March 2014 it was announced that FremantleMedia North America acquired a majority stake in 495 Productions.
Source: Nielsen, Live +SD; all data is P18-34 unless otherwise noted.


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Carmouche has spoken in a number of countries including Trinidad, Spain, Nigeria, Holland and Poland on a variety of topics including; Pornography, Media Bias, Demographic Winter and Internet Activism and Fundraising.
Carmouche holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington and Lee University (1986), completed his graduate studies at Virginia Commonwealth University (1990) and served in the United States Army from 1991 through 1995.
Carmouche cut his teeth as a grassroots activist in 1991 when he co-founded a chapter of the Christian Coalition in Monterey, California and eventually went to work for the national office of the Christian Coalition of America in 2000 as the Director of Internet Development. Carmouche has also served on the board of Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) and later served as executive director of YAF from 1994 through 1996 and again from 1999-2000.
In 2004, Carmouche co-founded GrassTopsUSA, an Internet-based conservative grassroots organization and later formed a consulting firm, C4Strategies Inc., to share his Internet and e-mail-based fundraising and activism expertise with other conservative organizations.


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Monday, December 14, 2015
Another reason to throw away your "smart" phone
An interesting article about the effect of excessive phone fiddling on your posture and your general feelings of wellbeing. I've been surprised a few times recently at social occasions to see some people arrive and immediately sit down in a corner to mess with their Iphones. Please you guys, come back to the realm of the living!
Posted by chicagron at 7:29 PM
Labels: eating and other intellectual pursuits, electronic addiction, electronic overload, iphones, technological hubris
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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From Our Readers: To the Girls Who Feel Like They'll Never Fit In
You are always left by someone you care and trust.
You're always not in their choices.
You're always out of the conversation, but you were the subject of their conversations.
You're always the nerd, the one who always held her books.
They will always treat you as their DUFF, their Designated Ugly Fat Friend.
They always treat you like the friend they want around when they are in need.
They're using you for their own sake when they're really secretly laughing at you, happy when you fail,
I know you've been keeping this for a very long time. You want to get rid of all the pain of always feeling and being out of place, alone. Having no one to talk to about your secrets, because you're always afraid that they might use those to stab your back. I know you want to free yourself from this trap—the trap of people stabbing each other on the back, hurting each other when no one's looking.
For a while, I was the only one who knew my pain. But I'm done and I want to tell the world about it and encourage girls who feel the same way.
Here's your reminder that you are beautiful in your own way. You don't need people in your life who only take notice of you when they need something. You are free to leave them. If you think you will be alone, think that that's better. That's better than living in a world flooded by lies and mean words used against each other. It's not about you. It has always been about them.


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Photo Source: COMIBAM / Sepal
Map Source: People Group Location from IMB. Other map data / geography from GMI. Map by Joshua Project.
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|20.00 %
|1.00 %
|New Testament
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|People Cluster:
|Australian Aboriginal
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|Pacific Islanders
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The Ainu people lived in the northern regions of Japan and in parts of Russia. They were a fair-skinned blue-eyed people. Most say that the closest Ainu relatives are from Tibet or the Andaman Islands off of India, although testing has shown that they could have descended from several other groups as well. The Ainu speak their own language, Ainu. It is known as a language isolate, having no known relationship with any other languages. It is a language unique to the Ainu culture and people.
The Ainu's first contact with the Japanese was around the 13th century. Between the 1600s and 1800s the Ainu traded with the Japanese. They increasingly became dependent upon the Japanese and this led to several Ainu revolts. The Japanese also brought disease into the Ainu people.
During the Meiji Restoration the area where the Ainu lived (Hokkaido) was annexed. Land was taken from the Ainu. The Ainu were labeled "former Aborigines." The result was the loss of their autonomy and indigenous standing. The assimilation into Japanese culture had begun. The Ainu people were not officially recognized or restated until June 6, 2008.
The Ainu were originally fishermen and hunters. The Ainu lived off of bear, fox, wolf, fish, vegetables, herbs, and roots. The men ate with chopsticks and the women ate with wooden spoons. Their homes were huts located beside water. Each Ainu "village" consisted of 4-10 families. The average age of marriage was 17-18 for men and 15-16 for women. When children were born they were not given names until around 2-3 years old.
The word Ainu means, "Nature." The word "Kamuy" is used for everyday things and also things beyond their control. These gods include animals, household objects, and nature. The hierarchy of the religion consisted of grandmother earth (fire), mountain animals, sea animals, and finally everything else. The bear held a special place in the Ainu religion. Ainu sacrificed animals. Also, tattooing was a part of their custom. Many woman from a young age started tattoos around their mouths. During the Meiji Restoration, they were forced to leave behind animal sacrifices and the art of tattooing.
The Ainu are often marginalized in Japanese society. It is estimated that there are only 15,000-24,000 Ainu remaining. Their language is also disappearing. It is on the endangered language list. Their greatest need today, besides a Savior, is the preservation of their traditions.
* Pray that the Ainu language would be preserved and that those who still speak the language would have the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
* Pray that those who still practice the Ainu religion would come to know and worship the one, true God.
* Pray that God would raise up Ainu leaders who would help preserve the traditions and at the same time introduce Christ.


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Disabled man 'starved and beaten to death'
A disabled man was beaten to death with a sjambok, allegedly by his brother-in-law.
The brother-in-law, 26, who cannot be named before he appears in court, allegedly locked the 52-year-old inside his home in Coldrigde in Vryburg, North West, for over a week.
When he arrived back home he found the wheelchair-bound man - a former soldier - eating his own faeces.
The man is not being named to protect his young children.
According to a neighbour, at the time of his death the man had old and new wounds as a result of being beaten.
"It's just that this time he killed him. But he always hit him with a panga, hose pipe or sjambok because he says he does not want him to poop on himself and drink his [own] urine," she said.
She said she once reported the matter to the police but police only gave the man a warning.
North West police spokesman Colonel Sabata Mokgwabone said the man was only warned not to assault his brother-in-law, but no case was opened.
The neighbour has also seen the man eating his own waste, but he allegedly explained to the neighbour that he did so because he was starving.
The neighbour said she normally gave the disabled man tea or food when he was not locked up.
"It was difficult to help him because he was always locked inside," she said.
Last week, the 26-year-old apparently locked him up again and upon his return found him eating his own waste.
"On that day, I saw him pushing him on his wheelchair. I asked him where he was taking him and he said he was taking him to the clinic as he was unconscious.
"I asked him if he had hit him again and then he said yes, because he found him eating his own poop again. The man had bleeding wounds on his arm," she said.
According to the suspect's mother, who lives in the same township, the 26-year-old moved in with his brother-in-law to take care of him after his wife died a few years ago.
She said he used to lock him up and go out.
"What my son did was horrible, I knew that he was abusing his brother-in-law but he was also abusing me," she said.
The mother was looking after the deceased's two children, aged 5 and 8.
She said she felt as if God was punishing her, as she did not know how she would provide for the kids now.
"I do not know what is going to happen to those children, their mother died, now my son killed their father, this is like a curse," she said.
Mokgwabone said a case of murder had been opened.
"The suspect will appear in the Vryburg Magistrate's Court on Tuesday [today]," he said.
Postmortem results are pending.
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Harold Camping has finally spoken up about his failed prophecy. At first, the non-event was very confusing to him, but after some thought he sorted it out.
What he decided, apparently, was that May 21 had been "an invisible judgment day," of the spiritual variety, rather than his original vision of earthquakes and other disasters leading to five months of hell on earth, culminating in a spectacular doomsday on Oct. 21 — something he had repeatedly guaranteed. On Monday, however, Mr. Camping seemed satisfied with his new interpretation, which apparently spared humankind its months of torture for a single day of destruction.
"The world has been warned," said Mr. Camping, who said this would be his last interview. He added that his company — which had bought billboard space nationwide to promote the May 21 date — would not promote his new prediction, Oct. 21.
"We don't have to talk about this anymore," he said.
Come on guys, we don't have to talk about this anymore.


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MontaVista is the leading innovator in embedded Linux technologies. Way back in 1999, it took the Linux kernel and made it into something that the founder Jim Ready likes to call Pure Linux. This embedded Linux version was later released under the GPL.
Most embedded technologies are based on RTOS but MontaVista has changed the Linux kernel to use it as the base Operating System and not just another RTOS with Linux running as a task. The development on this is fast paced but another of MontaVista's attempts is to boot the Linux Kernel in less than one second. Alexander Kaliadin, Nikita Youshchenko, and Cedric Hombourger are working on both the one second boot time and the real time Linux projects.
The good news here is that the boot time on one second, although possible on embedded devices for now, are not strictly limited to them and can be achieved in desktop builds as well. But since Laptops and notebooks are a lot different from embedded devices, to achieve a one second boot time, Kaliadin says,
We had to devise a set of new techniques in both the kernel and the boot loader.
This change will work wonders for Linux and will be a breakthrough step in embedded Linux technologies.
The boot will be demoed at the Virtual Freescale Technology Forum from July 14 16.
[Via: EDN ]


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For this year's Global Game Jam our team created a VR gesturing game where you have to interact with robots you meet along the way using touch controls and gestures. I was responsible for creating all the the assets withing 48 hours.
Full info and download here:
Tom Elliott - Programming
Jordan Hildrew - Design
Tobias Koepp - Art
Jake Rowe - Programming
Vincent Webb - Sound Bloke
Mark Wilson - Design


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May 20th : First African-American in New England to Receive the French Legion of Honor Medal
On Massachusetts Lafayette Day (May 20th), Mr. Christophe Guilhou, Consul General of France in Boston, will award the first African-American from New England with France's Legion of Honor Medal.
Long time Boston resident, business leader and war hero, Marvin Gilmore, Jr. will be honored for his service in the 458th, Battery 'A' Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Automatic Weapons) Battalion and served on D-Days Normandy, Utah and Omaha Beaches.
In addition, Gilmore Jr. will be awarded several Good Conduct Medals, including the American Campaign Medal, European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal & Bronze Star Attachment, World War II Victory Medal, Honorable Service Lapel Button WWI, Sharpshooter Badge & Rifle Bar.
Since 1973, Gilmore Jr. has served as the President & CEO of the Community Development Corporation of Boston, Inc., a community-based, private, non-profit economic development organization. Prior to joining the CDC, Gilmore Jr. co-founded the first Black-owned and operated commercial bank in Boston, the Unity Bank and Trust Company in Roxbury. Gilmore Jr. currently resides in Cambridge.


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A joint transform correlation system based on wavelet transforms is introduced. The selection of wavelets and the optical wavelet transform of images enables this optical correlator to identify the specific features and distinguish similar characters. Preliminary experimental results are given.
© 1992 Optical Society of AmericaFull Article | PDF Article
OSA Recommended Articles
Peter S. Erbach, Don A. Gregory, and Xiangyang Yang
Appl. Opt. 35(17) 3117-3126 (1996)
Wenlu Wang, Guofan Jin, Yingbai Yan, and Minxian Wu
Appl. Opt. 34(2) 370-376 (1995)
Boon Yi Soon, Mohammad S. Alam, and Mohammad A. Karim
Appl. Opt. 37(5) 821-827 (1998)


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How to Reupholster a Bar Stool Using 4-Inch Foam
When your bar stools seem too short, or too short on comfort, replace the foam with thicker, 4-inch foam padding. This gives you the excuse to reupholster the stools at the same time -- a win-win for decor and casual hospitality. Set aside an afternoon or a weekend for the job -- reupholstering bar stools isn't difficult, but your work will look professional when you take the time to line everything up perfectly.
Upend the barstool to remove the existing upholstery and cushion. Pry tacks or staples up with the flat end of a screwdriver; grasp them with needle-nose pliers and dispose of them carefully. Pull the fabric away from the seat and preserve it to use as a pattern.
Take the foam off the seat -- pull up glued foam and scrape any residue from the seat base. Place the old foam on the 4-inch block of foam and trace around it with a marker. Discard the old foam.
Cut the 4-inch foam out with an electric carving knife -- the simplest way to get a smooth edge. You can use any sharp blade if you don't have a carving knife. Leave a 3/4-inch border around the traced pattern from the old foam to ensure the new piece adequately cushions the edges of the seat.
Spray the seat with adhesive and set the newly cut foam on it. Weight the foam with a heavy book so the foam bonds well to the seat.
Lay the new fabric on a flat work surface, wrong-side-up. Place the old fabric on it and trace around the shape, leaving about a 6-inch border all the way around to accommodate the thicker foam padding.
Center the new fabric on the foam cushion once the glue is dry and secure it with a pin or two. Pull one side slightly taut, keeping the fabric centered and being careful not to rip the foam. Staple the fabric to the underside of the seat. Then do the same for the exact opposite side of the cushion.
Find a spot midway between the stapled sections, pull it taut and staple the fabric to the underside of the seat. Do the same with the opposite point on the seat cushion so you have the fabric snugly secured at four equidistant points on the seat. The foam will be moderately compressed by the taut fabric.
Finish stapling the fabric snugly all around the seat, using a continuous line of staples to secure it over the compressed foam. You are aiming for no baggy spots or wrinkles in the upholstery fabric, but not for such a tight fit that the foam cannot compress further when weight is placed on it.
Trim the excess fabric outside the staples on the seat bottom. Glue a trim border or a piece of fabric over the bottom of the seat, if you want to mask the staples.
Things Needed
- Block of 4-inch medium-density foam
- Upholstery fabric
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Needle-nose pliers
- Marker
- Scissors
- Electric carving knife (optional)
- Putty scraper (optional)
- Spray adhesive
- Large heavy book
- Staple gun
- Dressmaker pins
- Trim or facing (optional)
- Dispose of removed staples responsibly so they can't be discovered by small children, pets or bare feet.
- Test the tension of the fabric and foam compression as you work by placing a weight on the cushion to be sure the foam has enough room to expand sideways when someone sits on the stool.
- Spray fabric with a protective stain shield to make cleanup easier and give your new cushions a longer life span.
- Replace the cushions on all bar stools in a set with the 4-inch foam for symmetry.
Photo Credits
- John Lund/Blend Images/Getty Images


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Total and partial solar eclipses viewed in parts of US, Africa and Europe, as moon covered the sun for a short period.
A rare solar eclipse has swept across parts of the US, Africa and Europe with some areas witnessing a total blackout with others experiencing a partial version.
Sunday's "hybrid" of annular and total eclipses was first visible in the southern United States and then travelled across the Atlantic Ocean and Africa.
Partial views of the final solar eclipse for 2013 were possible in eastern Northern America and southern Europe.
"Throughout your life time, if you are living in the same place, perhaps you will be able to see once or may be twice a total solar eclipse. It's a very uncommon event for any given place on Earth," said Jose Afonso, Director of the Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Portugal.
In Lagos, Nigeria, some people have gathered on a beach to witness the event.
Safety precautions
Experts have warned people not to look directly at the sun during the hybrid eclipse without taking safety precautions.
Nairobi residents gathered for a monthly concert on Sunday and a chance to see a total solar eclipse.
Rebecca Narracott, who said she saw an eclipse once in the UK, is excited to see one in Kenya.
"My seven-year-old daughter came home from school on Friday with these glasses her teacher had given her and then I heard more people talking about it. So I'm really excited."
Despite rain and overcast skies residents of southern Gabon got a glimpse Sunday of a total eclipse of the sun, a rare phenomenon also visible in eastern Africa.
"I saw a black disc progressively cover the sun. It's magnificent," said Clarence Diledou, who lives of the port town of Port-Gentil.
At its peak over land in central Gabon, the sun was blocked out for about a minute.
In Kenya, the total eclipse lasted about 10 seconds.
The sun slowly changed shape from a golden sphere into a crescent, after the moon moved between the sun and the earth.


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Mighty No. 9 Gets 3DS/PS Vita Stretch Goals, Physical Versions of the Game and a New Podcast
Today seems to be the day of announcements for the Mighty No. 9 Kickstarter, as the latest update brings plenty of news.
First off, a stretch goal for 3DS and PS Vita versions of game has been revealed, which runs at $3.5 Million:
The portable versions would be done by the talented Abstraction Games–the team that recently brought Hotline Miami to PS platforms.
Next up, backers can get extra physical copies of Mighty No. 9 as an add-on to your pledge. Adding an extra $26 ($31 for international backers) will net you a copy on disc for Steam versions on PC, Mac and Linux. An extra $36 ($41 for international backers) will get you an awesome USB version shaped like either a NES or Famicom cartridge. The instructions on adjusting your Kickstarter pledge are below:
last but not least, the new (and final!) podcast is up as well and you can listen to it by going here (right-click it to download). The cast's itinerary is posted below:
MIGHTYCAST No. 4 RUNDOWN:
Intro 00:30 – 03:44
Last Week In Review 03:45 – 15:22
Tom Pon Interview 15:55 – 31:30
Becker Skype Question & Answers 32:00 – 1:00:30
Closing Comments 1:00:31 – 1:03:5
If you want to contribute to Mighty No. 9 directly, go here to do that (or over here for PayPal).


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Those working within Cooperative Extension organizations and community development professionals are often asked to engage in the development of local food councils. This online course will provide information and a basic set of skills to equip professionals with the tools they need to feel more confident leading or assisting with this work. More than 20 Cooperative Extension and community development professionals contributed to this self-paced, no-cost course, which contains videos and resources that can be used during food council meetings.
This course was supported by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development. Course facilitators are Jodee Ellett, Local Foods Coordinator with Purdue University and Kendra Wills, Community Food Systems Educator with Michigan State University Extension.
Course Topics
Topics covered in this course include:
- What are food councils?
- Extension's role with local food councils
- Community food system basics
- Facilitation and leadership
- Learn more about the breadth of roles that Extension and community development professionals can have in food council work
- Conducting a community food assessment
- Organizing and developing a food council
- Funding for food councils
- Evaluating your local food council work
- Public policy and land use planning related to local food systems
- Organizational structures for food councils
- Creating sustainable food councils, regional and/or statewide food council networks
Estimated Time for Completion
10 - 15 hours
Kendra Wills
Community Engagement & Leadership Development


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Japanese white midi lucky cat
Click Image for Gallery
Japanese White Lucky Cat
This adorable, ceramic White Midi Lucky Cat (5cm tall) sits on a little red cushion. He is believed to bring happiness and is the ideal gift for all cat lovers (me included)! Japanese people love to have Lucky Cats or Maneki Neko as mascots, to bring good fortune, invite happiness and bring prosperity to a business.
• Made in Japan.


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The price of electricity is now making people interested in solar energy. The first question being asked is whether it is worth the up-front cost. There is no straight answer to that, but in general it would be. Of course, there is one factor you need to consider first:
That is: Location of your home. It is important to have enough sunlight where your house is loaded. Ideally, you should have sufficient north facing roof with no shade. The more sunlight that can be captured in the solar panels, the quicker the solar energy system will pay off your investment. For me, living in Melbourne, probably the worst city in Australia to capture sunlight. Nonetheless, my 1.5kw system provides my energy usage during summer and covers my winter usage cost, too.
2. Amount of electricity you use is not as important as many people claim (depends on how you look at it financially). Since government only subsides up to 1.5kw system, it is wise to purchase just a quality 1.5kw system. This way, you get the maximum return.
1.5kw system => $3000.
Generate $1000 worth of energy (due to government premium tariff)
Excluded the potential interest of up-front cost, 5%, the investment return is 28%.
You tell me, where can you get a solid investment with this kind of return?
Ideas to spend family time with kids and enjoy various fun things to do in Melbourne including festivals, markets, shows, movies, holiday destinations, restaurants, etc. Tips on how to keep things in budget including saving tips, specials, price checks, etc.
Aug 19, 2011
Solar Panel Systems - Free Electricity
1 comment:
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by keith mcnutt
(wichita falls tx)
Wichita falls tx I have passed my written test I need a little drive time before taking my drive test.I have 80,800safe drive hrs.I can pay 250.00 if someone can help me
Comments for keith mcnutt
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Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Need Training or to Rent a Truck for Getting CDL copy willing.


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"Disclosing amyloid imaging results" a Featured Research Session at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference
Biomarkers are seen as critical tools for assessing risk and tracking disease progress in Alzheimer's disease. However, their successful integration into clinical practice and clinical trials with preclinical populations will require skilled communications of complex, ambiguous information, as well as better understanding of the psychological and behavioral impact of these communications on patients and family members. This multidisciplinary panel will describe both ongoing and proposed interventions in which biomarker information is disclosed to populations at "imminent" risk (i.e., within the next five years) of developing clinically expressed Alzheimer's disease.
Panelists include Jason Karlawish, MD from the University of Pennsylvania; Robert Green, MD from Harvard University; Scott Roberts, PhD from University of Michigan; Jennifer Lingler, PhD from Pittsburgh University; and Reisa Sperling, MD from Harvard University.
The AAIC is the yearly international meeting of Alzheimer's Disease researchers. This year's meeting will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.


text: SAVE Even colorful and storied music careers come to an end, and open up a whole new chapter. Filipino rock band Kamikazee is ending its colorful 15-year run in the music industry after moving its legions of followers and inspiring people to embark on making music, with its farewell concert, "Huling Sayaw," on December 10 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Fans were shocked with their break-up announcement earlier this year given that hit local rock bands have been dwindling in the limelight. But their decision to do so, however, goes beyond their awesome popularity, their successful careers, and a soaring discography that peaked with "Narda." They decided because of something more important to them--their families. For the group, they would like to try out different things, like focusing on their respective business ventures, honing their individual crafts, and being with their personal families. "Susubukan namin yun buhay sa labas ng banda...para maiba naman," Bords Burdeos said. They have not yet ironed out their plans post-Kamikazee, but one thing is for sure: their desire to be with their personal families is the main reason why Jay Contreras, Bords, Led Tuyay, Jomal Linao, and Puto Asete chose to go to an indefinite hiatus starting next year. "Sobrang importante ang pamilya namin kasi isa yun sa nagiging drive namin, kaya pinagpupursigihan naming yun ginagawa namin…para sa kanila talaga 'yan," Puto said during the Huling Sayaw press conference. "Tama na yun time na sila yun nasa unang priority namin para maganda rin yun memories nun mga anak namin, [at masasabi nila] na 'ok pala yun daddy ko kahit maraming tattoo'," Jay candidly remarked, given the fact that all five of them are heavily inked. Left to right: Led Tuyay, Puto Asete, Jay Contreras, Jomal Linao, and Bords Burdeos While their very illustrious journey in the music industry may come to an end, there are a few things fans and aspiring musicians can learn from Kamikazee, aside from giving importance to their families. Everything in balance "Balanse lang…may time maging seryoso at may time na hindi gaano seryoso," Bords said. Bords sharing his thoughts on being with the band for 15 years They are known for being wacky on stage and funny when it comes to interviews, but they become serious once in a while, especially when it comes to committing to gigs and ensuring that they arrive on time. Beyond their careers as musicians, this mantra also applies to their individual lives as well. Dedication and passion Being in the music industry for 15 years is no simple feat, and for the band, it all boils down to being passionate with their craft. Jay's words of wisdom to aspiring musicians? "'Wag ka magbabanda kung gusto mo lang sumikat o gusto mo lang magkapera kasi hindi talaga ganun yun." Jay and Puto having a light moment Through those 15 years, Kamikazee has been through good and bad times, but one thing's for sure: they enjoy what they have been doing all these years. Respect for fellow musicians The music industry can be competitive at times, but for the Kamikazee boys, they look up greatly to their peers like Urbandub, Chicosci, and Queso, who they treat as part of their extended family. "Malapit sila sa puso namin," Jay remarked on their closeness to the bands mentioned. In fact, the three bands were tapped as front acts to Kamikazee's last major concert before going on an indefinite hiatus. Catch the boys for one last time in "Huling Sayaw" on December 10 at Smart Araneta Coliseum with Queso, Urbandub, and Chicosci.


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Contact Us
- Toll-free: 800-533-8095
- 702 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987-1320
- Questions or comments?
Showing 1–3 of 3 results.
This handout provides several comments from teenagers about sex. It can be used as a discussion starter or writing prompt.
This handout provides three different comments from teens about their drug and alcohol usage. This can be used as a discussion starter.
A good summary on dealing with peer pressure.


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Couples Try Harder in Long-Distance Relationships
New research published in the Journal of Communication suggests that people in long-distance relationships often have stronger bonds from more constant, and deeper, communication than normal relationships.
The belief is that geographical distance mobilizes parties to engage in deeper, more satisfying communication.
Communications researchers Drs. Crystal Jiang, City University of Hong Kong and Jeffrey Hancock, Cornell University, asked dating couples in long-distance and geographically close relationships to report their daily interactions over different media: face-to-face, phone calls, video chat, texting, instant messenger, and email.
Over a week, they reported to what extent they shared about themselves and experienced intimacy, and to what extent they felt their partners did the same thing.
When comparing the two types of relationships, Jiang and Hancock found that long-distance couples felt more intimate to each other, and this greater intimacy is driven by two tendencies: long-distance couples disclosed themselves more, and they idealized their partners' behaviors.
Interestingly, these two tendencies become more pronounced when couples communicated in text-based, asynchronous and mobile media because they made more efforts to overcome the media constraints.
Long-distance relationships have been unexplored for years. One of the reasons is that the general public believes they are rare and not normal.
Previous studies have focused on how couples cope with problems, such as jealousy and stress, but until recently, several studies have shown that long-distance relationships are not always problematic.
Some surveys even indicate that long-distance couples have equal or better relationship qualities than geographically close couples.
To address the difference of opinions, the current study was designed to observe what exactly happens in long-distance relational communication, particularly in comparison to geographically close ones.
Long-distance romance is much more common nowadays. Couples get separated for a variety of reasons, due to modern mobility, and they choose to maintain the relationships through all kinds of communication technologies.
Recent statistics show that 3 million married couples in the U.S. live apart; 25to 50 percent of college students are currently in long-distance relationships and up to 75 percent of them have engaged in one at some point. On the other hand, people think long-distance relationships are challenging.
"Indeed, our culture emphasizes being together physically and frequent face-to-face contact for close relationships, but long-distance relationships clearly stand against all these values. People don't have to be so pessimistic about long-distance romance," said Jiang.
"The long-distance couples try harder than geographically close couples in communicating affection and intimacy, and their efforts do pay back."
Source: International Communication Association
Nauert PhD, R. (2018). Couples Try Harder in Long-Distance Relationships. Psych Central. Retrieved on October 27, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/news/2013/07/19/couples-try-harder-in-long-distance-relationships/57363.html
Last reviewed: By a member of our scientific advisory board on 8 Aug 2018
Published on Psych Central.com. All rights reserved.


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Securing third place in the Barclays Premier League at the end of the season means Chelsea can look forward to the next Champions League group stage draw, safe in the knowledge our name will be in the pots rather than first negotiating a qualifier.
With last weekend bringing an end to more domestic league campaigns across Europe, the picture of who we could play in next season's European games is increasingly clear so the official Chelsea website takes a look here at some of the possibilities.
Our high European ranking coefficient (based on the last five years' results for club and other teams from the same country) means we will again be one of the top eight seeds, so will be in a familiar looking Pot 1.
Manchester United and, as long as they make it through their qualifier, Arsenal will join us there, as will Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Our Europa League final opponents Benfica, and Porto are also Pot 1 candidates. So we will avoid all of them.
Moving on to teams Chelsea could draw in the group stage, Pot 2 containing the next eight seeds has two of our opponents from last season, Shakhtar Donetsk and Atletico Madrid, who beat us in the Super Cup. France is well-represented by last season's quarter-finalists Paris St-Germain and by Marseille and Lyon. AC Milan, Schalke and CSKA Moscow are all sides we have played in the Champions League group stage previously.
As we cannot play an English side until the quarter-final stage, Manchester City's presence in Pot 3 reduces the options there, but Italian champions Juventus, who like Shakhtar were problematic opponents last year, can be drawn again, as can the club we defeated in the Europa League semi-final – Basel.
Champions League runners-up Borussia Dortmund are also in Pot 3. They would be new opposition for Chelsea, as would Zenit St. Petersburg, but games against Olympiacos and Galatasaray would bring back memories of European games past. A trip to play Ajax would take us to a stadium that now has an important place our history.
Pot 4 will contain the eight lowest ranked teams in the draw, yet Serie A runners-up Napoli, Rafael Benitez's new club, will be among them. Germany's third-place side and our group stage rivals in 2011/12, Bayer Leverkusen, are included and Scotland will be represented by Celtic if they survive the qualifiers.
FC Copenhagen, APOEL from Cyprus and Steaua Bucharest have been recently faced too and Belgian champions Anderlecht are regulars in the draw. A grouping with BATE Borisov would take us to Belarus for the first time.
It should be noted that these lists are only provisional with 10 of the teams needing to win qualifiers before they can take the place in the draw their UEFA ranking suggests. Should any be knocked out and replaced by clubs with lower rankings then this might mean other teams shift to a higher pot than those described here.
The group stage draw takes place on 29 August with the first games on 17 and 18 September.


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The holiday season has begun! It doesn't matter that stores decorated months ago. Thanksgiving is the beginning of all the winter holidays: Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. In the last week of December I'd like to run a column that features historical photos from your ancestral family album that capture the season. You can email them to me.
They can be pictures of folks in front of their Christmas trees or family gathered around a table for a holiday meal. It can even be a snapshot of historical decorations on a Christmas tree.
I have a small collection of unidentified images of people that are not my ancestors. Here's one.
This unidentified couple chose a picture of themselves tuning their new radio for their Christmas card.
Photo greeting cards date back to at least the 1880s. I own a New Year's card of a woman; she sent it to her friends.
Can't wait to see what you send me!
Solve your family photo mysteries with these books by Maureen A. Taylor:


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Sherbet punch was always a party punch that I always looked forward to having growing up. Mixing up various flavors of sherbet, juice and soda to create the color for any theme made it an ideal punch. Over the weekend, I threw a fun Elephant & Piggie party for my kids and thought a pink "pig" punch would work perfect for the theme. My boys were more than happy to help me create this pink Strawberry Sherbet Punch recipe.
How to Make Strawberry Sherbet Punch
For this Strawberry Sherbet Punch recipe, I wanted to have two light pink ingredients to get the pig color I wanted. I opted for a strawberry lemonade and strawberry sherbet. Raspberry sherbet would also work well.
For any sherbet punch I've made, pineapple juice is always a given. I love the sweet flavor it offers without altering the color.
While I tend to stay away from sodas as much as possible, especially for my kids, in this recipe it is a must. Several years ago I tried to make sherbet punch without soda to make it healthier and avoid the fizzy aspect for my oldest son isn't who isn't a big fan. Don't do this.
Sherbet Punch Tips
For this recipe I've used much less soda than most sherbet punch recipes, but some is necessary to help break down the sherbet. I make my sherbet punch with ginger ale but any lemon-lime soda will also work.
Another trick I've learned is to always pour some (or all) of the soda directly over the sherbet to break it down. I like to still put half into the punch bowl before the sherbet so I can stir some of it in, but that is up to you.
This time I tried using two different sizes of scoops of sherbet. I loved how well this worked. The smaller scoops will break down pretty fast. The larger scoops will take longer which is great if your punch will be sitting a little while.
If your sherbet runs out and you still have a lot of of base punch left, you can always add more sherbet and pour a bit more ginger ale over the top to stretch it.
This pink party punch works great for any celebration including birthday parties, baby showers and wedding showers. It is always a crowd favorite here!
- 1 can (12 oz) strawberry lemonade frozen concentrate
- 4 cups water
- 2½ cups pineapple juice
- 3 cups ginger ale
- 7 cups strawberry sherbet
- Make strawberry lemonade with 4 cups of water.
- In punch bowl, stir together strawberry lemonade, pineapple juice, and ½ of the ginger ale.
- Scoop sherbet over top of punch.
- Pour remaining ginger ale over top of sherbet.
- Serve immediately.
Hope you love this sherbet punch recipe as much as we do!
What have you been up to with your mini chefs this week?
I am hosting Mini Chef Mondays along with 4 fabulous bloggers, find out more about the Mini Chef Mondays Team!
Be sure to check out each of their Mini Chef posts as well!
- Strawberry Watermelon Popsicles // Courtney's Sweets
- Side Dishes for Kids that the Whole Family Will Love // Eating Richly
- Healthy Coleslaw // Vegging at the Shore
- Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies // My Mini Adventurer


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The high school comedy is a staple of cinema. A different flavor of the coming-of-age story, the genre's style of choice is cyclical; there is no "American Pie" without "Porky's," no "Superbad" and "Mean Girls" without "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "Better Off Dead," and "Can't Hardly Wait." And while the masses often compare "Booksmart" to a gender-flipped "Superbad" it is perhaps more inexorably tied to the oeuvre of John Hughes. It's a lofty comparison, as few can equate to the strength of Hughes' hold on teenage adolescence, but "Booksmart" ain't no slouch.
It's the last day of school for best friends and top students Amy and Molly. The pair are inseparable and driven, making the choice to forego a social life of parties and drinking to focus on their studies and set themselves up for a life of excellence. But as they overhear the collegiate plans of their more debauchery-prone colleagues, they start to worry that maybe they chose poorly. Determined to make things right, the girls set out to have a night full of everything they missed before they collect their diplomas.
On the surface, "Booksmart" follows the basic model of the high school comedy: the misfits set out to have as much fun as the cool kids. But what makes "Booksmart" different from so many also-rans is its strength of self. Director Olivia Wilde appears content to let you believe that this is a world populated by stereotypes, if only so she can yank that rug right from under you. The screenplay by Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Susanna Fogel, and Katie Silberman takes the care to imbue all of its characters with depth and nuance. Its leads stand out, ignited by kinetic performances from Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, crafting characters that are as vulnerable as they can be headstrong. But the supporting cast shows up as well, with Billie Lourd's otherworldly Gigi and Skyler Gisondo's modern take on the Anthony Michael Hall role in plain and musical obsessed Jared shining particularly brightly.
The Blu-ray release is unfortunately not as exciting as the movie itself. It has your standard collection of deleted scenes and rather shallow featurettes. Luckily it boasts a commentary from director Olivia Wilde, who is as charming as expected. But even with that charm, I was left hoping that maybe Feldstein and Dever would show up to bring the same chemistry that they had on screen. Maybe I've been spoiled by the gift that is the film itself and I'm looking for more where there is no need for it. I just want to spend more time in this world crafted by Wilde, and the Blu-ray release is disappointingly not offering that. Luckily, the movie itself is still fantastic, even with a lackluster release. "Booksmart" is the best kind of high school comedy; overflowing with anxiety, humor, and an audacity that can only accompany the hubris of a seventeen-year-old.
Blu-ray + Digital HD


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Disclosure Controls
Disclosure controls reveal and hide information and functionality related to specific controls or views.
Choose a control type that suits your app. There are two styles of disclosure controls: disclosure buttons and disclosure triangles. Use a disclosure button to display additional functionality associated with a specific control. Use a disclosure triangle to display additional content associated with a view or when presenting a list of disclosable items.
Disclosure Buttons
A disclosure button reveals and hides functionality associated with a specific control. TextEdit shows a disclosure button next to the Save As text field in the Save dialog. When clicked, the Save dialog expands to give the user more advanced navigation options for selecting an output location for their document.
A disclosure button is small and square with rounded corners, and includes a chevron glyph that reflects the visibility of the disclosable functionality. The chevron points down when the functionality is hidden and up when the functionality is visible. Clicking the disclosure button toggles between these two states, and the parent view expands or collapses accordingly to accommodate the available content.
Place a disclosure button close to its related control. There should be a clear relationship between the control and the expanded choices that appear or hide when the button is clicked.
Use no more than one disclosure button in a single view. Multiple disclosure buttons add complexity and can be confusing.
For developer guidance, see NSRoundedDisclosureBezelStyle.
Disclosure Triangles
A disclosure triangle reveals and hides information and functionality associated with a view or in a list of disclosable items. Keynote uses a disclosure triangle to reveal advanced options when exporting a presentation. The Finder uses disclosure triangles to progressively reveal hierarchy when navigating a folder structure in list view.
The position of a disclosure triangle reflects the visibility of the disclosable content. The triangle points to the right when the content is hidden and down when the content is visible. Clicking the disclosure triangle toggles between these two states, and the parent view expands or collapses accordingly to accommodate the available content.
Provide a descriptive label when using a disclosure triangle in a dialog. The label should indicate what is disclosed or hidden, like "Advanced Options." Consider updating the label to reflect the visibility of the disclosable content for added clarity. For example, the label might read "Show advanced options" when the disclosure triangle is closed and "Hide advanced options" when the disclosure triangle is open.
For developer guidance, see NSDisclosureBezelStyle.


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New Media Art
The University of Chicago has a long-standing reputation as a place where creativity and the arts—visual, written, and auditory—converge and flourish. Formerly called the Department of Literature and Language, and existing as a section of the old School of Humanities, the new School of Language, Arts and Media represents more than a name change. Within this Master's track you can choose to structure combinations of courses relating to two of these specializations (such as Music Studies and Arts Politics and Education). The faculty of the media arts and studies program are skilled professionals who teach students how to become producers of mass media (film, video, broadcast TV, radio, online programming, media writing). In Foundation to Year 2, learning in The Arts builds on the Early Years Learning Framework.
Additionally, the programme explores how the arts relate to economic, social, and technical developments in an increasingly mediated world. Creation and analysis of student artworks will be balanced with explorations into contemporary practices across the visual and commercial arts fields. We also participate in a two-year international Research MA, Visual Arts, Media & Architecture All Master's students participate in the Graduate Seminar in the Humanities.
The emergence of 3D printing has introduced a new bridge to new media art, joining the virtual and the physical worlds. Students completing this course will have a thorough understanding and broad knowledge of arts and media (including existing academic disciplines) to work as professionals with specialist knowledge and practical skills. Learn about managing arts and media organisations – including film and TV, museums, galleries and theatres – from practitioners and academics who are actively working in the arts sector. Learn how their ideas can be communicated through selecting and organising the elements of media arts. And , an online fashion company in Fullerton, CA, is looking for a motivated, detail-oriented, computer literate intern for social media and marketing. This track offers insight into the most relevant issues relating to contemporary arts worlds.
The MAS student film club helps put on the Moving Media Film Festival each spring. In addition,the UCIJAM adviser is able and willing to help guide students to graduate or professional school programs by teaching students more about application and selection processes.
As the technologies used to deliver works of new media art such as film , tapes , web browsers , software and operating systems become obsolete, New Media art faces serious issues around the challenge to preserve artwork beyond the time of its contemporary production.


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Google Buzz: We Might Be On To Something
Everyone and their dogs is talking about Google Buzz huh? So yeah I felt like jumping on the bandwagon too….
Jokes aside, I believe Google Buzz might actually become something. It is tough to say who will end up using it, how they are going to use it and so on, but Google managed to accomplish at least one thing: to make the tool accessible and easy to use, thanks to the integration with Gmail.
To illustrate my point: I received a Google Wave invite early on from a friend, but never actually used it, because the setup process required more than two clicks. I just figured that I would wait and if the thing went mainstream I would start using it. So far it has not.
Google Buzz is different because with one click on my Gmail account I accessed it. After that I just needed to pimp my Google Profile a bit et voilà . If you want to follow me here is the link: http://www.google.com/profiles/danielscocco.
My first impression is that Google wanted to get a piece of the microblogging/real time web action. Hence why they adopted the "following/followers" nomenclature. It reminds me of Twitter inside Gmail at times…
One drawback I see is the interruptions and emails you get while using Gmail from people using Google Buzz. If they become to much of a hassle I might need to turn the thing off.
Have you tried it? What are you thoughts so far?
Browse all articles on the Social Media category
31 Responses to "Google Buzz: We Might Be On To Something"
Yeah Buzz is buzzing around. Hope it won't stop its sound like wave 🙂
munawar am
My question is: why Google Buzz incorporated with Gmail?
Say No and thank's to G~Buzz, provisory, 🙂
Jack Yan
Segedoo, I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees Google's current strategy and its parallels with Microsoft's domination attempts. And I agree with David Gerard above on privacy. Google's latest products, IMO, seem to be ill thought-out which, again, smells of Microsoft to me.
Rolling out privacy updates days after the launch is better than not doing anything, so I commend Google on that, but the point is that Buzz should have launched with a much better grip over user preferences.
David Gerard
They completely and utterly screwed the pooch on privacy expectations.
Basically, people regarded their Gmail as utterly inviolate and expected Google would never tell *anyone* what was in your Gmail without a subpoena.
Then Google sprayed it all over Buzz.
It needs to be shut down and reopened *much* more locked down by default.
Google Twitter is now live…!! 😉
I hope they develop some widgets like tweetmeme too.
Rinaldi Syahran
not try it yet . but if i see your posting i think this google buzz is more likely twitter.
Josh Stauffer
Haven't clicked the link yet but I am on my way now to see what all the buzz is about. (man, that was corny.)
Vivek @ InfoEduTech
Well google is always planning to capture as much as the web he can. Previously google launched the google wave but it couldn't make so sucess now google goes for microblogging platform to compete with twitter. Hope this time we will see that i really stands up in competition
Agent Deepak
I am yet to try it. Hopefully it will be useful.
Google Buzz is like as Facebook,but the difference is You can use without leaving your e-mail.
Google Buzz has serious privacy issues, although they have removed most of them after the initial protest but who knows what happens next. I have summed up some privacy threats in my blog psot, check it out:
I'm still in the early phases of attempting to use the service (much as I was with Twitter and Facebook). However there are key points missing.
A: Privacy Settings
– Everything seems to be public regardless if someone is following me
– No ability to hide following/followers (a journalist blog I read brought this up as a potential journalist conflict with anonymous sources
– Ability to select who I want to follow me akin to Twitter's locked profile.
B: Notification Settings
– Something like blogs "Notify me of followup comments via e-mail" route, maybe selected by default
– Update via SMS
I'm sure the great minds at Google have thought of this, but to become mainstream it's going to need these. Also the update to inbox is annoying.
Jens P. Berget
It was very easy to start using Google Buzz, but I think at the moment, there's too much stuff going on inside gmail. Sometimes I just want to check my email, and there's always a few people there for chatting, and now there's buzz. It would be a lot easier if they'd separate the systems, but then, not as many people would use them 🙂
Distracting to have it in Inbox – NOT a game changer certainly
Looks like it'll meet the same fate as Google Wave ..
They should have not included the following/ follower thingy. Making them a copycat of the twitter. Just my 2 cents.
It is just a mix of twitter and facebook.
Sajan Kota
I feel Google buzz is similar to facebook. the only difference is that Google buzz is embedded into the Gmail. I looking forwarded for the WordPress plugin for Google buzz. Lets wait and watch
… and yes, it was uber long – 1 hour 20minutes!!
ramiro marques
I love using Buzz. Great social feature. Easy, simple and useful.
Eric C
I don't like that they automatically opted me in, and between facebook, twitter and google, I have enough real time programs.
This doesn't even address the issue that I don't care about real time updates.
Ching Ya
As I was telling some friends in Buzz — it is fun and distracting at the same time. For networking wise, it's a good concept: starting off the networking within our own circles, real time responses and less spamming issues than Wave. Plus, >140 characters allowed.
Maybe still not used to the change, the only thing that bothers me now is the distraction. Can't imagine what will it be like when our following number increases… Or shall we just stick to Facebook and Twitter instead? Still need time to observe and adapt.
Social/Blogging Tracker
Harsh Athalye
Buzz is both overly simplistic and simplistically confusing. For one thing, there is no separate settings page or page integrated within Gmail settings. Second most irritating thing is Google hasn't provided any help system, other than an introduction video. For simple options like turning off buzz to mail, there is no built-in support. I guess Google was too hasty to push the product in market to create its feet in micro-blogging. But it would have been a lot better, if they could have thought of these simple things.
The world today is made up of the birds and the bees.
Twitter is the bird, whereas Buzz is the bee.
Joke aside, at first I was worried that Buzz might be a total letdown—I don't quite like to see huge number of notifications in my Gmail.
Thank goodness a click just to have a peek is good enough to reset it to none, and doesn't really "pile up" like how Google Reader has become. 🙂
Darren Rowse also posted a similar post on Problogger. Now you. Got to check it out.
Dana @ Blogging Update
I already tried it and also already tried Google Wave. And i find that Google Buzz is really something, and Google Wave is a failure. So, let's enjoy Buzz in our Gmail. 😀
Jack Cola
Sorry, but I have to completely disagree with everything you say in this post. My full reasons are in my blog post, but if you don't want to read it all, here is a summery.
Doesn't work if you use POP – can't reply to posts.
It is basically just status updates. What other features are there?
It will flood your inbox
You can't get your business/work emails separate to your social life. I rather have the two separate.
They incorporated it with Gmail – they should have made a complete new site if they are trying to compete with facebook and twitter.
I can now say Hotmail has an advantage over Gmail – It doesn't include Buzz.
Also, with your comments about Google Wave, I think it is better then Buzz – but in actual fact, I think Google needs to rethink their approach to both. There just not complete.
jan geronimo
Love using it. Much easier to use than Wave. What sealed the deal for me is that it has included the best features of FriendFeed.
Initially, I added Twitter to the feed. But I changed my mind since I worry about flooding my Buzz with updates. I added my blog though, hoping it might serve as a good outpost for blog posts.
Mr. ToughMoneyLove
As Rarst said above, you can easily set a filter to keep out the Buzz email updates. I also understand that Buzz will have algorithms to filter out updates with certain content based on your "liking" or "not liking" certain previous incoming Buzz. I think that is only partially implemented now.
Buzz in inbox can be filtered out, there are already tutorials flying around. In fact it's strange they hadn't offered 1-click option for that.
As for success probability – it is a major factor that it starts with giant userbase in place.
My initial impressions are positive but unless it gets some filtering options it is likely to become noisy. Will see how it goes.
Comments are closed.


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Add shredded cheese for +1.99 to any Taco Choice.
Meat Tacos
Your choice of: Tacos Mexicanos or Tacos Tex-Mex (descriptions below)
Pick 3 Tacos served with rice or refried beans. 11.49
Pick 4 Tacos served with no rice or no refried beans. 12.49
Add $.50 per taco- Steak, Roasted Pork, Mexican Sausage, Shredded Beef or Shredded Pork
Add $.75 per taco- Tongue


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Dead Mom Talking
"If you want to talk to me when I'm dead, go to the bench." Winner of the TC/RHDF 2016 Best New Artist Award.2016 Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Competition
2016 / Rachel Matlow / CBC Radio One , CAN
"If you want to talk to me when I'm dead, go to the bench." Winner of the TC/RHDF 2016 Best New Artist Award.
Elaine Mitchell said those words to her daughter Rachel a few days before she died last July. Her memorial bench now sits in a Toronto ravine under tall trees. Elaine was a teacher, writer and avid traveler. During the last seven weeks of her life she and Rachel binge-watched TV, traded dark humor, and they talked. Rachel recorded the conversations. That way, months after Elaine's death, Rachel was able to get in one more conversation with the person she needed most.
produced by
Rachel Matlow is a Toronto-based arts and culture journalist and CBC radio/TV producer.
Featured in
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Arthur and Eleanor
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Eleanor needs a family -- but the only family she had, her ex-husband Arthur, doesn't really need her anymore.
The Living Room
2015 / 22:22
Diane's new neighbors never shut their curtains, and that was the beginning of an intimate, but very one-sided relationship.
Purple Rain
2019 / 11:55
"Mihai" – a pseudonym he chose himself – has a lifelong history of drugs and psychosis.


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Piracy site Newzbin2 gives up and closes 15 months after block
- Published
Newzbin2, once one of the web's most popular sites offering links to pirated content, has decided to close.
It comes 15 months after a UK court ordered internet service providers to block the site, and amid global pressure from copyright holders.
Internet rights groups said the move was "pointless" in stopping piracy.
In a statement, Newzbin2's owners said it had struggled to cover costs because payment providers had "understandably lost their nerve".
"Newzbin2 was always hoped to be a viable underground commercial venture," the site said.
"The figures just don't stack up."
The Creative Coalition Campaign, which represents groups such as the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and record industry body the BPI, welcomed the announcement.
"This is great news," chairwoman Christine Payne said.
"Pirate websites should not be allowed to trade as this undermines the ability of legitimate businesses to recoup their considerable investment and threatens jobs in the creative sector."
Heavily sued
Newzbin2 was the follow-up site to the original Newzbin1, which was sued by the MPA, leaving it with massive debts.
The site was taken over by a group of hackers known as Team R Dogs who resurrected the site as Newzbin2.
In July 2011, a court ruling meant the site had to be blocked to users in the UK.
It attempted various techniques to circumvent the ban, but users began to head elsewhere.
"Newzbin1 was said to have had 700,000 registered users," the site's statement said.
"In fact that was the total number of people who ever signed up in the history of Newzbin from 2000 onwards.
"Only a fraction were active, loads of people dropped out and went to other sites."
'Running scared'
The administrators defended their record on tackling piracy, saying they had been willing to comply with requests to remove pirated content - but that copyright holders had never sent them a "single complaint".
"The tragedy is this: unlike Newzbin1 we are 100% DMCA [Digital Millennium Copyright Act] compliant," the statement said.
"We have acted on every DMCA notice we received without stalling or playing games: if there was a DMCA complaint the report was gone. Period."
As well as providing a free service listing download links, the site also offered a premium subscription option with various perks.
However, the site said not enough members had been paying, and that for those that had, the services the site had used to receive the money had been backing out.
"All our payment providers dropped out or started running scared," the site said.
It added that accepting Bitcoin - an electronic, hard-to-track currency - had not been an option because it was "just too hard for 90% of people".
The Open Rights Group, which campaigns for an open internet, said Newzbin's closure should not be taken as a sign that blocking sites was effective.
"Newzbin were rightly pursued through the courts and found to be encouraging infringement," said Jim Killock, the group's executive director.
"That is the right approach. However, censorship and block orders are disturbing and we think unnecessary given the success in tackling the businesses and payment mechanisms involved.
"Web blocking is a blunt instrument and is a dangerous practice. We wish copyright owners the best in enforcing their rights and building their businesses, but urge them not to resort to further requests for censorship."


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Investors can sit back and relax as uber-comfy reclining-chair maker La-Z-Boy (NYSE:LZB) said Tuesday it will pay a regular quarterly dividend of $0.04 per share on June 10 to the holders of record at the close of business on May 30.
After slashing its payout to shareholders in 2008 and then suspending the dividend, La-Z-Boy restarted the payment in the fourth quarter of 2012 at a rate of $0.04 per share.
La-Z-Boy is one of the world's leading residential furniture producers and sells its furniture through its Bauhaus, England, and La-Z-Boy divisions. It also sells furniture through American Drew, Lea, Hammary, and Kincaid. The company-owned retail segment includes 97 of the 316 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores.
The most recent dividend payment equates to a $0.16-per-share annual dividend yielding 0.9% based on the closing price of La-Z-Boy's stock on April 30.


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Ultimate Noise Reduction Effects Pedal
So you love the bite, twang and snap of single-coil pickups, but can't stand the nasty hum that comes along for the ride. Plug into the BEHRINGER NOISE REDUCER NR300 and kiss unwanted noise goodbye for good!
Dynamic Duo
The NR300 actually functions as two pedals in one. In Reduction mode, you can adjust the dedicated Threshold and Decay dials to keep all your tone and dynamics intact, but effectively eliminate hum from the picture. In Mute mode, the NR300 becomes a super-quiet on/off switch for your instrument.
Ease of Use
Operation couldn't be easier. The NR300 features two LEDs—one to indicate when it's activated, another to indicate when it's suppressing noise. You can power this hum killer with a 9 V battery or our PSU-SB DC power supply (not included). And the top-quality on/off switch maintains absolutely noise-free operation.
Lose the hum, but hold onto your precious single-coil tone with the ultra-affordable NOISE REDUCER NR300—get one at your BEHRINGER dealer today.
You Are Covered
We always strive to provide the best possible Customer Experience. Our products are made in our own MUSIC Group factory using state-of-the-art automation, enhanced production workflows and quality assurance labs with the most sophisticated test equipment available in the world.
As a result, we have one of the lowest product failure rates in the industry, and we confidently back it up with a generous 3-Year Warranty program.
Additional Information / Behringer NR300 Noise Reducer Effects Pedal
|Effects/pedal type
|guitar stompbox
|Advanced Features
|For which instrument
|bass guitar, electric guitar
|Power Supply
- Effectively eliminate unwanted noise and hum without altering your tone
- This BEHRINGER product has been designed to compete head to head with leading products on the market
- Preserves the original attack and envelope while leaving your playing and dynamics intact
- Dedicated Threshold and Decay controls plus a Mute mode for awesome flexibility
- Additional Send/Return loop for noise suppression of external effect units
- Status LED for effect on/off and battery check
- Runs on 9 V battery or the BEHRINGER PSU-SB DC power supply (not included)
- First-class electronic On/Off switch for highest signal integrity in bypass mode
- High-quality components and exceptionally rugged construction ensure long life
- Conceived and designed by BEHRINGER Germany


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Dr. Lien-Thu Dao – Optometrist
Dr. Dao is an Optometrist in Haverhill providing complete eye care services for the surrounding communities.
As a licensed optometrist, Dr. Dao provides exams, diagnoses, and treatments of all disorders that affect the eye or vision. In addition to training in eye diseases and disorders, Dr. Dao is also trained in anatomy, biochemistry, and physiology. With this background, Dr. Dao is trained to recognize a range of health issues; such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and hypertension. One of Dr. Dao's specialties is treating dry eye disease.
Dr. Dao works hard to stay current on the latest advances in eye health and vision care and regularly attends continuing education seminars and advanced training courses. It is because of Dr. Dao's dedication to continuing education that our Haverhill patients receive the most modern and progressive vision care available.
Dr. Frederic Rose – Optometrist
Dr. Rose graduated from Tufts University and received a Doctor of Optometry degree from the New England College of Optometry. After graduation, Dr. Rose worked for a well known contact lens specialist as well as volunteering at the Low Vision Clinic at Boston University Medical School and at the Tufts New England Medical Center Eye Clinic.
Dr. Rose has vast experience in the care and treatment of eye disease and vision problems.