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Magic Kingdom Park
Main Street, U.S.A.
Valid Admission and Park Reservation for Same Park on Same Date Required
Buffet/Family Style, Character Dining
Feast with some favorite friends from the Hundred-Acre Wood at this whimsical, all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet.
An Important Message
This offering is currently unavailable. Learn More about dining options during the phased reopening of Walt Disney World Resort.
Join Winnie the Pooh and a few of his Pals for a willy, nilly, silly good time!
Inspired by Victorian greenhouses of the late 1800s, The Crystal Palace brims with light, topiaries and tropical palms—and is an enchanting spot to meet some favorite Disney Friends!
Plus, while you dine on scrumptious fare, Disney Characters stop by for laughs, photos and autographs.
Advance reservations are highly recommended. Learn when advance reservations can be made. Character appearances and entertainment are subject to change.
Bountiful buffets feature American favorites prepared before you in the onstage kitchen.
Start your day with delicious omelets, freshly baked pastries, fruit and more.
For dinner, choose from mouth-watering favorites like roasted carved meats, freshly prepared pastas, peel-and-eat shrimp and beyond.
And delight in such desserts as warm bread pudding, coconut panna cotta, brownies, seasonal cheesecake bites and soft-serve ice cream—the perfect ending to your lunch or dinner.
All menu items are subject to change without notice.
Get great vacation tips for every member of your family, from preschoolers to grandparents!
Choose the best must-dos for everyone in your family with these Walt Disney World Resort vacation planning tips, designed just for you!
Even as the Disney Cast Member guides you around our site, they will be unable to access or view any files or information on your device or anything you type.
To stop the session, click the X in the screen-sharing window at any time. You can remain on the phone with the Cast Member.
Enter the code provided by the Cast Member and Accept to get started.


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i have been struggling with a formatting issue for days now: >>>>the font
size formatting does not show up in IE/Vista, <<<< while it does in
Firefox/Vista and it also shows up in IE/XP....
while i have reset the preferred bowser to Firefox for my vista/NOF10
laptop, this has no effect on the "page view" of NOF10 on the vista laptop.
it must be defaulting to IE(?) in page preview. >>>>anyone know how to
change that?
i am in touch w tech support about this issue, but hope that some of you
have experience with this.
if you have the opportunity, check out this site
http://www.calkinsart.net/thumbsbeyond2007/ for visuals of what i mean --
the name is supposed to be in larger size font, but in Vista/IE it is all
the same size. i checked the html, and it does reflect different sizes.

subset: commoncrawl


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We all know there's tremendous amount of information on weightlifting technique online. Some of it is legit; some of it is pretty bogus. But a new venture, SportsEdTV is about to make a huge impact.
Several months ago I was contacted about SportsEdTV, after which I reviewed their initial content dealing with tennis and golf. We later created the plan for adding weightlifting to their site. I selected Rachael Bommicino and T.J. Greenstone to serve as models for our production session in September. I've worked extensively with them as coaches and as lifters in the past, and had great confidence in their ability to make this project first-class.
We filmed at CrossFit Doral, in Miami, where I previously had conducted a USAW Level I course. The facility is great, but typical of a "box" in South Florida in September, it was, shall we say, plenty warm. We went through a number of SportsEdTV t-shirts in our 10-hour shoot.
Eleiko provided the weights for the project, and good friend and two-time Olympian Derrick Crass brought in DC Blocks for the day.
We've had excellent feedback from viewers around the world. Check out SportsEdTV Weightlifting Training Videos and stay current with new information as it is posted. Share the link with your lifters, fellow coaches, and please reference this great source of information via any blog you write.


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Our Mission at Beirman Furniture is to make buying office furniture easy while providing outstanding customer service.
At Triplett's we have everything you need from the office to the breakroom, from paper and pens to new furniture for your entire office.
Proudly serving the Des Moines/Urbandale area for 40 years.


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London EC4A 4AD
PANEL CHAIR: VR/AR Content
Gaming is driving the momentum for VR, but what new forms of content can VR create? Could it create new experiences and new forms of entertainment? Could people buy tickets for a virtual 'experiences' with others to watch/experience exclusive AR content, whether that is sport, a concert, a horror maze or a film. This panel will hear from broadcasters, production houses and gaming on how they see VR/AR as platforms.


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If you know me in person (and perhaps even if you are a virtual friend), you know that I will celebrate everything. It's true! Every day is filled with moments worthy of joy, worthy of celebration, it's all in how we choose to acknowledge them. You can imagine my delight when I came across the #lovemyschoolday hashtag on Twitter – an entire day dedicated to positive posts about our students, our schools, our profession!
Yes, I know I'm on Spring Break, but who can resist writing about things that bring you joy?
This is my ninth year working at the same elementary school. While this may not seem like much of an accomplishment for a 20 year veteran in education, if you read my "About Tamara" tab on this website you will learn that I have lived and worked in many places across the United States. Each place I've worked, each position I've held, has taught me skills, techniques, and even life lessons that have shaped the educator I am today.
Now here I am, after more than a decade of travels, working for the same school district my husband and I attended when we were young. My school is the same school where my husband hung his backpack and played on the playground; his childhood home still stands just two streets over.
There is something comforting about working in a place that reminds you of your childhood.
The first day I arrived on campus, students held the door for me even before they knew my name. Teachers stopped by my room to introduce themselves and say hello. I quickly learned that I was a welcomed addition to their school community and to this day those moments warm my heart.
As a technology integrator, my job is unique as I don't have a class of my own; in fact, much of my position focuses on providing professional development about technology integration to teachers, then supporting them as they use technology with their own students. However, my teachers know my passion for leading and learning with students and often invite me in to collaborate and co-teach lessons they may not have taught on their own.
Our teachers look out for one another. We surprise one another with acts of kindness: a special treat waiting on your desk, a kind note when you've had a challenging day, a smile as you pass down the hall. Our administrators are flexible and understanding. If you have a new idea you want to try, you will often receive the green light to move forward. I love our support staff, our cafeteria gals, and everyone who shares the load in making our school so wonderful.
Even with all these shout-outs, the main reason why I love my school is the opportunity to make a difference in the life of a child. We have more than 600 students on our campus and each morning they come rushing in, ready to start a new day. Oh, the joy of sharing a part of their journey! To stand beside them as they finally master a task, to be the recipient of their "ah-ha" moment – this is privilege I hold dear to my heart.
Each day I have students visit me in the Tiny Tech Cafe "just for a quick hug" or to show me something they created at home. They greet me by name, always with a smile, and remind me daily why I choose this profession over others.
Today, even as I am away from school on Spring Break, I am reminded why I love my school.
Relationships matter.


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When Can I Start Driving Again After I Get My Defibrillator?
Dr. Ruskin answers the question: 'Start Driving Again After Defibrillator?'
-- Question: When can I start driving again after I get my defibrillator?
Answer :The question of driving and defibrillators is very much dependent on why the defibrillator was implanted. In a majority of patients in 2008, defibrillators are implanted for what we call primary prevention. That is, patients who are known to be at risk for sudden death but who have never had a life-threatening arrhythmia. And in those patients we restrict driving only for a week or two after the implantation of the device and then allow them to resume normal activities, including driving.
In patients in whom defibrillators are implanted because of the occurrence of a life-threatening arrhythmia, driving is typically restricted for a period of six months and if the individual does not experience a recurrence of their arrhythmia during that six month period, they're generally allowed to resume driving.


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« A Small But Significant Decimal Point | Main | A Peaceful, Loving, and Productive Start of Class »
Coach G's Most Popular Posts of 2012
Happy New Year, colleagues! I'm looking forward to another year of sharing ideas with you that improve student learning. But first I'd like you to revisit (and tweet if you're inspired) the three most popular posts on this blog in 2012 as you make New Year's resolutions for 2013. Here are the three posts, along with a quote from each:
- Don't Prevent Students' Mistakes, Prepare for Them. "Traditional teaching methods deny students the chance to learn from their mistakes by preventing them from making mistakes."
- Don't Evaluate Teachers, Coach Them. "Accountability without support is a formula for frustration and failure--for school leaders and teachers alike."
- The Effect of Affect. "How students feel in your classroom influences how they perform in your classroom."
Coach G
Join my mailing list for announcements about webinars and the work I do to improve teaching and learning.


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Looking for Eggcellent items to include in this year's Easter Basket?
At Mommy University, we are always on the lookout to increase learning opportunities for our children while they have fun. With each holiday we cherish the family memories, unique events and activities, but also look to include learning toys which inspired us to create an Easter Basket Guide that promotes learning through play. Instead of overflowing baskets with sugar, there are so many items that can be included most of which don't have a huge price tag and encourage children to think.
With our Learning Partners, we have been collaborating to compile an EGG-stravagant Easter Basket Giveaway! You can now win a massive collection of items we have boasted about on our website. A big THANK YOU to Creativity For Kids, Faber-Castell, Little Kids Inc., North Star Games and Peaceable Kingdom for their generous donations for this giveaway!
Mommy University Presents
An EGG-stravagant Easter Basket Giveaway
Creativity For Kids
Rock a Doodle value at $5.99
Corner Creature Bookmarks value at $5.99
Animal Buttons value at $5.99
6 ct Neon Gel Crayons value at $7.99
North Star Games
Happy Salmon value at $14.99
Peaceable Kingdom
Sticker Fun value at $9.99
Playing Cards
Foil Art value at $6.99
Write and Wipe Games to Go! value at $9.99
Fashion Angels
Emoji Bracelet Set value at $9.99
Magic Sequin Journal value at $8.49
Tapefiti in a Can-Cat value at $4.99
Mini Fashion Sketchbook value at $5.99
Metallic Pencils value at $9.99
Little Kids Inc.
Peeps Sidewalk Chalk value at $2.99
Fubble Bubbles Mini value at around $4
Peep Bubbles value around $9
Shimmer and Shine Bubble Necklace value at $11.99
PAW Patrol Bubble Pup Tag value at $11.99
Go! Go! Smart Wheels Press and Race Fire Truck value at $8.99
Value of EGG-stravagant Easter Basket Giveaway is over $100
(For a full review of each item and pictures please check out our 2017 Easter Basket Gift Guide!)
Here are the rules and conditions for this amazing giveaway:
Participants MUST live in the United States.
The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter.
The contest will run from March 19, 2017 through 12am on April 3, 2017.
The winner will be announced on April 3, 2017.
The winner will receive the products directly from various companies: North Star Games, Fashion Angels, Peaceable Kingdom, Faber-Castell, Creativity for Kids. Little Kids Inc. and VTech products will be shipped directly from Mommy University. We cannot guarantee that the prizes will arrive prior to Easter date.
The winners must respond within 1 day or another winner will be chosen.
The items received may not match the items exactly as pictured in this post or the cover graphic.
To enter, participants can earn entries by: visiting the Mommy University Facebook page (likes are appreciated but not required), following Mommy University on Twitter, sharing the contest with friends and commenting on this blog post by answering the required question. One FREE entry can also be given when this option is chosen (you're welcome).
No purchase is necessary to win.
Your chances of winning are dependent on the number of entries received.
Enter here: a Rafflecopter giveaway


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There are three Friday the 13ths in 2012, one is today. There was only one last year. It's something about '13' and something about 'Friday' that when you put them together, it's a bit spooky. No real reason why, I'm not superstituous one little bit, except when I come to think about it, I am in a sense.
Not really superstitious, it's more that (like most people I suspect) I have my ways of doing things, and over time the rhythms of doing things the same way builds a comfort that creates confidence and perhaps performance. It feels 'right', and often that is what makes you relax, and when you're relaxed (yet alert) you perform better. Whether at work or in sport, I actually find myself doing certain things in order (which might look like superstitions to the outsider) but are just the customary ways I put my pads on, or open my blinds before firing up my computer every morning, or left sock on before right, or prepare to make that crucial putt, or whatever.
Some hotels refuse to have a 13th floor, or a 4th (4 meaning death in Asian languages, while there will be a rush on a car number plate with an '8' in it). That maybe going overboard, but if no one is to book into the 13th, or 4th floor, maybe this is just sound business sense. I don't walk under a ladder, mainly for safety reasons, but you won't find me hopping from one leg to another when the score is 111, or 87 (the devil's number less than a 100).
I survived this Friday 13th without any mishaps. In fact it was quite an enjoyable day overall. I hope you were all safe and sound too. And, by the way, the next Friday 13th is in April, and then another one in July.


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Results 1 - 2 of 2
Publications -
October 2018
Digital credit in Kenya: evidence from demand-side surveys
The pricing, marketing and potential misuse of digital loans coupled with the extensive negative reporting of borrowers who have failed to repay these relatively small loans has raised a growing chorus of concern about their design and the adverse impacts they have on borrowers and the financial system more broadly.
Publications -
March 2016
A promise fulfilled? Financial market development in Kenya, 2011-2015
This report examines how the financial market in Kenya had developed and what impact on lives and livelihoods is evident.


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Author's Note: and we're finally back to the Hero of the story. Coy was a different character to write for, an I don't mean that he was easier than Sea. With Coy… the story of becoming the Hero is longer because I have to write about life in his world, the one where the story takes place. Not to mention that this "Memory" is the longest I have written so far. As for the title of this and the past memories… it's named after a song. The main difference is that the song that I used for this memory's title is something from an anime… and better to look for the English Version. Anywho, pleae enjoy?
My name is Coy, I'm a coyote half-man (animal person). The half-man are called that because we look half-human. Though we are not anthropomorphic creatures, we just have some animalistic features. Like animal ears, horns or antlers, and a tail. We even have a better sense of hearing and smell than most of the other races. Other than that, we look human. We can even breed with humans, though the result is usually another half-man. The offspring is normally whatever the other species of the half-man parent is, but on extremely rare case a normal human is born. The same chances happen with dwarfs and elves as well. If two different species of half-man have an offspring, it becomes either one of the two parents' species.
However, we didn't come up with the name of our race. It was originally a derogatory term used by the humans of old who first met and feared us. In the past there was a habit of humans enslaving our kind, we were treated as lesser beings. In the past hundred years, slavery of any intelligent being has been prohibited in most parts of our world. But there are still many humans who think of their own race as superior to us. Sadly, it's the same for half-men thinking of humans as the inferior race. When it came to other races such as the elves and the dwarfs, there has never been hostilities. Of course, no one likes goblins at all.
Other than the history of my people, it's time for more about myself. I grew up in a frontier town called Anthill Bay. There were no anthills of course, it was called that because of all the different races that live there. Half-men, humans, elves, dwarfs, you name it. Anthill Bay is bigger than most frontier towns, but still not big enough to call a city. We have a port for goods to come in, and it's located in a place between the forest and the desert. The temperatures are unique for this town, some places it's hotter and some places it's cooler. Before you ask, it's not a medieval town. Even though we have magic, we have things such as fully-automatic firearms called Gusenbergs. People either ride around on horseback, horse-drawn carts, or drive saloon cars. Some people wear rancher's clothing, some even wear zoot suits with fedoras.
Anthill Bay is actually located on the border of the Boromarl Republic to the south and the Portnew Kingdom to the north. In order to solve the dispute on which country the town belongs to, both agreed that it belongs to neither and allowed it to govern itself. However, both countries have embassies on each side of the town and call it neutral territory. Not to mention that if any other country tries to invade from the sea, that Portnew's navy shall protect it's waters. But due to the fact it's neutral territory, means that the authority of both countries does not count. That's why Anthill Bay has it's own set of laws, most of them protect non-human species from being attacked for reasons that are still legal in Portnew Kingdom.
Boromarl Republic on the other hand is pro-non-human species. currently there was a debate on whether or not for the town to join them. However, that would mean that Anthill Bay would be the first town attacked if war were to break out. Not to mention that Portnew would remove the protective laws and most of the non-human residents would be forced into slavery. In case of a war, it was safer for the town to remain neutral. Boromarl was still considered a frontier, a lot of the land had yet to be touched by human hands and otherwise. So being able to protect the residents of Anthill Bay was not going to be possible.
But back on topic, Boromarl's officials are decided by vote. Even though Anthill Bay is a neutral town, we're allowed to vote as well. The commander and chief is the Prime Minister. As there's no nobility in Boromarl, it seemed like the right thing to do. As I mentioned earlier, it's still a frontier. And it's government is way younger than that of Portnew Kingdom.
"Boss, why are we studying this crap?" (Zeke)
I looked away from my makeshift desk to the dwarf with long auburn hair and beard sitting beside of me. Ezekiel was a immigrant from a country across the ocean that's still stuck in the whole 'humans are superior' mentality. He came to Anthill Bay to go south to Boromarl as a frontiersman, but he was a stowaway on one of the Walton Trading Company's ships who got found out when it reached port. Instead of being reported to the sheriff, Boss Walton instead took him in to pay off what would had been a fee for boarding the ship in the first place.
"Because if you work for me, you need to know things like politics." (Walton)
Dale Walton is the most powerful man in Anthill Bay that's not in office and a human. He is called Boss Walton for reasons other than being the boss of the Walton Trading Company, he is also the kingpin of Anthill Bay's criminal underworld. The company is just for his 'clean' business as well as a front for all the money laundering. Also, his employees are also his lackeys in the Walton Gang. I should know, I'm one of them.
He is also known as 'Walton the Eagle' in both his legitimate and not-so legitimate trades. His head is always shaved while he has a van dyke beard on his face. The shape of his nose also looks like an eagle's beak, making his appearance look more sinister. Not to mention those eyes of his, always with a look of a predator. Between his looks and his occupation, he is someone that no one in this town wants to cross.
"Dammit Zeke, won't you just shut up and learn already?" (DJ)
DJ is actually short for 'Dale Junior", Dale Walton's own son. But unlike his father, DJ is actually half-elf. He really didn't have any of his father's features except for the narrow jawline and the predator-like eyes. The rest of him was long blonde hair which was always kept in a ponytail and his long elf ears, as well as other facial features that I can only assume are from his mother. The only other thing I knew about him was that he was a year older than me.
"How about the two of you shut up?" (Walton)
That had to have been the fifth time I seen Walton face-palm today. Me, Zeke, and DJ were the only ones being taught this time. That's because we were the only ones who still needed to learn things. As schooling is a privilege in this town, not too many of us even have an education. But when you work for Boss Walton, you must learn how to read and write as well as learn things such as politics and business. Not to mention… he hates uneducated people.
Not too long after the commotion caused by Zeke and DJ, the whistle blew. That meant break was over and it was time to get back to work. There was plenty of unloading to be done today due to a shipment of muskets coming from Melca, a foreign desert kingdom that were to be picked up by a noble from Portnew. As firearms like the side-bolt rifles are still relativity new, there were still countries that used muskets.
Today I had the so-called honor of meeting with the Portnew noble's caravan at the front of the building. I personally hated dealing with people from Portnew, but Walton ordered it. As I was standing at the gates smoking a cigarette, I was wondering how the hell my life came to this. I never wanted to be one of Walton's employees, but he was the only one would hire non-humans at the time that was still hiring. Even though this town is non-human friendly, a lot of the newer businesses are run by people from Portnew.
As I saw the caravan approaching, I made sure that my neck-tie was straight. One of the things that Walton is serious about is appearance. All employees wore blue zoot suits. The dress shirt underneath is optional, so I went with a light blue. But our neck-ties… are the most important part of the uniform. The color of the tie represents your position in both the company and the gang. White is for the lowest rank and black is the highest you can get under Walton's position. I'm currently a red tie, so I am close to a black tie. And before you ask, Walton himself wears a bolo-tie.
Not long after making sure that my tie was straight, I was approached by one of the caravan guards.
"Oi, half-man. Is this is the Walton Trading Company?" (guard)
I really felt like pointing out that it said so at the sign, but I could not be rude as I didn't want to be punished by Walton later.
"This certainly is the Walton Trading Company, my good sir."
I could see the disgust in the guard's face after my proper reply. I could easily tell that this guy had to have been a former royal guard who got transferred to the service of a noble. He may had been wearing chain-mail with a white tunic over it and a nasal helmet, but I could tell by the broadsword hanging from his left hip. The scabbard was too ornate for a mere guard. Not to mention that the crossbow that was strapped to his back was not being properly handled.
"Where be your master, half-man?" (Guard)
Ugh… I hated the way he said it. It made me sound more like a slave than a person. As much as I wanted to shoot this guy with the revolver holstered under my left shoulder, I had to keep my cool and remain proper.
"My boss is currently overseeing the cargo being unloaded from the Melca ship. It's the Walton Trading Company's policy to make sure that all inventory is properly accounted for. But if Mr. Balsac wants, I can accompany him to Mr. Walton's location."
I could tell that I really made that guard mad. He drew his broadsword and pointed it at my gullet.
"How dare you! Earl Balsac is Portnew nobility, the Earl of Drei, and the brother of the Arch Bishop of Portnew! I should have your head and present it to him!" (Guard)
Again, a whole lot of aristocratic nonsense that I didn't need.
"Guard, lay down your sword." (Balsac)
While the Guard was being a pain in the ass, the Earl of Drei himself had already stepped out of his personal carriage. By his looks, he was in his later forties like Walton. But unlike Walton, he wore a full-beard that was neatly trimmed and blond hair that was long and curled. Like all Portnew nobility, he wore a high-class black short-tunic that had puffy shoulders and a fully-buttoned crimson jerkin. Not to mention he wore one of those annoying white ruffs around his neck. The rest of his attire was white leggings, brown leather knee-boots with matching leather gloves.
"But m'lord, this mere slave dared mock your good name?" (Guard)
"No, you just misinterpreted his words. And do not forget, Anthill Bay is not a part of our beloved Portnew. There is no slavery or serfdom here. This man is an employee of Mr. Walton's, not slave labor." (Balsac)
I tried my best not to grin as the Guard tried not to throw a tantrum after putting his sword back in the scabbard. Personally, I think I handled this pretty well.
"Now… you there, employee. What is your name?" (Balsac)
"It's Coy, sir."
"Alright Coy, can you please take me to Mr. Walton?"
"Yes, sir."
I didn't like the way he asked for my name, but he did have more manners than the Guard. The two of them silently followed me to the loading area where we found Walton. He had papers in his hand, which meant that he just finished checking the inventory.
"Earl Balsac, ever the pleasure." (Walton)
"The same to you, Mr. Walton. Do you have the cargo?" (Balsac)
"Just finished checking. All fifty crates are full of muskets." (Walton)
"Good. Now, did anything else happen to be in that shipment?" (Balsac)
"Actually… there was a water-tight crate that wasn't on the manifest. Care to explain?" (Walton)
"That Mr. Walton, is none of your business. It was part of the cargo that I ordered from Melca." (Balsac)
"Then I'm afraid that I can't legally give it to you, Earl Balsac." (Walton)
"You don't need to. It was never there." (Balsac)
I then seen two of the other guards from the caravan carry a trunk and set it down in front of Walton. I couldn't believe it if I didn't see it. When one of the guards opened it, it was full of gold coins. A lot of other jaws dropped as well. But Walton… had a change of expression for the worst.
"Earl Balsac, are you trying to bribe me?" (Walton)
"It's not a bribe, it's a gift for keeping this matter silent." (Balsac)
"You know that I don't accept 'gifts' during business hours. Sorry, but I cannot release that crate to your custody right now." (Walton)
"Mr. Walton, you do not seem to understand. I must have that piece of cargo before I return to Drei." (Balsac)
"Then come back tonight. We will discuss this matter then." (Walton)
I could easily see the anger on the Earl's face, but he agreed. After Balsac's men loaded their carts with the crates full of muskets, they left. They did leave the trunk full of gold, but Walton ordered Zeke and DJ to take it to his office. He then ordered a meeting.
"Alright you lugs, there is something fishy about this." (Walton)
"But isn't 'fishy' what the business is about, pa?" (DJ)
For the sixth time today, Walton face-palmed.
"That's the 'other' business we're in, son. For the Earl of Drei to try something like this in broad daylight… I don't like it." (Walton)
"Boss, there is a lot that you don't like." (Zeke)
"Thank you for stating the obvious… Ezekiel. Still, I need you to check these coins out." (Walton)
"Heh, we dwarfs know metal like the back of our hands." (Zeke)
With that, Zeke took one and licked it. I never understood why or how he could do it, but apparently dwarfs had the ability to check the quality of minerals by taste. By my guess, that's why they are normally in the mining and blacksmithing businesses. But by the face he made, I could tell something was wrong.
"This coin is a fake! The quality of gold is too low." (Zeke)
"Knew it. Now Coy and DJ, let's go open that crate." (Walton)
I didn't like the happenings, but we followed his orders. Both me and DJ had to carry it from where it was stashed to just outside of the office. As we carried it, I noticed a 'swooshing' noise as the crate rocked. Also, it had the faint smell of salt water. I couldn't understand it as the outside of the crate was dry.
Walton handed me a crowbar. I didn't even need him to tell me what to do. Carefully, I removed the nails. After a few were pulled out, the crate started to rock.
"What are you standing there for? Open it." (Walton)
I pulled out the last few nails and pried the lid off. What happened next, I couldn't believe. A human torso pulled itself out. It was a female with pink hair and eyes. Her hair was very long and had a clam shell-like accessory to keep her bangs to the left. But when I paid closer attention to her neck… she had gills. That's when I paid attention to the rest of her, she also had a pink fin. Not to mention… a very huge bust.
"Hey Mermaid, are you alright?" (Walton)
"Where am I?" (mermaid)
"You're currently at the Walton Trading Company in Anthill Bay. Don't worry, we won't hurt you. My name is Walton, I'm the owner of this place. We only want to know what happened." (Walton)
"Hello there, my name is Abigail. I am the first princess of the Undersea Empire, but you may refer to me as Abby." (Abby)
"Wait… Princess Abigail?" (Walton)
"You know of me?" (Abby)
"I do. Your disappearance has been in the headlines of the news lately. Not to mention that your father is close to declaring war with the surface… again." (Walton)
"Oh no, I must return at once!" (Abby)
"Not so fast, Princess." (Walton)
"But…" (Abby)
"No buts. Look, we can't let you go until we know what happened." (Walton)
"I see… then I shall start from the beginning. I was off playing with a school of flounder when I suddenly ended up in the net of a Melca fishing boat." (Abby)
Go figure. Melca is a nation that is still huge on slavery. They are even worse than Portnew on the subject, it's dangerous for anyone. Even humans can end up as slaves there. For the Melca, anyone who is a non-believer of their religion is not even a person. So all intelligent species are fair game.
"Now that we know how you were caught, try telling us how you ended up in Anthill Bay?" (Walton)
"Despite my pleas to release me, they refused to listen. After spending a few months in captivity, I was told that I was going to Portnew. Apparently I was sold." (Abby)
"That damned Balsac…" (Walton)
Something told me that Balsac wasn't going to be a valued customer in the near future. Then again, he did get us involved in an international incident. For someone in Walton's situation, there was no bribe big enough to get out of this one.
"What are we gonna do, boss?"
I was dumb enough to ask.
"Coy, stay here. I'm going to increase security. I'll send a messenger to Balsac, he's not getting away with this one. DJ and Ezekiel, get my car. We're going straight to Sheriff Dalton and report what we found. No way in hell am I going to hang for anyone else' crimes!" (Walton)
That was Boss Walton for you. No way in hell was anyone going to make a fool out of him.
"Coy, grab a Gusenberg. Knowing that asshole Balsac, he's going to try to get the Princess back. Also, move her crate into the office. Mermaids cannot be too far away from water and that's the safest place for her. And if we can get through this… I'll make you, Ezekiel, and DJ all black ties." (Walton)
If we were all becoming black ties, this really was serious.
"Yes, sir!"
As Walton left with the others, I moved the crate into the office with the help of a cart. I didn't know all the details or why Balsac wanted the Princess, things like that were not my strong suit. All I could do was peek through the blinds to see other guys in blue zoot suits patrolling the area. As we just handed Balsac's men a lot of muskets, there was no telling how they were going to do this.
"Mr. Coy?" (Abby)
"What's going to happen to me?" (Abby)
"Well… I don't know the details. All I know is that we're both in the middle of a huge mess right now."
"I'm scared." (Abby)
"To be honest… I'm scared too."
"You are?" (Abby)
"Yeah, I am. All my time working for Mr. Walton… I've gotten involved in a lot of things. But none of those can compare to what's going on right now. However… I can promise you this."
She looked at me with eyes full of despair.
"I will protect you. No matter what happens, I will make sure that you will return home safely."
Her despair had started to change into hope.
"Thank you…" (Abby)
With that, I could see her eyes starting to tear up. But before I could do anything, I heard a Wilhelm Scream.
"What the hell!?"
I peeked through the curtains to see the two guys patrolling on the ground with crossbow bolts sticking out of them. Also, two men that I seen from Balsac's personal guard searching the area.
"Abby, I'm going to have to ask you to keep your head down for a while. Alright?"
She nodded and complied with my request. All I could do was grab the Gusenberg and breathe before kicking the door open.
"Say hello to my little friend!"
A line that I always wanted to say as I fired at the two intruders.
Rat tat tat tat*
Rat tat tat tat*
As I fired, I made sure to only do burst shots as the aim gets worse the longer you hold your finger down on the trigger with these things. Both enemies fell, but then I heard a 'woosh' in my direction thanks to my hearing. I turned to my left and grabbed the crossbow bolt right before it could hit my face.
"Damnable beast!" (intruder)
The intruder threw down his crossbow and drew his sword. As he charged at me, all I could do was sigh. I dropped the bolt he fired at me and shot him with the Gusenberg.
Rat tat tat tat*
"Seriously? I have a freaking machine gun and you idiots are coming at me with swords and crossbows?"
Sadly, now both the smell of blood and gunpowder were flooding my nose. I didn't like it, I lost focus because I tried to cover my nose. But before I could focus, I was finally caught off guard enough for someone to sneak up on me and knock me through the window back into the office.
"Did you really think you could win, beast?" (Guard)
It was the same guard from earlier. The bastard was actually strong enough to kick me through a window.
"Against an asshole like you? Of course."
I had lost the Gusenberg when he kicked me. He picked it up, and had it aimed at me. But there was no way I was going to like this guy get to Abby.
"It would be in your best interest to surrender, beast." (Guard)
"Screw you."
He pulled the trigger, but nothing happened. Lady luck herself was on my side as the drum magazine jammed when the gun hit the floor.
"Bloody hell?" (Guard)
I took that chance to jump back through the broken window and tackle him. When we hit the concrete, we wrestled as I couldn't let him draw his sword. Sadly, he was stronger and managed to throw me off of him. He got up first and drew his sword.
"This time… I'll have your head, damnable beast!" (Guard)
He rushed at me with his sword at the ready. I grabbed the first thing I could to counter. For once, I was glad that I didn't put a crowbar away. As he kept swinging and I was forced on the defensive, I managed to make it back onto my feet. His swings were getting stronger and stronger and I could feel my grip on the crowbar starting to weaken with each vibration from the impact.
Before I could just give in, I managed to peak into the broken office window. Abby had disobeyed me and was looking at us. That mermaid's face reminded me of the promise I had made to her, I couldn't die yet. No, it wasn't that. I couldn't let her see me die by this racist's hand.
I quit defending and swung the crowbar at full strength. Surprisingly, it was enough force to cause the Guard's sword to fly out of his hands. Now I was the one with the upper hand.
"Wait… we can work this out!" (Guard)
"But aren't I nothing more than a beast?"
"Please think rationally!?" (Guard)
"Why should I?"
Before I could beat his brains in, I heard a gunshot.
The bullet barely missed my head. I turned my head to see a very familiar man wearing rancher's clothing. It was the sheriff.
"Coy, put down the crowbar." (Dalton)
I complied.
"Thank you good sir, this beast attacked me." (Guard)
"You shut up, I saw you attacking him with a sword." (Dalton)
"But…" (Guard)
"No buts, you're under arrest for breaking and entering as well as trespassing on private property. Not to mention assault with a deadly weapon." (Dalton)
"You can't arrest me! I am a guard in the service of Earl Balsac, the Earl of Drei!" (Guard)
"You're forgetting something, this isn't Portnew. This is Anthill Bay." (Dalton)
"But…" (Guard)
"No buts, you do not have diplomatic immunity. Now surrender quietly." (Dalton)
I tried my hardest not to laugh as Dalton put that guard in handcuffs. It was the first time that I saw the old sheriff read someone else their rights. As Dalton was having his deputies take that guy away, Walton walked up to me.
"Dammit Coy… couldn't you have made less of a mess of this place?" (Walton)
"Considering the circumstances, I'm surprised that only this much happened."
"You have a point there. So I'm only deducting the window from your pay." (Walton)
"Wait… what?"
"You're the one who went through it." (Walton)
"Other than that, good job." (Walton)
"Thanks… oh. Shouldn't there have been more of Balsac's men? I mean… I only faced that guy and three others."
"There were, but the back-up managed to make it on time. Not to mention we had a fun time trying to make it to Sheriff Dalton." (Walton)
"Fun time?"
"We'll talk about it later." (Walton)
Before I could say another word, I collapsed. I could remember multiple voices screaming my name, but I only managed one sentence before losing consciousness.
"Stick a fork in me, I'm done."


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7 Billion People, One Story: The Power of Content Curation
Marketers are under pressure to create more content, faster. This post offers some sobering statisti
Tags: why curation, content curation, marketing strategy, study5 1
How To Move From Information Overload To Actionable Insight
Excellent analysis on the cross section of information and knowledge. The article articulates the n
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Page 1 of 1


text: The Fr. Leonard I. DiFalco Council Knights of Columbus, following the tradition of its founder, Servant of God Rev. Michael McGivney, works with the parish to assist St. Ann's physically, financially, socially, and spiritually. We are Catholic men of at least 18 years of age and in regular practice of our Catholic faith who strive to advocate and defend the Catholic faith, perform works of charity, and assist our parish in whatever way possible.


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Planeshift/Theme decks
Barrage[edit | edit source]
Barrage is a theme deck from Planeshift.
|To win with the Barrage deck, pretend you're the Incredible Hulk after too much coffee: "Hulk mad! Hulk SMASH!" The idea is to deal 20 damage before your opponent knows what's going on. Barrage does this with cheap, fast creatures, and it uses Familiars to make your spells even cheaper.
You must play everything in your hand as quickly as you can, and attack at every oppotunity - even if it means losing creatures. Use your direct damage spells to get blockers out of the way. Don't be afraid to trade two cards for one if that's what it takes to press the attack. If you let yourself get into a stalemate, you'll probably lose!
Alpha Kavu, one of the deck's important cards, lets you get tricky during combat. Say your opponent blocks your Alpha Kavu with a 2/2 creature. Wait until combat damage goes on the stack, then make your guy a 1/3. Your Kavu will destroy the blocker and survive. You can also use its ability on the other eleven Kavu in the deck - or to neutralize your opponent's Kavu!
After your creature have gotten in some damage, think about turning the torch on your opponent. Sparkcaster is great for this, especially if you've got one or two Familiars in play. Each time Sparkcaster comes into play, it deals one damage to your opponent, and then you can choose to bounce it back to your hand. Think of it as a replayable Zap with a 5/3 creature built in. You can also return Thunderscape Battlemage or Flametongue Kavu to your hand when you play a Gating creature to get the most out of your creatures' comes-into-play abilities.
What happens if your opponent manages to stop your all-out attack and stall the game? You'll be in trouble. If you draw something that can catch your opponent off guard, wait patiently for the best opportunity to play it. If you don't think it's enough, wait for another one - a two card combo might be enough to turn the tide.[1]
Creatures (27)
Enchantments (3)
Instants (6)
1 Simoon
1 Singe
Sorceries (1)
1 Implode
The 2 rares in this deck are Gaea's Herald and Mogg Sentry.
Comeback[edit | edit source]
Comeback is a theme deck from Planeshift.
|The Comeback deck uses Gating creatures to bewilder your opponents until its hordes of fliers can swarm them. With subtle card combination and color-changing surprises, this is definitely a thinking mage's deck.
To take full advantage of the gating mechanic, Comeback includes a lot of creatures with comes-into-play abilities. Here's an example of how they work together: Play Ravenous Rats. Its ability makes your opponent discard a card. Then play Cavern Harpy. When it comes into play, return the Rats to your hand. Play the Rats again... well you get the idea.
Some of the Comeback deck's nastiest tricks lie in its color-changing abilities. A number of its cards, such as Slay, Hunting Drake, and Galina's Knight, have color-specific effects. If you have Tidal Visionary or Sisay's Ingenuity in play, you can use these color-specific effects against any of your opponent's creatures.
Sawtooth Loon and Marsh Crocodile are gating creatures with additional comes-into-play abilities. Remember that because you control both comes-into-play abilities, and you decide the order in which they go on the stack. That means that when you play Marsh Crocodile, you'll never have to discard the creature you return to your hand (unless you want to). If your hand is empty, you won't be affected by the Croc's discard ability when you play and bounce it - but your opponent will.
Be on the lookout for hidden combos in Comeback. It's fun to see the shock on opponents' faces when they realize how the Cavern Harpy/Phyrexian Bloodstock/Tidal Visionary trick works. Even without the tricks, Cavery Harpy's bounce ability makes it practically indestructible. Remember that you can wait for the Harpy's combat damage to go on the stack before returning it to your hand.[2]
Lands (23)
7 Island
4 Plains
6 Swamp
Creatures (30)
Enchantments (3)
Instants (3)
1 Confound
1 Slay
Artifacts (1)
The 2 rares in this deck are Planeswalker's Scorn and Waterspout Elemental.
Domain[edit | edit source]
Domain is a theme deck from Planeshift.
|A five-color deck without any one land that can produce multiple colors? A deck that's over half lands and land-fetching effects? Can a deck like that work? It can, and the Domain deck is a blast to play!
Because all the "domain" cards depend on how many basic land types you have in play, this deck focuses on getting at least one of each basic land into play. The best color for solving mana problems is green, so the deck contains more forests than any other basic land. Quirion Trailblazer, Primal Growth, and Harrow are all important for getting basic lands into play. You'll find that playing Harrow can often mean the difference between winning and losing.
Once you have all five basic land types in play, the fun begins. You'll probably take some damage early in the game, but the Domain deck contains some cards to help you recover. Wandering Stream will often gain you eight or ten life, and Exotic Disease can close the gap between your life total and your opponent's. At just , Tribal Flames could deal 5 damage to an annoying creature (or your opponent). The star of the domain show is Allied Strategies. For just , you could draw five cards! Your creatures certainly aren't slouches, either. Once all five basic lands are in order, Wayfaring Giant hits the table at 6/8, and Stratadon is a menacing 5/5 for five mana.
Domain includes a few cards that aren't true domain cards, but they work well in the deck. The "dragon charms" are great utility spells. Between Rith's Charm and Treva's Charm, you can solve almost any problem you'll face. Magnigoth Treefolk is a big, unblockable creature that begs to be enchanted with Strength of Unity. Quirion Dryad can grow to huge proportions over the course of the game.
To improve the deck, you could take out some creatures and add more Tribal Flames and other creature-control spells. If you're fond of playing creatures, take out some of the catch-up spells and replace them with the best creatures in any color.[3]
Creatures (15)
Enchantments (3)
Instants (9)
1 Confound
3 Harrow
Sorceries (11)
The 2 rares in this deck are Magnigoth Treefolk and Quirion Dryad.
Scout[edit | edit source]
Scout is a theme deck from Planeshift.
|Scout is a creature deck packed with surprises. It's not the fastest deck you'll ever play, but once you set up, you'll be hard to beat. Scout includes six Battlemages - when you pay their kicker costs, they become utility spells and creatures wrapped into one. Since the deck has so many versatile spells, you'll usually have the answers to problems your opponents try to make for you.
The Scout deck is primarily green to take advantage of the best mana-fixing cards. Red provides a touch of creature removal, and white tricks can really surprise your opponent. Running three colors allows Scout to include some really powerful multicolored spells, including Fleetfoot Panther and Rith's Charm.
Your top priority should be to have access to your three colors. After your mana is in place, you'll have lots of decisions to make. Should you play your Battlemages right away so you can apply some beatdown, or should you wait so you can pay their kicker costs? The answer depends on the game situation. If you're getting hammered by enemy creatures, you might need to play your Battlemages just to survive. In general, the best choice is to wait as long as possible. However, if you draw any Gating creatures, go ahead and play a Battlemage or two - you can always use the gating creature to return a Battlemage to your hand.
You should save your few direct-damage spells for creatures that could really ruin your day. Or try to fool your opponent into thinking his or her creatures will come out on top in combat, then use the red spells to turn the tables. Pollen Remedy and Gerrard's Command can also radically change the outcome of combat.[4]
Lands (22)
11 Forest
2 Mountain
3 Plains
Creatures (26)
Enchantments (3)
Instants (9)
1 Harrow
1 Singe
1 Zap
The 2 rares in this deck are Eladamri's Call and Radiant Kavu.


text:
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Treasury Regulations and Judicial Deference in the Post-Chevron Era
Georgia State University Law Review, Vol. 13, No. 2 (February 1997), pp. 387-430
1984 was a watershed year in administrative law jurisprudence in the United States. That year, the Supreme Court outlined the degree of deference courts must show to agency regulatory interpretations of statutes. The Court concluded in Chevron, U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. that an administering agency's reasonable regulatory interpretation of a statute must prevail over a differing judicial interpretation in two instances: (1) when Congress fails to unambiguously address the issue involved or (2) when the agency's interpretation is consistent with Congress' intentions. In so doing, the Court broke new ground in administrative law by asserting that the judiciary must yield to the reasonable legal and policy determinations of an executive agency. Despite contrary assertions, the Chevron directive remains unchanged today after more than a decade of subsequent Supreme Court rulings.
Analysis of several post-Chevron cases indicates that every major Supreme Court case since 1984 involving the validity of a Treasury regulation is consistent with Chevron. Indeed, since 1984 every challenged Treasury regulation interpreting a statute in which Congress failed to address a specific tax issue has been upheld by the Court. In fact, no Supreme Court case since 1984 could be discovered in which the Court invalidated a Treasury regulation on the grounds that it was an unreasonable interpretation of a statute. Several post-Chevron Supreme Court decisions, however, rejected the Treasury's application of a tax regulation to a particular factual situation. Additionally, there have been times when the Court failed to defer to the Treasury's non-regulatory interpretations. However, at least with respect to Treasury regulatory interpretations, the Supreme Court's review of tax cases since 1984 has been consistent with Chevron.
Part I of this Article outlines the regulatory environment in which the Treasury Department operates. It discusses the authority of the Treasury to act as administrator of the tax laws, as well as the several ways that the Treasury fulfills its administrative obligation. Part II is an in-depth analysis of what this Article terms the "Chevron era." It contains an overview of several of the major Supreme Court cases preceding Chevron that involved Treasury regulatory deference and an analysis of the Chevron opinion. Part III focuses on the post-Chevron cases involving Treasury regulatory deference. It shows how the Supreme Court has abided by Chevron in each of its post-1984 decisions involving the validity of a Treasury regulation. Finally, it concludes that, contrary to the assertions of others, Chevron deference is alive and well. However, courts, especially the Supreme Court, should be more consistent at referencing Chevron so as to ensure continued adherence.
Repository Citation
David A. Brennen,
Treasury Regulations and Judicial Deference in the Post-Chevron Era
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/fac_artchop/493


text:
New Banneker Watch Video
18 Apr 2016, Posted by Banneker Watches, News, videos, Watch Sale in
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