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Serious Performance
All orders accepted by Serious Performance will be subject to the terms and conditions of sale set out below.
The following definitions apply:
Company is defined as Serious Performance of 128 Waterfall Road, Southgate, London N14 7JN, United Kingdom.
Customer is defined as persons purchasing our product on the internet, by mail order, by telephone, or direct sale (where product is exchanged for cash, cheque, Paypal or credit card).
Any prices shown are only applicable to those purchases made via the Serious Performance website.
Special Offers and promotions advertised in the press, or other media, may be excluded unless specifically advertised as available online.
All prices are correct at time of display online, and include VAT where appropriate.
In the unlikely event of an administrative error resulting in an incorrect price being displayed, we reserve the right to correct the price. In these circumstances, you will not be bound to continue with your purchase, and will be asked to email us to confirm that you wish to proceed.
Delivery of Goods
UK, We deliver to addresses within the United Kingdom, although for deliveries to non-mainland UK addresses, and certain remote locations e.g. Scottish Isles, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, Northern Ireland, Scottish Highlands, Channel Islands there may be a slightly longer delivery time.
Your order will be delivered either by Royal Mail, Royal Mail Recorded Delivery, or by Courier.
Outside UK, Please contact us for the best shipping method to your country.
Delivery Charges
UK, We make every effort to keep our delivery charges as low as possible. Due to the nature of our products, a delivery charge of £5.49 is made on each total order for delivery within the UK.
Outside UK, Please contact us for the best shipping price to your country.
Delivery Times
Delivery times are calculated in working days - i.e. Monday to Friday inclusive (working days do not include weekends or National Bank Holidays). In case of Bank Holidays, please allow an extra 2 working days.
From the receipt of your order, we endeavour to deliver your chosen items to you as soon as possible but will normally quote 3-5 working days. In reality delivery is often quicker.
Deliveries to non-Mainland or remote locations may take longer.
Goods delivered by courier should arrive between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. If you are out when the courier arrives, the Courier will leave a card with the contact number for you to call to rearrange a suitable delivery time, or for you to collect the goods from the local depot. A £5.00 charge may be applied if a redelivery is necessary.
We do everything we can to meet the delivery times specified in this section, however occasionally, delivery times may be affected by factors beyond our control and cannot be guaranteed. Where possible, we will inform you if we become aware of any unexpected delay.
Credit card
We accept payment by most major credit or debit cards. Payment will be debited from your account before the dispatch of your purchase.
Validation Checks
All credit and charge card holders are subject to validation checks and authorization by the card issuer. If the issuer of your payment card refuses to authorize payment to us, we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery.
The majority of card issuers cover all the charges that may result from unauthorized use of your credit card or debit cards, but some may limit your liability to £50. If you believe your credit or debit card has been subject to unauthorized use you should contact your card issuer without delay.
Payment will be debited from your account before the dispatch of your purchase.
Complaints and Queries
If you are not happy with any aspect of our service or if you have any queries or comments, please either e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com, telephone us on +44 (0) 7979 600 701, or write to Serious Performance, 128 Waterfall Road, Southgate, London N14 7JN. We will do everything we can to assist you.
Faulty Goods
If you purchase a product from us which is found to be faulty, we will supply a replacement product, or give you a refund of the purchase price. Simply return it to us by post.
We aim to dispatch a replacement product, or refund your money within 7 days.
It is not possible to cancel the order once the order has been processed on the web site. Please contact us to arrange a credit note, or refund. In case of a refund a 15% administritive charge or re-stocking fee may apply.
If purchasing by cheque, it is the customers responsibility to cancel the cheque.
Law and Jurisdiction
This contract is governed by, and construed in accordance with English law. The Company and the Customer hereby irrevocably submit to the non exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts for the purpose of determining all disputes arising in connection with the Contract, order, or these Terms & Conditions.


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1951 Chevy rat truck hot rod
Price: - Item location: Ponca City, Oklahoma, United States
- Condition: Used
- Make: Chevrolet
- Model: Other Pickups
- Year: 1951
- Mileage: 1,204
- Engine size: 350
- Number of cylinders: 8
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Transmission: Automatic
- Vehicle Title: Clear Want to buy? Contact seller!
1951 Chevrolet Other Pickups1951 Chevy pu rat truck. 91 S10 frame and suspension. ford 8.8 posi 373 rear end. Bed is off of a 61 ford stepside has been narrowed 7in. and sectioned. Bed is 8ft long. frount coils have had one turn removed to lower it. leaf springs in rear. engine is a 350 GM create motor with less than 300 miles on motor. Edelbrock intake and carb. ceramic coated headers with flowmaster mufflers. 350 turbo trans. Floor of cab is out of an S10 along with seats. B&M quicksilver shifter. Dolphin gauges. Truck runs and drives great. new frount and back windows with new gaskets. no windows in doors. have clear title. titled as a 51 chevy.
I reserve the right to end auction early if the truck sells locally.

subset: commoncrawl


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Plainview, NY 11803
At Meadowbrook Dentistry, we truly care about making the world a better place and helping every patient lead healthier, happier lives. One of the many ways Dr. Silfa and Dr. Casanas give back is through volunteer work with Medical Wings International. MWI brings together a group of professionals and volunteers to give medical and dental services to those communities that may not otherwise have access to the care they need. Our skilled dentists participate in several mission trips each year visiting places like Haiti and the Dominican Republic. If you would like to find out more about how Dr. Silfa, Dr. Casanas, and the MWI team are working to improve health around the globe, feel free to give our Plainview dentistry practice a call or talk to our team about MWI missions during your next visit.
About Our Practice Meet the Team Tour Our Office See Our Services


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Old Version of Quicktime Player 7.7.6
Legacy OS support
Sponsored Links
Quicktime Player 7.7.6 (40.15 MB)
Sponsored Links
- Windows XP
- Windows XP x64
- Windows Vista
- Windows Vista x64
- Windows 7
- Windows 7 x64
- Windows 8
- Windows 8 x64
- QuickTime 7.7.6 improves security and is recommended for all QuickTime 7 users on Windows.
- QuickTime for Java and QuickTime PictureViewer are no longer installed by default. They are removed if you have a previous version of QuickTime…
QuickTime is a multimedia technology developed by Apple Computer, capable of handling various formats of digital video, sound, text, animation, music, and immersive virtual reality panoramic images. It is currently at version 7.1.5 on the Mac and Windows platform.
QuickTime Player Pro Features
- Full-screen playback.
- New movie recordings from a FireWire DV or iSight camera.
- Editing clips through the Cut, Copy and Paste functions, merging separate audio and video tracks, freely placing the video tracks on a virtual canvas with the options of cropping and rotation
- Saving and exporting (encoding) to any of the codecs supported by QuickTime. QuickTime 7 includes presets for exporting video to a video-capable iPod.
- Some other free player applications that rely on the QuickTime framework provide features not available in the basic QuickTime Player. For example:
- iTunes can export audio in WAV, AIFF, MP3, AAC, and Apple Lossless.
- RealPlayer and Media Player Classic support all of the playback features included in QuickTime, including full-screen playback.
- In Mac OS X, a simple AppleScript can be used to play a movie in full-screen mode
Updates : Quicktime Player Updates
Did You Know?
After 10 years and with millions of users worldwide, Apple's QuickTime player still provides one of the best solutions for digital media. Whether you're watching streaming movie trailers online or diving headlong into QuickTime as a creation platform, you'll find little to quibble about in this veteran player


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Our team
Dr Emma Chourot BDS
Dental Surgeon
GDC Number 64666
Emma has lived locally since 1980, attending King's School in Ottery St Mary. She qualified from The University of Bristol in 1989 and went on to work as an associate in Paignton and Exeter before taking over the responsibilities of running her own practice in 1996. She is experienced in all aspects of dentistry but is particularly keen on preventive dentistry.
Beckie Fullard RDN
Nurse & Reception
GDC Number 269070
Beckie joined the practice in September 2015 as an apprentice Dental Nurse. She qualified in February 2017.
Sally Kielty RDN
GDC Number 113446
Sally joined the practice in 2011 and is our senior dental nurse.
Sally qualified as a registered dental nurse in 1976 and achieved a further qualification as an NVQ assessor in 2006. With 36 years' experience in dentistry Sally's role is to supervise the nursing team, ensuring practice policies including cross infection are kept up to date and adhered to.
Louise Clarkson
Louise joined the practice in 2007 and works part time on reception.
We all regularly attend post graduate courses to remain up to date with current treatments and practice policies.


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Healthy Spiralized-Veggie Recipes: Fruit & Cuke Salad, Lasagna Z'paghetti Bake
Spiral Fruit & Cuke Salad
1/4th of recipe (about 1 cup): 175 calories, 4.5g total fat (1g sat fat), 458mg sodium, 32.5g carbs, 2.5g fiber, 26g sugars, 3g protein
Green Plan SmartPoints® value 5*
Blue Plan (Freestyle™) SmartPoints® value 5*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 5*
Stop what you're doing, because this recipe deserves your full attention. Spiralized apple and cucumber are amazing together... especially in this salad!
15 minutes
12 oz. (about 2 medium) Fuji or Gala apples
10 oz. (about 1 large) seedless cucumber
6 oz. (about 1 medium) Granny Smith apple
1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese
1/2 oz. (about 2 tbsp.) chopped walnuts
3 tbsp. seasoned rice vinegar
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. olive oil
Peel Fuji/Gala apples, cucumber, and Granny Smith apple. Using a tabletop spiral vegetable slicer, cut apples and cucumber into spaghetti-like noodles. (If you don't have a tabletop spiral veggie slicer, cut them into matchstick-sized strips.) Roughly chop for shorter noodles. Finely chop any remaining apple. Place in a large bowl.
Add remaining salad ingredients, and toss to mix.
In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Whisk until uniform. Add dressing to salad, and toss to coat.
Lasagna Z'paghetti Bake
1/4th of recipe: 260 calories, 9.5g total fat (5.5g sat fat), 642mg sodium, 17g carbs, 4g fiber, 11g sugars, 27.5g protein
Green Plan SmartPoints® value 5*
Blue Plan (Freestyle™) SmartPoints® value 5*
Purple Plan SmartPoints® value 5*
Buh-bye, ginormous lasagna noodles! We've taken all the lasagna flavors you love and mixed them with spiralized zucchini. (Spoiler alert: The results are awesome.)
20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Cool: 10 minutes
1 1/2 lbs. (about 3 medium) zucchini
8 oz. raw extra-lean ground beef (4% fat or less)
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup light/low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tbsp. egg whites (about 1 large egg's worth) or fat-free liquid egg substitute
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray.
Using a spiral vegetable slicer, cut zucchini into spaghetti-like noodles. (If you don't have a spiral veggie slicer, peel zucchini into thin strips, rotating the zucchini after each strip.) Roughly chop for shorter noodles.
Bring an extra-large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Cook and stir zucchini until hot and slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
Transfer zucchini to a strainer, and thoroughly drain excess liquid.
Remove skillet from heat, re-spray, and return to medium-high heat. Add beef, and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, and 1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper. Cook and crumble for about 5 minutes, until fully cooked.
Transfer beef to a large bowl. Add drained zucchini, tomatoes, and remaining 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 3/4 tsp. garlic powder, 3/4 tsp. onion powder, and 1/8 tsp. each salt and pepper. Mix well.
Transfer mixture to the baking pan, and smooth out the top.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg whites/substitute, chopped garlic, and nutmeg. Mix until smooth and uniform.
Spread ricotta mixture over the contents of the pan.
Top with mozzarella and Parm. Bake until hot and bubbly, 20 - 25 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
Chew on this:
It's National Peach Cobbler Day, April 13th. How good does a Peach Cobbler Smoothie sound? Exactly!
Help your buddies eat their veggies in creative ways! Click "Send to a Friend" ASAP.
We may have received free samples of food, which in no way influences whether these products are reviewed favorably, unfavorably, mentioned with indifference, or mentioned at all. Click for more about our editorial and advertising policies.
SmartPoints® value* not what you expected? We follow the same method as WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) when calculating the value of a recipe: We add up the SmartPoints® values* of the individual ingredients using the Recipe Builder, not the calculator. (Many foods have a value of zero and remain zero in recipes.)
*The SmartPoints® values for these products and/or recipes were calculated by Hungry Girl and are not an endorsement or approval of the product, recipe or its manufacturer or developer by WW International, Inc., the owner of the SmartPoints® trademark.


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The Role of Employees in Employee Development
Employee development refers to strategically improving your employees' professional skills through specialized training and specifically guided experience. Employee development programs can help employees grow personally, as well, teaching them things like effective conflict management skills, which can positively affect all areas of their lives. If an employee development program is to work, however, employees must take personal responsibility in responding to and taking advantage of the opportunities their employers provide.
Taking Initiative
Employee development initiatives can involve identifying potential management candidates on the front lines and giving them training and extra responsibility to prepare them for a future promotion. Employees have the responsibility to speak up to management about their ambitions and desire to progress in their career, however, and must earn the attention of management through excellent individual and team performance.
Employees absolutely must have positive attitudes when approaching employee development programs. An attitude of entitlement or complacency can seriously hinder employees' professional growth. If an employer gives an employee additional responsibilities, for example, it is up to the employee to view it as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than being forced to do extra work. In addition, employees have a responsibility to make the most of training sessions rather than complain that training wastes their time.
Outside Learning
Certain aspects of employee development programs place a great deal of responsibility on employees to work hard in their personal time. An employer can offer a college tuition reimbursement plan, for example, but employees have to put in their own hours studying and working toward their degree. Likewise, employers can send employees to seminars and workshops, but employees must choose to use their time for learning and making professional contacts rather than treat the trip like a vacation.
Workplace Politics
Employee development programs cannot always place the same amount of emphasis on all employees at once, and not all employees are interested in growing personally and professionally. When some employees take part in development programs and others do not, it creates an opportunity for negative workplace politics. Employees have a responsibility to refrain from gossiping about or resentfully treating others who take advantage of development programs, and to refrain from looking down on employees who choose not to participate.
Photo Credits
- business team image by Jaimie Duplass from Fotolia.com


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Psy 310766 83.13 KB
"Psy 310766" is an awesome wallpapers presented here by Naomi Bilia at the top resolution of 1280x720px and size of 83.13 KB. More of such great image you always can find at the Music category or with our "Related walls" widget. Upload date - 25 October 2015
Popular Wallpapers


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Coastal Features and Sediments, United Kingdom, Ireland and France51.5N 0.1W
While parts of England, Wales and Ireland are dotted by cloud cover, much of Scotland's rocky coastline and mountainous terrain can be observed in the upper part of the image, as can northern France in the lower right quadrant. Visible near the right edge are sediments from the River Thames giving a green tinge to the waters along the coast of England. While the city of London is covered by clouds, Paris can be observed in the full image as a large grey area.


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Robert B. FIER, Plaintiff-Appellant, v. UNUM LIFE INSURANCE CO. OF AMERICA, Defendant-Appellee.
Robert B. Fier appeals the district court's denial of benefits under two insurance policies that he purchased from Unum Life Insurance Company of America (Unum) while working at the Boyd Group. Fier v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of Am., No. 2:06-cv-01162-RLH-LRL, 2009 WL 3644187 (D.Nev. Nov. 3, 2009). Both policies are maintained pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S .C. § 1291. Reviewing the district court's legal conclusions de novo and its factual findings for clear error, Metro. Life Ins. Co. v. Parker, 436 F.3d 1109, 1113 (9th Cir.2006), we affirm.
Fier began repairing casino slot machines for the Boyd Group in 1987, later earning a promotion to a managerial position. After his promotion, Fier enrolled in the Boyd Group's benefits program for managers, including the two Unum policies at issue in this appeal: a Group Long Term Disability Policy (the LTD policy) and a Group Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Policy (the AD & D policy).
In 1992, a drunk person shot Fier in the throat at a hunting lodge in Utah. The shot severed Fier's spinal cord at the C6 level, leaving him permanently quadriplegic. Fier was able to return to work at the Boyd Group in early 1993. He worked in a new position tailored to accommodate his many physical limitations, but earned the same salary he received before the accident. In 1997, the Boyd Group assigned Fier to a new position and reduced his salary by $20,000.
Fier submitted a claim for benefits under the LTD policy in March 1997. Between late 1997 and late 2004, Unum paid Fier a total of $152,069.02. In late 2004, Unum informed Fier that his claim had not been payable since 1998, when Fier left the Boyd Group and began earning a salary comparable to what he received before the accident. Unum determined Fier was ineligible for benefits under a paragraph in the LTD policy titled "Termination of Disability Benefits," which provides:
Disability benefits will cease on the earliest of:
1. the date the insured is no longer disabled;
2. the date the insured dies;
3. the end of the maximum benefit period;
4. the date the insured's current earnings exceed
80% of his pre-disability earnings.
Fier, 2009 WL 3644187, at *5. The district court found, and Fier does not dispute, that he earned greater than eighty percent of his pre-disability earnings between 1993 and 1997, and from 1998 onward. See id. at * *7-8.
Fier filed suit in the District of Nevada for backpay of benefits from 1993 to 1997 and for a declaratory judgment that he is entitled to continuing payment of benefits. The district court found that Fier was ineligible for benefits from 1993 to 1997, and from 1998 onward, when his income exceeded eighty percent of his pre-injury earnings.1 The court also found that Fier was not currently insured under the LTD policy because he no longer worked at the Boyd Group. Finally, the district court rejected Fier's claim for benefits under the AD & D policy, concluding he was ineligible because his hands and feet were not physically severed from his body.
1. The Group Long Term Disability Policy
The district court correctly determined that Fier was ineligible for benefits under the LTD policy from 1993 to 1997, and from 1998 onward.
We "interpret terms in ERISA insurance policies in an ordinary and popular sense as would a [person] of average intelligence and experience." Evans v. Safeco Life Ins. Co., 916 F.2d 1437, 1441 (9th Cir.1990) (internal quotations omitted). We will "not artificially create ambiguity where none exists." Id. (internal quotations omitted).
The LTD policy's paragraph titled "Termination of Disability Benefits" states that "[d]isability benefits will cease on the earliest of: ․ the date the insured's current earnings exceed 80% of his pre-disability earnings." Fier, 2009 WL 3644187, at *5. This provision unambiguously serves to terminate "disability benefits" at the time an insured person earns greater than eighty percent of his pre-disability earnings.2
Fier was an insured person and received "disability benefits" under the LTD policy from 1997 until 2004. He does not challenge the district court's finding that he earned greater than eighty percent of his pre-disability earnings from 1993 to 1997, and from 1998 onward. Under the plain terms of the LTD policy, Fier is ineligible for continuing benefits, and he is ineligible for backpay of benefits during the specified years.
The district court was also correct in finding that Fier's coverage under the LTD policy terminated when he left the Boyd Group in 1998. The LTD policy provides that"[a]n employee will cease to be insured on the earliest of the following dates: ․ 5. the date employment terminates." Id. at *9. Fier concedes that he left the Boyd Group, "causing the LTD policy to possibly terminate." Appellant's Opening Br. at 43. He maintains he is nevertheless eligible for benefits under a separate provision of the policy stating that "[t]ermination of this policy under any conditions will not prejudice any payable claim which occurs while the policy is in force." Id. Fier's argument is essentially an extension of his contention that Unum's obligation to pay benefits did not cease under the "Termination of Disability Benefits" paragraph. See supra. But because Fier became ineligible for disability benefits in 1998, he does not have "any payable claim" under which to demand additional benefits.
2. The Group Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Policy
Fier also challenges the district court's conclusion that his AD & D policy requires an insured to have his hands or feet at least partially "cut off." See Fier, 2009 WL 3644187, at *10. The relevant portion of the policy provides for a lump sum payment in the event an insured loses both hands or both feet. The policy defines "loss" as follows:
For hands or feet, "loss" means dismemberment by severance at or above the wrist or ankle joint.
Id. at *9.
Fier argues that although his hands and feet remain physically attached to his body, he has lost them from a functional standpoint due to the "severance" of his spinal cord. This circuit has not yet construed the terms "dismemberment by severance" in an ERISA plan. We now interpret those terms to require physical removal of the limbs.
In Cunninghame v. Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States, 652 F.2d 306, 307 (2d Cir.1981) (per curiam), the plaintiff's AD & D policy defined "loss" of hands or feet as "dismemberment by severance at or above wrist or ankle joints respectively." As in Fier's case, the plaintiff in Cunninghame had suffered a severed spinal cord resulting in paralysis. Id. The plaintiff urged the court to award benefits because he had lost the use of his legs from a functional standpoint. Id. The Second Circuit concluded the policy's definition of "loss" was unambiguous and construed the terms "dismemberment by severance" as follows:
The word "dismemberment" itself implies actual separation; the noun derives from the transitive verb "dismember," defined as meaning "to cut or tear off or disjoin the limbs, members, or part of" or "to tear into pieces: take apart roughly or divide (a whole) into sections or separate units" or, obsoletely, to "lop" or "sever." "Dismemberment" as a noun, therefore, refers to "the act of dismembering or the state of being dismembered: division into separate parts or units." Furthermore, "severance" is defined as "the act or process of severing," and derives from "sever," meaning "to put asunder," "to join or disunite from one another," "to keep separate or apart," "to divide or break up into parts," "to cut in two: sunder, cleave[.]" Thus, "dismemberment by severance" has to mean in our view some actual, physical separation; the use of two words essentially expressing the same idea strikes us as unambiguous draftsmanship by an abundantly cautious lawyer. And when added to this phrase is the clause "at or above wrist or ankle joints," it would seem plain that the policy had the limited scope which we ascribe to it.
Id. at 309 (internal citations to dictionary omitted). We agree with and adopt this reasoning. Reading the AD & D policy's language in its "ordinary and popular sense," Evans, 916 F.2d at 1441, the terms "dismemberment by severance" are unambiguous and require "actual, physical separation." See Cunninghame, 652 F.2d at 309. Because Fier did not suffer the physical detachment of his limbs, Unum does not owe him benefits under the AD & D policy.
1. Unum counterclaimed for reimbursement of approximately $140,000 in alleged overpayment under the LTD policy for the years 1998 to 2004. The district court found Unum did not establish entitlement to reimbursement, and Unum does not appeal this ruling.
2. Fier argues that the LTD policy is ambiguous and that the district court failed to apply the rule of contra proferentem, "under which ambiguities in a contract are construed against the contract's drafter." See Scharff v. Raytheon Co. Short Term Disability Plan, 581 F.3d 899, 905 (9th Cir.2009), cert. denied, 130 S.Ct. 3508 (2010). However, to the extent the LTD policy's "Termination of Disability Benefits" paragraph creates any ambiguity, it is as to whether the paragraph terminates only "disability" benefits, or both "disability" and "partial disability" benefits. In Fier's case, both interpretations of the paragraph lead to the same result. If Fier is "disabled," as he contends, he is ineligible under the plain language of the termination paragraph. If the paragraph does not apply to "partial disability" benefits, Fier is nevertheless ineligible because he does not meet the definition of "partial disability," which requires that an insured earn at least twenty percent less than his pre-disability earnings. In either case, Fier could not recover benefits between 1993 and 1997, and from 1998 onward.


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What if you could prepare your child for a global economy and earn a free year's tuition while doing it? What if you could give your child the competitive edge in the college application process and earn tuition dollars at the same time? "Learn a language and Expand your World" with The Language Learning Institute.
The Language Learning Institute is now offers participation in the Sage Scholars Tuition® Program.
Earn up to 1000 points per year for language learning. Each point directly translates into dollars of tuition in any of the participationg 350+ private colleges and universities across the country.
Points are accumulated in a variety of ways. Enroll your child before the age of 17 and accumulate birthday points!
Click here for a list of college participants.and more information
For more information, call 518-346-7096


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LeVar Burton to Bring Reading Rainbow Back ... in an App
When Reading Rainbow ended its 26-year run in 2009, it left behind decades of preschoolers for whom its theme song will forever surface nostalgia:
Take a look, it's in a book, a reading rainbow.
The PBS program was cut because nobody would fund it. But John Grant, who was at the time in charge of content at Reading Rainbow's home station, told NPR that a shift in the philosophy of educational television programming was also to blame.
He said the Bush administration believed in funding programs that taught children how to read, with tools like phonics and spelling. Reading Rainbow taught kids why to read — and encouraged them to pick up books.
LeVar Burton, Reading Rainbow's executive producer and host, thinks the latter goal is still relevant. And he plans to use digital media to bring the show back.
"There is a brand new generation of kids who could definitely use the kind of spark and inspiration Reading Rainbow provided where actually becoming a reader is concerned," Burton told Mashable. "As far as I can tell, reading will never go out of style, and neither will good old fashioned storytelling."
Burton began talking about the show's resurrection almost immediately after it ended. In February of 2009, he tweeted he would move forward with a new version of Reading Rainbow: "webisodes for adults." Whatever that meant, unfortunately, the plan never surfaced.
In September, Burton launched RRKidz, which promises to resurrect Reading Rainbow for kids in a multimedia fashion.
The site currently sells episodes of Reading Rainbow, but Burton, who is also famous for his roles in Roots and Star Trek: the Next Generation, has other products in mind. The first: a mobile app.
"The center-point of the App is books," Burton told Mashable. "Wonderful, lightly enhanced digital books for children. However we're also very interested in delivering an enriching experience to kids, much like classic Reading Rainbow did on TV."
"As far as I can tell, reading will never go out of style, and neither will good old fashioned storytelling for that matter."
He calls the app "the first offering in a game plan" that will also include DVDs and streaming of classic Reading Rainbow episodes. According to the RRKidz website, it will deliver 100s of books with a "Reading Rainbow-like" experience, though Burton didn't expand upon what that entails in app form.
Last week, Burton rallied his 1.74 million Twitter followers to help take the @readingrainbow handle back from a squatter; Twitter gave it to him within hours. The account will help the promote Reading Rainbow app.
Reading Rainbow was the third longest-running children's program in PBS history, outlasted only by Sesame Street and Mister Rogers. During its run, it won more than 24 Emmys. It also witnessed a decline in reading time in the United States during the same period.
According to a 2007 study by the National Endowment for the Arts, the number of 13-year-olds who were daily readers dropped 14 percent between 1984 and 2004. The percentage of 17-year-olds who were non-readers doubled.
""Every day of my life someone comes up to me and tells me about the impact the show had on them growing up."
At a time when the population is relying less upon reading and, in some ways, even television, a classic television show about books seems like the definitive vehicle for nostalgia.
With new digital packaging that Burton hopes will appeal to the wired generation, he is hoping to restore Reading Rainbow's educational value as well.
"Every day of my life someone comes up to me and tells me about the impact the show had on them growing up," Burton says. "it's no secret that our educational system is no longer the platinum standard on the world stage that it once was. This is simply my way of continuing to do what I've always done, just in a different medium."
Image courtesy of GPN/Nebraska ETV Network and WNED Buffalo


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Social Insects (C1139)
15 credits, Level 6
Autumn teaching
The eusocial insects comprise approximately 20,000 species of ants, termites, bees and wasps. Eusociality in these groups has evolved 20-100 million years ago on approximately 10 occasions and has given rise to highly organized societies with up to 20 million individuals. Eusocial insects are of great economic and ecological importance. They are also key model systems in many important areas of biology.
The module is divided into several parts:
1) general background material on social insects, focusing in greater detail on four contrasting areas in which research on social insects is particularly active
2) inclusive fitness theory and relatedness
3) how insect societies are organised
4) another special topic relevant to social insect biology, such as mutualisms and symbioses involving social insects; the ecological importance of social insects; the evolution of eusociality in insects; or using social insects to investigate sensory physiology (topics will vary each year)
There will also be two laboratory sessions from a range including: the honey bee waggle dance, nestmate recognition and guarding in honey bees, organisation of ant trail systems, and reproductive queueing in Polistes wasps.
Teaching and assessment
We're currently reviewing teaching and assessment of our modules in light of the COVID-19 situation. We'll publish the latest information as soon as possible.
Contact hours and workload
This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 117 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.
This module is running in the academic year 2020/21. We also plan to offer it in future academic years. It may become unavailable due to staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We'll make sure to let our applicants know of such changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.


text:
There are two Papal Blessings associated with the
EADM ministry:
1. For EADM and Pro-life Works - for Eucharistic Apostles and all those who support the work through time, talent and treasure.
(view blessings)
2. For praying the Chaplet – for praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet during Eucharistic Adoration for the sick and those dying.
(view blessings)


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|èçíü, êàê ïüåñà â òåàòðå: âàæíî íå òî, ñêîëüêî îíà äëèòñß, à íàñêîëüêî õîðîøî ñûãðàíà. - åíåêà
No. 57, 21 March 1991
BALTIC STATES BALTIC OFFICIALS AT COUNCIL OF EUROPE MEETING. On March 20, the mayor of Tartu, Toomas Mendelson, and Vilnius city council member Saulius Lapienis attended a local government conference at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, Reuters reported that day. The Balts' request for guest status at the council was not approved because, a council official explained, "The Council of Europe cannot take the initiative of officially recognizing the Baltic republics." As an intermediary step, the Council invited the Balts to this conference of local and regional authorities. (Saulius Girnius) EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DELEGATION IN BALTICS. Radio Kaunas reported March 21 that a delegation from the European parliament, headed by one of its vice chairmen, was in Lithuania. The delegation visited the Lithuanian parliament today and will travel to Riga on March 22 and Tallinn on March 23. The visits are part of a decision taken by the European parliament to learn first-hand about the situation in the Baltic republics. (Saulius Girnius) DENMARK REJECTS SOVIET CRITICISM OVER BALTICS. According to Reuters and AFP of March 20, Denmark has rejected Soviet protests over the agreements it signed recently with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Danish Foreign Minister Uffe Ellemann-Jensen said that the Danish-Baltic accords comply with notions of international law, though the USSR claimed that they amounted to interference in the Soviet Union's internal affairs. Ellemann-Jensen has invited Soviet Foreign Minister Aleksandr Bessmertnykh to discuss the issue. (Dzintra Bungs) BALTIC AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OFFICIALS MEET. Radio Riga reported March 20 that Estonian, Latvian, and Estonian deputy foreign ministers or officials of comparable rank met with RSFSR foreign ministry officials to discuss further cooperation. Other details were not reported. Radio Riga pointed out that the RSFSR Supreme Soviet has still not endorsed the Latvian-RSFSR accord signed by its chairman, Boris Yeltsin, in January. (Dzintra Bungs) ESTONIA TO RAISE PRICES? There are conflicting reports on whether Estonia will implement the all-Union price increases decreed by USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev on March 19. That same day, DPA reported from Moscow that Estonia and Lithuania had not agreed to the increases (Daily Report, March 20), but Estonia's Prime Minister Edgar Savisaar told Rahva Haal on March 20 that prices will rise in Estonia. As of April 2, 30% of all prices will be fixed by the state, 30% will be regulated according to profitability, and the remaining 40% will be freely floating, Savisaar said. Currently, 70% of all prices are set by the state, 10% are set according to profitability, and 20% float freely. (Riina Kionka) GENERAL VARENNIKOV TALKS WITH LATVIAN REPRESENTATIVES. USSR Deputy Minister of Defense Valentin Varennikov met briefly with Latvian officials in Riga on March 20. On March 19, Varennikov attended a Party conference of the USSR Baltic Military District in Riga, according to TASS March 20. Janis Baskers, head of Latvia's Security Department, told Radio Riga on March 20 that the Latvian representatives, including Deputy Prime Minister Ilmars Bisers, had presented Varennikov with an agenda of 15 issues that they wish to discuss, including definition of the status of USSR armed forces in Latvia and reduction of Soviet military presence in the Baltics. Varennikov promised a prompt reply. He said that he had also made the trip to look over the Soviet naval harbor in Liepaja, Latvia, which may be turned over to civilian administration and to seek more information about the situation in Lithuania. (Dzintra Bungs) DISPUTE OVER REMUNERATION OF ABSENT DEPUTIES UNRESOLVED. The Ravnopravie faction of deputies boycotted the Latvian Supreme Council from January 13 to February 26 in an effort to exert pressure on the Council to give the faction greater decision-making powers both in the Council and the government. Trying to persuade the deputies to return, Council Chairman Anatolijs Gorbunovs stated that they would receive some remuneration for the days they were absent, despite regulations stating that deputies are only paid for the days that they actually participate in the work of the legislature. Radio Riga reported March 21 that this offer has not been endorsed by the majority of Supreme Council deputies. (Dzintra Bungs) RIGA-TEL AVIV FLIGHTS STARTED. Following Latvian-Israeli accords reached earlier this year, weekly flights between Riga and Tel Aviv started on March 20, TASS reported that day. Seven flights are scheduled before May 1. The flights are not intended for Soviet emigrants to Israel; neither TASS, nor Radio Riga of March 20 explained why such restrictions were made. Tickets can be purchased with rubles. (Dzintra Bungs) EFFORTS TO PROTECT CONSUMER INTERESTS IN LATVIA. Radio Riga reported March 20 about the work of the recently founded Club to Protect Consumer Interests in Riga. The club investigates consumers' complaints and tries to protect their rights vis-a-vis providers of faulty goods and services. The club is also drafting consumer-oriented laws to present to the Supreme Council for consideration. (Dzintra Bungs) SHOOTING INCIDENT IN VILNIUS. On March 20 OMON troops at a roadblock in Vilnius fired shots at a bus carrying Lithuanian border guards when it refused to stop, Reuters reported that day. Lithuanian President Vytautas Landsbergis told RFE/RL that he viewed the incident very seriously, as an intentional escalation of force by the Soviets. He denied the DPA dispatch that reported that there had been a fatality. At least three border guards were, hurt, however, by machine gun fire, one apparently is in serious condition. OMON troops have recently increased their activities in Lithuania, detaining on March 19 the director-general of the Lithuanian National Defense Department, Audrius Butkevicius, for more than twelve hours. (Saulius Girnius) USSR--ALL-UNION TOPICS SUPREME SOVIET APPROVES LAW ON CABINET OF MINISTERS. The USSR Supreme Soviet on March 20 adopted a law on the USSR Cabinet of Ministers, TASS reported that day. The law gives the Cabinet the right to issue decrees that can be abrogated only by the USSR president or the USSR Supreme Soviet, but the Supreme Soviet balked at giving the Cabinet the right, which Prime Minister Valentin Pavlov had requested, to make laws. (Earlier, the Supreme Soviet rejected Pavlov's bid for ministerial immunity from prosecution for negligent or even criminal acts committed in the course of work.) Under the new law, the USSR Supreme Soviet can force the cabinet to resign if at least two-thirds of the total membership support a vote of no confidence. Since it is rare for as many as two-thirds of the deputies to attend sessions, forcing the cabinet to resign will not be easy. (Elizabeth Teague) USSR PARLIAMENT DEBATES MINERS' DEMANDS. The USSR Supreme Soviet on March 20 heard a hunger-striking miner call for the dissolution of the USSR parliament. A large number of deputies then made speeches denouncing the miners' strike. As far as could be seen from Central Television's coverage, not one deputy spoke in the miners' support. (Elizabeth Teague) SUPREME SOVIET DISCUSSES CPSU ACTIVITIES. In response to a question raised by a liberal deputy, Yurii Kol'tsov, a few days ago, as to whether recent "illegal activities" conducted by the CPSU--such as the involvement of the CPSU in the creation of "national salvation committees"--made it impossible to register the Party in accordance with the USSR law on public organizations, USSR Justice Minister Sergei Lushchikov replied on March 20 that "the CPSU has not yet applied for official registration." But, according to the law, Lushchikov continued, political parties are to be registered on the basis of an evaluation of their programs and statutes, not of the speeches of their leaders. (Central Television's reportage of both Kol'tsov's query and Lushchikov's reply left unclear the question of which particular CPSU leaders were quoted by Kol'tsov as having made illegal pronouncements.) (Julia Wishnevsky) BESSMERTNYKH ON REPUBLICAN FOREIGN MINISTRIES. USSR Foreign Minister Aleksandr Bessmertnykh said the Council of Ministers for Foreign Affairs, recently established by the central government to coordinate the activities of the foreign ministries of the Union republics, could play a constructive role in resolving ethnic conflicts between republics. He told Radio Moscow March 20 that the creation of republican foreign ministries is also "essential" for promoting republican economic interests abroad. He indicated that he does not foresee major conflicts between the USSR and the republican foreign ministries as long as their actions are coordinated. (Alexander Rahr) DEMOCRATIC RUSSIA TO SUE KRAVCHENKO? According to Radio Rossiya March 20, the Democratic Russia bloc is going to attempt to have Leonid Kravchenko, the head of the All-Union State Company for Radio and Television, prosecuted for violating the USSR law on referendum. This law forbids any agitation for or against the proposals asked in a referenda on the day the vote is held, but throughout the day of March 17, both Soviet radio and TV continued to urge people to vote "yes" in the national referendum held that day. (Julia Wishnevsky) GORBACHEV'S STAFF TO PUBLISH NEWSPAPER. Moscow News No. 10 quoted unofficial sources as saying that the staff of USSR President Mikhail Gorbachev is going to publish a newspaper that will reflect the president's views. The paper, possibly to be called Utro, ("Morning"), will be printed by the Krasnaya zvezda publishing house. Planned circulation of the four-page paper is 100,000-200,000 copies. (Vera Tolz) RUSSIAN LITERATURE MUST PRESERVE TRADITIONAL ROLE. "Our society is still an evil empire," Russian writer Anatolii Kurchatkin told a PEN conference in Budapest on March 15-19. Kurchatkin represents the liberal "April" group of Soviet writers; while a minority in the conservative USSR Writers' Union, "April" includes most of those Russian authors who boast an international reputation. (Kurchatkin was beaten up when, in January 1990, "Pamyat" members gatecrashed an "April" meeting in Moscow's House of Writers.) According to Kurchatkin, the best that awaits the USSR is the long, hard road to democracy; the worst--a return to pre-1985 totalitarianism. Either way, Kurchatkin argued, Russian literature must continue to play the role it has played since the 19th century--highlighting social evils and criticizing political abuses. (Research Institute) CANCER DEATH RATE RISING BY 2% PER ANNUM. Professor Alexei Yablokov, deputy chairman of the USSR Supreme Soviet Ecology Committee, said that between 40 and 50 million Soviet citizens live in ecological disaster zones and that the number of deaths caused by cancer is rising by 2% a year. Yablokov, who was interviewed by the Belgian daily, De Morgen, on March 20, reported that recent tests on mothers' milk showed that half the samples contained "dangerous amounts of pesticides." The interview was summarized by Reuters. (Dawn Mann) CHINA TO BUY SOVIET MIG'S. The Chinese government has decided to buy an undisclosed number of Soviet MIG-27 fighter planes, DPA reported March 20. The sale announcement comes amid a four-day air show that opened on March 19 at a base near Beijing. The show marks the first demonstration of Soviet military technology in China since the two countries normalized relations in 1989 and reflects increasing cooperation between Moscow and Beijing. (Stephen Foye) YAZOV ON HONECKER, GULF. At a March 20 news conference in Leningrad, USSR Defense Minister Dmitrii Yazov suggested that Erich Honecker should be considered a political refugee and that Moscow owed him a debt of gratitude, Reuters reported. Yazov also said that the allied ground war in the Gulf had little strategic relevance for the Soviet Union and asserted that the Soviet T-72 tank used by Syria had outperformed its U.S. counterpart. Yazov did say that the allies' use of guided missiles, massive airpower, electronic warfare and suppression of command and control provided important lessons for the Soviet Union. He also praised the performance of U.S. general Norman Schwarzkopf, saying it required great skill to manage a multi-national coalition. (Stephen Foye) MORMONS PRAISED BY LITGAZ. The lifestyle and beliefs of Mormons (the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) living in Salt Lake City were described in enthusiastic terms in Literaturnaya gazeta No. 9 by a correspondent who paid a visit there. According to the correspondent, the most important Mormon qualities--firmness of spirit and unyielding labor--are precisely the ones that are most lacking in the USSR. His report also noted that the Mormon community in the Soviet Union, which was only recently established, now counts 70 believers. (In September 1990, Mormon Church headquarters in the United States said that this community had been official recognized.) (Oxana Antic) USSR--IN THE REPUBLICS REPUBLICAN SIGNATORIES TO PRICE REFORM AGREEMENT. The text of the price reform agreement between the USSR and the republics, published in Pravda March 20, shows that it was signed by all the Union republics except the Baltic. However, while the president or chairman of the supreme soviet signed for 10 of the republics, neither Yeltsin nor Zviad Gamsakhurdia, chairman of the Georgian Supreme Soviet, signed. Yeltsin's first deputy, Ruslan Khasbulatov, signed for the RSFSR, and the Georgian premier signed for Georgia. The accompanying protocol--which provides for the nine richer republics to pay sums into a fund to ensure the net minimum compensation payments in the Central Asian republics, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan--was signed only by the Slav, Central Asian and Kazakh republics. (Ann Sheehy) RSFSR REFERENDUM RESULTS. The results of the March 17 referendums from 77 of the 88 polling districts in the RSFSR show a turnout of 76.1% for the all-Union referendum and 75.42% for the RSFSR referendum, TASS reported March 20. 70.88% of those participating voted in favor of preserving the Union, and 70% in favor of instituting the post of RSFSR president. This indicates that little more than a bare majority of the total number of eligible voters supported each motion--53.9% in the case of the all-Union referendum, and 52.8% in the RSFSR. Given that the RSFSR referendum was not held in the North Ossetian, Chechen-Ingush, Tatar, and Tuvin ASSR's, it cannot be ruled out that the motion in favor of introducing the post of RSFSR president would have been defeated if the Presidium of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet had not decided on March 18 that instituting the office of president was not a constitutional matter and therefore did not require that over half the eligible voters come out in favor, but only over half of those voting. (Ann Sheehy) RSFSR FEDERATION COUNCIL DISCUSSES FEDERAL, UNION TREATIES. On March 20 the RSFSR Federation Council approved the draft federal treaty which is to regulate relations between the federal organs of power in the republic and its constituent parts, TASS reported. The draft is now being sent to soviets at all levels for examination. At the same session, "stormy debates" took place over whether the autonomous republics should sign the new Union treaty--as most of them wish to do. The meeting came to the conclusion that the Union treaty should be signed by an RSFSR delegation that would include delegations from the autonomous republics and other national-territorial and territorial units of the RSFSR, but the final decision will rest with the RSFSR Congress of People's Deputies, which opens March 28. (Ann Sheehy) MOSCOW DEPUTIES GO ON HUNGER STRIKE. Ten members of the Moscow City Council have declared a hunger strike to protest against the refusal of USSR Interior Minister Boris Pugo to replace the present head of Moscow's Main Administration of Interior Affairs, Lieutenant General Petr Bogdanov, with General Major Vyacheslav Komissarov, Radio Rossiya reported March 20. In contrast to Petr Bogdanov, who in the early 1980's worked for the KGB, Komissarov is professional police officer. His last position was as a professor in the Academy of the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs, where he gained quite a liberal reputation. His appointment was approved by the Moscow city soviet, but although the Moscow city police are subordinate to both the city council and the USSR MVD, Pugo has insisted that cadres policy is a function of the central authorities. (Victor Yasmann) SVERDLOVSK COMMUNISTS START NEW PERIODICAL. The first edition of the newspaper of the Sverdlovsk city Party committee, Spravedlivost' ("Justice"), has been published, according to Krasnaya zvezda March 15. The city Party committee had been one of the founders of the paper Severnyi rabochii, but the Committee claimed that, in the current political situation, the paper did not give Sverdlovsk Communists "enough space to reflect their stance." In order to attract readers to their new newspaper, the committee is charging less for the paper than is charged for any other printed publications available in Sverdlovsk. (Vera Tolz) CEASEFIRE AGREED IN SOUTH OSSETIA. TASS reported March 21 that a meeting of leaders of rival Georgian and Ossetian armed groups had agreed on a ceasefire and will establish a permanent radio link in an effort to preclude further clashes. No confirmation of this report has yet been received from Georgian sources. Shooting was nonetheless reported yesterday in the South Ossetian capital of Tskhinvali. (Liz Fuller) CHERNOBYL'-RELATED INVESTIGATION OF KURSK OFFICIALS. criminal charges have been filed against officials in Kursk Oblast' (RSFSR) in connection with the 1986 accident at the nearby Chernobyl' nuclear plant. Radio Moscow March 20 said that radioactive fallout had reached five districts of Kursk but local authorities nonetheless allowed the May Day demonstrations to go ahead. It is worth noting, however, that the Chernobyl' affair has been rife with scapegoating in the five years since the tragedy: the decision not to cancel May Day parades, despite catastrophically high radiation in the western Soviet Union, was almost certainly taken in the Kremlin. (Kathy Mihalisko) ROMANIAN AMBASSADOR IN KIEV. Fast on the heels of British Foreign Minister Douglas Hurd's visit to Kiev, Ukrainian leader Leonid Kravchuk yesterday also welcomed Romania's ambassador to the USSR, Vasile Sandru. Sandru brought a letter from Petre Roman to the Ukrainian Supreme Soviet, in which the Romanian Prime Minister is said to have presented his views on mutual cooperation between his country and Ukraine. (Kathy Mihalisko) MOLDAVIAN LEADERS HOLD NEWS CONFERENCE IN MOSCOW. At a news conference at Moldavia's representation in Moscow, reported by Moldovapres, Moldavian Supreme Soviet First Vice-president Ion Hadarca and First Vice-premier Constantin Oboroc termed the "center's" attempt to hold the Union referendum in Moldavia despite the republic's refusal "a scenario written by the center and enacted by the military and pro-imperial forces in Moldavia." The speakers expressed concern that the Union authorities intended to use conducting the referendum as an excuse to impose a state of emergency in Moldavia. Those attending the news conference were shown Moldavian TV films documenting military pressuring of voters during the referendum and official encouragement of multiple voting. (Vladimir Socor) (END)
©1996 "ðóçüß è àðòíåðû"
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text:
A comparative map to help lost Bay Area residents find their bearings
See full coverage
For you Bay Area types who may be wondering about the scale of Chicago's startup scene, here's a quick comparison. Using this map of the Windy City's startup ecosystem, I cut out the section that's the heart of the industry here. It encompasses the 600 West Chicago (i.e. Groupon HQ) area to the north all the way down to TechNexus in the south. Then, I rotated it along the axis of Market Street in San Francisco so you could get a sense of its relative size.
As you can see, the tech corridor extends about the width of SOMA from Embarcadero to 8th Street, with the Merchandise Mart's 1871 co-working space smack in the middle near what would be 4th in San Francisco. (Which is where we're headed now.)
Oh, and here's the Photoshop file, if you want to play with the layers yourself.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to email@example.com.


text: A New Way to Look at Your Bucket List That big list of dreams and goals isn't the only way to look at your bucket list. Share | Have A Question About This Topic? Name Email Address Question Thank you! Oops! Related Contents To Buy or Not to Buy The decision whether to buy or rent a home may have long-term implications. Crowdfunding—Capital for the 21st Century Crowdfunding continues to gain momentum as more people search the Internet for financing and fundraising alternatives. Managing Your Lifestyle Using smart management to get more of what you want and free up assets to invest.


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Does the extensive use of social media sites, channels and tools cause some kind of disturbance or another to our mental stability? What are the psychological issues and disorders that social media can help breed, promote and encourage for both kids and adults? How can we control our social media presence to contain such a serious dilemma?
A Brief Prelude…
No one can underestimate or try to deny the power of social media and its ability to raise awareness for important issues and spread the word about various causes, but is that it? I mean apart from the privacy related problems and the work related concerns, are there no other negative "side effects" that we seem to be overlooking?
So, what other concerns could I talking about? Mental stability negatively influenced by social media, and here is how…
The top 7 psychological disorders social media helps promote…
In addition to their ability to brainwash us, I think social media channels and social networking sites pose the following psychological threats on our mental health and personality:
1. Schizophrenia: "a mental disorder characterized by abnormalities in the perception or expression of reality. Distortions in perception may affect all five senses, but most commonly manifest as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction".
As the above definition clearly suggests, perception disorders are a mental problem, especially when it comes to certain complexes such as the "God complex" and claiming that one is someone he/she isn't! Social media can help encourage such disillusion perceptions due to the fact that they allow for claiming to be who you are not and describing yourself differently using various channels!
2. Insomnia & Sleep Disorders: insomnia is "difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, or both".
In general, lack of sleep can be very problematic and I believe social media can cause it as well as insomnia at a more advanced stage. I take myself here as an example. I use social media from morning till after midnight and I confess Twitter has kept me up for early morning hours on several occasions. Not only is that not healthy, but it also can stress the mind and further cause lower level outputs.


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[prMac.com] Toronto (ON) Canada – Zevrix Solutions today announces the release of LinkOptimizer 4.9.10, a feature update to its workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign. LinkOptimizer automates complex image manipulation tasks allowing to significantly reduce the size of InDesign picture links, save processing time, accelerate output and reduce production costs.
The new version introduces the ability to share LinkOptimizer settings presets between users by exporting and importing them directly from an application menu. The new feature allows to easily standardize processing settings across multiple workstations, solving problems caused by inconsistent presets and dramatically simplifying support tasks.
LinkOptimizer works automatically with Adobe Photoshop to eliminate the excess image data of InDesign links, perform essential image adjustments and convert image formats. For example, with just a click of a button users can:
* Scale and crop images to match their dimensions in InDesign
* Change their resolution to 300 ppi
* Convert all RGB images to CMYK
* Resave all JPEG images as TIFF
* Run a Photoshop Action on each image
At the end of processing, LinkOptimizer reimports images to InDesign at 100% in their precise position. In addition, the software can apply sharpening filters, merge layers and delete hidden ones, and process copies of InDesign documents and images instead of original files. As a result, users can save gigabytes of disk space and countless hours of optimizing images manually; accelerate document output; reduce job turnaround and cut costs through faster processing.
Pricing and Availability:
LinkOptimizer can be purchased from Zevrix website for $259.95 USD (Light version: $179.95) as well as from authorized resellers. Trial is also available for download. The update is free for LinkOptimizer 4.x users and $130 to upgrade from previous versions. LinkOptimizer is available for Mac OS X 10.6-10.9 and works with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop CS3-CC.Zevrix Solutions
LinkOptimizer 4.9.10
Download LinkOptimizer
Located in Toronto, Canada, Zevrix Solutions provides automation and productivity solutions for Adobe Creative Suite software, PDF and graphic file diagnostics and Microsoft Office on Mac OS. Zevrix is dedicated to help professionals increase their profits through automating everyday tasks, producing error-free documents, saving disk space and cutting production costs. For more information, visit their website. Copyright (C) 2014 Zevrix Solutions. All Rights Reserved.
###Leo Revzin
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Excursions to the idyllic village of Kambalia and one of the gorgeous Loos Islands off the coast of Conakry are one of the many highlights of our trip. Traveling outside of Conakry, Guinea's buzzing, urban capital allows travelers a wonderful opportunity to experience village life in peaceful and breathtaking settings.
Our first excursion will take us to a gorgeous hillside paradise, immortalized by Nick Incorvaia's documentary, "Illymanya", complete with earthen huts with thatched roofs and surrounded by acres of awe inspiring fields brimming with the bounty of Guinea's finest indigenous permaculture. Enjoy taking classes under the shade of palm trees, singing at night with the village children under the glow of kerosene lamps, harvesting vegetables with the local farmers, hiking through volcanic rock formations to the historic landmark of Le Voile de Mariee waterfall known for its rejuvenating powers and shopping at Kindia's bustling outdoor market famous for its local hand dyed cloth.
Just an hour off the coast of Conakry lays pristine island beaches with warm sands, fabulous surf and wonderfully hospital island culture. This is a perfect holiday get away as islanders love to include Westerners in their celebrations, which are quite festive and merry despite the lack of snow, Christmas trees, and eggnog! Students will spend blissful days and starry nights enjoying open air classes, dips in the ocean, lounging on the beach, island nightlife, and a killer holiday dance party.
Culminating Events will be in the form of a traditional Guinean Dundunba party where participants will dance and drum with other Guinean artists in a very high energy and interactive environment.


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British luxury retailer Net-a-Porter is teaming up with Chinese giant Alibaba to break into the Chinese market.
The deal will see a Net-a-Porter app and a Mr Porter app across China that will allow Chinese customers to access the luxury, in-season fashions.
Alibaba comes into this as it will provide the behind-the-scenes technology: infrastructure, marketing, payments, and logistics.
Federico Marchetti, CEO of YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP, said: "YOOX NET-A-PORTER has always built long-term relationships with its brand partners, protecting and nurturing the finest luxury names online.
"Together with Alibaba, we will offer our brand partners the same quality and reliability for the Chinese online market. Leveraging NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER, luxury brands can access a neutral and powerful platform to maximize China's immense potential."
Net-a-Porter and Mr Porter will also be launched on Alibaba's Tmall Luxury Pavilion, an online area dedicated to providing customers with the same shopping experiences they would receive offline.
Daniel Zhang, chief executive of Alibaba Group, said: "This multi-faceted partnership will bring Chinese consumers unprecedented access to the world's leading luxury brands.
"Chinese consumers are expected to account for nearly half of the global luxury market by 2025, and through this partnership, Alibaba and YNAP will be even better positioned to capture this compelling market opportunity."
The partnership will initially focus on Chinese customers and the Chinese market but this will eventually expand to Chinese customers who are travelling abroad.


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"So, you have accepted the truth, Aquarius.
And are you sure you do not wish to battle? It is quite a mistake if you decline
my merciful offer!" he warned, his devilish grin still smeared on his face.
Aquarius, the gentler, good doing Maraquan Krawk, nodded without hesitation.
"You will not defeat me, Ignatius. If we fight
you will only meet your fate - one thing that I do not wish to happen to my
own flesh and blood." Ignatius' eyes narrowed at the calm Neopet. He waved some
of his men over.
"Then you shall have your punishment for not
cooperating as you were warned to," he hissed, as the men led a silent, not
struggling Aquarius away from the dome.
Outside the arena, a small part of Ignatius'
men (which were Neopets of all species and colours) waited impatiently for their
victim, about to pounce. When they spotted Aquarius, their faces lit up in a
disgusting, demon-like way. They sneered at Aquarius.
"Ah, so you are not intelligent! You did not
accept our Master's pity. Not at all what all the rumours we heard were like,"
a Darigan Eyrie spat out, its grotesque claws grasping hard onto the Maraquan
Krawk's right arm. Aquarius flinched slightly, but it was not noticeable to
his torturers. The evil Neopets continued teasing and injuring him physically
little by little. They spit on his body, ripped his already dirty and worn clothes,
tugged on his tail, whacked him, beat him, and soon Aquarius was losing his
patience. He had taken enough of it too nicely. It was time to strike back!
He searched his surroundings carefully for good places to go to fast as the
men, oblivious to his plans, pulled his head 'feathers', as they called them,
and endlessly kicked his sides. Aquarius smiled brightly deep down in his heart
when he found out the perfect plan. His gaze turned back to the lead Neopet
in this group. The Shadow Lupe wasn't paying attention to him, just where his
kicks landed. Suddenly, in a quick flash, Aquarius leaped up into a tall tree,
making most of the men fall from the sudden movement.
"Wha-a…?" one Neopet cried in amazement.
"You rat!" another yelled. They all got up,
and those who could fly bolted upwards. Aquarius grinned. This was all too easy.
And to think his twin brother could have gotten more experienced Neopets for
his service! He, using his great power of water, made sudden hailstones fall
down from the sky and purposely hit those who were flying, and caused them to
land. The hailstones got larger and larger, and the frustrated men shouted phrases
of disapproval, disappointment, and anger. The Maraquan Krawk jumped onto a
Neohome's marble roof and watched as the Neopets ran around blindly, hitting
each other and tripping as they tried to make their way to him. He laughed again.
But it was not over.
"Aquarius, aun doigfs se pnestralin nhuxral!"
a loud voice boomed. Aquarius stopped laughing and looked about. He knew that
language. It was the language he had been taught as a boy, used to make water
spells and a language that his mother said was important for him. Whoever it
was, it wanted him to stop hurting and confusing the men. The Maraquan Krawk
shouted back,
"Oisk qutalle ytes? Swhi talle nofpra heswaen,
tuwn med Ignatius! (Who are you? And why should I stop this, I am defending
myself from my twin Ignatius!)" The Neopets below had stopped, and were quietly
listening to this mysterious conversation between their prisoner and the anonymous
voice. Their ears and eyes were alert to all things, concentrating on all the
"Ignatius? Ao, sil ytes tronenil stetrum felri!
Ytes lokfon rhepsn gratioulsi (Ignatius? Ah, so you know your brother of fire!
You must fulfil your destiny)," the voice said more quietly this time. The Maraquan
Krawk stood there silent for what seemed to be a long time.
"Nro, miv nussien. Hlir miv amre, oln tyise!
Miv nussien kisli MEd tuwn stetrum; Ignatius waslon frolisgt (No, I cannot.
Here I am, in bonds! I cannot kill my twin brother; Ignatius will surely lose.),"
Aquarius replied, his head bowed. He knew what this person wanted him to do.
They wanted him, Aquarius, the prophesied Ruler of the Water, to defeat his
evil twin brother, Ignatius, prophesied Ruler of the Fire.
"Aquarius! Dorne tlir stialopf! Ytes lokfon
feigt Ignatius, eor ilpsf ailp tiew ltospf! (Aquarius! Do not stall! You must
fight Ignatius, or else all is lost!)" the voice cried out again. The Krawk
was on his 'knees', head still facing the ground. The Neopets below stopped
concentrating and started attacking the Neohome. Luckily, there was no one inside,
so the owners were not killed by those ruthless servants of Ignatius. The Maraquan
Neopet stayed where he was, and allowed them to take him away. They must have
understood something, for they took him straight to their Master, without any
further torture. Ignatius was still in the arena, laughing and chatting non-stop
with his fans and fellow evil doers. When they arrived, he abruptly turned to
them, and a scornful look was on his feared face.
"Ah, my ignorant little brother. So you have
reconsidered my proposal?" he sneered, his deep red eyes piercing Aquarius'
light blue ones. There seemed to be some power released from those crimson marbles,
for the other Krawk writhed in pain.
"Ye-e-s, Ign-at-atius," Aquarius answered, his
features all scrunched up from the Fire Krawk's fiery magic. "I have to fight
you. It is against my own will, but I must do it for the good of all Neopia.
And if I do not win, so be it." He lowered his head, and felt the bonds be taken
from him. He shook out his arms, stretching and getting prepared. Ignatius watched
in amusement.
"You are brave, Aquarius. And you have been
well trained. Very soon you will see the power of fire, and you shall turn to
my side!" he chanted, as some of his personal attendants readied him. Aquarius,
who was preparing alone, looked up.
"No, brother, you are wrong. It is not I who
will do the changing. It is you who will join me in the water! This is what
was prophesied. I have the prophets on my side. Soon after we begin, I shall
quench your flames." Ignatius just laughed, and in minutes they were led by
referees to respective sides.
"My lord Ignatius, are you ready?"
"I was ready since I was born, Ref!" he shot
at him. The referee sighed and called out,
"Sir Aquarius, are you ready?" Aquarius nodded
without hesitation.
"Alright…BEGIN!" The audience cheered loudly.
All of them were cheering for their feared Master, Ignatius, but secretly, everyone
hoped the kind Maraquan Krawk would defeat him.
Ignatius leaped at Aquarius, but the Maraquan
Krawk was ready. He used a green sticky hand and grabbed one of Ignatius' most
treasured weapons, a fire ball staff. Quickly he attached it onto his own belt,
and put away his Green Sticky Hand. Ignatius gaped at the belt, and looking
up, glared at his brother.
"Oh, Aquarius, you're asking for it!" he yelled,
charging again in an attempt to knock over the other Krawk. Using his Water
Jelly Shield, Aquarius blocked the charging fire Neopet, causing him to bounce
off uselessly. Into the battle now, he dodged Ignatius' third charge, and sent
him billions of ice shards from his Ice Sceptre. Screaming in deep pain, Ignatius
reached for his fire hammer, and threw it at Aquarius. His reflexes working
fast, Aquarius managed to escape the powerful hammer, but left arm was scorched
and a bit sore. He sucked in a breath of air, and grasped his arm. In a bit
the wound was soothed and healed since he used his power of water. By this time,
Ignatius had healed most of his cuts, and was now taking out a Fire Muffin.
Aquarius concentrated on the flaming muffin, and as it came towards him at lightning
speed, he was able to whack the dangerous muffin away with his Ice Sceptre.
Squinting at Ignatius, he released a cold ice beam at him. At the same time
Ignatius released a deadly fire beam at him! The bluish-whitish and deep red
beams came dangerously fast at each other, going at top speed. What happened
next still amazes every single Neopet present at the arena, and is still unbelievable
to many.
The beams met one another in a split second.
At first there was a loud buzz, and then all of a sudden Ignatius and Aquarius
were thrown to the ground, and when they tried to get back up, it was as if
someone was holding them down. The beams were still met in the middle, buzzing.
"Ah, are those Dueling Brothers that I see?
By the names of Ignatius and Aquarius, the twin sons of a certain couple that
was prophesied, the Chosen Fire and Water Lords?" Both brothers looked around,
confused again. Aquarius was beginning to get scared by these mysterious voices.
Ignatius bravely spoke up,
"Whoever you are, and wherever you are, you
have no business in what goes on between my brother and me. I was just about
to defeat him, and turn him into one of us!" Aquarius rolled his eyes at this,
and then he gave his wiser answer.
"As my brother said, who are you? And yes, we
are brothers, and we are dueling, and our names our Ignatius and Aquarius. But
who is my father? I knew nothing of him. I only have a mother, and she passed
on years ago, when I was merely a boy," he inquired. "And…Fire and Water Lords?
How can that be? What must we do if we are such 'lords'?" The person chuckled,
and again Ignatius had a confused look on his face.
"But I only had a father, and no mother. I have
never known of a mother," he murmured. The voice chuckled.
"Can you not figure that out right now? You
are twins. Your parents were the same. Therefore, Ignatius' father must be…"
"…my father!" Aquarius cried out in joy, for
he had finally found out he had a true father. Ignatius snapped his fingers.
"And Aquarius' mother must be my mother!" he
declared, grinning. The beams suddenly clashed together, and the ice beam, in
seconds, quenched the fiery beam's flames. In that same moment Ignatius shouted
out, again in throbbing pain, and he sounded as if his body was being torn apart,
bit by bit, from the inside. A bright blue light encased him, and he floated
upwards and hovered about 10 feet from the ground.
"What in Neopia is going on here?!" he screamed,
squirming around. But he could not move. The ice beam returned to the fallen
Aquarius, and encased him. He floated upwards as well, and also stopped about
10 feet off.
"Ignatius, Aquarius, listen carefully to my
words. Ignatius, will you not leave the evil side of the fire?" The Fire Krawk
defiantly shook his head.
"Why should I? There is no danger of being on
the evil side. Also, there is nothing in it for me if I turn away from it. Besides,
it has captured me, and forever I shall stay in its strong grasp!" Ignatius
roared. Aquarius was a bit taken aback by his outburst.
"Ignatius, are you sure of this decision? If
you are, then the kind, gentle boy I once knew has really gone for eternity…"
the voice whispered in a sad tone. Ignatius seemed to be extremely thoughtful,
but was silent.
"My brother!" Aquarius cried out. "Have you
already forgotten the stories our father must have told you? Have you not learned
anything from those tales at all? If you do not change, Neopia is doomed. It
is our only chance of becoming true, loving brothers." Ignatius glanced at himself.
Then he glanced at Aquarius. He glanced down and looked at his servants. He
looked back at Aquarius.
"I shall change, dear brother. I will never
embrace the demonic fire again! I shall use my powers for Neopia's citizens'
good, never for their suffering!" he announced triumphantly, and somehow, the
bubbles floated towards each other, and the brothers embraced.
"Ignatius, I am very proud of your final decision,
and I look forward to seeing the nice Krawk you once were again. And now, you
are officially the Ruler of Fire, and you now possess all the fire powers. You
and your people will be blessed forever and ever, my child," the voice declared.
"And you, Aquarius, oh faithful one! You have treated everyone kindly since
the day of your birth, and your doings in Neopia will never be forgotten. Your
tale and adventures will be known to all Neopets, and for eternity your name
will be admired and adored. You have just become the official Ruler of Water
and Ice, and all the water and icy powers have been granted to you. Without
your help, your brother would have never turned, and moments ago all of Neopia
was depending on your wise words to save their lives." Aquarius and Ignatius
smiled and shook each other hands.
"Sorry, my brother Ignatius, for having to hurt
you so much during our quick battle," the victorious Maraquan Krawk apologized.
The Fire Krawk shook his head.
"No, Aquarius. It was entirely my fault. If
only I had turned before, I could have prevented all this trouble. I am terribly
sorry for what I did to you before; give you to some of my men to torture and
all. Oh, if only I was the one to receive the pain you suffered!" The two Krawks
embraced again, and slowly the bubbles descended, and the audience began to
cheer again.
In time the two brothers had gone to all parts
of Neopia, Kreludor, and the Virtupets Space Station and had helped greatly
in some way. They fought off evil with their Fire and Water magic, and restored
peace to many lands. Aquarius made rain fall on the driest places to help the
Neopets grow their crops easier, and provided the thirsty with good, clean drinking
water. Ignatius warmed the Neopets on Terror Mountain and other dreadfully cold
places by providing them fire, and every Neopian was grateful for their help.
The two lived a very long and good life, and centuries after their deaths, every
single Neopet knew of their tale, for the story was passed on generation to
generation. Each year the Fire and Water Twins were just admired all the more.
So, they would live on for many years to come.
The End


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Monthly Archives: November 2014
List of Best Romantic Bollywood movies worth to watch
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Highest Boxoffice collection tamil movies list
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Backlink is a hyperlink that is incoming to webpage from another website/ webpage. Before the rise of the search engines, it was the backlinks that helped web navigation. But even… Read more
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Once an actor makes it really big in the world of films or television, he receives more than just the love of audiences. The more his fame and popularity grows,… Read more
Flowers Malayalam channel coming soon
In India, television is one the biggest medium of entertainment reaching out to several billion people simultaneously. Apart from several popular national channels, every state has several regional channels and… Read more
Music director Sivamani second marriage with Runa Rizvi
Sivamani is a noted percussionist and a well known music director. His musical compositions in the film Arima Nambi were highly appreciated by the critics and the fans alike. Therefore,… Read more


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Beat the Georgia heat in Flowery Branch with help from Gainesville Mechanical! Our team delivers the air conditioner repair and replacement services you need to stay cool indoors all season long. For all residential and commercial air conditioners, we provide 24/7 emergency cooling repairs so you don't have to suffer extended periods of time in heat. Though others charge double for emergency service labor, we provide the same service at the same price regardless if it's a night, weekend, or holidy. We offer quality Bryant cooling equipment to replace your aging air conditioner which are installed by our factory-trained technicians. Our preventative maintenance services help your air conditioner operate smoothly throughout the summer to help you save money.
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- Fingerlings are robotic monkey toys that attach to fingers and sing songs when prompted.
- The toys, which launched in August, are already in high demand.
- Retailers like Walmart say they're selling Fingerlings as fast as they're getting them, though they expect to meet demand this holiday season.
Fingerlings are already selling like hot cakes.
The toy, which is a robot monkey that sings songs and attaches to fingers, is already in high demand heading into the holidays. It's earned a spot on major retailers' lists of hot toys, from Amazon and Walmart to Target and Toys R Us, and it's No. 2 on NPD Group's list of toys it expects to be especially hot this season.
The high demand seems to be at the same level as Hatchimals were last year. Walmart described supplies for the toy, made by WowWee, as "tight" during a conference call with reporters.
"Fingerlings have been hot and remain hot," Walmart US' merchandising head, Steve Bratspies, said.
In some stores, customers take the toy off the shelves as soon as it's put out, he said. It's safe to say that the toy is going to be hard to get ahold of going into the holiday.
On Walmart.com, all four colours of the toy are out of first-party stock. Target's version comes with its own exclusive play set and is also out of stock online. Fingerlings are also completely out of stock on Amazon, where they are sold only by third parties at a 100% markup or more. Toys R Us, which sells an exclusive unicorn version, is also out of stock online.
Walmart says it anticipated the demand for Fingerlings and expects to be able to refrsh stock throughout the season.
"We feel pretty good about our position for the season," Bratspies said.
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(6 results)
Media type
Michael Stark • Sermon • • 2,229 views
"These are the generations of Isaac, Abraham's son: Abraham fathered Isaac, and Isaac was forty years old when he took Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, the sister of Laban the Aramean, to be his wife. And Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren. And the…
Edward Hatch • Palermo Christian Church • Sermon • • 292 views • 30:26
Underachieving Mothers I apologize in advance for using sports illustrations on Mother's Day, but here goes. This past week the NBA coaches got together to vote on who they thought should be coach of the year. Their choice is Dwane Casey, coach of the Toronto Raptors. He is a good coach. He led Toronto…
Four Small Words
Pastor Jordan Gadsby • Nipawin Apostolic Church • Sermon • • 43 views • 48:18
The Blessed Life of Jacob - Dreams In The Desert
Pastor Boon • East Sydney Community Christian Church • Sermon • • 17 views • 29:24
Chris Funkhouser • Pathway Church • Sermon • • 4 views • 1:04:23
God sovereignly uses conflict we create and conflict created for us; to sanctify us leading us toward his purposes in our life.


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He's Coming!
Our countdown clock takes us to the very start of September 10th, and of course we have that whole day to wait, too...but we are officially well under three weeks until the season premiere! Woo hoo!
I really want to stay spoiler free. It's nearly impossible, because if casting news or a Comic-Con report comes my way, I can't stop myself. But as I've watched the first three seasons over again, I remembered how much different that initial viewing of "Born Under a Bad Sign" would have been had I not seen the promo photos beforehand. You know, the ones with Sam's black eyes?
So I didn't look at these. Pictures from the premiere. I might happen across them between now and then, but I'm going to try really hard not to click any links. :)
(Aside: One thing I'm curious about--many of the promo photos they release before an episode airs seem to have been taken during rehearsals. Jensen wears that weird T-shirt/vest combo when on film he's wearing one of his jackets instead.)
1. Summer in Canada
When the show starts filming, it's warm enough for them to shed a few layers. First episode (ref. seasons 2 and 4, above), we often get T-shirts! (MAN, Sam looks young in that shot!)
2. "Hello, this is Jared Padalecki."
Remember the ABC Sunday Night Movie bumper?
Seeing that (and hearing the music) always brought a sense of excitement and anticipation. Now I get that from hearing Jared or Jensen tell us they're coming up next. I have the entire 42 minutes of show ahead of me, and it could bring anything--laughter, tears, heartbreak, action...and BOBBY!
3. Taking up where we left off.
Some shows jump ahead every season, most frequently, I think, so the time frame matches the real-life time frame. Season 4 did that, though it also, of course, fit the storyline and not just convenience. But like season 2 began immediately after the semi crash, season 5 should begin in the room with Sam and Dean as Lucifer approaches. I get shivers just thinking about it.
The CW has begun promoting the show, and it's looking good!
First, they released this two-and-a-half-minute "Up to Speed" video recapping season 4:
Next came eleven seconds of the premiere, "Sounds Like Hell." This one CAN be considered spoilery, as it is from the actual premiere, so if you're a spoiler purist, don't click play. :)
And finally, we got an actual promo. This is only 20 seconds long. It's kind of propaganda-style, with images NOT from the show interspersed with almost-too-quick-to-figure-out flashes from early episodes. Some of those are very creepy.
I'm adding a SPOILER WARNING to the comments because we might want to dissect some of this stuff in there.
In the meantime, I'm holding my breath until September 10th!