text: About Statement of faith Statement of faith We are a gospel-minded Christian organisation, committed to the teachings of the Bible and the mission of Jesus Christ. We believe that... 1 The Holy Bible is the fully and uniquely inspired Word of God, and the only infallible, sufficient and authoritative rule of faith and practice. 2 There is one God, eternally existent in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 3 Jesus Christ is Lord, fully God and fully man. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died to offer atonement through his blood and later rose from the dead. He ascended to heaven where He intercedes for those who believe until the day He returns in power and glory. He is the only Saviour of mankind. 4 Salvation of lost and sinful people is through regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Salvation comes by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. 5 The Holy Spirit dwells within believers, enabling Christians to live a godly life, and to serve the Lord in the power of the Spirit. 6 The saved will be resurrected to eternal life with God and unbelievers will be punished in hell for eternity. 7 All believers are united spiritually in our Lord Jesus Christ and comprise the Body of Christ.


text:
| 13.5°C Belfast
George Clooney has said that despite his passion for directing, acting will remain his day job.
The Oscar-winning star - who appears in Sideways director Alexander Payne's new comedy The Descendants - has gone behind the camera for several films, including the critically acclaimed Good Night And Good Luck, but admitted it's a time-consuming process.
"My career path for the last 10 years or so has been to direct, but directing takes a long time to get one done, it can take a while. So my day job is acting, that's how I make my living and directing is what I really want to do and what I really enjoy doing, " he revealed.
"In between those, if I'm lucky to have Alexander or Steven Soderbergh or the Coen brothers or Jason Reitman or Tony Gilroy or really good directors around, then I'm lucky, and that's what I want to do."
George, 50, added: "If your name is on it above the title you have to actually pay attention more to not just your part but to the film, so that was part of it, I got a good couple of lessons with some not great films and then I realised if I'm going to be held responsible then I'm going to pay attention to the films, and that's when things changed.
"I had a good run with Out Of Sight, Three Kings, O Brother, Where Art Thou? where it was like 'I get it, I've got to work with really good filmmakers and really good screenplays' and that makes a big difference."

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A collection of some of our favorite indoor plants for various light levels
Cityscapes only uses the best indoor plants for offices. Our tropical plants are generally shipped from Florida growers on regularly scheduled bi-weekly shipments.
The selection of indoor plants on this page are reliable varieties we have been using for nearly 30 years that are normally available. There are many other plant varieties and subspecies being grown all the time with new colors, textures and variegations. While we like to install creative new plant designs when we can, the galleries below represent what we consider beautiful, safe, and reliable choices for any corporate interiors.
If you are not sure what plants are best for your office, our design team will gladly walk through your space with you. We offer complimentary design assessments for any and all corporate, institutional and hospitality projects. Unfortunately we are not currently offering residential plant design solutions.
Simply give us a call at the number at the top of the page, or fill out the contact form and describe what it is you are looking for. One of our designers will get back to you and set up a time to walk through the space.


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Let's Give It Up for Gimme Lao!
Finalist for the 2015 Epigram Books Fiction Prize
Shortlisted for the Singapore Book Awards 2017 (Best Fiction Title)
Shortlisted for the Popular Readers' Choice Awards 2016 - English (Adult) Books Category
Sebastian Sim
"I don't aspire to be nice. I do what is necessary to get what I want."
Born on the night of the nation's independence, Gimme Lao is cheated of the honour of being Singapore's firstborn son by a vindictive nurse. This forms the first of three things Gimme never knows about himself, the second being the circumstances surrounding his parents' marriage, and the third being the profound (but often unintentional) impact he has on other people's lives.
Talented, determined and focused, young Gimme is confident he can sail the seven seas, but he does not anticipate his vessel would have to carry his mother's ambition, his wife's guilt and his son's secret. Tracing social, economic and political issues over the past 50 years, this humorous novel uses Gimme as a hapless centre to expose all of Singapore's ambitions, dirty linen and secret moments of tender humanity.
Advance Praise
"The plot wanders in an apparently artless, but in fact artful way... There's a real sense of control here, and a consistent, organic voice..."
—Philip Holden, editor of Writing Singapore and a judge of the Epigram Books Fiction Prize 2015
About the Author
Never one to shy away from the road less taken, Sebastian spent his twenties backpacking around the world to soak up different experiences and cultures. "[I think] there is an advantage in writing when you're older," he remarks. "You have to live and explore life first. Don't be afraid to try new things."
Since returning home, he has published three Chinese wuxia novels between 2004 and 2012. As a former prisons officer, having to follow a strict schedule whilst writing wasn't easy, and Sebastian remembers having to "wake up early, open a can of Red Bull and start writing. But when you're passionate about something, it's okay to make sacrifices."
Let's Give It Up For Gimme Lao! is Sebastian's first English novel. He is also working on his second English novel, which will have a contemporary local setting.
Format: Paperback
Size: 225 x 152mm
Pages: 320pp
Published: March 2016
Book Trailer


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Natsume is the reason INFECTION got a T Rating for sexual references
The World's Background Music IS the //SIGN OST.
Note how //SIGN never has BGM in the scenes that aren't in The World. Also the The Key of the Twilight is an Urban Legend of Zelda inspired by the lyrics of the song of the same name. (An Urban Legend of Zelda that just so happened to be true, but whatever.)
My Crackpot Theory to Try and Make //Link Not Suck
Spoilers way the hell up in this bitch, obviously. No complaining.
So the returning characters are memory constructs, obv.
Not only is Geist an AI copy of Jyotaro, but the rest of Schiksal are personality splits that don't realize it. Parts of himself he cast off so he can be UBAR VILLAINU (compare/contrast Naraku of Inuyasha and Father of FMA).
Tokio is a trojan horse AI with false memories. Truth is he always had the virus in him, but he needed a few years to develop in a private server before he could be dispatched.
AIKA is exactly what she claims she is, but Saika is not Jyotaro's sister. She is, in actuality, a split personality of AIKA that believes she is, constructed in order to give her reason to enter Tokio's world and unlock him. AIKA's motive is love, but Geist only allowed her to get close to Tokio if she followed his plans, so Saika was created as a sort of "sleeper agent" not realizing her own motives are made up. AIKA is also an AIDA that knows love in all it's forms, like Tri-Edge's hate and anger. She created Saika for the above reasons, but also out of jealousy for all the sibling bonds the AIDA have seen, such as Jun and Pi, Saku and Bo, etc.
Now, the events of the game happened merely because Tokio entered the game. The virus took hold and began doing these time travel shit. That's because it's not time travel, but the virus already working at hacking into Aura, and so we manifest her memories (see the memory-viewing aspect of Avatar Space in GU+ and the GU Novels).
The whole game was in Aura's core the whole time, but was a metaphorical, allegoral journey to the center of her heart. We saw her good times and bad times, and there were even attempts to twist and confuse them in order to break her down. Aura expresses her disdain for being a deity very early on in the game, and the virus is showing this in all it's myriad paths. Eventually the virus gets through, but hold on: Aspects of Cubia? That's not even congruous. But you know what is? ...remember what Cubia actually IS?
Right. He's the barrier of her heart, right? His job is to make sure people keep away from her. In short, he's everything Aura hates about her job. He keeps people from truly knowing her, he's the danger that makes people want to persecute and control her due to her risk, and he's the personification of the fact that things go to hell whenever she tries to help, even though she is very kind....
(I'm sure I can even bullshit some sexual symbolism from their placement to represent how she can't be with humans and blah blah, but it's really only supplemental.)
Anyway, that brings me to "Death Queen Aura." It's not Aura at all, or rather, it's not her true self. You guys've probably played Persona 4, right? You're familiar with the Shadow. The Shadow is that which the human mind represses, denies, or ignores about itself. We all have one, and it's nothing to be ashamed of. It's the part of us that wants to tell our boss to go f*ck himself, but we pretend we don't feel that way so as not to get fired.
This being is actually symbolic of Aura's inner despair and nihilism. Her rage at herself and the world outside for her lot in life and the shit she's been dealt, created by the destructive barrier around her. She's kind, so she would never do anything evil, but she's also a human with good and bad emotions, so in her low points, she may have these sorts of fantasies. The virus, then, wants her to embrace this side of her and give in to it.
But Tokio and his companions don't want this for Aura, and since they are effectively her dreams, they represent her hopes and the flickering light of her inner resolve. They begin to win over the nihilism, but it will never be defeated. Not really. And so AIKA makes her decision; Aura's given so much to everyone. She's been forced to live as a god with an infalliable spirit despite having a human heart, prone to weakness. She was forced to give, and give, and give, and no one ever gave back to her. Not in a way that was truly meaningful or selfless. But AIKA knows love. And she has hopes, and dreams, and fantasies she wants to pursue. and she'll give that all up for Aura, so that someone can say they've returned the favor.
She remains in Aura's heart, as a shining light of encouragement that there's great things about being alive, even if no one is on her side, and things seem dark as night. The Nihilism is defeated, and Aura returns to her rest, allowing all the A Is that fought for her to become real and exist, continuing the dream as a reward for defeating the virus.
...As for Kite-Sora, I'll get to her now.
She is a memory of something that has yet to come to pass. That is, she is a daydream.
A daydream of what? She's a dream of what Aura wants to be, if not forced to be a Goddess. The next story will have Sora innocently go on a quest to "revive" Aura, reliving Kite's adventure in a sense. But then she'll learn the truth: She is Aura, deliberately reincarnated so she can be like everyone else and live her own life. In that case, at the end of her story, she will reject the revival, defeat the Big Bad or whatever, and decide to continue living herself. Aura's suffered enough...let her rest in peace. And let us celebrate the splendor of the life of a human being, and the dignity of a mortal.
And as Kite!Sora walks to join her friends, she will be stepping into the dawn after her darkest hour, and she'll secure the unwritten ending of her Epitaph; of her story. The end of Aura's story, the beginning of her own. And thus the end of .hack.
The fireflies were Tsukasa's symbolic connection to others.
He crushed one when he was most closed off; and it was a firefly that led him to Subaru after she was attacked by the PK. His Dumb-Bell Guardian was a mutated version of this, which is also why, after it was destroyed, she started getting her memories back.
Subaru killed the PK that attacked her, which was a betrayal of her pacifism and is why she was suffering a BSOD.
Hence the Clothing Damage. If she had been killed, she would have respawned with full HP though less experience.
- More likely Subaru was raped by her.
- Video games, even Virtual Reality games, likely lack necessary equipment on the ingame models for that.
- This is "The World" we're talking about. It's supposed to be very realistic.
- Why would she be so distressed about it then? If I saw somebody raping my PC in Fantasy Life Mabinogi, I'd be more likely to stare in exasperated disbelief, and then move on, rather than BSOD over it. If Tsukasa had been the victim, that'd be justified, but Subaru's an ordinary player with no connection to her PC.
- Or could it be we were in Tsukasa's POV and what he saw was a battered broken up Subaru when her avatar was really just fine in the normal sense.
- Video games, even Virtual Reality games, likely lack necessary equipment on the ingame models for that.
Saika Amagi is the younger sister of Jyotaro Amagi and trying to accomplish what her brother failed with Project Aura.
The crash of R:1 was the result of his attempt to use the Phases to bring back Aura. He failed and went insane. Saika took up the mantle by creating R:X, which uses save data from both R:1 and R:2, since both accomplished different objectives. She's using an Idiot Hero to act as a proxy, so she won't suffer the same fate as her brother. (And if the proxy goes insane, it'll take longer for it to make a difference.)
Tsukasa is staying with Tokkio to save Macha.
There's something Tsukasa "still doesn't remember"; that's Macha, aka Mia. Since R:X has information from both R:1 and R:2, they should be able to recover her data.
- Macha, incidentally, is now inside the Dumbbell Monster that Tokkio has absorbed from Tsukasa - the same place it was in the bonus dungeon of .hack//Quarantine.
Emma Wielant was used as a prophet to herald the coming of the psychic astral plane
A character in the Liminality series knows the history of Emma's poem, saying that she wrote it shortly after what she called a "supernatural experience." In turn, her poem inspires her would-be lover to create an entire world where, whether he intended it or not, the barriers between mind and matter break down. Unforeseen events follow Emma's poem closely enough that the heroes start referring to it to figure out what to do. Besides being a world where human minds can be separated from their bodies, it's a spawning ground for a whole new form of digital consciousness (Aura on purpose, Morganna and AIDA by accident). Emma's poem was either the work of some crazy mystical mumbo-jumbo that intended all this to come about or one mother of a coincidence.
Tsukasa would have been the Epitah User of Macha
The whole reason Elk (and Endrance) has Mia hang around him is because he looks like Tsukasa. Had Tsukasa recovered from the Mind Rape that Morganna inflicted on hir and come back to The World. Mia would have been there, waiting for hir. If she continued to play after R:1 crashed and recreated Tsukasa in R:2, Tsukasa would have been the Epitaph User of Macha.
Haseo remembers his time as Sora
He considers it his Old Shame and tries to hunt down P Kers to stop them from having the same feelings when they get older.
- Jossed rather early on in Roots. As far as he remembers, Haseo has never played The World before, and decided to try it because some friends from school mentioned it. He starts his PKK career to hunt Tri-Edge after he kills Shino.
Haseo has a wrist problem
He snaps his wrist a lot in the first G.U. as an idle animation (I haven't played past the first so I don't know about future games). Since people's avatars are supposed to be reflections of one's self he could be trying to fix his wrist after playing too long
- Ah, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-- The bane of all truly hardcore gamers!
Haseo was infected by AIDA
- Azure Kite Data Drained Haseo, when it was only supposed to to be defending The World. Haseo couldn't lay a finger on Azure Kite, so why bother to Data Drain him?
- After the Data Drain, Haseo becomes much more mentally stable, just like (most) people who are infected with AIDA and the D Ded by Haseo himself. Even though he was defeated by the 'person' he blamed for Shino's coma.
- Jossed by Word of God saying that Azure Kite was aiming for Ovan, who was standing behind Haseo.
- Ovan's Theme, "The Epitaph is Told" can be heard after Azure Kite Data Drains Haseo.
Zelkova is an AI.
He said the Net Slum Tartaga is his home town, never said anything about his life outside the game and somehow knew everyone's Member Adresses. Or maybe Helba.
1=Sakaki = Generation Xerox of Sora.
Both are imature kids with lots of power in their hands. Unlike Sora, Sakaki is not likeable at all.
Judging by the Online Jack OVA, he forgot ever playing as Sakaki. His parents won't tell anything about what happened and Online Jack will be forgotten eventualy. Then he'll create another character and become one of the good guys. At some point, he'll have to research about Puppet Syndrome and learn he caused it and that he used to be a Complete Monster.
Just like Haseo was a PK and became a PKK, Sakakiwill become either a PK or a PKK, suffer in the hands of Knight Templars and be horribly manipulated and betrayed. That's what you get for crossing a bunch of Moral Event Horizons.
- At some point, Not So Different may come up.
Shugo is really Zefie's father
Aura was trying to create a better AI than herself, but it's impossible to write code that can do something you don't know how to do. Therefore, she had to get a data sample from an actual human in order to complete Zefie, and did so when she revived Shugo.
- Actually, you can write code that does something you don't know how to do; it's called emergent programming, and it happens in real life. Hell, Harald himself did it creating Aura, and she's constantly getting samples of human data through the game's natural processes; it's how she was created.
- Still, though, is it really that far-fetched an idea that Aura might have used Shugo as a template or something?
- Aura wanted to give the old Genetic Algorithm a spin.
- Still, though, is it really that far-fetched an idea that Aura might have used Shugo as a template or something?
Kite's real name is Kite (either first, middle, or last)
It could be used for an in-universe explanation for why he chose that player name.
- This actually makes sense, as he refers to Orca by his real-life name, and seems surprised when Orca tells him not to use real names in "The World."
The World has become a psychic astral plane with connections to all of the main characters in the manga and games.
Hints of this abound throughout the series.
- Characters' minds can be trapped within The World without any equipment connected to their bodies.
- It's an offhand, easily missed comment in the original games, but one NPC comments on how he dreamed he had played the game one night and then found that his character had leveled up and that his friends who were awake said that he had played with them that night.
- In .hack//LINK, the MacGuffin located within all of the major characters prior are called Chrono Cores. They link to the Akashic Record. The Akashic Record is an old, old theory - one of the definitions of being the Universal Unconsciousness that connects everyone's minds. Not all major characters have them; Subaru, for instance, is playing via handheld.
- The power of this plane seems to be increasing. It appears that the latest hero in .hack//LINK has been physically pulled into The World.
- This "increased" power has been present from the very earliest version. .hack//Epitaph of the Twilight tells the story of the first player of Fragment, Harald Hoerwick's niece. She was also physically pulled into the game, and only got out through her uncle's intervention. In the epilogue, Harald himself has similarly vanished.
- In .hack//Liminality, we learn Emma's poem - the foundation of The World (and predictor of the Cursed Wave) - was inspired by a "supernatural experience" of some sort. Immediately after, she became deeply interested in liminality, the metaphysical barrier between mind and matter, which also led to her meeting Harald. Emma could have unwittingly been used by a higher power to usher in this new state of being.
Miss Asaba, from Liminality OVA #2, is Helba.
They were very careful to give both characters the same VA in Japanese and in English; Yuki doesn't seem to know her at all (Asaba offers an explanation that they met at a wedding not long ago, but this is well within the reach of someone of Helba's abilities.) but Asaba goes out of her way to take care of Yuki and constantly tests her with distressing implications about what is happening to the other people in the theatre. Asaba doesn't even give a full name, just a family name - which could easily be fake, taken from the wedding's guest list. In the next OVA, Helba makes the effort to contact Tokuoka's group, because Yuki passed her tests. This is completely in character for Helba, too, as she similarly watched the characters in SIGN and the games before agreeing to help them.
After things turned Grimdark in R:2, Aura and Zefie simply left the game for a friendlier server
They have enough Playful Hacker friends to teach them how to to create a suitable environment. While Haseo and crew were having freakouts, she was off snogging Shugo silly.
- This is possible. Morganna attempted to do this during the R:1 games but was stopped by Kite.
- The "asleep in the sea of data" concept was just to cover their tracks.
The World left saved game files inside people's brains.
This is why players of both R:1 and R:2 can get their characters back in R:X. R:1 player files weren't compatible with R:2, but they are with R:X. If they played both, whichever one they identify most with is used.
- Possibly supported by the Chrono Cores in .Hack//Link, they connect the player to the 'Akashic Record', and when removed, the players revert to an earlier mentality. They're literally using their own memories as save files.
Pluto's Kiss was an anti-competitive move by the writers of ALTIMIT
ALTIMIT was the only survivor, and it was not by chance.
- And you thought Microsoft was bad...
- Maybe Microsoft wrote ALTIMIT?
.hack// is actually a simulation.
It's not a game. No one behaves as though it's actual a game, the game play doesn't have anywhere near the necessary options for even an Everquest 1 era MMORPG, and any game that was sending people in to comas would be pulled off the market fast than the seizure episode of Pokemon.
No, what it is a simulation with A Is and AI evolution. All the characters are advanced A Is interacting with more basic ones. They don't know it, though.
Impossible crossovers
.Hack//'s world was Com.net once
At least before it was perfected by the current team of computer programmers that involved Professor Inukai, Mr. Kasuga, and both Mr. and Ms. Shinozaki, the Big Bad of the second season, and a bunch more. They took the credit for reinventing the internet; but the first concept was in place, and Grosser was the program responsible for cleaning any residual or glitchy data from the beta, which could have corrupted him. After all, he was the proto-corrector; so, having artifical intelligence like all the others and seeing all that happened, he became corrupted and crazy.
There are too many similarities between these worlds for it to be just a coincidence, and Haseo himself (who is 30-something) could be in the com.net invention project. Considering that Adaptation Decay is common nowadays, why not in such a near future?
The World is a Realm created by Virtual Adepts.
The game itself, while appearing as a typical piece of software to Sleepers, are far more advanced than even futuristic technology should be. Also, full-body immersion seems to affect many players within the game, even those who are only wearing gloves and goggles in the real world; this is because, while in the game, those players are physically within the Digital Web in a pocket-dimension created by the cabal of Adepts who are the true creators of The World. Most of the events have been simply to keep players entertained; those who are Enlightened enough to follow the path to the end are marked as having potential for Awakening into Adepts. Most players are just playing a computer game, but some - like the .hackers - are able to use the Digital Web to its fullest. Hence, actions are possible in the manga and anime - sitting down, for example - that aren't in the games we play. We just don't have enough potential.
Incidentally, the mods and admins of the game are either the Adepts themselves, in a number of puppets, or advanced AI of the type Adepts are capable of creating. The 'Sea of Data' is the fringe between the pocket-dimension of The World and the rest of the Web. Morganna was an Adept who went rogue; everything else, with Emma and all, was programmed or reality-hacks to add depth to the simulation. Some of the characters Awaken and became Adepts; an example is Balmung, who Awakens during his adventures with Kite and joins the staff/cabal. The Adepts themselves appear in the game as the Phases from R:2, having built up so much Paradox that they were verging on Quiet; battling Haseo eventually gets them back in touch with their mortal sides, pushing back the Quiet for the moment.
- You know, this one actually makes sense. Some things in the game (like performing a psychic attack through a digital interface) blatantly violate the known laws of physics. This would make it possible that various events resulted from a Paradox Backlash when a mundane with computer science training noticed.
Helba's player is Major Motoko Kusanagi
When she isn't piloting Knightmare Frames, teaching the next generation of ninjas or being an demonic electric guitar-scythe, the Major kicks back and plays The World R:1. She got hooked on it after having to infiltrate it for a mission and discovered that there was more to The World than meets the eye. The whole "multiple users" rumor is partially true, as the Major plays Helba when there isn't a mission going on (using the "I can drive a car while asleep" and the "Hmm, I used to be able to control two bodies." lines), while the Tachikoma who don't go on missions (Rarely are all of them needed) play Helba to keep themselves interested.
This universe is another server on The Matrix, being run by an Architect who likes MMORPGs.
The minute somebody's Fridge Logic kicks in and asks: "Wait, if The World is just a simulation, what's to say the real world isn't, he implants a subconscious desire to play in The World one last time before inducing a coma.
Alternately, this is Instrumentality.
Tsukasa's player was struggling with the same issues of self-worth as Shinji (and Tsukasa's character design looks suspiciously like Kaoru).
- Should be noted the character designs are based off of the designs created by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto who also designed for the Evangelion series.
Plus we needed at least one of the Instrumentality / Time Lord / Haruhi WMGs in this section. TV Tropes tradition, after all.
- Instrumentality as a concept isn't much of a stretch here, considering all the inexplicable mind screwery that just keeps piling up through the series. The only real question is whether anybody will have to stay behind to keep the computers running, or if they're just a passage to The World and won't be needed once we all cross over.


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Holme Rug Co. Reins Mill, Huddersfield. October 2013.
A small, elderly mill building on the outskirts of Huddersfield. Formerly home to the Holme Rug Co. In really good nick, with a few charming details. Very little remains regarding the company itself within the building apart from a certificate of Incorporation in 1960 establishing itself as a limited Company. Information of the companies activities are also limited, presumably they wove and / or sold rugs, there are some bits and pieces of really old looms in the loft space but thats about it. Evidence of an owl in residence is compounded by the large amount of pellets to be found Look, white dog poo
It seems that the company only operated for 15 years until it was wound up.
Notice is hereby given that the Creditors of the above-named
Company are required, on or before the 23rd May 1975,
to send their names and addresses, with particulars of their
debts or claims, and the names and addresses of their
Solicitors (if any), to the undersigned, Frederick John
Sheard, of 5-6 Kirkgate Buildings, Huddersfield, the
Liquidator of the said Company: and, if so required by
notice in writing by the said Liquidator, are, by their
Solicitors or personally, to come in and prove their said
debts or claims at such time and place as shall be specified
in such notice, or in default thereof they will be excluded
from the benefit of any distribution made before such
debts are proved.Dated 10th April 1975.
Frederick /. Sheard, Liquidator.
NOTE. This notice is purely formal and all known
Creditors have been, or will be, paid in full. (783)
The mid and lower floors seem to have served varying uses over time, the ground floor holding a forklift truck and a stock of bus or lorry tyres. In 2010 a planning application was made for a change of use and conversion into an MOT garage, which was approved but seemingly not acted upon. Visited with Clough, Geo, Fudge & Paedington Peter.
A few photos:
Loom relics and a nice corked jug.
Dat phone...
No externals because i needed a piss and then forgot to take any.


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Hamas and Israel should stop use of explosive weapons in populated areas
Hamas and Israel should immediately stop using explosive weapons in populated areas as it puts civilians at risk of death and injury, damages infrastructure including homes, hospitals and schools, and escalates political tensions. The recent increase in explosive weapon use indicates a slide towards conflict that needs to be constrained.
Over the past days Hamas has intensified rocket fire into Israel, hitting homes and creating an atmosphere of fear among the civilian population. Three people were killed when a rocket hit the top of a four storey building in Kiryat Malachi causing it to collapse. There are also media reports that rockets hit a house and another rocket landed close to a school. Israel has said that 200 rockets have been fired into Israel by Hamas.[1]
Israel has responded with aerial attacks dropping bombs over Gaza city which have reportedly killed at least 15 Palestinians, of which eight are reported to be civilians and include a pregnant woman, an 11-month old boy and three children. Medics have reported that 130 people have been injured.[2]
Explosive weapons use blast and fragmentation to kill and injure people in the area where they detonate, as well as to damage objects, buildings and infrastructure. When used in populated areas they tend to cause high levels of harm to individuals and communities. Destruction of infrastructure vital to the civilian population, including water and sanitation, housing, schools and hospitals, results in a pattern of wider, long term suffering. Victims and survivors of explosive weapons can face long-term challenges of disability, psychological harm, and social and economic exclusion.
Whilst any use of explosive weapons in populated areas is likely to put civilians at risk, weapons with wide area effects – such as rockets, artillery and large aircraft bombs – pose the greatest threat. In Syria this year, the use of such heavy weapons in populated areas has been recognized as causing a humanitarian crisis and been subject to international condemnation.[3]
The recent explosive weapon attacks out of and into Gaza recall the 2009 conflict that saw major civilian harm. The Ministry of Health in Gaza estimated that 1,400 people were killed and 5,600 were injured during that conflict. Many of the seriously injured will be affected for life. The then Head of the ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger commented that the use of heavy weaponry would have made it impossible to distinguish between civilians and combatants.[4]
[1] http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-20336811
[2] http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/15/us-palestinians-israel-hamas-idUSBRE8AD0WP20121115
[3] Article 36, Reported in Heavy weapons and civilian protection, 9th August 2012 – http://www.article36.org/cat1-explosive-weapons/bombardment-of-aleppo-heavy-weapons-and-civilian-protection/
[4] Landmine Action, 2009, Explosive Violence, p.42, http://www.aoav.org.uk/uploads/changing_policy/The%20Impact%20of%20Explosive%20Weapons/Reports/2009_08_the_problem_of_explosive_weapons.pdf
Posted in: Explosive weapons, Latest posts and news, Protection of civilians,


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SMOK Trinity Alpha Replacement Cartridge Overview
The SMOK Trinity Alpha Replacement Cartridge can easily be attached to the SMOK Trinity Alpha Mod by a childproofing lock mechanism along with a simple plug and play connection. These cartridges have a large 2.8mL e-liquid capacity reservoir that is filled by a convenient top filling mechanism next to the mouthpiece. To fill the pod system with your favorite e-juices, simply unscrew the threaded Stainless Steel cap and squeeze the vape juice into the large filling port. This cartridge includes a 510 drip tip that sits above a decorative Stainless Steel ring that allows for increased airflow before the vapor is drawn up through the mouthpiece. You can easily swap out this 510 drip tip with any other compatible 510 drip tip of your choice. Included with the SMOK Trinity Alpha are two Nord Mesh coils that offer low wattage draws for both direct lung or mouth to lung hits. The Nord Mesh 0.6 ohm coil head has a maximum 25W rating and the Nord Mesh MTL 0.8 ohm coil head has a maximum 16W rating. Both of these coils utilize Kanthal heating material in a mesh design for increased heat distribution and a longer lifespan. SMOK has also made this cartridge compatible with the Nord Regular 1.4 ohm coil head as well as the Nord Ceramic 1.4 ohm coil head. The simple plug and play coil insertion at the bottom of the cartridge makes this versatility easily accessible so you can find the right coil for you. If you plan on picking up the SMOK Trinity Alpha AIO Starter Kit or you've already been enjoying this stylish product then be sure to get an extra SMOK Trinity Alpha Replacement Cartridge.
SMOK Trinity Alpha Replacement Cartridge Features
- Rich Flavors / Pure Taste
- Organic Cotton
- Heating Element: Kanthal
- Includes 2 individual Mesh Nord Coils
- Resistance (Mesh Coil): 0.6 ohm
- Resistance (Mesh-MTL Coil): 0.8 ohm
- Caridge Capacity: 2.8ml
- Sold as Pack of 1
Cartridges Disclaimer
NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS: E-Liquid and Pre-Filled Pods ordered from the MistHub Webstore is for Adult Use Only and may contain some or all of the following ingredients (Propylene Glycol and/or Vegetable Glycerin, Nicotine, Distilled Water, Alcohol, and Flavorings). If you are allergic to any of the E-Liquid ingredients listed above, are pregnant or breast feeding, have high blood pressure or a heart condition, diabetes or asthma please consult your Physician first before using any E-Liquid products. (CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65) Warning: Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and is known by the state of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. E-Liquid is not intended for oral ingestion or prolonged contact with skin, eyes, or mucus membranes. Please keep all E-Liquids out of reach of children or pets for their safety. MistHub will not be held liable for injuries resulting from the use or misuse of any E-Liquid product sold on this website. USE ALL PRODUCTS ON THIS SITE AT YOUR OWN RISK!
SUB-OHM: Some devices might come with sub-ohm resistance coils. Extra safety precautions should be practiced when using a sub ohm device. Sub-ohm coils will only work on a device capable of firing sub ohm atomizers and coils. You must also ensure that your batteries can handle sub ohm atomizers and coils. Improper use can lead to damage or injury. MistHub is not responsible for any damage caused by the misuse and/or mishandling of sub-ohm devices. Check out our Tutorial Section where you can learn more about the different kinds of devices and tips on how to use them safely.
BATTERIES RISK: There is an inherent risk with the use of any and all rechargeable batteries in any circumstance. MistHub will not be held responsible or liable for any injury, damage, or defect, permanent or temporary that may be caused by the improper use or handling of a battery. By purchasing battery devices you acknowledge these risks and attest that you have sufficient understanding of the batteries you are purchasing to use and care for them properly.
WARRANTY: This device comes with a 30 day Limited Warranty against any manufacturing defects from the date of delivery. Physical damage, water damage or evidence of tampering with the device will void the warranty. Scratches and discoloration from regular use is considered normal wear and tear and is not covered by warranty. Tanks, atomizers and coils are not covered under warranty. Please examine the devices upon delivery for any defects.
NOT FOR SALE TO MINORS: Vape products ordered from the MistHub Webstore is for ADULT USE ONLY. MistHub supports legislations and regulations preventing any purchase and use of our products by minors.
AGE VERIFICATION: Our web store utilizes strict age verification technology on any order to prevent minors from accessing and purchasing any vape products.


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Starting Times
Registration and practice begins at 8:30 A.M.
Match begins at 9:30 A.M.
Registration Fees
Entry fee for one rifle $15.00
Entry fee for two rifles $22.00
Entry fee for Jr. and 1st. time shooters $8.00
Please visit the Small Bore page for more details
Disclaimer: No video, photos, or graphics of the Atglen Sportsmen's Club's ranges, grounds, facilities, or clubhouse shall be used or posted in a public forum in both electronic and print without the expressed written permission of the Atglen Sportsmen's Club's Executive Board.
Atglen Sportsmen's Club, Inc. - All rights reserved


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SHAREHOLDERS in troubled telecoms equipment group Marconi today had another disastrous day as shares crashed 20%, wiping #300 million off the group's value.
As analysts downgraded their forecasts following yesterday's announcement of a further trading slump, as well as job cuts and boardroom departures, shares fell steadily lower.
Investors, who for an all-too-fleeting period last year saw stock worth #12.50, were today nursing shares valued at just 42.25p.
And one analyst said the City was now worried about the group going bust.
The company, last year worth around #35 billion, is now worth just #1.2 billion and faces relegation from the top-flight FTSE 100 Index in next week's review.
"One wonders how much more is to follow. It is almost impossible to say how far the shares will fall," one analyst said.
"The trading position was that much worse than people were expecting. And people were also slightly worried that Marconi had not brought in an outsider to lead."
Alex Scott, fund manager at Barclays Stockbrokers said: "The analyst downgrades are part of it. The news that came out yesterday, in our view should have been made a few weeks before, it was inevitable and was priced into the stock.
"What the market is now looking at is the risk that Marconi could go bust.
"Their debt is already trading at junk bond status and their equity is increasingly looking like option value on the hope of a recovery or a takeover, and you cannot see where that is going to come from."


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5 steps to get rid of mice odor
Mice often enter homes during the cold winter months to seek shelter and food. Using traps is an effective way to get rid of them. If they die of natural causes or due to poison you set out, they usually crawl off to a secluded area to die. This makes it difficult or impossible to locate and discard the carcass. The musty odor can remain in your home for weeks. Here are some home remedies that are not only inexpensive but also effective in getting rid of the odor.
Step 1
Make your own air freshener by putting a few drops of essential oil, such as peppermint or cinnamon onto a cotton ball. Drop it into a small plastic container, poke holes in the lid with scissors or an ice pick and put the lid onto the container. Place it in an out-of-the-way area and enjoy the fresh scent.
Step 2
Saturate a cleaning cloth with vanilla extract. Place this in an open container in the areas where the mouse odor is the worst.
Step 3
Set containers full of baking soda around your house or where the mouse odor is the strongest. The baking soda effectively absorbs the odor without attempting to disguise it.
Step 4
Pour white distilled vinegar into bowls or plastic containers. Place them throughout your home. Leave them out for a few hours or even overnight. The vinegar absorbs the odor. Once you remove the vinegar, the vinegar smell dissipates within 15 to 30 minutes, leaving the air smelling fresh.
Step 5
Pour cat box filler into an empty box and place it in the room where the odor is most evident. Close the door of the room and leave it overnight or for up to four days.


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In Irish and Celtic Studies you will be part of a vibrant research area that is internationally recognised as a centre of excellence in the languages, literatures, histories, linguistics, visual cultures and cultural identities of Europe and beyond. Here you will work in a dynamic and forward-looking research group that engages in cutting-edge scholarship across all periods of the Irish language, both on an individual and collaborative basis. You will be able to develop your own research potential as part of a community of research students in Modern Languages that is driven by interdisciplinarity, collaboration and innovation in the advancement of knowledge.
Information on the implications of Brexit for prospective students.
Associated Research
Historical linguistics, sociolinguistics and dialectology
Language and Identity
Medieval Irish language and literature
Modern Irish literary studies
We also have a strong record in supervising comparative and interdisciplinary theses across the humanities and involving other Schools in the University.
Doctoral graduates in Irish typically go on to hold posts in academia, government, business and in Irish language promotion. Recent graduates have taken up posts in the European Commission, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, University College Dublin, University College Cork, New York City University and the Department for Communities (formerly DCAL).
Dr Marcas Mac Coinnigh
Senior Lecturer
Email: email@example.com
Professor Greg Toner
Email: email@example.com
Professor Mícheál Ó Mainnín
Email: email@example.com
|Project name
A 2.1 Honours degree or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. While a Master's degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) is not essential, it is desirable and applicants without this qualification will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen's University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen's University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
|Northern Ireland (NI)
|England, Scotland or Wales (GB)
|Other (non-UK) EU
More information on postgraduate tuition fees.
Irish & Celtic costs
There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.
All Students
Depending on the programme of study, there may also be other extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies . Students can borrow books and access online learning resources from any Queen's library. If students wish to purchase recommended texts, rather than borrow them from the University Library, prices per text can range from £30 to £100. Students should also budget between £30 to £100 per year for photocopying, memory sticks and printing charges. Students may wish to consider purchasing an electronic device; costs will vary depending on the specification of the model chosen. There are also additional charges for graduation ceremonies, and library fines. In undertaking a research project students may incur costs associated with transport and/or materials, and there will also be additional costs for printing and binding the thesis. There may also be individually tailored research project expenses and students should consult directly with the School for further information.
Find PhD opportunities and funded studentships by subject area.2.Doctoral Training Centres at Queen's
Queen's has eight outstanding competitive Doctoral Training Centres, with each one providing funding for a number of PhD positions and most importantly a hub for carrying out world class research in key disciplines.3.PhD loans
The Government offers doctoral loans of up to £26,445 for PhDs and equivalent postgraduate research programmes for English- or Welsh-resident UK and EU students, £10,000 for students in Scotland and up to £5,500 for Northern Ireland students.4.International Scholarships
Information on Postgraduate Research scholarships for international students.
The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal go.qub.ac.uk/pgapply and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
If you're interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.
To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.
You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.
Queen's University Belfast is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
For more information please read our Equality and Diversity Policy.
Queen's University Belfast is registered with the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland NIC101788
VAT registration number: GB 254 7995 11


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After raising $55 million last year to build its business beyond its existing help desk services, today Freshworks (the parent company of Freshdesk) has made an acquisition to help it fill out that strategy.Source: Tech Crunch
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is dramatically changing business, and chatbots, fueled by AI, are becoming a viable customer service channel. The best ones deliver a customer experience (CX) in which customers cannot tell if they are communicating with a human or a computer.Source: Fobes
Hard work can pay off -- if you know how to seize the right moments. Every entrepreneur has the moment -- that time when hard work finally pays off, when a long-desired opportunity presents itself and the entrepreneur has to decide how to react.Source: Entrepreneur
Tech is one of the hottest industries out there.Source: Business Insider
Some people are famous only among fans of a particular sport, a specific age group, or their hometown locals. Lauren Hayes, a 27-year-old model and entrepreneur, is famous at the automation software company IPsoft.Source: Quartz
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) believes in incorporating artificial intelligence in its decision-making process, a senior official told CNBC.Source: CNBC
Customer experience chatbot developer Rulai has launched a new "low-code" chatbot development tool and raised $6.5 million to roll it out.Source: TC
The Internet giant Google on Wednesday said it will mentor six more Indian startups in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) at its developers' launchpad in San Francisco from July 17.Source: YOURSTORY
Bots are created automatically from data in Bing Places and will soon work with Facebook Messenger and Cortana.Source: Search Engine Land
Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant have dramatically simplified how humans can interact with brands to complete everyday tasks, from ordering a coffee or pizza to paying a credit card bill, through a simple voice interface.Source: VB
In the new version of Telegram messenger 4.0 introduces video messaging, payments for robots, Telescope and platform Instant View.Source: clicklancashire
Distil Networks has acquired Are You A Human for an undisclosed amount. Are You A Human uses a range of technologies to determine the difference between humans and bots.Source: Enterprise Times
Messaging app Telegram has dropped a major update today that sees its service gain support for chatbot payments. It has also added short video messages and new design options for its Instant View reading mode.Source: TC
BotBot is like a Squarespace for bots, allowing anyone to build a Facebook chatbot right from their mobile phone.Source: Fast Company
Just ahead of Google's I/O event kicking off later today, some details have leaked out about a new service that Google is launching for developers that are building chatbots. TechCrunch has learned that Google has developed a new service called Chatbase, which provides analytics and suggestions for how to "fix" bot experiences to make them better for users.Source: TC
Maybe we'll all be using synth sounds built by robots soon?Source: Factmag
Intel, Salesforce, eBay, Sony, SAP, McKinsey & Company, Zalando and Cogitai are joining the Partnership on AI, a collection of companies and non-profits that have committed to sharing best practices and communicating openly about the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence research. The new members will be working alongside existing partners that include Facebook, Amazon, Google, IBM, Microsoft and Apple.Source: TC
Startup Spirit AI says it has a solution to the growing problem of harassment in online games: a sensitive bot.Source: MIT Technology Review
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Welcome to Chestnut Class
Class Teacher: Mrs Nicola Phillips, Mrs Janine Stevenson
email firstname.lastname@example.com / email@example.com
Teaching Assistant: Mrs Claire Roberts
Year groups: 4 and 5
Our class timetable.
Initial parents' evening presentation
For more information about our curriculum please look at our current curriculum map and this term's topic overview.
National Curriculum statutory requirements, please click on the individual links below:
Year 4 - spelling, reading & writing, maths
Year 5 - spelling, reading & writing, maths
Find out more about our maths calculation policy:
Year 4/5 - add & subtract
Year 4 - multiply & divide
Year 5 - multiply & divide
Useful websites
- www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing A great touch-typing programme for all ages groups
- www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/ Reading, writing, maths, spelling revision activities
- www.mathszone.co.uk Maths games for KS1 and KS2:
- www.mathletics.co.uk
- www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk (select curriculum area)
- www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory (good selection of history topics)
- www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml (interactive films and games for science)
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/my-activity-passport (editable list of activities for families with children aged up to 11 years)
- www.bbc.co.uk/newsround (current affairs for children)
- www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english (grammar and punctuation revision)
- www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk (very informative, child friendly site linked to school topics)
Online Safety
- www.net-aware.org.uk NSPCC tool for parents to assess what their children access
- www.thinkuknow.co.uk Fun games and activities about staying safe on the internet
- www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/topics/stay-safe Video clips and a few games
- www.kidsmart.org.uk A great internet safety resource for parents and children


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Features and Benefits
- 250 ps Propagation Delay Input to Output
- 50 ps Propagation Delay Dispersion
- Differential ECL Compatible Outputs
- Differential Latch Control
- Robust Input Protection
- Input Common-mode Range -2.0 V to +3.0 V
- Input Differential Range ±5 V
- ESD Protection >3 kV HBM, >200 V MM
- Power Supply Sensitivity > 65 dB
- 200 ps Minimum Pulsewidth
- 5 GHz Equivalent Input Rise
Time Bandwidth
- Typical Output Rise/Fall of 165 ps
Product Details
The ADCMP566 is an ultrafast voltage comparator fabricated on Analog Devices' proprietary XFCB process. The device features 250 ps propagation delay with less than 35 ps overdrive dispersion. Overdrive dispersion, a particularly important characteristic of high speed comparators, is a measure of the difference in propagation delay under differing overdrive conditions.
A fast, high precision differential input stage permits consistent propagation delay with a wide variety of signals in the common-mode range from -2.0 V to +3.0 V. Outputs are complementary digital signals fully compatible with ECL 10 K and 10 KH logic families. The outputs provide sufficient drive current to directly drive transmission lines terminated in 50 Ω to -2 V. A latch input is included, which permits tracking, track-and-hold, or sample-and-hold modes of operation.
The ADCMP566 is available in a 32-lead LFCSP package.
- High speed instrumentation
- Scope and logic analyzer front ends
- Window comparators
- High speed line receivers and signal restoration
- Threshold detection
- Peak detection
- High speed triggers
- Patient diagnostics
- Disk drive read channel detection
- Hand-held test instruments
Product Categories
Product Lifecycle Production
At least one model within this product family is in production and available for purchase. The product is appropriate for new designs but newer alternatives may exist.
Evaluation Kits (1)
This page contains ordering information for evaluating this product.
Reference Materials
Design Resources
ADI has always placed the highest emphasis on delivering products that meet the maximum levels of quality and reliability. We achieve this by incorporating quality and reliability checks in every scope of product and process design, and in the manufacturing process as well. "Zero defects" for shipped products is always our goal.
PCN-PDN Information
Support & Discussions
ADCMP566 Discussions
Sample & Buy
The USA list pricing shown is for BUDGETARY USE ONLY, shown in United States dollars (FOB USA per unit for the stated volume), and is subject to change. International prices may differ due to local duties, taxes, fees and exchange rates. For volume-specific price or delivery quotes, please contact your local Analog Devices, Inc. sales office or authorized distributor. Pricing displayed for Evaluation Boards and Kits is based on 1-piece pricing.


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Due to the ongoing success of Gateway Rugby we are looking to expand our primary school provision throughout the region.
By visiting our Gateway Schools every fortnight, we built a great rapport with the schools, staff and pupils to make maximum impact.
We deliver a number of generic sporting skills, team building activities and small sided games during our hour-long session.
The aim is for the pupils to become more skilful, learning important life skills through sport and ultimately enjoying the experience whilst looking after their health & wellbeing.
Our Service Level Agreement enabled us to allocate the school a Gateway Community Coach to deliver the practical sessions and much more.
Obviously, the sporting sessions themselves are of the highest calibre but the scheme comes with many attractive add-ons including entry into our annual Primary Tag rugby festivals (final played on Rodney Parade at the Dragons last match of the season), complimentary tickets for two selected Dragons matches and a reward ticketing scheme for parenting programme, staff and pupils.
We are currently working with Primary schools from all around the region with huge success, and would welcome more schools into our #GatewayRugbyFamily to enjoy the many inspiring opportunities.
- Alway
- Caerleon Lodge
- Eveswell
- Gaer
- Glan Usk
- Glasllwch
- Langstone
- Malpas Court
- Maindee
- Millbrook
- Llanmartin
- Pillgwenlly
- St Julians
- St. Michaels RC
- Rogerstone
- St. Andrews
- Durand
- St. Davids RC
- St Woolos
- Malpas Church
- St Marys RC
- Rogiet
- High Cross
- Clytha
- Dewstow
- Ysgol y Ffin
- Castle Park
- Thornwell
- Pembroke
- Abercarn
- Maesglas
- Blackwood
- Blaenycwm
- Penygarn
- Pontnewydd
- Crumlin High Level
- Jubilee Park
- George St
- Archbishop Rowan Williams Church in Wales Primary School
- Llanyravon
- Ysgol Gymraeg Cwm Derwen
- New Inn
- St Patrick's RC Primary School
For further information about Gateway Rugby, please contact email@example.com or 07710773977.


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Signs of a Mole in the Garden
North America is home to six types of moles. Although the destructive pests are easily confused with rodents such as gophers, voles, ground squirrels and rats, moles are not actually rodents at all, but insectivores related to shrews and bats. The moles' handiwork -- tunnels and mounds -- are reliable signs of their presence.
Moles create foraging tunnels in spring and fall when the ground is soft, moist and easy to dig. Foraging tunnels are narrow tunnels measuring only about 2 inches across. The short, crooked tunnels are abandoned when food such as grubs and worms in the tunnel is depleted. Travel tunnels are long, straight, raised ridges, often following the course of a fence, driveway, lawn border or building foundation. Although moles make use of tunnels all year, travel tunnels often appear in summer when the moles are in search of earthworms or in autumn when the moles are preparing for winter.
The most obvious signs that a mole is excavating your garden are cone-shaped mounds of dirt, appropriately known as molehills. The mounds, which vary in size, are usually only a few inches high, but may expand to as much as 12 inches in diameter. Mounds usually appear in autumn when moles are digging tunnels deep in the ground in preparation for winter. The mounds, created when moles transport soil up to the surface, usually contain dirt clods, which are not characteristic of gophers.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images


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Creating Extraordinary love
(for couples & singles)
May 19th-20th
Do you want more out of your love life? Maybe you are single and wondering why you can't seem attract "real love." Maybe you are in a long-term relationship and its good- but you want more. You want more passion, deeper love, and a stronger emotional connection to your partner. You want experience levels of intimacy beyond what you know now. You want to become an EXTRAORDINARY LOVER. And you can.Apply to join this exclusive workshop
In the UNLEASHED LOVING workshop you will learn how to:
- Bring your inner lover to life.
- Connect on deep emotional and spiritual levels
- Supercharge your sex -life (even if you've been with the same partner for years)
- Tap into your inherent gifts and share them with your partner
- Attract your ideal partner (whether single or already coupled)
- Understand your relationships as healing opportunities
Enroll as a single, with a lover, or with a friend!
Workshop dates: 5/19/18 1:00pm-7pm- 5/20/18 9am-4:30pm
Couples/ individual of all sexual or gender orientation welcome. This workshop is integrative bring together the best in techniques in relationship and sexual healing. This workshop does not include any nudity or sexual activity. There will be some light yoga and meditation practices included.


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Our theme this week is on word of mouth marketing, so we are reading Satisfied Customers Tell Three Friends, Angry Customers Tell 3,000: Running a Business in Today's Consumer-Driven World by Pete Blackshaw, executive vice president of strategic services at Nielsen Online.
This is a new era of customer service with social networks. In June 2006, a man named Vincent Ferrari had a shockingly combative conversation with an AOL sales rep; he recorded it and posted it on YouTube. More than 62,827 viewings later, AOL's reputation was irretrievably damaged. As you may remember, our post on Tuesday was about this very thing. Watch your words so that your words don't become your brand.
Do you have to do things differently in today's consumer-driven world?
The Internet has undoubtedly changed the way that people do business. Both as a business owner and a consumer, the online capabilities make everything different. Blackshaw says:
"The internet, specifically the now ubiquitous open-source, participatory Internet dubbed "Web 2.0," allow consumers, united by one common activity — purchasing goods and services from companies — to come together in an extended community."
As the title of chapter 2 states: The Consumer is Now the Boss. In today's Internet-driven world, customers have more power than ever. Often these customers come out to voice frustrations, and even a single disgruntled customer can broadcast his or her complaints to an audience of millions.
Do you know how to create loyal relationships with today's consumer?
Blackshaw states that there are three truths you must commit to when doing Web 2.0 Business:
- Businesses no longer hold absolute sway over the decisions and behaviors of consumers
- The longer companies refuse to accept the influence of consumer-to-consumer communication and perpetuate the old ways of doing business, the more they will alienate and drive away their customers.
- To succeed in a world where consumers now control the conversation, and where satisfied customers tell three friends while angry customers tell 3,000, companies absolutely must achieve credibility on every front.
This authoritative read on building credibility shows managers and business leaders how to establish and maintain loyalty for their brand. The advice is calculated about by being authentic, listening and responding to customers, and forming relationships built on openness, transparency, and trust. Any executive who worries about the company's reputational risk should read this book and should also make sure that online social media policies are part of strategic planning.
And though this is a bit dated, the advice in this video are still very relevant. Good advice on online marketing, word of mouth marketing, and how companies live and die on the trust they build online.


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We replicated the gristmill that stood on the site and was swept away in the Flood of 1916. Back in those days, numerous waterwheel gristmills were built in Hickory Nut Gorge for grinding grain. Our neighbor's grandfather worked in the original mill. We found a log cabin that dated from the 1840's, took it down and re-built it, placing a working waterwheel on it. We acquired two authentic grinding stones and eventually plan to install them so that we are able to grind corn in the old-fashioned way.
The remains of the historic Drover's Road are still evident and pass right by the mill. Along this dirt road, people drove their horses and wagons to the mill to have their corn ground into grain. They also drove their animals to market along this route. Now the remnants of the Old Drovers Road at Laughing Waters are part of our trail system and lead from the lodge, cottage, and gristmill to the orchard downstream, connecting to the new Upper Hickory Nut Gorge trail system.
Since 2005 we have been busy restoring the mill as well as creating the community center/retreat site that serves so many people. We completed Laughing Waters lodge in the spring of 2010 and began our first year of activities and events. You can see the stages of the construction process in our slide show. Over the years, as the vision of Laughing Waters and Hickory Nut Forest continues to grow and expand, we look forward to new creative opportunities to enhance this magical place.
Laughing Waters is a rejuvenating retreat space for the greater community with room for gatherings of all kinds: weddings, potlucks, personal retreats, seasonal celebrations, and workshops on subjects like self-transformation, sustainable living, organic gardening, healing arts, and sacred ceremony. A one-bedroom cottage sits upstream from the lodge and can be used as a honeymoon cabin for the bridal couple during wedding weekends, or it can be rented separately for private retreats. Laughing Waters is a versatile and high energy place where people can feel vibrantly alive and open to their full potential.
There is a place on Hickory Nut Creek in Hickory Nut Gorge, NC that named itself. At the site of the ruins of a 19th Century gristmill is the Laughing Waters Retreat Site and Community Center. The sound of water rushing over giant moss-covered boulders evokes feelings of peace and joy. Hemlock and rhododendron groves line the banks. This energetic site is the community hub of Hickory Nut Forest, an eco-friendly community of 23 home sites that are examples of green homes, renewable energy, and sustainable lifestyles. At Laughing Waters, the electricity is produced by a micro-hydro turbine powered by the water cascading down from the Continental Divide.


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Viscous-Gravity spreading of oil on water
AuthorChebbi, Rachid
MetadataShow full item record
Spreading of oil on calm water is analyzed for the second stage of spread, which is controlled by a balance between gravity and viscous forces. The analysis, using the integral boundary-layer method, agreed well with a numerical solution for the case of unidirectional spread. The analysis is extended to include axisymmetric spread for which there is no sound theoretical treatment presented in the literature. The approximations made in the model are discussed based on the lubrication approximation and order-of-magnitude arguments.
- Chemical Engineering Research [307 items ]


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How to Create a Sports Betting Web Platform
Sports Betting is a popular industry to build a highly profitable business. For instance, there are more than 100.000 people working in gambling industry all over the UK. If so many people serve the numerous casinos, bingo and betting shops you can figure out the number of bettors visiting these places daily.


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How the parabolic fire version of the Aesir Gewehr proprietary plasma effector technology works at all is a closely-guarded secret. Heavy Plasma Mortar mounted on durable chassis will accompany your forces when there is a need for long-range brute force.
Models based on Stephane Chasseloup's digital assets, converted, detailed and optimized for production by Strato Minis Studio.


text: Annual Reports and Proxies Please click here to see older annual reports and proxy statements. 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 3/14/2019 Def 14A - Additional Materials Notice of Availability 3/14/2019 Def 14A Proxy Statement 3/16/2018 Def 14A Proxy Statement 3/16/2018 Def 14A - Additional Materials Notice of Availability 3/16/2018 2017 Annual Report 3/29/2017 Def 14A Proxy Statement 3/29/2017 Def 14A - Additional Materials Notice of Availability 12/31/2016 2016 Annual Report 3/18/2016 Def 14A Proxy Statement 3/18/2016 Def 14A - Additional Materials Notice of Availability 12/31/2015 2015 Annual Report 3/9/2015 Def 14A Proxy Statement 3/9/2015 Def 14A - Additional Materials Notice of Availability 2/23/2015 OPB Preliminary Proxy Filing 12/31/2014 2014 Annual Report Click the link to the right to download: Adobe Acrobat Copyright 2020, © S&P Global Market Intelligence Terms of Use × TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF USE The investor relations site ("Site") with which this document is associated is maintained by S&P Global Market Intelligence ("S&P") on behalf of the organization featured on the Site (S&P's "Client"). These Terms and Conditions of Use ("Terms of Use") set forth the terms on which you may use the Site, and the information and materials contained therein (the "Contents"). By using the Site, you agree to these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, you are not authorized to use the Site or Contents in any manner, and you should immediately discontinue any use of the Site or the Contents. S&P and/or its Client shall have the right at any time to modify or discontinue any aspect of the Site or any part of the Contents. S&P may also modify these Terms of Use without notice. You agree to monitor these Terms of Use, and to cease all access or use of the Site if you no longer agree to abide by the Terms of Use. Your continued use of the Site shall constitute acceptance of such modification. S&P and the Client grant to you a limited, personal license to access the Site and to access and download the Contents, but only for your own personal, family and household use. You may not use, reproduce, distribute or display any portion of the Site for any other purpose, including without limit any commercial purpose. You may use the Site and the Contents for lawful purposes only. S&P and Client reserve all rights not expressly granted, including the right to terminate your use of the Site without notice. The Site contains copyrighted material, trademarks and service marks, and other proprietary information, including but not limited to text, software, and graphics, which materials are owned by S&P and/or its Client. S&P and Client reserve all rights in the Contents. You agree not to reproduce, distribute, sell, broadcast, publish, retransmit, disseminate, circulate or commercially exploit the Site or the Contents without the express written consent of S&P and the Client. You agree to access the Contents and the Site manually, by request, and not automatically, through the use of a program, or other means. You agree not to take any action, alone or with others, that would interfere with the operation of the Site, to alter the Site in any way, or to impede others' access to and freedom to enjoy and use the Site as made available by S&P and S&P's Client. THE SITE AND THE CONTENTS ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" BASIS. S&P, ITS CLIENT, AND ANY OTHER PROVIDERS OF THE INFORMATION EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTY OF ACCURACY, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. NEITHER, S&P, THE CLIENT NOR EITHER OF THEIR AFFILIATES, SHAREHOLDERS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, EXEMPLARY , PUNITIVE SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE SITE, THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE, OR THE CONTENTS, EVEN IF SUCH PARTY HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. IN PARTICULAR, S&P WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE SITE. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any of the Contents available on the Site. Please seek the advice of professionals regarding the evaluation of any of the information on the Site. The Site does not represent an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any security. These Terms of Use are the entire agreement between the parties with respect to its subject matter, and it can be amended only via written agreement by S&P. These terms and conditions shall be governed by the law of New York, without regard to principals of conflicts or choice of laws.


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If you're running a café, bar, restaurant or catering operation, the apron is the perfect wraparound garment for you and your staff. First and foremost, it's a functional piece of clothing, ideal for keeping spillages, stains, flours and sauces off the staff's everyday clothes or uniform. It's simple to wash and cheap enough to have a stash in storage so that waiters, bar tenders and kitchen staff can quickly change their apron should an accident happen.
But the apron is also a great item of uniform. Whether you let your staff wear what they want or you have a complete set of clothing for them to wear, when they're all dressed in the same style and colour of apron, it's clear to see who are the staff and who are the customers. A good idea is to have different colours or styles of apron to signify the various ranks or roles within your catering establishment; it gives customers reassurance to know they're dealing with a manager if they have a complaint – or a compliment.
Style is important too – you've got to get aprons that suit the vibe and demands of your business. We have all the main styles of apron – server apron, bib apron, bistro apron, cobbler apron and tuxedo apron. We're sure you'll already know the exact look you're going for, so all you need to do is place your order for the amount, size and colour you want.
One final thing – did you know we also do printing? If you want to give your aprons that final professional touch, get them printed or embroidered with your company's logo, or some other image or text. You can even get staff members' names printed or embroidered, which everyone agrees is a nice touch, and helps customer remember who their server is.
So whatever you're looking for in an apron, whether it's for food preparation, serving or even crafts, hardware or workshop use, we're certain we'll have exactly what you're looking for. Just take a look through our collection, and if you have any questions whatsoever, please pick up the phone and call 01928 579 951 or email email@example.com – our staff will be happy to serve you!


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Getting firsthand information from an actual car owner is one sure way to get an idea of car performance once it leaves the lot. Autobytel features real consumer reviews that give the unbiased experience of a car.
Very Satisfied
Pros: To many to list
Cons: Radio Sound QualityHandles like it's on rails, the ride is very good for a sports car, and a fun car to drive. I would purchase it all over again.


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It's finally here!
After weeks of anticipation, Lady Gaga premiered her new music video, "Born This Way," on VEVO Monday morning.
In typical Gaga fashion, the 7:20 clip features the 24-year-old singer in a variety of outrageous looks — but for perhaps the first time, the costumes take a backseat to when Gaga gives birth to good and evil (watch above).
"This is the Manifesto of Mother Monster," the New York native explains of G.O.A.T (a Government Owned Territory in space).
"As the wombs numbered and the mitosis of the future began, it was perceived that this infamous moment in life is not temporal, it is eternal. and thus began the the beginning of the new race, a race within the race of humanity, a race which bears no prejudice, no judgment, but boundless freedom," Gaga (real name: Stefani Germanotta) continues. "But on that same day, as the eternal mother hovered in the multiverse, another more terrifying birth took place: the birth of evil."
"And as she herself split into two, rotating in agony between two ultimate forces, the pendulum of choice began its dance, "Gaga says. "It seems easy, you imagine, to gravitate instantly and unwaveringly towards good. But she wondered, how can I protect soothing so perfect without evil?"
The remainder of the Nick Knight-directed clip features Gaga dressed as a skeleton, dancing around in blinged-out lingerie, and more.
Tell Us: Are you impressed with Lady Gaga's new video?
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


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"Virginia is tough on drunk and drugged drivers." Don't take our word for it. This is the slogan on a brochure* being distributed by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles.
The state is very proud of the harsh penalties it deals to motorists who have been arrested and convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Penalties for a driving while intoxicated conviction vary depending on your age, number of previous offenses and level of intoxication, but all are severe.
Are You Ready To Lose Your License?
Even if you have never been arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) before, your driver's license will be automatically suspended if your blood alcohol level exceeds .08. Most people can exceed that level after only two or three drinks. For subsequent or more serious offenses, penalties can increase to include indefinite driver's license revocation, heavy fines and mandatory time in prison.
You don't want this to happen. If you've been arrested on suspicion of drinking and driving, you need a lawyer who will fight for you. You need a lawyer who will do everything possible to limit the damage a simple mistake can wreak upon your finances, employability and quality of life.
Our Drunk Driving Defense Attorneys Will Fight For You
Lutins & Pilgreen, PC, in Roanoke, Virginia, fights for the rights and freedoms of motorists facing charges of DUI and boating under the influence (BUI). If you are arrested on suspicion of drunk driving or drunk boating, we understand that the stakes are high and that you need help.
Hire our experienced lawyers, and we will listen to you, examine all of the evidence and look for the best way out of your difficult situation. We are adept at identifying procedural errors and errors in evidence-gathering that can result in an acquittal or grounds for lesser charges.
We frequently obtain alternative punishments for convicted clients, including alcohol counseling in lieu of jail time. If you've lost your license to an automatic suspension, we can help you get it back.
Call Us Before You Talk To Police!
You've probably heard this before, and it's good advice. Police love it when intoxicated drivers trust them. Trusting people talk. If you talk too much, you may very well incriminate yourself, saving law enforcement the effort of proving you've committed a crime.
You are not obligated to help law enforcement convict you. If you are arrested on suspicion of DUI or DWI, keep your comments to a bare minimum, cooperate with your breath test and insist on speaking with a lawyer at Lutins & Pilgreen, PC, immediately. We will do the talking for you, potentially saving you money, time and your freedom in the process.
For more information, contact the intelligent and aggressive lawyers at Lutins & Pilgreen, PC, in Roanoke, Virginia, at 540-627-5150.
*" Virginia Is Tough On Drunk And Drugged Drivers," Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles


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Buy train and bus tickets for UK and Europe - the easy way
Bern to Rome by train
First train06:06
Last train19:06
Avg changes1
Fastest journey6hr 21m
Distance689 kilometres
Trains per day24
Avg. journey time8hr 58m
Train operators
Travelling from Bern to Rome by train
Fast trains from Bern to Rome take around 6 hours and 21 minutes, covering a distance of approximately 689 kilometres. There are frequent services on the rail route between Bern and Rome.
1. Are there direct trains from Bern to Rome?
Journeys between Bern and Rome usually involve one change of train.
We usually find around 23 departures on the route from Bern to Rome every weekday that leave enough time to change trains without waiting around for longer than necessary.
Trains are typically more frequent on weekends, when we found around 28 departures.
2. How long is the train journey from Bern to Rome?
The Bern to Rome train travel time is normally about 6 hours and 21 minutes, whatever time you make the journey.
3. What are the Bern to Rome train times and schedule?
On weekdays the earliest train to Rome is usually scheduled to depart Bern around 06:06 and the last train is around 19:06. At weekends the first train of the day leaves Bern around 05:04, and the last at 00:08.
What's the Bern to Rome train price?
The earlier you book the better, and the cheapest tickets we've found for trains from Bern to Rome are $99.16.
Trains departing 30 days in advance will cost around $99 while booking 7 days in advance the price is around $147. Booking on the day of travel is likely to be more expensive, so it is worth booking in advance if you can to save money.
When to book Bern to Rome train tickets?
Trains for this journey usually open for booking around 6 months in advance. If booking is not yet open for your dates then you can set a booking alert to receive an email on the day that the cheapest tickets are released for your journey from Bern to Rome by train.
Which train companies operate between Bern and Rome?
More than one train company operates on the route from Bern to Rome, so you'll be travelling with one or more of the following rail operators:
- EuroCity
- Frecciabianca
- Frecciarossa
- Frecciarossa 1000
- IC Notte
- InterCity
- Intercites
- Intercités
- Interregio
- Italo
- Regional-Express
- Regionale
- Regionale Veloce
- Thello
You can check which train you'll be travelling on by looking for the train name in search results.
Other journeys to Rome View all journeys to Rome
From London From $102.03
From Paris From $73.23
From Florence From $10.95
From Milan From $56.42
From Venice From $12.12
From Munich From $29.97
From Verona From $48.47
From Turin From $13.29
From Ciampino From $1.69
From La Spezia Centrale From $12.25
From Civitavecchia From $5.21
From Basel From $119.62
Easy, fast and cheap
Pay in EUR, GBP, USD or CAD
Cheaper UK tickets with Pricehack


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Celebrate the Opening of The New Young At Art Museum!
May 4th – Gala (tickets holders only!)
Saturday May 5th- & Sunday 6th, 12 – 6pm
The new Young At Art Museum
Davie, FL 33325
Be the first to experience the new YAA before it opens to the general public, become a Founding Member today!
Free and open to the public
Join Us…..To Celebrate the opening of
The New Young At Art Museum!
"Giants In The City "
Monumental inflatable Sculpture Public Art Project
The 55,000 square-foot GOLD LEED-certified Museum will be the epicenter of cultural arts education for families.
The Museum will feature four permanent exhibit galleries:
and ArtScapes.
The new facility will also include a 10,000 square-foot Broward County Library, a National Traveling Exhibition Gallery, Presentation Theatre, Teen Center & Recording Studio, Museum Gift Shop, Creative Cafe and a preschool classroom to accommodate 22 children.


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The food industry is the area of industry responsible for production, transformation, preparation, conservation, and packaging foods for human and animal consumption. Raw materials used in this industry are centred on fruit and vegetable products (Agricultural) and animal-based products (Livestock and animal raising). Before animals are slaughtered a series of health inspections are performed. The meat is then placed in airing chambers, usually for 24 hours. These are refrigerated chambers with their temperature held at 0-5 °C to limit microorganism contamination.
Funcionality suited to each application. Integrated control solutions for optimization of process performance. Advanced control functions.
Remote management with always-on acces to the control system. Standard communicat. protocols: Modbus-RTU, Modbus-TCP, Bluetooth. Interoperability with third-party control and monitoring systems. Advanced control functions.
Fast installlation. Easy-to-use tools, wizards and setup. User-friendly navigation menus and graphical interfaces. Advanced control functions.
Critical information log and preventive maintenance functions. Complies with international safety standards and regulations. Robust, reliable solutions. Advanced control functions.
Consulte aquí el mapa normativo de nuestras soluciones para instalaciones frigoríficas; en AKO le ayudamos a cumplir con la Normativa vigente en Refrigeración Industrial y Comercial.


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A K&N Replacement Heavy Duty Diesel Air Filter is constructed with extra strength and reinforcements to withstand the harsh conditions that can be found in commercial use. K&N Hybrid Dryflow Air Filter media is pleated and placed between two powder-coated aluminum screens which is then held between a top plate or molded urethane end cap and molded urethane seal. These ends are molded into a powder-coated steel cage to help withstand extreme temperatures and pressure. This means that a K&N commercial grade diesel air filter will not collapse or lose its seal under the high levels of compression that may be encountered in large turbo diesel applications.
The robust Dryflow Air Filter media is comprised of lofted non-woven synthetic fibers to create a three-dimensional medium capable of providing high airflow, dirt capacity, and filtration efficiency without sacrificing engine protection. K&N Heavy Duty Diesel Air Filters are designed to improve performance and when air filter restriction becomes too high, simply wash the filter and it's ready to go again.
K&N Replacement Heavy Duty Diesel Air filtersare designed to be easily washed and reused. These filters are nearly indestructible and after applying the special K&N degreaser 99-0638, they can be sprayed clean with pressure washers, and power sprayers. The filter does not even have to be completely dry to be re-installed.
K&N's commercial grade diesel air filters are backed by a three year/300,000-mile limited warranty.
The easiest way to find the proper K&N Replacement Heavy Duty Diesel Air Filter for your application is by air filter cross reference using the filter you already have. An air filter cross reference should be for comparison of filters with similar dimensions. Also, please keep in mind that some filters are available in either standard or reverse airflow directions. Please call K&N's customer service department at 1-877-AIR-FILTER for assistance when choosing the appropriate replacement air filter.
K&N heavy duty diesel air filter 38-2042R is a reverse flow air filter that is 28.75 inches high, with a top outside diameter of 7.625 inches, a bottom outside diameter of 10.563 inches, and a bottom inside diameter of 6.688 inches. This air filter fits select GMC, IHC, Kenworth, Mack trucks, busses, Peterbilt Trucks, Caterpillar and trailer applications, and serves as a direct air filter cross reference for the following filters:
Baldwin PA2732
Carquest 87610
Donaldson EAF5061
Donaldson P522293
Fleetguard AF4588M
Hastings AF2453
Luber-Finer LAF1770
Napa 2610
Purolator A84543


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What happens at your house in the evening? Lots of things, but here is a typical evening without any babies around:
It's 6 pm
Mother, Margie is still at work and I'll pick her up in 1/2 hour.
Julia just came home from work and is looking for something to eat.
Darz is computing… still doing her virtual schoolwork on her laptop. She's in her senior year of high school.
Joyce's fingers are dancing all over the piano as she is practicing, just for fun. She does this every day, several times per day as she takes breaks from her virtual school work.
Stanley is picking away on his Banjo, practicing his lessons from Bob's School of Music and Internet videos. After a while he puts it down and begins reading a book on his I-pad.
Calvin, looking studious as he is reading a book on his I-pad. He's done with his virtual school for the day.
Andy is lost in a storybook and is oblivious to all going on around him. Of course there's no noisy activity happening, but even when there is, he's zoned out in a book.
Bruce is finally building a model that he got from Santa Claus 3 months ago. Occasionally he asks for help to tighten a screw.
I'm preparing supper in the kitchen for the kids so Margie and I can go out to eat with friends.
"Wow," I think to myself, "how things change as the kids get older." Bruce, the youngest, is 9 and Julia is 19 and the rest have flown the coop.


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Brian Switek talks about the never-ending, fruitless search for Big Foot and other cryptozoological tales.
Field biologists study elusive living species by using camera traps, analyzing genetic data from scat, and following footprints. There should be a wealth of compelling evidence from such sources—but all we have are an abundance of purported sightings. Given the number that Sasquatch clubs busy themselves with, I should be able to look out my window each morning and see Sasquatch families raiding my trash cans for leftovers. Bigfoot aficionados protest that they have found tracks, hair, and other evidence. But photos of mangy black bears and footage that would make even the director of Cloverfield nauseous from all the shaking show nothing more than a lack of rational skepticism.


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Considering Zack Ryder is a professional wrestler by trade, it's safe to assume that his new song, "Hoeski," is meant to be at least somewhat tongue-in-cheek. Safe to assume, because doing otherwise might cause you to spiral into an abyss of confusion and despair over the undying trend of celebrity "musicians" releasing "songs" that sound like they were recorded inside a Crockpot and contain couplets like "Roses are red, violets are blue / you may have left me, but I still woo-woo-woo." Wikipedia says "woo woo woo" and "broski" are both Ryder catchphrases—hey, cool catchphrases, guy—which makes this basically a poorly conceived (or is it geniusly conceived?) commercial for the Ryder brand, rather than a simple cautionary tale about morally loose women of Eastern European descent. (You shut your mouth.) Either way, it must be seen to be believed, and good luck getting that tanned smirk and monotone "woo-woo-woo" out of your head today.
More from The A.V. Club


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Reason #1. More people moved to Victoria in the last 12 months than any other state.
Listen, property investing is pretty basic. And one of the biggest factors is demand, which is another way of saying population growth.
The more people coming in the more pressure it puts on house prices and rents. And the good news for us is Victoria's population growth is the highest in Australia by a country mile.
- How fast is our population growing?
- It's an eye-watering 2.4% a year.
This is 50% higher than NSW – the next nearest state. And we're on track to have Australia's highest population, toppling our neighbours north of the Murray by 2050. To put this into context, the average growth Australia wide is 1.6%. The next highest growing location is the ACT which, lets face it is tiny and not even a state is 1.8%. Nowhere else even beat the average.
Yet here's us, growing at a staggering rate. And all these new people need somewhere to live, which is putting enormous pressure on housing. Houses don't just appear overnight, and people are paying more and more to get their foot in the door.
If you think people won't be prepared to pay over $800,000 for a house you might be right. And there are plenty of houses and apartments which are far more affordable and are going to be in huge demand for years to come.
When you own one, two, three or more properties you'll be in charge of an asset which people desperately want, and are willing to pay anything for.
Which brings me to the second reason.
Reason #2. We're falling dangerously short on housing
I'm sure you know about supply and demand. They're the basic laws of economics.
When demand, like population his high prices increase. And when supply is low prices also increase.
Both together is a double hit – and it's exactly what we've got.
According to the Urban Development Institute of Australia, Victoria is facing a massive housing supply shortage.
How much?
It's estimated to be 50,000 properties by 2020, barely 2 years away.
Our government has been blindsided by the massive influx of people. And they've failed dismally to plan for it.
New housing estates are being wrapped up in red tape.
And active, almost militant community groups hell-bent on stopping new development in their areas.
Even if the government waved a magic wand and approved lots of new developments today it would take years before people could move in. The approvals, planning, infrastructure and everything with it take way too long.
It's not just Daniel Andrews to blame either. Previous governments failed to get their act together.
In 2013 Matthew Guy, now the Liberal opposition leader announced:
"Melbourne had reached its geographical limits and the days of expanding the urban growth boundary were over."
A physical boundary was placed around our city, strangling supply and starting a new house price boom which still has no end.
And today new arrivals are being thrown into a feeding frenzy to find somewhere to live.
How bad is it?
Not long ago 300 desperate renters queued 100 metres down the street in Collingwood just to view 26 units.
There were so many the property managers fielded offers of up to $50 more a week just to accept their applications.
Today, our vacancy rate is just 2% vacancy rate. This means out of every 100 rental properties only 2 are vacant.
And since you'll always have a few vacant as people move around, it's pretty much putting out the 'FULL' sign, giving landlords the freedom to charge virtually anything they please.
And that means higher rents and better returns for investors.
Reason 3. Victoria's Booming Economy
In case you think our massive population growth is a fluke, think again.
It's underpinned by a booming economy.
According to CommSec, our economy is the fastest growing in the country. We are second only to NSW and we're catching them fast. It won't be long before we're officially the economic powerhouse of the nation.
In the last year we enjoyed the highest employment growth in the nation – almost 100,000 new jobs compared to NSW which is just over 60,000.
Huge result, right?
More jobs means more cashed up people who can afford higher prices and rents.
Best of all though, a booming economy is like a snowball. Businesses see how great Victoria is going and they move here to take advantage.
And our local businesses grow too.
This means more jobs, more money and more spending on these businesses. Once it starts it's very hard to stop. And this is why Victoria's real estate isn't just booming now, we've got years, even decades of golden times ahead.
Reason 4. Melbourne is the world's most liveable city
The Economist Intelligence Unit have ranked our beautiful city as #1 in the world.
And we've held top spot since 2011.
That's an unprecedented 7 years in a row.
Sydney, on the other hand has crashed out of the top 10.
Now, this isn't just based on someone's opinion. The Economist Intelligence Unit are considered the world leading authority on liveability.
Each year they perform a comprehensive survey on 140 cities across the globe. And they assess each one on 30 factors across infrastructure, education, stability, healthcare and environment.
Add to this the history behind our amazing city, our beautiful tree lined suburbs, our nightlife and restaurants, European café culture and our bayside beaches it's no wonder people are flocking here from all over Australia and the world.
Reason #5. The state government has accepted they have lost control over house prices
Even the state government has given up on the idea of lower house prices.
Recently they took a massive new direction from trying to keep prices low for first home buyers to letting the market set the prices and instead helping new buyers get into the market.
They scrapped stamp duty for first home buyers up to $600,000 with concessions from $600,000 – $750,000.
And they have introduced a new program where you can co-own your house with the government with as little as a 5% deposit.
Listen, these aren't just random incentives. It's a reluctant admission they can't hold back the tide any longer.
And it's a sure sign things are only just beginning.
Reason #6. The experts agree – Melbourne property is set to boom
It's not just me who is confident in Melbourne property.
One of the nation's leading research houses SQM Research predict price growth of up to 12% in 2018 in Melbourne.
This is the highest growth prediction in the nation.
And that's an average.
Some suburbs will go up less while others could go much higher.
Compass Economics chief economist Hans Kunnen expects a more modest 5% to 10% growth over the next 12 months, which is still great news for investors who can pinpoint the best performing suburbs.
Our job as Melbourne investors is to identify which suburbs are set to boom well above average, and use a proven strategy to get in there and create wealth as quickly as possible so we can go again and again.
And this is what Real Estate Fast Track is all about.
Showing you what's driving Melbourne's boom, sharing the latest strategies from our property, finance and accounting experts and giving you a proven system for creating wealth.


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Visit www.StPaul.gov/snow or Call 651-266-PLOW (7569) for complete information.
On 01/11/17 beginning at 9:00 P.M., all NIGHT PLOW ROUTES will be plowed. This includes all arterial or main streets posted with signs that say "NIGHT PLOW ROUTE" and one side of all north-south residential streets posted with signs that say "NIGHT PLOW ROUTE-THIS SIDE OF STREET".
On 01/12/17 beginning at 8:00 A.M. all DAY PLOW ROUTES will be plowed. This includes all non-posted east-west residential streets and the non-posted side of north-south residential streets.
Parking is banned until streets are plowed full width.
Ticketing and towing will begin at 9:00 P.M. the day the snow emergency is declared and continues until parking restrictions are removed. For more information visit our website at www.StPaul.gov/Snow.
Please shovel your sidewalk to help those who have trouble getting around. If you are a corner property owner please shovel the walkways to the street. City ordinance requires you to keep your sidewalk free of snow and ice.
Si aad u heshid macluumaad, fadlan booqo bogagga luqadaha badan ee laga helo bogga internetka degdegga barafka www.StPaul.gov/snowlanguages.
Xav paub ntxiv ua Lus Hmoob, thov mus xyuas cov vas sab ua ntau hom lus sau txog kev kaus te kub ceev www.StPaul.gov/snowlanguages.
Para obtener información en español, visite las páginas web multilingües en el sitio web de emergencias causadas por la nieve en www.StPaul.gov/snowlanguages.
Please share this information with family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers!