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Commander Hali Shepard doesn't have time for idle chatter.
Standing on the bridge of the SS Normandy, the ship she commands, the Systems Alliance Military special-forces officer snaps at her gossiping men, ordering them to shut up and act like soldiers. There's an urgent transmission coming in and she needs them to focus. They quickly comply. They know better than to cross her.
The conversation didn't have to go this way, but that's how it played out during the first five minutes of our experience with Mass Effect, developer BioWare's biggest and most ambitious role-playing game to date. Like two of the company's most beloved games - Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Jade Empire - Mass Effect is about choice, and you're faced with some of your biggest decisions as soon as you press the start button.
We chose her name (Hali), her look (beat-up supermodel), her background (rough-and-tumble) at the outset, and before we knew it, we were effortlessly playing her as such.
We've been peeking at Mass Effect in slow trickles for more than two years, but recently BioWare invited IGN to their Edmonton, Canada, offices to play through the first hour of the game. We finally got our unfettered hands on the massive RPG's character-creation tools, combat system, movement, menus and everything in between. While we were there, we also got a peek at some never-before-seen segments of the game, including the Citadel, the hub of galactic activity; Ferros, one of the game's many uncharted worlds; and a few other hidden gems.
BioWare has shown off the Mass Effect character-creation process before, so we won't re-hash it in detail here. But we will say that it departs from most standard RPGs straight from the start screen. In many such games, you type in a character name and move directly to a skill allocation system. Do you want to add two points to dexterity or three points to constitution? Should your paladin start with strength of 16 or 17? Mass Effect has such a system, but you won't even touch it until you've fought a few battles. BioWare wants to tell a great story, personalized for the character you create, and the early setup sequence hammers that intention home.
So far, BioWare has shown us only a male version of their hero, so we took the opportunity to create a female Cmdr. Shepard, a ruthless military veteran with shoulder-length blond hair, piercing green eyes, a hint of makeup and a nasty scar over her left eye. We're not sure how she got it, and we're not sure she'd tell us if we asked.
Born to military parents, she grew up hopping across the Milky Way from base to base and enlisted as soon as she was able. She quickly built a reputation as a tough operator who gets the job done at all costs, and she's about to learn that the Citadel Council is considering making her a Spectre, an elite enforcer tasked with keeping the galactic peace. An Infiltrator by trade, our Shepard specializes in stealth, decryption, technology and long-range combat.
Her background may sound like nothing more than a fun story, but this is Mass Effect, where who you are defines what you say, what others believe about you and, so we're told, possibly the fate of the human race.
We found that creating a character this way - choosing her look and background at the same time without a load of messy stat screens - helped invest us immediately in her story. We hit the OK button, and as the game's haunting electronic music swelled and the title screen opened, we watched our very own Cmdr. Shepard stride onto the bridge of her ship, all business. Chills.
After a brief interaction with her crew, including pilot Joker, played by Seth Green; and navigator Kaidan Alenko, played by Raphael Sbarge, who also portrayed Carth in KOTOR, Shepard listens in on a distress call coming from the surface of the planet Eden Prime. Tasked with finding a mysterious beacon, Shepard, Kaidan and a turian Spectre agent named Nihlus land on the planet and head into the thick of combat.
We won't tell you exactly how the sequence ends, but let's just say Shepard ends up back on the Normandy with a splitting headache and a lot of questions.
But before Shepard can make her way safely back to the ship, she and her fellow party members square off against a phalanx of aggressive space zombies and Geth, a lost race of intelligent machines that have been corralled by a rogue Spectre called Saren. It was our first extended opportunity to try out Mass Effect's combat system, and we came away impressed and a bit overwhelmed.
Like its dialogue system, Mass Effect's approach to combat is to give the player layer upon layer of choice while trying to make the mechanisms for making those choices as streamlined as possible. Both systems are based on "wheels" - the dialogue wheel for conversation (more on that later), and the weapon wheel and power wheel for combat.


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Professionals are moving out of the office
The normal work environment is evolving – not necessarily with upgrades to the office, but a shift outside of it. More professionals are getting their work done at home, in coffee shops and hotels, during their commute and even in airports. This shift in locations was denoted by Intelligent Office, a staffing agency, in arecent study of work location choices.
According to the study, titled Work IQ, close to 70 percent of professionals work outside of the office on a regular basis, with about 22 percent doing so at least once a week. Approximately 29 percent work in libraries, hotels or restaurants, while 28 percent work regularly from coffee shops. Additionally, nearly half of respondents said they work from these locations more than an hour at a time.
"This survey further identifies that today`s workers are continuing to shift towards a more personal and custom work style," said Tom Camplese, COO of Intelligent Office. "We are continuing to find that to maintain productivity while increasing mobility, a new breed of worker is conducting business on the go, and wants to be able to work more independently, from anywhere and at any time."
Businesses are able to adopt remote working strategies more heavily not only because of increased networking capabilities offered by the cloud and other modern technologies, but because of BYOD solutions and other mobility trends. With these solutions, professionals are embracing the freedom provided to them to work in environments that are more comfortable, and by association, enable more productivity.
For businesses, this raises an entirely different set of questions that need to be answered, though – primarily, how do they support these employees effectively? It is beyond the point where a company can avoid mobility trends. Now, companies must determine how to address mobility in a way that is beneficial to both employees and the business itself. For some organizations, the answer lies in remote desktop access.
By providing employees with remote access to company data and applications, a business can keep a better eye on its digital property without negatively affecting the workflow of its mobile workforce. This encourages employees to work from wherever they want, while keeping data and enterprise applications safe and secure on the company servers. With the right RDP client, many companies can see successful results immediately.
Industry news brought to you by Ericom Software, leaders in Mobility and Remote Access solutions.

subset: commoncrawl


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So I've never been keen on being seen. Well, not stared at anyway. I'm sort of used to it now. Not that I'm stareworthy. Nor do I have "foreigner" plastered across my forehead. Or two heads for that matter.
No, it's just the way of Swedes to stare. And to stare in a totally obvious, non-surreptitious way. It's more a glarey, starey jaw-dropping gawp. The sort of way kids do, before they're taught not to. As if you're being scrutinised from top to toe, inside and out.
But who cares, right?


text: Multiple sizes available. Can come equipped with spigots, fittings, dams, and partitions. Custom fabrication available upon request.Seamless polyethylene tanks are impervious to most acids and alkalis• Cover included• Wide top flanges for strengthcapacity: 39 liters (10 gal)dimensions(length X : 46cm x 33cm x 25cm (18" x 13" x 10" )wall: 6.4mm (1/4" )Shipping: This item ships oversize.


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Central Park Jogger Rape Trials: 1990 - Confessions Prove Crucial, Defense Unwittingly Helps Prosecution, Surprise Witness Surfaces, Second Jury Issues Surprise
suspects guilty assault murder
Defendants: First trial: Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana Jr.; second trial: Kevin Richardson and Kharey Wise
Crimes Charged: First trial: Second-degree attempted murder, rape, sodomy, first and second-degree assault, robbery, riot; second trial: all of the above, plus sexual abuse
Chief Defense Lawyers: First trial: Robert Burns, Michael Joseph, Peter Rivera; second trial: Howard Diller and Colin Moore
Chief Prosecutors: Arthur Clements and Elizabeth Lederer
Judge: Thomas B. Galligan
Place: New York, New York
Dates of Trials: June 13-August 18, 1990; October 22-December 11, 1990
Verdicts: First trial: all acquitted of attempted murder, sodomy, and one of five counts of assault, but guilty of all other charges; second trial: Richardson guilty of all charges, Wise guilty of sexual abuse, assault, and riot
Sentences: First trial: 5-15 years imprisonment; second trial: 5-10 years imprisonment for Richardson, 5-15 years imprisonment for Wise
SIGNIFICANCE: The violent assault and rape of the woman known as "the Central Park Jogger" resulted in two tense and widely publicized trials that many New Yorkers felt were emblematic of the crime and racial problems characterizing the era.
More than 3,000 rapes were reported in New York City in 1989, but none aroused more fear and anger than an attack on a young woman who became known simply as "the Central Park jogger." The facts sometimes disappeared in chaotic arguments outside the courts—and in the spectators' seats—over the racial politics of dispensing justice in America. Yet most of the trial itself was fought over one point that horrified New Yorkers on both sides of the case: the fact that nearly all of the suspects were legally children.
On the spring evening of April 19, 1989, a loosely knit gang of about 30 adolescents roamed the northern acres of Central Park, terrorizing everyone they encountered. Police grabbed several suspects, including one who blurted, "I know who did the murder!" The confession made little sense until several hours later, when two passers-by heard moans coming from the darkness. A naked woman was discovered lying in the woods. She had been bound, raped, and beaten so severely that doctors expected her to die.
The victim was a white 28-year-old investment banker who enjoyed jogging in the park at the end of long days at a Wall Street firm. The suspects were all black or Hispanic. All but one were 14 or 15 years of age. None had an arrest record, but outrage and sadness ran through the city with reports of the young suspects' apparent indifference to human life. It was just a "wilding," one explained, a night of terror for the sake of fun.
Several suspects were released for lack of evidence or pleaded guilty to earlier assaults in the park. The rape victim remained unidentified by most of the press, who simply called her "the Central Park jogger." Despite their youth, six suspects indicted for the attack were publicly identified in the press. The indicted minors were to be tried as adults, but sentenced as juveniles if found guilty.


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Scotland's Gritter Tracker
Scotland's Gritter Tracker was mentioned on BBC Breakfast.
So I had to point to it! Just click here!
Note the names!
January 17, 2018 - Posted by AnonW | Travel | Roads, Scotland, Winter
1 Comment »
The names are great, make the inconvenience of being snowed in a bit more fun!
Comment by nosnikrapzil | January 17, 2018 | Reply
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About This Blog
What this blog will eventually be about I do not know.
But it will be about how I'm coping with the loss of my wife and son to cancer in recent years and how I manage with being a coeliac and recovering from a stroke. It will be about travel, sport, engineering, food, art, computers, large projects and London, that are some of the passions that fill my life.
And hopefully, it will get rid of the lonely times, from which I still suffer.
Why Anonymous? That's how you feel at times.
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If you've got Kotex tampons in your stockpile, you may want to check them out to see if they are part of the Kotex tampon recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a recall warning for specific lots of Kotex tampons contaminated with a bacterium that could cause vaginal infections and other health risks. The recall includes Kotex Natural Balance Security Unscented Tampons Regular Absorbency 18 and 36 count packages.
To find out more about the recall and see which lot numbers are included, check out this article here–>Kotex Tampon Recall
*This post may contain affiliate links. Please refer to my disclosure policy for more information


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SUBMITTED BY ARTHUR N1ORC - AMSAT A/C #31468 *Discovery Prepares to Roll to the Pad* In preparation for the targeted Oct. 23 launch, Discovery is set to roll from the Vehicle Assembly Building out to the Launch Pad 39A aboard the crawler transporter this weekend. Earlier in the week, the orbiter was attached to the external fuel tank and twin solid rocket boosters atop the mobile launch platform. In the predawn hours Thursday, the payload canister for mission STS-120 arrived at Launch Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Italian-built U.S. Harmony module destined for the International Space Center will be transferred to Discovery's payload bay once the space shuttle reaches the pad. Payload canister at Launch Pad 39AAs dawn begins to break over Launch Pad 39A, the payload canister carrying the International Space Station's Harmony module is lifted toward the payload change out area of the pad's service structure. Image credit: NASA + View larger image <http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/170419main_payloadatpad-lg.JPG> *Mission Information* + STS-120 Mission Overview <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts120/index.html> + Harmony Node 2 <http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/behindscenes/harmony_payload.html> + Space Shuttle Discovery <http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/shuttleoperations/orbiters/discovery-info.html> ---- Sent via email@example.com. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/sarex
AMSAT Home


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Flood Insurance
Standard property policies including but not limited to homeowners policies, dwelling policies, or commercial property insurance policies exclude coverage for flooding events. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) definition of flooding is a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or two or more properties (at least one of which is yours) from one of the following:
- Overflow of inland or tidal waters.
- Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.
- Mudflow.
Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of water. exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined above.
The NFIP is a federal program that offers maximum limits (on a personal policy) of $250,000 for the dwelling and $100,000 for personal contents. Excess flood coverage may be purchased if higher limits are needed.
For more information on the flooding, flood risks and the NFIP, please visit www.floodsmart.com.


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FREE 230 Page Inbound and Content Marketing eBook from The Sales Lion
Recently, I passed 250,000 words here on TSL when you account for all the posts I've written over the past 2 years. Considering the average non-fiction book these days is about 50-75k words, that's about 4 books worth of content, much of which newer readers will never go back and see.
Also, as the number of readers here has grown drastically in the past few months, more and more folks have been asking me if I had anything consisting of all my inbound/content marketing posts of months gone by. "Hmm" I thought, "I should really have that." 🙂
It is for this reason that I recently broke out the greatest eBook writing tool ever, Anthologize (killer free plugin that allows you to combine, edit, and publish all your old posts as an eBook very easily), and brought together every article I've ever written on the subjects of inbound and content marketing.
When all was said and done, the eBook came out to be about 230 pages of killer tips, experiences, stories, and real-life application of marketing principles that are an absolute imperative for any business in the 21st century.
In fact, here are the chapters of the eBook:
Ch. 1: The Vision that is Inbound Marketing
Ch. 1.5: No excuses
Ch. 2: Blogging to Make Millions
Ch. 3: The Power of Video
Ch. 4: How to Build Amazing Community
Ch. 5: Using Your Content to SELL
Ch. 6: How to Find Writing Inspiration
Ch. 7: Writing and Communication Like a Champion
Ch. 8: All About Hubspot
Ch. 9: A Look at Other Advertising Mediums
Ch.10: Web Design that Wins
Ch. 11: A Little About Twitter
Ch. 12: Further Inspiration
Ch. 13: eBooks and other ideas
Who this eBook is For:
As you can see, if you own a business, or are in marketing, this eBook was created for you. There's no bull. No fluff. No generalities or inapplicable grand ideas. This stuff is as real as it gets.
For those of you that have been in the community here for a while now, you'll see many articles you've already read. You'll also see many articles you missed. But because every article is separated and the eBook is well organized, it will be easy for you to jump around and find only the information you're looking for.
And It Doesn't Cost You a Dang Thing
Oh, and did I mention it was FREE?
Yep, free. Yours to have and do whatever you'd like with. (Although it's my hope that you'll take it to your boss or marketing VP and force that person at gun point to read it. 😉 )
Also, by downloading this eBook, you'll be added to my Inbound and Content Marketing Newsletter list. This is only a once-a-month publication that is directed towards hard-core inbound/content marketers and will also have a segment on latest Hubspot news as well.
As always, if you just want the eBook but aren't interested in receiving the newsletter, just opt out at your first opportunity, it's not a big deal at all.
This Stuff Will Change Your Life
Here is the deal folks: Inbound marketing, content, and blogging have all changed my life…drastically. This ride I've been on has been unbelievable these past two years and I want you to see how it happened. I want you to see how I went from being a 'pool guy' to a professional speaker and business coach, not because I want to brag, but rather because you'll hopefully see just how possible the same amount of success is available to you if you'll just follow the principles herein.
Success is within each and every one of us. Inbound and content marketing are the greatest innovation the world of business has ever seen. So do yourself a favor and jump on board. Apply the principles. And watch the magic happen.
Questions or Comments?:
Questions about the eBook or Anthologize? Feel free to ask whatever is on your mind friends and thank you all for your support!
Latest posts by Marcus Sheridan (see all)
- Using Video to Improve SEO and Inbound Marketing in 2017 - August 23, 2017


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"The Ice Man Job" started out as a fairly standard episode of Leverage, but then amusingly picked up speed and suspense in the second half. As soon as we heard Eliot (Christian Kane) tell Hardison (Aldis Hodge) that he was not going to bail him out if he got in too deep with his "Ice Man" grifter persona, we just knew that he would get in too deep. But the trouble he wound up getting himself into was very amusing and led to a pretty nifty improvised con.
The team's job was to clear the name of a framed armored car security guard who was implicated in a robbery that was actually perpetrated by the very owner of the diamonds that the car was carrying. Somewhat typcal stuff. Sophie (Gina Bellman) was off in London for this episode, but they still made humorous use of her by having the team call her whenever they got into a pinch; with all of them still seeing her as a sort of den mother for the group. Of course, none of them wanted her to tell Nate (Timothy Hutton) that they had called. There was a little relationship baby-step at the end of the episode, when Nate winds up calling Sophie and then tries to brush off his romantic inclinations once again. It was a nice moment that made the rest of the silly phone calls from the gang seem more relevant, and not just throw away scenes used to give Gina Bellman face time on the episode.
Both Hardison and Parker were stand outs in this one; with Hardison foolishly adopting a sort of Guy Richie-esque diamond thief character for himself, called "The Ice Man," and with Parker having to play the role of the distracting seductress. They even had a nice little flashback to "The Stork Job" when she stabbed a man in the arm with a fork while trying to play a con role. When the diamond shop owner's own goons decide to kidnap the braggadocios "Ice Man" in order to steal from their own boss, the rest of the team has to find a way to make it look like Hardison is breaking in to a top security safe that's complete with heat and motion sensors. It was a very entertaining scheme that reminded me of when the team had to steal from a bank that was in the middle of being robbed back in "The Bank Shot Job."
What made this episode even better was its use of humor. There was nothing too silly in here to take away from the believability of the con itself. In fact, the story started off quite dull as far as Leverage cons go. The characters themselves became the highlight of the episode, and Hardison, and the rest of us, got to learn a great lesson about not "overselling" your role. Again, seeing other members of the team try to take on a different roles in the group is usually pretty fun. This time it actually took two people to fill Sophie's role, thus heightening her actual importance. I liked Nate using the name "Sterling" while playing the role of a claims investigator – a silent shot fired at his nemesis from Season 1 (Mark Sheppard).
The brotherly abusive between Hardison and Eliot is also a joy to watch, as was their scene when Hardison, as "Ice Man," had to beat up Eliot in front of the Russian goons. "I went to Second City Chicago," Hardison bellowed, defending his use of a cockney accent while fake punching Eliot. There was also a great brief moment with Hardison and Parker crammed in close together right before she helps them both escape through a mini-floor explosion in the vault. They may never make these two into a couple, but they sure like to tease it every so often.


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Colombia's biggest feat at World Cup is making fans forget about injured star Radamel Falcao
CUIABA, Brazil – After 12 days of competition, Colombia has already achieved more than it could ever have imagined at the World Cup in Brazil.
They've reached the second round with a game to spare, won two matches at the tournament for the first time, and played with a vigor that has made the team one of the most exciting to watch in Brazil.
The Colombians can even lay claim to having possibly the loudest and most colorful supporters in the World Cup.
The biggest compliment that can be given to Jose Pekerman's side, however, is that Colombia fans — after nearly five months of mourning — have finally gotten over the absence of injured star striker Radamel Falcao.
Coach Jose Pekerman says "everyone who knows football knows Falcao. For Colombia, he has been very important but ... the players have reacted in a positive way."


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Never before have the great powers of the Pacific - China, Japan, Russia, and the US - gotten along so well. If only some of them weren't dragging their painful past around with them.
Consider the relations of Japan and China. More than $60 billion in trade passes between them every year, and Japanese government loans and private investment are key to China's rapid economic growth. China, in turn, is the cultural wellspring that has given Japan everything from Buddhism to the tea ceremony to the characters that constitute most of written Japanese.
That is, of course, ancient history. The problem is what happened earlier this century: Japan's invasions of China, its colonization of Taiwan, and the barbarism it exhibited before and during World War II.
Japan's militaristic past and its ties to Taiwan remain a profound impediment to real partnership between Japan and China. On Saturday, Chinese President Jiang Zemin all but scolded his hosts when asked at a weekend press conference about the Japanese understanding of history. "In Japan there still remain certain people - and certain people in high positions - who continue to distort history and try to gloss over aggression and continue to hurt the feelings of the Chinese people and other peoples," he said.
Overcoming these "hurt feelings" is the price of admission to a brave new world of diplomatic linkages around the Pacific. The US-Japan relationship, which includes a mutual defense treaty and massive flows of trade and investment, remains the strong-est, but all the big countries in the region are firming up their ties.
The US and China are growing closer now than at any time since the days of dtente, and Japan and Russia are struggling to resolve a territorial dispute that lingers from World War II so they can proceed to goodies like trade and investment. The Russians and the Chinese are also working on their relationship, as evidenced by Jiang's visit to Moscow before coming to Japan.
From wars to diplomacy
All of these countries have fought cold or hot wars with each other in the last 100 years, a context that makes diplomacy welcome. "There is a current which shows that these powers - the US, Japan, China, and Russia - are sort of groping for a new set of relationships," says Takakazu Kuriyama, Japan's former ambassador to Washington.
But no country has a road map to the future, and Mr. Kuriyama and other experts say the absence of vision shows. The US makes vague noises about an emerging "Pacific community," but no official has articulated where all this nascent peace and cooperation might lead.
The US-Japan relationship is an unambiguous alliance, but just about all the other ties are described as "partnerships" - a term broad enough not to mean very much. These countries are masking over difficulties that caused wars and tension, as Jiang's mini-lecture suggests, and wrestling with internal politics.
The Japanese have shown that they are able to offer explicit, written expressions of apology if they judge that former victims are truly ready to forgive. Last month, Japan's Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi offered South Korean President Kim Dae Jung just such a statement.
But these gestures require the expenditure of political capital. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party includes conservatives who feel that Japan's heart was in the right place earlier this century and resent the need to bow in contrition. The same goes for vast numbers of veterans' families and goes doubly for nationalist, right-wing activists who find even the LDP too soft on these issues.
The Japanese establishment has judged that the Chinese do not yet deserve a clear-cut apology. China uses history to pressure Japan and China's educational system and its media openly demonize the Japanese.
Japan won't give in
Hisahiko Okazaki, another former ambassador, admires the "maturity" the government here has shown by not giving in to Chinese demands. In an unsigned joint declaration, the Japanese government said it is "keenly conscious of the responsibility for the serious suffering and damage that Japan inflicted upon the Chinese people through its aggression against China and expressed deep remorse for this."
Even so, Japanese officials are reluctant to apologize fully, citing a blanket apology by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995 and a round of peace treaties beginning in 1951 that settled government-to-government claims for reparations.
Japan's courts, besieged by individuals such as former sex slaves or prisoners of war, have been stalwart in insisting there is no need to assuage the past. All but one of some 40 compensation cases have failed, says Hiroshi Tanaka, a professor at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.
Finally, every year or so a Japanese politician makes a statement in defense of Japan's wartime actions, aggravating Chinese and other Asians.
Thorny issue of Taiwan
Another factor in the China- Japan relationship is that many Japanese leaders maintain a special fondness for Taiwan, perhaps the only former Japanese colony whose people think well of their onetime overlords. Now, however, Taiwan presents the thorniest issue in Asia: China wants to regain control, the Taiwanese flirt with declaring independence, and the US is pinned between the horns of a policy in which it supports "one China" but vows to defend Taiwan from aggression.
On Saturday Jiang said China couldn't renounce the use of force in dealing with Taiwan, because it is an issue of "separatism."
Japan's position on Taiwan is carefully ambiguous, but has recently agreed to cooperate with the US in guaranteeing regional security. China reads that to mean "defending Taiwan." In demanding a clear apology for its actions earlier this century, China is in some ways asking Japan to renounce its relationship with Taiwan, notes an Asian diplomat who declined to be identified.
Despite being China's No. 1 trade partner and lead non-Chinese investor in China's growing economy, Japan is apparently unwilling to take that step just now.


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Bikram's 26 Hatha Yoga postures systematically move fresh, oxygenated blood to 100% of your body, to each organ and fiber, restoring systems to healthy working order, just as nature intended. Proper weight, muscle tone, glowing complexion, boundless energy, vibrant good health, and a sense of well-being will automatically follow.
The routine of Bikram Yoga is dynamic and exhilarating. The room is set to a specific temperature of 105º so that your muscles will stretch more easily. The temperature brings the added bonus of reducing your sensitivity to the heat here in Key West. You'll feel cooler all day after a class with us.
The series works equally well for beginning and for advanced students. In fact, the practice is infinitely scaleable - it's never too late to begin and there is no limit to what you can achieve in this practice. Just come in, breathe and follow directions - you'll feel better each time.
"Never too late, never too old, never too bad, and never too sick to do this yoga and start from scratch once again."
-Bikram Choudhury


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The last place my increasingly forgetful 85-year-old father wanted to be was sitting beside me in the office of a geriatric specialist. The doctor leaned forward at her desk and locked eyes with my father. "Has it been difficult for you to remember things recently, Mr. Cooper?"
"I'm fine," he said.
"I'm sure you are," she said. "But if we test you today, we'll have a base line to compare against future tests."
"Future tests?" He looked as if he'd tasted something sour.
"I'm going to ask you several questions," she continued, "and I'd like you to answer them one at a time."
"How else would I?"
"How else would you what?"
"Answer them, for Christ's sake!"
The doctor jotted a note. "We'll be working from what's called the Mini-Mental State Examination," she explained, "and I'll score your answers as we go along."
Dad adjusted his Miracle-Ear. "So test me, already."
First she asked my father to tell her the date. I silently answered along. He got it right. I was off by a couple of days. I scooted my chair closer. Now I had something to prove. I felt as if my father and I were opponents on a quiz show.Continue reading the main story
"What state are we in?" "City?" "Hospital?" "Floor?"
Not until she whispered "Bernard" did I realize that I'd been muttering answers under my breath. But I was sure my father hadn't heard me. And anyway, I got them right. Dad, on the other hand, didn't know what floor we were on. But he probably would have known it was the third if he had been the one to push the elevator button instead of me. The mechanics of recall are delicate, so iffy and contingent.
My father lowered his head and laced his fingers together in his lap. He had the shamed, inward look of a man who knows he has blundered but doesn't know how.
"Mr. Cooper?" she asked. "Are you ready to continue?"
My father nodded. His head seemed heavy, as if with answers that would soon elude him.
"Spell 'world' backward," the doctor said.
"Why 'world'?" Dad asked, peering over his glasses.
Because the world is backward, I said to myself. Laws are repealed. Iron rusts. Logic unravels.
"I suggest you don't overthink the questions, Mr. Cooper. Just try to relax and let the answers come."
Dad deliberated on every letter. "D. . .L. . .O. . .
She recorded his score. "Now, please repeat the following list of items in the same order: Apple, penny, table."
My father cocked his head. "Did I get it right?"
"You haven't repeated the items yet."
"Not those," he said. "'World.' Did I get it backward?"
"Ask me at the end of the test."
"Suppose I forget?"
"We should move on to the next question," the doctor insisted. "Now, kindly repeat after me: Apple, penny, table."
"Why can't you tell me now?"
"Apple, penny, table," she persisted
"Apple," he said at last. "The rest I forget." He dismissed his insufficient recall with a wave of his hand, but he looked at me to gauge how he was doing. I smiled noncommittally back.
Next she held up her pen. "Can you tell me what this is?"
"A ballpoint," he said. "Does it have your motto on it?"
The doctor told him that men and women in her profession didn't, as a rule, have mottos. Then she noticed that there were, in fact, words printed on the side of the pen. She held it horizontally and squinted. "Hot Water Management Service," she read. "Where could this have come from?"
Was the question part of the test?
"Pens are everywhere these days," Dad said. "But what the hell is a Hot Water Management Service?"
We hadn't a single answer among us, not a guess or a speculation. The doctor continued to gaze at the pen, turning it as if she might find other phrases. Beyond the hospital window, the sky above the city deepened into dusk. The office walls dimmed, our faces growing vague. A clock ticked on the desk, and I felt in my bones that the three of us, second by second, were being drawn toward a vast and eventual forgetting. Nothing we could do or say would stop it. One day this room wouldn't be remembered by anyone now sitting in it.
Bernard Cooper is the author of the memoir "The Bill From My Father," to be published next month by Simon & Schuster and from which this essay is adapted.Continue reading the main story


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Weird, Strange Fruits and Vegetables
A fruit is a part of a flowering plant, in botany deriving from a tissue of the ovaries of flower. The fruits are the source by which many plants scatter seeds widely. Most of the plant bearing fruits, multiply with humans and animal's movement, disposing seeds and nutrition , which the humans and animals become […]Read more


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SweetPea3 MP3 player range introduced for all ages
With the proliferation of the smartphone, you can more or less say that the dedicated MP3 player is dead, and so is the once popular portable media player. I mean, just take a look at the sales charts of the iPod touch and the more or less defunct iPod, and you will get what I mean. Hence, it is rather interesting to see how the SweetPea3 MP3 player has decided to make an appearance over on Kickstarter in order to raise enough funds for itself to launch. The SweetPea Toy Company is both the designer and manufacturer the SweetPea3 MP3 Player for Kids, and with that product being on the market for years already, it is high time for a refresh, hence the creation of the SweetPea3, an Android-powered device.
The new range will actually comprise of the new SweetPea3R and SweetPea3, where they are at their very core, music and media players which targets the kiddy crowd. Basically, they will be able to perform what they were created for at an exceptional level, and parents too will be able to benefit from getting one of these for their kids since it could assist them in helping keep their kids quiet, especially during a particularly lengthy road trip.
What makes these new devices different from the ones that are in the market? Well, apart from a decent design that is not childish in any way, it will also be accompanied by solid execution and a really good understanding of the needs of all age groups, whether they are kids, seniors, special needs or folks of a school-going age, those are the target markets, in addition to parents and caregivers.
An integrated speaker would deliver smooth sounding audio, as it tries to discourage the use of headphones for young kids, while coming with a rubber coating as well as buttons make it easy to use for seniors who face tactile difficulties. Both the SweetPea3 and SweetPea3R will arrive in Violet, Red, Blue and Black shades. Other specifications and features include a Parental Sleep-in Trainer, Nap Alarms, an auto-off timer, 4GB of internal memory, and a rechargeable battery via its microUSB port.
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One review or comment
Victoria Says: January 6, 2014 at 5:22 pm
If you are an international buyer, please beware. It will cost you an additional $50 to get the item through customs. This makes the total cost for an international buyer about $188! Cheaper to buy an iPod!
The seller also cleverly avoids all helpful correspondence until the 45 day Paypal claim deadline is passed so you have no comeback from them either. Suggest international customers avoid buying from sweetpeatoyco.com unless they are willing to pay the exorbitant "hidden" charges.


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While a freezer chest is generally less expensive than an upright freezer and allows the dedication of more of its space to food, an upright freezer is generally easier to organize. This allows for easy rotation of food to keep the stored items edible.
Chest freezers have side wall insulation built-in, which means that they keep their temperatures more easily and use less electricity to operate. Chest freezers are so efficient that, if the power goes out for some reason, as long as the lid remains closed, the food inside stays frozen for 48 to 72 more hours, depending on how much food is in the freezer. A chest freezer does defrost manually in most cases, which can take as long as a whole day when necessary. These freezers generally offer at least one basket to help the owner organize the freezer's contents.
Upright freezers generally come with auto defrost, which can come in handy for busy owners. Many upright freezers have door storage bins that are removable and adjustable, as well as shelves that adjust and slide and baskets or bins that pull out easily. These features combine to make it easier to sort and store the contents of the freezer. Large items, particularly those with an unusual shape such as a frozen goose or lengthy frozen items, may require the removal of a shelf to fit.


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It's hardly a picnic without potato or pasta salad, but even if they are made to perfection, not everyone is into mayo-based salads.
Of course, you can make these quintessential Fourth of July salads with olive oil instead of mayonnaise, but maybe your guests aren't eating gluten or carbs. Perhaps your family is the kind that spats over whether boiled eggs, pickles or onions belong in the salad in the first place. Or maybe you hope to serve a more nutrient-dense side dish to balance out all the hot dogs and hamburgers.
No matter your reason for looking for alternative sides, we have collected six side dishes, including a fruit salad, that will keep your Independence Day party a little more interesting. Some of these salads having dressings that you could mix and match with other salad fixings, while others, like those potato bacon skewers, are heavy enough to serve on their own, especially if you add a few more kinds of vegetables on the skewers.
Don't forget to show us what you're cooking this holiday weekend by adding #Austin360Cooks to your posts on social media! We'll pull the holiday food photos into a gallery on Austin360.com.
Tomato, Cucumber and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing
In this summer salad, the walnuts are ground with garlic to make a creamy dressing before they are blended with the olive oil and vinegar. This simple but distinctive dressing can be adapted with different kinds of nuts or summer vegetables, including thinly sliced raw summer squash instead of cucumber.
1/3 cup broken walnut pieces
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tsp. coarse salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 lb. green beans, stem ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 large firm ripe plum tomatoes, quartered and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup thinly sliced (lengthwise) red onion
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
Combine the walnuts, garlic and salt in a food processor and blend until finely ground. If preferred, the walnuts, garlic and salt can be pounded into a paste with a mortar and pestle. Combine the walnut mixture, oil and vinegar in a salad bowl and whisk until blended.
Cook the green beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain well, rinse with cold water, spread on a dish towel, and pat dry. Add the green beans, tomatoes, onion, cucumber and herbs to the walnut dressing and toss to blend. Serves 4.
— From "Whole World Vegetarian" by Marie Simmons (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $23)
Edamame and Quinoa Salad
Alive with color, this quick, nutritious salad can be prepared with other whole grains, such as millet, amaranth or spelt, for variety.
For the Thai salad dressing:
4 Tbsp. lime juice
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 to 2 hot green chilies, chopped
1 Tbsp. agave syrup
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
1 Tbsp. rapeseed oil
For the salad:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp. salt
2/3 cup edamame beans or peas (frozen or fresh)
1/2 cucumber, cut into small chunks
1 large carrot, cut into long thin strips or strands with a julienne peeler or spiralizer
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 bunch coriander, roughly chopped
Salt, to taste
Whisk together the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
Put the quinoa in a saucepan with the measured water and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 10–12 minutes until just tender.
While the quinoa is cooking, cook the edamame beans or peas in a saucepan of salted boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold running water. Add the salad vegetables to a large bowl and add the edamame.
When the quinoa is cooked, rinse under cold running water and drain well. Mix the quinoa with the salad vegetables and coriander and stir in the dressing before serving. Serves 2.
— From "Itsu 20 Minute Suppers" by Julian Metcalf and Blanche Vaughan (Mitchell Beazley, $24.99)
Mediterranean Bean Salad
For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. chopped fresh oregano
1 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
For the salad:
2 (14. oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14. oz.) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14 oz.) cans cooked garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 English cucumber, cut into large dice
4 Roma tomatoes, cut into large dice
1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
Add all the dressing ingredients except for the oil in a bowl and whisk together. Drizzle in the oil while continuing to whisk.
In a large bowl, combine the beans and the vegetables. Pour the vinaigrette over the mixture and toss to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
— Austin Catering
"Creamed" Kale
This is a dairy-free take on creamed spinach. Instead of using milk or cream, use cashews, miso and nutritional yeast to make it a super-nutritious and delicious side dish. Serve with grilled or seared seafood or on its own for a hearty protein-rich vegan dish. Spinach or Swiss chard can be substituted for kale.
2 large bunches of kale, de-stemmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Sea salt to taste
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups full-fat canned coconut milk
3/4 cup raw cashews, covered in water and simmered for 30 minutes, then drained
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp. white miso
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil
Put the chopped kale in a mixing bowl with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Rub the kale between your hands for a few minutes, massaging the leaves until they have a silky texture. Set aside.
Heat the broth in a small pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Transfer the seasoned broth to a blender or food processor. Add the coconut milk, cashews, nutritional yeast, miso, and nutmeg and puree until smooth. In a medium sauté pan, heat the coconut oil and sauté the kale until fully cooked. Add the coconut milk mixture and reduce until the sauce has thickened. Serve immediately. The final product should be loose but not soupy. Serves 4 to 6.
— From "Eat Drink Shine: Inspiration from Our Kitchen: Gluten-free and Paleo-friendly Recipes by the Blissful Sisters" by Jennifer Emich, Jessica Emich and Jill Emich (Kyle Books, $29.95)
Grilled Potato, Onion and Bacon Skewers
This is a smack-your-forehead, wish-I'd-thought-of-it, glad-someone-else-did dish that could just as easily be hors d'oeuvres or even breakfast with a side of fried eggs. Because you parboil the small spuds to barely tender while the grill heats up, the skewers don't take long to cook. They are simply dressed with olive oil, salt and pepper, but you can spice things up as you like.
We tested this using a chimney starter and charcoal grill; if you have a gas grill or are relying on a stove top and a grill pan, you'll beat the 40-minute time estimate.
— Bonnie S. Benwick
30 thin-skinned whole potatoes, each no larger than a table-tennis ball
1 Tbsp. plus 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 medium onion
About 6 oz. thick-cut bacon
3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Leaves from 4 stems flat-leaf parsley (optional)
Flaked sea salt, for serving
Prepare a grill for direct heat. If using a gas grill, preheat to medium-high (450 degrees). If using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal or wood briquettes; when the briquettes are ready, distribute them under the cooking area for direct heat. For a medium-hot fire, you should be able to hold your hand about 6 inches above the coals for about 4 or 5 seconds. Have ready a spray water bottle for taming any flames. Lightly coat the grill rack with oil and place it on the grill.
Place the potatoes in a pot and cover with water by about 2 inches. Add the tablespoon of salt and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or just until the potatoes are fork-tender.
Meanwhile, cut the onion into 1-inch chunks; separate the layers. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces.
Drain the potatoes in a colander set in the sink; immediately splash the vinegar over them and toss gently to coat. Transfer to a large bowl, then add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, onion and bacon pieces and the oil. Toss gently to coat.
Thread 2 pieces of the onion, a piece of bacon and a potato onto 1 skewer, forming a tight grouping. Repeat to fill that skewer, then repeat to fill the remaining skewers using the remaining ingredients.
Place the skewers on the grill and close the lid; cook for 10 to 20 minutes, turning as needed for even and light charring.
Chop the parsley while the skewers are cooking.
Transfer the skewers to a platter; scatter the parsley over the top, if using, and drizzle with a little more oil, if desired. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt; serve warm. Serves 6.
— Adapted from "Camp Sunset: A Modern Camper's Guide to the Great Outdoors" by the editors of Sunset magazine (Oxmoor House, $24.95)
Fresh Fruit with Celery Seed Dressing
Julia Reed, author of "Julia Reed's South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style Fun All Year Long," says she copied this recipe — a mainstay at gatherings when she was growing up in Mississippi — from her mother's handwritten files and has made it since she was in college. Change the combination of fruits to suit your liking. The dressing and prepped fruit can be refrigerated, separately, a day in advance.
For the dressing:
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered mustard
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil or other neutral-flavored oil, such as canola
For the fruit:
1 ripe cantaloupe, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
1 (10 oz.) bunch green seedless grapes
1 (10 oz.) bunch red seedless grapes
Scant 1 lb. strawberries, hulled and cut into halves or quarters, as needed (2 generous cups)
For the dressing: Combine the sugar, celery seed, salt, powdered mustard and paprika in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the balloon-whisk attachment or a hand-held electric mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for a minute or two, then pour in the vinegar. On medium-high speed, gradually drizzle in the oil, beating until thick and emulsified, to form a shiny dressing. The yield is a scant 1 2/3 cups.
For the fruit: Combine the cantaloupe, pineapple, green and red grapes and strawberries in a large serving bowl. Toss the fruit with the dressing, or serve it on the side. Serves 10.
— Adapted from "Julia Reed's South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style Fun All Year Long," by Julia Reed (Rizzoli, $50)


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Drowning in tools and interfaces? We can help.
Organizations now monitor 10 different security agents on average, and swivel between at least five different interfaces to investigate and remediate incidents. There's a way to get ahead and manage your endpoint security more effectively. Drawing on real-world experiences from security decision makers, along with insights from Forrester and McAfee, we have compiled the latest tips on mastering the modern endpoint and protecting the enterprise both today and tomorrow.
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DialFix is the best service company in Hyderabad. Technicians are well behaved and soft spoken. My lifetime household repairs will be with DialFix.
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Terramar ClimaSense® 3.0 Fleece Base Layer Pants - UPF 50+ (For Little and Big Kids)
Item #141MM
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About Terramar ClimaSense® 3.0 Fleece Base Layer Pants - UPF 50+ (For Little and Big Kids)
Closeouts. From snow-covered mountain summits to backyard snow-day fun, Terramar's ClimaSense® 3.0 fleece base layer pants provide heavyweight warmth, moisture management and quick-drying performance for all-day comfort in very cold conditions.
- UPF 50+ for sun protection
- ClimaSense® technology for excellent thermal regulation and moisture management
- Supersoft, brushed-fleece interior for extra-cozy warmth
- Soft and smooth exterior easily slides under additional layers
- Narrow elastic waist
- Comfortable, flatlock seam construction
- 360-degree stretch for mobility
- Odor resistant
- Base layer weight: Heavyweight
- Made in China
Specs about Terramar ClimaSense® 3.0 Fleece Base Layer Pants - UPF 50+ (For Little and Big Kids)
- Base layer weight: Heavyweight
- UPF rating: 50+
- Fabric: 92% polyester, 8% spandex
- Care: Machine wash, tumble dry
- Made in China
Do you own this product? Write a review and help others with their buying decisions!
4.444444 5 Overall Rating: 4.4 Based on 9 reviews
Most Helpful 5-Star Review
Verified Buyer Reviewed by Mary from Adirondack Mountains on Monday, March 6, 2017
Keeps my daughter warm, she doesn't want to take them off after she comes in, spends the rest of the day in them. True to size.
Your search for "" returned reviews for Terramar-ClimaSense-30-Fleece-Base-Layer-Pants-UPF-50-plus--For-Little-and-Big-Kids
Very comfortableVerified Buyer Reviewed by ????? from Colorado on Thursday, March 30, 2017Very comfortable
Daughter likes.
Runs very largeReviewed by Jackie from Illinois on Wednesday, March 8, 2017Runs very large way to big for my 8 year old with correct sizing based off their chart
WarmVerified Buyer Reviewed by Mary from Adirondack Mountains on Monday, March 6, 2017Keeps my daughter warm, she doesn't want to take them off after she comes in, spends the rest of the day in them. True to size.
cozyVerified Buyer Reviewed by Jules from St. Louis, Mo on Thursday, February 23, 2017Versatile as pajama bottoms or a midweight base layer. I got these in a larger size for my bf's son, so he'll have them for a couple of years before he grows out of them.
Fun print, weak on warmthVerified Buyer Reviewed by Thomasco from CNY on Tuesday, December 27, 2016These are not a base layer for those of us with cold weather activities in mind. My daughter loves the graffiti print, and has already adopted them as her cool weather tights, but they will not make it into her winter gear drawer.
love itVerified Buyer Reviewed by Juliet from New York on Thursday, December 15, 2016I am always thinking to get one bottom to keep my son warmer in cold winter, and I hope it will help us.
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Perfect Base Layer!!Verified Buyer Reviewed by North Country Mama from New Hampshire on Tuesday, December 13, 2016These Bottoms are better than any other base layer we have tried! My daughter is 5 but tall and slender...if there was a size 5.75 that's what she would be! After she wore them a few times, I asked what she liked about them and she replied that they are soft and cuddly. Plus she loves the melded colors and I love the soft yet stretchy waistband. I totally recq these~!!
Super Warm and ComfortableVerified Buyer Reviewed by ET from Pittsburgh on Monday, December 12, 2016The fleece lining on these pants is so warm and comfortable. They fit great too!
Question & Answer
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PORTLAND — Some city councilors aren't happy about the mayor's intention to attach strings to city financial aid for an expansion of biotech company Immucell.
On Tuesday, Mayor Ethan Strimling announced he will add three amendments to a tax increment finance agreement with Immucell. The amendments would ensure the company provides prevailing state wages based on Maine Department of Labor data, and hiring preferences that encourage workforce diversity.
"If we are going to spend Portland taxpayers' money we should keep the money coming back into the community," Strimling said Tuesday in a press conference held with four local union officials.
The TIF and special credit agreements are scheduled for a City Council vote on Wednesday, Sept. 7. A public hearing will precede a discussion and vote by the council.
"I hope this is something taken for discussion with the public in a go-forward process, but not with us late in the process," Immucell President and CEO Michael Brigham said Tuesday before Strimling's announcement.
Afterwards, Councilor David Brenerman, chairman of the council Economic Development Committee, which unanimously recommended passage of the original TIF, said he expects the vote to be postponed until Sept. 19.
Brenerman objected to Strimling "changing the rules in the middle of the game."
"I and other councilors will oppose the amendments when they are offered," he said. "The contract was negotiated and voted upon by the committee. No one offered amendments during our deliberations and no one spoke at the committee's public hearing."
Strimling said he brought up the "responsible contracting" amendments before the TIF agreement was drafted.
One amendment requires all people hired to be paid wages and benefits defined by prevailing state or city laws.
A second amendment requires 25 percent of the project work hours to be filled by city residents who have lived in Portland at least 30 days. It also stipulates the 25 percent of the project work hours be filled by members of "protected classes," as defined by the Maine Human Rights Act, or people considered disadvataged.
The protected classes include those defined by race, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity or expression. Those considered disadvantaged include people who earn less than 80 percent of the area median income, who are homeless, are "custodial single" parents, receving public assistance, or are veterans.
The working hours can be filled by those meeting multiple requirements for residency and status.
A third amendment requires contractors to have participated in a Class A apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor for the last three years.
Councilor Jon Hinck is also expected to offer an amendment requiring construction to meet the city's "Green Building Code" for environmental and efficiency standards.
The amendments would not require contractors to hire union labor, but John Napolitano, president of the Maine Building Trades Council, said the added requirements would provide local economic benefit.
"It levels the playing field, then any contractor can go bid on it," he said.
Immucell now manufactures First Defense, which treats scours – diarrhea in newborn calves – at its plant at 56 Evergreen Drive. The company is launching a product called Mast Out, which would treat mastitis in cows without requiring dairy farmers to discard milk from infected animals.
Brigham said the company has spent $12 million to research and develop the product. Immucell plans to build a 12,600-square-foot manufacturing facility on Caddie Lane. Building costs are estimated at $3 million, and producing Mast Out requires equipment and machinery estimated to cost $14 million, Brigham said.
The TIF would return $374,000 of property taxes to Immucell over its 12-year life, based on the increased valuation of the undeveloped site on Caddie Lane.
Brigham said the job is already out to bid, and while the amendment provisions are admirable, they are not practical.
"We have already gone to bid with people committed to paying prevailing wages," Brigham said.
The TIF presents a small portion of what Brigham has called a "complicated, four-legged stool," made all the more challenging by the fact the company has to build its plant before it gets U.S. Food & Drug Administration approval to make and sell Mast Out.
Brigham said Strimling visited him late last month, but he did not see the text of the amendments until Aug. 29.
"It is a big project for a small company, so we are being creative," he said. "To go back with these three conditions would be hard."
Napolitano said he has been trying to make provisions such as these a part of city TIF arrangements for six years. He and Strimling would like guidelines like these as a part of all TIFs in the future.
"It is good opportunity and opportune time to bring it up," Napolitano said.
Maine Building Trades Council President John Napolitano, left, and Portland Mayor Ethan Strimling on Tuesday, Sept. 6, said a TIF agreement for the expansion of Immucell needs to provide job opportunities for disadvantaged workers and ensure prevailing wages are paid.
Michael Brigham, Immucell president and chief executive officer, said amendments proposed to TIF financing in Portland were made too late in the process.


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Seismic Raging Bull Stampede - Comparison with Epicenter and Raging Bull Charged
Comparison Video of the new Raging Bull Stampede with the Raging Bull Charged and Epicenter. This video is shot on a 42 Ft Sport Pattern. The Stampede provides more back end than any previous Seismic bowling ball, creating better entry angles and improving your carry percentage.
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Going beyond regulatory requirements
Today, banks are mandated to meet many different regulations including but not limited to Anti Money Laundering requirements, Sarbanes Oxley, Dodd Frank Wall St Reform Act, International Accounting Standards and Basel II / Basel III banking accord. This session will look at how ISO 31000 can assist in bringing these various regulatory initiatives together and not only harmonise with Basel II, III but improve its operation.
Session Partners
|Carlos Arias | C31000 | Senior Environmental Specialist | International Finance Corporation (part of WorldBank) | USA | will talk about:
ISO 31000 Applied to E&S Management for DFI (Development Financial Institutions)
|Carlos Arias
|Jason Shohet | Vice President, – Global AML Operations Risk Management | CITIGROUP | USA | will talk about:
Addressing new financial regulation
Jason Shohet
|Alpaslan Menevse | CT31000 | Operational Risk Manager | Sekerbank | Turkey | will talk about:
Integrating ISO 31000 within the entreprise
Alpaslan Menevse


text: Apple fans worldwide eagerly await the debut of the next iPad. Rumors are everywhere about what it will be named, what it will have, what it may have, what it won't have and when you can get one. Bottom-line if you love them or loathe them you have to admit the iPad is the ultimate reigning world champion of the tablet world. The big event kicks off March 7 2012 at 10am PST. For all the latest and greatest iPad news head on over to our friends at LTG for everything tech and pure awesome.


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Prepare as directed, omitting the Parmesan cheese, and substituting 1 cup BULL'S-EYE Original Barbecue Sauce for the pasta sauce, and KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese for the mozzarella. Sprinkle lightly with sliced green onions or OSCAR MAYER Real Bacon Bits before serving.
Sprinkle baked chicken with 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves before topping with the pasta sauce and cheeses.
* Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.


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Baxter City Council: Month's events to raise trafficking awareness
The Baxter City Council learned Tuesday of a host of sex trafficking-themed events coming this month in the Brainerd lakes area.
Kate LePage, Saving Grace case manager with Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota in Brainerd, joined Baxter Police Chief Jim Exsted to present at the city council meeting on efforts to fight sex trafficking in the area. The talk coincided with the month of January, Sex Trafficking Awareness Month.
For nearly three years, Exsted and his officers have focused on targeting sex trafficking, he said. Instrumental in those efforts was the creation of BLASTT, or the Brainerd Lakes Area Sex Trafficking Team: a partnership among advocates, case workers and the police.
"We probably average 25, 30 people at our meetings now," he said. "It's bigger than what we anticipated at the front end."
Exsted initially envisioned BLASTT as a group to support law enforcement once they encountered sex trafficking victims, but the group's mission shifted in recent months to advocacy and raising awareness, he said.
LePage listed upcoming events in January highlighting sex trafficking, including a a screening of the documentary film "I Am Jane Doe" at 2:30 and 6 p.m. Jan. 17 at Central Lakes College. The film, narrated by Jessica Chastain, depicts the attempts of mothers of trafficking victims to curb sex advertisements on websites such as Backpage, and their resulting conflict with the system.
On Jan. 18 at Franklin Arts Center, there will be a two-part public forum on sex trafficking in Minnesota: one part from 11 a.m. to noon on the demand for sex trafficking and the second half from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on sellers and victims.
From 6:30 to 8 p.m. Jan. 24 at the YMCA, there will be a seminar on children internet safety, geared for both parents and youths.
Finally, Franklin Arts Center will host an art presentation featuring the works of Veronica C. Wanchena, a sex trafficking survivor. The event, titled "Art as Alchemy: Truth Liberates, Love Heals" will tell her story of survival as well as how she helped use art as self-therapy, to externalize what happened to her. The showing is noon to 4 p.m. Jan. 27, with Wanchena's talk from 1-2:30 p.m.


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Bank of Pontiac Online Bill payment
Customers of Bank of Pontiac can pay there bills by logging in the official website https://www.bankofpontiac.com/ (given below) and visit Pay Bills Section to make the payments. In case of any issue or support one can contact Bank of Pontiac support (855)-844-6151 using the details given below.
Bank of Pontiac Login
To login in one should visit the bill payment website https://www.bankofpontiac.com/ and enter his/her username/password in the right section of the page and press login. In case you have forgotten your password/user id you can press on Forgot password button. In My accounts section you can see your pending bills and make the payment by Online Banking facility. In case you want to redeem redeem rewards points visit Offers page.
Bank of Pontiac Phone Number
You can fine Phone/Support number given below. In case of any further query you can also visit Contact Us section of the website.
Mode of Payment
Bank of Pontiac Hours of Operations
Monday 10 am – 7 pm
Tuesday 10 am – 7 pm
Wednesday 10 am – 7 pm
Thursday 10 am – 7 pm
Friday 10 am – 7 pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Website: https://www.bankofpontiac.com/
Create new account: https://www.bankofpontiac.com/images/pdfs/enroll.pdf
Online Login/Sign in: https://www.netteller.com/login2008/Authentication/Views/Login.aspx?returnUrl=%2fbankofpontiac
Forgot Password Link:
Payment Mode: Checking,
Support Phone Number: (855)-844-6151
Routing Number: 71122263
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NORTH KINGSTOWN — Custodians, teachers and other union members from around Rhode Island rallied at the school department here in an attempt to save the jobs of the school custodians whose jobs are in imminent danger of being outsourced to a private company from Tennessee.
The custodians and their union representatives say they have met the terms the School Committee had insisted upon for a new contract, but – for reasons that aren't entirely clear – the committee still voted to do business with GCA, the private custodial company that works primarily in the south and has been controversial in almost every community it has entered.
Because the School Committee still has not signed a contract with GCA, the custodians are still fighting to preserve their jobs.


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Lingo- custom decorative logos
Blog by Bettina Reid | April 12th, 2010
What a gorgeous weekend! Yesterday, I met the owner of a great little company called "LINGO" she makes custom designed logos for your wall. Much like the ones you see in the store...but better because you can customize the size and wording or create your own sayings. Check her out at www.mylingo.ca