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@Starbucks The police were called because these men hadn't ordered anything. They were waiting for a friend to show up, who did as they were taken out in handcuffs for doing nothing. All the other white ppl are wondering why it's never happened to us when we do the same thing. pic.twitter.com/0U4Pzs55Ci
The CEO of Starbucks said he wants to personally apologize to two black men who were arrested while sitting inside one of the chain's coffee shops in Philadelphia waiting for someone, an incident that prompted accusations of racism on social media.
Starbucks "stands firmly against discrimination or racial profiling," CEO Kevin Johnson said in a statement. He said he wants to meet with the men to offer a "face-to-face apology."
A video posted online shows police handcuffing the men after a quiet discussion that lasted several minutes.
Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Starbucks employees called 911 to say the men were trespassing. He said officers were told the men had come in and asked to use the restroom but were denied because they hadn't bought anything. He said they then refused to leave.
The men didn't leave because they were waiting for a friend, their attorney later said.
One of multiple videos of the incident, shows the man they were waiting for arriving and telling police the two men were waiting for him. Andrew Yaffe runs a real estate development firm and wanted to meet the men to discuss a business investment.
Johnson's statement didn't address exactly what led to the police call, but a Starbucks spokesperson said the store where the arrests occurred has a policy that restrooms were for paying customers only.
Johnson said the company's practices and training led to a "bad outcome," and the reason for the call that brought police into the shop was incorrect.
Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said the company's practices and training led to a 'bad outcome,' and the reason for the call that brought police into the shop was incorrect. (Ellen M. Banner/The Seattle Times via AP)
"Our store manager never intended for these men to be arrested and this should never have escalated as it did," said the statement. Johnson said videos of the arrest were "very hard to watch," and the company was investigating.
"We also will further train our partners to better know when police assistance is warranted," said Johnson. "Additionally, we will host a company-wide meeting next week to share our learnings, discuss some immediate next steps and underscore our long-standing commitment to treating one another with respect and dignity."
Police haven't released the names of the men who were arrested. A spokesperson for the district attorney's office said the two were released "because of lack of evidence" that a crime had been committed, but declined further comment, citing a police investigation.


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MHD Stokes Problem For A Vertical Infinite Plate In A Dissipative Rotating Fluid With Hall Current
Kinyanjui, M
Chaturvedi, N
MetadataShow full item record
Natural convection in the hydromagnetic flow of a viscous incompressible rotating fluid system, taking into account viscous dissipative heat and Hall current, has been studied. The coupled nonlinear equations are solved by a finite difference method. Velocity and temperature profiles are shown graphically and the results discussed in terms of the Hall parameter m, rotation parameter E and Gr (Grashof number, Gr > 0 cooling of the plate by free convection currents).

subset: commoncrawl


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Photo by:
Do or die. Make or break.
Those were the buzzwords for the Texas State men's basketball team heading into the matchup against the Troy Trojans.
The Bobcats' 67-61 victory is a welcome sight for Coach Danny Kaspar, who said he might "overhaul" the team next year if they did not come prepared to play.
Texas State is 6-11 in the Sun Belt, giving them a 1.5 game edge over Troy for the eighth spot in the conference tournament.
"I told them if ya'll can't get ready for these two games, I'm not sure you should stay here because it's going to be hell for you next year," Kaspar said. "This is a make or break game."
The win snaps a four-game losing skid that put Texas State's postseason hopes on temporary life support.
Defeating Troy at home ended another streak. The team had not won a home game since Jan. 15, a span of five games.
"I was proud of my guys effort," Kaspar said. "They were ready to play today. They knew what was at stake."
Emani Gant, junior forward, recorded his third double-double of the season. His 10 points and 10 rebounds were complemented by Kavin Gilder-Tilbury, sophomore forward, who led the team with 13 points.
Texas State's 67 points was the team's highest mark since Jan. 17.
"Sometimes our offensive play dictates our intensity at times," Gant said. "If we aren't shooting well, we need to stick to it and keep playing defense. That's what we are learning and that's what we did tonight. We were aggressive and confidence on offense."
Kaspar started Cameron Naylor, junior forward, but ended up play Gilder-Tilbury 30 minutes in favor of Naylor.
"We have seven, maybe eight starters," Kaspar said. "I'm gonna play people who are playing well. Kavin was shooting the ball well and I thought his defense was better than Cam's. He hit some key shots for us, very timely shots."
Gilder-Tilbury's 13 points were part of a balanced scoring effort, with eight players scoring at least six points.
The difference occurred in practice. Kaspar said the team elevated its intensity due to the circumstances.
All the team had to do next was replicate that intensity in a game, with the season essentially on the line.
"This kind of intensity is what we miss," Kaspar said. "I don't think we've had the intensity that we've needed in the last two weeks. I'm at a loss to explain that. I can't make you play hard. Tonight they were ready to play."
Texas State's shooting performance is reminiscent to its last home win against South Alabama, with the team shooting 49 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. Kaspar said shooting the ball well masks other potential problems on the court.
Now three games remain in the season. While a postseason berth is not guaranteed, Gant is already thinking ahead. He's looking to make a run in the conference tournament.
Do or die. It's about time.
"It's on us," Gant said. "I feel like we can win the whole thing honestly. If we get on a roll, play defense like we are supposed to and stay aggressive on offense, I feel like we can win it all."
Follow Quixem Ramirez on Twitter @quixem.


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Protecting your family, your legacy, your lodge and your community.
One thing that makes Sons of Norway unique is that purchasing financial products not only helps our members protect their family and their legacy, it also can help support their lodge and the surrounding community. That's why we're committed to providing the services and products you need, for exactly the right times in life. As a financial services organization, this has been part of our mission for more than a century. Explore the ways we help secure futures through the sound financial products and services offered by Sons of Norway.


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Advertise in monthly or weekly newletters promoting GSBA programs and events, community news, and civic issues.
Choose one of three ROS ad sizes.
GSBA's quarterly magazine. 1800+ issues mailed and an additional 400 circulated throughout the city.
Seattle's vibrant, progressive and welcoming community is the home for this unique resource for the LGBT traveler. Open to all, the Seattle LGBT Visitors Center is only the second center of its kind in the United States. A great destination for all travelers to find hotels, exciting nightlife spots, fabulous food, entertainment, shopping, and attractions. Each business found inside the visitors center is welcoming and inclusive.
Sponsorship works! Invest your marketing dollars wisely by becoming a GSBA Sponsor. Sponsors benefit from prominent exposure to more than 15,000 businesses, individuals, and nonprofit organizations throughout the Puget Sound region. To learn more about how GSBA can best meet your promotional needs, please contact Amy Burdick, Business Development Manager.


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Poetry Thursday ... a poem by Jorie Graham
Slowly Going Blind Originally uploaded by MontanaRaven.
I fell in love with Jorie Graham's poetry several years ago and I suppose I had her poem, For a Friend Going Blind, in my unconscious as I shaped this photo collage after a really frustrating experience at my eye doctor's (I'm on the third lens prescription in less than a week - they're having trouble getting it right!)
Since I depend so much on my sense of sight, it weighs heavy on me that I am losing my vision ... slowly but surely ... I am not actually going totally blind, and I don't intend to trivialize blindness ... but it sure feels that way sometimes. I do have empathy for people with macular degeneration and other progressive eye/vision problems who eventually have to rely much more heavily on their other senses. This experience is forcing me to explore other ways of seeing -- to explore the senses that are beyond the usual 5 senses. And Jorie's poem is a stepping stone towards that goal. I hope you find it as powerful and moving as I do.
To a Friend Going Blind
Today, because I couldn't find the shortcut through,
I had to walk this town's entire inner
perimeter to find
where the medieval walls break open
in an eighteenth century
arch. The yellow valley flickered on and off
through cracks and the gaps
for guns. Bruna is teaching me
to cut a pattern.
Saturdays we buy the cloth.
She takes it in her hands
like a good idea, feeling
for texture, grain, the built-in
limits. It's only as an afterthought she asks
and do you think it's beautiful?
Her measuring tapes hang down, corn-blond and endless,
from her neck.
When I look at her
I think Rapunzel,
how one could climb that measuring,
that love. But I was saying,
I wandered all along the street that hugs the walls,
a needle floating
on its cloth. Once
I shut my eyes and felt my way
along the stone. Outside
is the cashcrop, sunflowers, as far as one can see. Listen,
the wind rattles in them,
a loose worship
seeking an object,
an interruption. Sara,
the walls are beautiful. They block the view.
And it feels rich to be
inside their grasp.
When Bruna finishes her dress
it is the shape of what has come
to rescue her. She puts it on.
poem by Jorie Graham
from her book, Erosion, published by Princeton Univ Press
Poetry Thursday folks, I found a couple of very useful and inspiring websites I wanted to share with you. One is the Favorite Poem Project. Check out the archive of poems that are favorites of ordinary people and writers, both. And the videos are really inspiring to watch!
And Voices from the Prairie for a slice of the midwestern USA and a poet's viewpoint.
Lastly, an inspiration to me ... is this artist's book by Susan Angebranndt illustrating Jorie Graham's "For a Friend ..." poem. Too bad it's out of print. It's absolutely gorgeous!
Thanks to Liz Elayne in Seattle for starting the Poetry Thursday project. It's probably my favorite ongoing online art/writing project ever.


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Footballs Blog FootballsBlog.com FootballsBlog Football Blog
NFL Footballs Blog FootballsBlog:
Football Blog FootBallsBlog.com:
MAP BUSINESS REVIEWS & LOCAL MAP BUSINESS MARKETING ONLINE with us at MapBusiness.com.
Great time to list with us at MapDentist and MapDr. We @ MapDentist.com and MapDr.com are networking with local ad companies. MAP DR BLOGGING & MAP DR COUPON LISTING with us at MapDr.com.
Map Dentist is networking with DENTAL BUSINESSES ONLINE and LOCAL DENTISTS.
Can sign up online or email us at email@example.com to market with us at MapDentist. We are looking to innovate online.


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(125 ml / 4.2 oz)
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Active Ingredients: Coconut Oil (hydrating, calming, softening, refreshing, removes impurities and all traces of make-up), Green Tea Extract (one of the most powerful anti-oxidants, anti-inflammatory), Ginseng Extract (toning, revitalizing, oxygenating), Lactic Acid (natural component, powerful hydrating capacity).
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Your order of Valmont, Cleansing with a Gel will include free Shipping on orders of $150 or more.


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Maybe Elgin Baylor didn't have to suffer the overt racism that Jackie Robinson did, but Jackie played out his career repressing what had to be tremendous personal resentment against such treatment -- treatment that sometimes came from teammates and team officials. When Jackie finished his playing days, he was a very outspoken critic of the unfair treatment of blacks in America before his too-early death.
Baylor is acting no differently though Donald Sterling's racism was not so out in the open. I believe Baylor had a lot of personal courage to put up with Sterling as long as he did, but I may be in the minority. But I always have been a minority and know what that feels like.
Gary Mikuni
Donald Sterling has got to be one of the world's most terrible people.
He plasters The Times with all of these self-serving ads lauding himself and his apartment buildings. I wasn't the least bit surprised that he would end up displaying all the worst signs of a team owner and bigot.
Yes, I have convicted him before he has a fair trial. My jury is in.
Bob Klein
Culver City
Except for a good laugh, does anyone really care about the Clippers?
Ron Gonzalez
Diamond Bar


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Many innovations are expected for the 56th edition of the Genoa Boat Show, starting from the date: it will not take place in October, following the tradition, but it will be moved up to the end of September (20th – 25th).
This year too, the Boat Show confirms its role as unique B2C event with a large representation in terms of products and brands on display.
Excellent response from both the sailing boats and the catamarans sectors, with an increasingly large representation at the Boat Show, which confirms a growing market segment.
Of particular importance is the presence, for the first time in Italy, of both a delegation of 15 independent brokers of the Florida Yacht Brokers Association and of a delegation organized by Italian Trade Agency ICE and made up by 87 operators and 36 journalists from 30 different countries.
Frigomar will be back this year, in Upper B Pavilion, stand T12, to present its range of variable speed conditioners: the Chiller 410 series for centralized systems and the series of self contained conditioners suitable for all kinds of boats, from 10 - metre to 50 + - metre ones.


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Awareness Alone is not Enough: Questions and Answers
Ashin Tejaniya
First U.S. Edition, 2011. "Awareness alone is not enough! Having a desire to really understand what is going on is much more important than just trying to be aware. We practise mindfulness meditation because we want to understand," - from the back of book.
© 2018 libib.com / All rights reserved


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At present, a large number of marking machine with marking card development company, and related development team to develop touch-screen laser marking system. At present, all of the marking software of Dreiser Laser has made the interface simplification. Laser marking machine straight to miniaturization, characterized. This point is obviously to the current size of the gold to combine, but also with the mobile, a machine more than the cost of the province to combine. At present, the industry of laser marking machine equipment Shell molding still stay at the level of 20 years ago.Laser Marking Machine
Suitable for some plastic, silicon and reflective metal output visible green laser working at 532nm wavelength, it can achieve a clear contrast on plastic materials marking, can achieve soft marking on silicon materials, but also in the silver reflective material to achieve high-quality marking.Laser Marking Machine
UV Laser Marking machine: To achieve the high resolution marking of plastic and corrosion resistant materials, the output wavelength of UV laser marking machine is 355nm, which can provide unique marking characteristics, which can obtain excellent contrast effect in many other laser-marking plastic. Laser Marking Machine
For example, can be used to mark medical catheters and highly corrosion-resistant 17-x stainless steel materials. Compared with fiber lasers, Nd: YVO4 lasers and even green lasers, UV lasers can achieve the best quality of marking on all materials. The 355nm wavelength further increases the range of plastic materials that can be labeled, and in addition, it can strictly control heat input when marking on metal materials.Laser Marking Machine


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It's no secret that the US Women's National Team (USWNT) has proved to be the best of women's soccer. Unfortunately, they are paid significantly less than the men's team. Five of the biggest names on the USWNT soccer team roster filed a complaint against the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), demanding equal pay for equal work or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and calling for an investigation of what they believe to be U.S. Soccer's discriminatory wage practices.
This complaint was issued just 9 months after the USWNT won the world cup, a feat the men's team have never accomplished. Even though they are the main six names on the file, Alex Morgan, Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo, Megan Rapinoe, and Becky Sauerbrunn emphasized they were taking action on behalf of the entire national team.
The filing, citing figures from the USSF's 2015 financial report, says that despite the women's team generating nearly $20 million more revenue last year than the U.S. men's team, the women are paid about a quarter of what the men earn.
"Recently, it has become clear that the Federation has no intention of providing us equal pay for equal work," Megan Rapinoe said in a news release.
The EEOC will conduct an investigation and determine if its findings will be benefit the U.S. women's team.
USSF President Sunil Gulati explained that many factors are considered when it comes to player repayment, including the revenue the teams generate.
"We think very highly of the women's national team and we want to compensate them fairly, and we'll sit down and work through that with them when all of this settles down," Gulati said.
Kessler claimed that the state of the negotiations over the CBA created the need for the women to act in hopes of ending what they say is the "discriminatory and unfair treatment" they have endured for years.
"Every single day, we sacrifice just as much as the men. We work just as much," superstar forward Alex Morgan explained on NBC's "Today" show.
The on going fight between the USWNT and the United State Soccer Federation head to court where US Soccer is suing the United States women's national team players' association after the union's executive director, Richard Nichols, refused to rule out a players' strike. He believes that the players can terminate their agreement with the federation at will. The federation disagrees, so they've sued the players for anticipatory breach of contract and declaratory relief.
The federation sued the union representing the women's team, demanding that the CBA remain effective. Due to Rich Nicholas, the executive director of the women's player union, allegedly terminated the women's CBA at the end of 2015.
By supposedly getting rid of CBA, Nicholas can file an article, stating that no player shall "authorize, encourage, or engage in any strike, work stoppage, (or) slowdown." Meaning, Nicholas could use a strike against the federation in negotiations should he choose to use. In an Olympic year, this is a powerful weapon.
Therefor, the heart of the lawsuit is to determine whether or not the CBA has been terminated.
Fans have showed their support by trending the #EqualPayDay where they explain the large gap between men and women pay. The case itself, is still currently in progress.


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Knowledgebase: My Account Features
Change the DNS servers for your domain name
Posted by Maria Brosnan on 17 June 2016 10:27 AM
You can change the DNS servers your domain uses via the 'Domain Name Servers' option.
Your DNS server settings dictate things like where your domain name points to on the Internet, and how email to your domain name is handled.
When you register a domain name with Freeparking, the domain name will be set to use our DNS servers (ns.freeparking.co.nz and ns2.freeparking.co.nz) by default.


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Fall 2013 Alexander McQueen Bags
08 Sunday Sep 2013
Posted Fashionin
08 Sunday Sep 2013
08 Sunday Sep 2013
It's so hard for a mom to find time to catch up with the latest trends. While spring 2014 is taking place now I feel thankful just to keep up with fall 2013. So for all of you who ain't got time to stay ahead of the game, here's a quick crash course of this season's hot items.
From top left clockwise: H&M jeans, Zara turtleneck sweaters, Celine grey trapeze, Chanel bag and over the thigh boots, Chloe bag, Chloe black boots, Celine grey boots, Alexander McQueen top handle bags, Saint Laurent rose bag, Valentino pumps, Fendi dress, Carven coat, Balenciaga top, Saint Laurent biker jacket, Alexander McQueen biker jacket, Zara leather leggings and skirt.
Sources: Harper's Bazaar, style.com, net-a-porter, neiman marcus.
16 Saturday Jun 2012
05 Tuesday Jun 2012
02 Saturday Jun 2012
Posted Fashion, Uncategorizedin
Yesterday I saw a handbag that totally caught my eyes and made my head turned! I was acting like some dude who can't take his eyes off of a pretty girl.
The bag has a simple and yet eye-catching presence because of its colour and shape. I saw it from far away and I kept staring at it until I saw a small gold engraved Celine logo.
It turned out the bag was from Celine's spring/summer 2010 collection. Oh I love Celine bags…
Which bag would make your head turn?
昨天我看到了一個手袋,完全抓住了我的視線,我回頭看了! 就像男生看到漂亮女生一樣眼睛盯著看還回頭再看。
Picture courtesy of My MANy Bags
28 Monday May 2012
Posted Fashion, Uncategorizedin
Many bloggers like to post their look of the day so I am following them. Boring!! I know…but I just want to tell you the T-shirt and the jeans are very comfy. The quality is also good and the price is pretty too! Enjoy florals and colours!


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On this Veteran's Day, I want to thank those men and women who serve their country, and their families, who share them with us.
Monday, November 11, 2013
Thank you
6 comments:
Seconded! Here's to our national heroes who live the quietest but most meaningful lives. We love you!ReplyDelete
Me, too. "Because they stand on a wall and say, 'Nothing's going to hurt you tonight, not on my watch.'"ReplyDelete
This is horrible but I completely forgot yesterday was veteran's day. I'll join you in thanking them though, they and their families are amazing people.ReplyDeleteReplies
I know life can get in the way of remembering these things, especially given the business of the holiday season!Delete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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About us If you are fascinated by the 3d photographs and printers etc then Xero Enterprise is what you must consider. We are one of the largest Importer and Supplier of , 3d Photo (3d-004), 3d Photo (3d-003) etc. We work ...
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I just created a Facebook page for the park! Search "Waldameer and Water World." There's two pages about us but the official one is by that name. It has all my blog posts too. It's pretty spiffy.
Now you can also visit us on Facebook! What are you waiting for? GO!


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Phone Orders Only please. Price includes postage.
01603 219119
We have just spent three weeks with the Mark II.
We were interested to get our hands on a 5D mark II so we could compare it with the 7D as when looking at the specifications they seem fairly similar. However it soon became apparent that they are very different cameras.
The 5D appears to be aimed at a similar market but feels and looks a lot more robust. It is heavier and feels chunkier than the 7D and the waterproof casing will be a huge benefit in the Englsh climate. Because of the extra weight, it gives the appearance of being closer in design to the Canon professional range, but is still aimed at the serious amateur.
Sedge Warbler and Bluethroat Images below taken with the 5D mark II and a Canon 400mm IS DO lens with 1.4. converter.
We tested the camera with several different lenses, some old and some new, to run it through its paces and where impressed whatever we used. It also handled a 1.4, very elderly, converter with no problems to give that little bit more versatility.
The speckled wood butterfly below was taken using the 5D and a 600mm Canon IS lens and a tripod. Not what you would normally use for insect work, but it produced really good results
It seemed to handle macro work particularly well producing images like the pond skater and swallowtail below. This was taken with a fairly low quality tamron 105mm lens and still produced fantastic images.
We did feel that the camera seemed to write slightly quicker to the cards than the 7D and we were using low speed compact flash which we felt, considering the large file sizes, was very useful. We didn't even see a writing dealy doing jpg and raw at the same time. The shutter also seemed fairly quiet.
We also tested this camera out on a wedding and were extremely pleased with the final images. It handled a constant change of light very well, as the sun was in and out all day, but we still felt the need to work from the raw images rather than the jpg's to produce the best quality prints. For studio work we prefer the images from one of the professional range cameras.
Videoing with this camera was a real pleasure. It seemed much easier to focus the image and keep in focus if the target moved. With the 7D this could be a bit tricky and would need a fair bit of practice. We managed to get high quality results right from the start without having to spend hours reading the manual. However, it didn't seem as easy to move quickly from video to still photography.
This camera is a a pleasure to use and is very versatile. We would recommend this body for an amateur looking to step up to professional wedding or outdoor shoots, as a business starter camera, and also for professionals wishing to have second body.
Basically we didn't want to give this camera back!!
The full frame EOS 5D Mark II combines outstanding resolution with 3.9 fps shooting and superlative high ISO performance. The addition of Full HD movie recording expands the boundaries of photography.
21.1 Megapixel full frame CMOS sensorFor the ultimate in creative shooting, the EOS 5D Mark II features a full frame CMOS sensor (36mm x 24mm). With no cropping or magnification effects, enjoy a true wide angle experience through the large, bright viewfinder. Redesigned pixels minimise noise, while a 21.1 Megapixel resolution surpasses the standards demanded by the leading picture agencies.DIGIC 4Canons DIGIC 4 works with the EOS 5D Mark IIs image sensor to deliver outstanding reproduction of colours and subtle tonal gradations. DIGIC 4 also delivers split-second start-up times, Face Detection AF in Live View mode, and additional HD movie recording.High ISOFor handheld shooting in low light, the EOS 5D Mark II offers ISO speeds of up to 6400. For dark scenes where using flash is undesirable, this can be expanded to an incredible ISO 25600.Full HD movie recordingThe EOS 5D Mark II complements outstanding still imaging capabilities with Full HD (1080) video recording. Users can even shoot video to memory card without losing the ability to capture still images. An HDMI connection allows High Definition playback of footage and images on an HDTV.3.0 High Resolution LCDThe 3.0 Clear View LCD features 920,000 dot resolution, wide viewing angle and dual anti-reflective coatings allowing ultra-detailed image review in a variety of conditions. Live View displays real-time images on the LCD, offering three types of auto focus: Quick AF, Live AF, and Face Detection Live AF, which locks onto faces detected in the frame.Up to 3.9 frames per secondThe EOS 5D Mark II offers continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second. When shooting JPEGs to a UDMA card, maximum burst is limited only by card capacity. 9-point AF + 6 Assist AF pointsPrecision auto focus is assured by Canons AF system, which employs 9 selectable points and 6 Assist AF points. EOS Integrated Cleaning SystemCanons built-in dust prevention system offers three ways of guarding images against the effects of dust: reduction of internal dust generation; an in-camera sensor cleaning mechanism; and the ability to map stubborn dust spots for removal with Digital Photo Professional software (included).Durable, compact designWith a magnesium alloy construction, environmental protection and shutter durability of 150,000 releases, the EOS 5D Mark II is equally suited to location or studio work.


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In 2016 Harmony of the Seas took the waters as the largest cruise ship afloat, longer than the Eiffel Tower is tall and able to carry over 5,000 guests. In this post I explore the public areas onboard to see if things were ship-shape before Harmony's maiden voyage to the Mediterranean.
Harmony has blended the innovations of Royal Caribbean's Quantum Class ships (like the Bionic Bar and Wonderland) alongside fleet-wide staples Flo Rider, Ice Rink, Promenade and more.
You can view my experience onboard Anthem of the Seas as well by clicking here (opens in a new tab).
In traditional Royal Caribbean style, they've taken it a step further and included some more firsts at sea with The Ultimate Abyss, a daring white-knuckle dry slide that plunges you down ten decks in seconds.
Check out my Jamie's Italian review
Something exclusive to Oasis Class ships (and where the name really rings true) is Central Park. Located on Deck 8 at the heart of the ship, this outdoor area is brimming with tropical flowers and trees. Meandering through the park you'll find restaurants, bars and outdoor seating areas to dine Al Fresco, including Vintages, a casual Park Café and Jamie's Italian.
Two decks below between five and six are more public areas, including the Promenade where familiar favourites can be found like Café Promenade (cake and coffee stop), Sorrentos (late-night pizza stop), Schooner and Boleros Bar.
I can see why this class of ships favours sunny climates, there's so much outdoor space to enjoy. I was amazed to see following the Promenade is yet more bars and restaurants on the outdoor 'Boardwalk' like Johnny Rockets and Starbucks.
If you're wondering what it's like to cruise the Mediterranean on a Royal Caribbean ship, have a look at my highlights post.
I've no doubt top decks fifteen and sixteen will soon be very popular spots while at sea with pools, loungers and the company's biggest splash park yet, 'Splashaway Bay'.
It was great to see other familiar features up here too, like the Adult-only Solarium and The Living Room and Fuel for teens.
Enjoy this post? You can find my other ship tours and videos by clicking here.
Many thanks to Royal Caribbean UK for inviting me onboard Harmony. All opinions are my own.


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the honor and glory of whaling
The Annex
December 28, 2007 - January 6, 2008
Thursday - Saturday at 7:30pm
Sunday at 2:30pm & 7:30pm
*Opens on Friday 12/28
Tickets $20
Written and directed by Mike Gorman
The Forty Hour Club
**Fri 12/28/07**
Post show Q & A with playwright Israel Horovitz
Read an interview with Mike Gorman by Martin Denton here
The Honor and Glory of Whaling is the second play in a trilogy of plays that deal with the issue of addiction and recovery in the commercial fishing industry, inspired by the death of the playwright's oldest brother (a commercial fisherman) to a heroin overdose. The Honor and Glory of Whaling is an epic tale that follows the fate of legendary New England fishing captain Robby Foerster and his boat "The Northern Star". In a community sorely in need of something to be proud of, stories of his reckless courage are a source of pride. After a fatal first encounter with heroin, the "Great White Whale" of the modern fishing community, Robby falls deeply into addiction. The Honor and Glory of Whaling explores the role of myth and storytelling as both a sustaining and destructive force in a Northeast coastal fishing community, engaging the audience in a dramatic critical debate as to what extent tragedy, held to be inherent in the fishing community, might be avoidable.
The play will be preceded by a 20-minute documentary film with a mythical, literary soul drawn from the spirit of Moby Dick. The film captures the experience of producing and performing Michael Gorman's first play of the trilogy, UltraLight, dubbed "A beautiful, moving play about his brother" by The Boston Phoenix. Audience members are invited to participate post-show in an ongoing documentary with their own stories and comments.
The play is co-directed by David Bennett and Michael Gorman, staged by La MaMa resident director, George Ferencz, with an original score by flutist Tonya "Tbird Luv" Ridgely. Post-show Q&A's will follow select performances. Playwright Israel Horovitz will take part in the opening night panel discussion on Fri. Dec. 28. Additional Q&A's will feature members from the recovery, addiction, theater and law enforcement communities.
The cast includes David Bennett, David Branch, Ruth Coughlin, J.P. Guimont, Al Joyce, Michael Kimball and Anita Menotti. The design team consists of Obie-Winner Tim Schellenbaum (Sound Design), Carla Bosnjak (Lighting Design), Sarah Boyden (Costume Design) and Marguerite White (Set Design & Installation). Additional musicians include Evan Fraser and Pete List.
The Forty Hour Club's mission is to create a social and political forum around art through the integration of community commitment and discussion.
coming up


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Corporations have every right to protect their trademarks, including their brand trademarks such as product names, slogans and logos. However, it's important not to assume a false power with those trademarks simply because your company is bigger than others.
A perfect example is in the news this week. In a cease and desist letter, Apple threatened the Victoria School of Business and Technology with legal action if the school doesn't stop using their own apple logo, which they have been using without any problems since 2005. Below are the two logos side-by-side. What do you think?
One could argue that the logos are similar and both businesses operate in technical markets (although one manufactures technical products and one educates people about technology), however, there are two main questions that come to mind in this trademark debate, and I put the onus on Apple who appears to be using their size to bully the little guy.
- Can Apple truly claim the singular right to use an apple in its brand identity?
- Is the case of the Victoria School of Business and Technology apple logo worth the negative publicity that common David vs. Goliath battles such as this typically bring to the aggressor?
What can we learn from this? First, select a logo and imagery to communicate your brand that are unique. Second, pick and choose your battles.
While it's likely that there is someone in Apple's legal or marketing departments who automatically generates and sends cease and desist letters, and it's possible that Apple will drop the legal threats once the powers that be review the matter, the damage is already done. In short, don't pick an apple or other common object for your logo. Is your brand common or unique? Use imagery that communicates your brand message and promise and distinguishes your business from others, and avoid these types of legal entanglements that teeter on a fine line between justified and Goliath-esque.
Susan Gunelius
Latest posts by Susan Gunelius (see all)
- Coca-Cola Contour Bottle Turns 100 This Year - March 3, 2015
- World's 50 Most Popular Brands - February 25, 2015
- Brands with the Most Loyal Customers in 2015 - February 18, 2015
- The World's 50 Most Innovative Companies in 2015 - February 14, 2015
- UK Consumers Will Share Private Data with Brands Under Certain Conditions - February 4, 2015


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A fortnight ago we gave you our list of the Top 10 Fittest Celeb Men. Well…ladies, here is some motivation for you in this list. Remember that just because these celebs have personal trainers, it does not mean that you cannot incorporate their routine into your life. Anyone can learn to do the exercises listed, but to start off with, you need to ensure that you believe that you can attain a healthier, fitter body.
I strongly recommend that if you are not experienced at exercising, that you have at least one session with a personal trainer so that you can get the techniques correct, then continue on your own. Correct technique is ESSENTIAL so that you don't injure yourself and are able to achieve the results you are after.
It is also advisable to see your doctor before starting on a brand new fitness path.
One tip I will give to you that I am learning from my Personal Trainer course is, do not be afraid to use weights. It is a total myth that if women use weights, they will end up looking like men. The ladies in this article are a clear testimony to that.
Yes! The before and after pictures you see above are REAL! Jennifer Nicole Lee's story is inspirational. She admits having struggled with her weight her entire life. When she got married, she weighed 170 pounds (80 kgs). Throughout and after both of her pregnancies, she reached 200 pounds (90 kgs). She decided to do something about it and prove that moms can be fit and sexy too! Fast forward a few years later and she has become one of the most well-known Fitness Models/Fitness Gurus.
Workout plan:
Copyright © 2018 Farai Today


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The Honda Africa Twin is one of the more capable adventure tourers out there and certainly has grabbed attention in a lot of markets including India. However, the global ADV space is moving towards the middleweight space that now comes with a host of options from possibly every major bike maker. Honda too is looking to grab a chunk of this pie and is reportedly working on a smaller version of the Africa Twin. But the wait for this one might be a little longer than you would hope. While the plan is underway, the model could arrive only sometime by 2020.
Motorcyclenews.com quotes Honda Large Project Leader, Kenji Morita saying, "When we speak about pure adventure, we don't have such a wide line up. And yes, we are thinking of putting a half-way model in to attract younger people. We will develop this bike, but it's not something we are working on right now."
The Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin is a litre-class offering, while the the smaller version will be plying in the 600-800 cc space. The smaller Africa Twin, much like the litre-class machine will be an out-and-out adventure offering but sans the additional weight and intimidating feel. This will make the motorcycle a lot more accessible to newer and younger riders globally.
The middlweight adventure segment is extremely hot right now, especially with a tonne of new launches announced at EICMA last month. BMW Motorrad debuted the F850 GS, while Triumph revealed the new Tiger 800 range at the annual event. There is also the upcoming 790 Aventure from KTM that is expected to offer stellar equipment at a competitive price tag.
Little is known about what the smaller Africa Twin will be like, but Honda could look into the NC750X for the powertrain. The 750 cc parallel twin motor offers a decent 54 bhp and 91 Nm of peak torque, which works well in both the manual and DCT setup. Honda lacks a line-up of adventure tourers, like its competition but knows well that its famed reliability and easy to ride motorcycles are sure to attract a lot of attention from customers.
The smaller Honda Africa Twins is likely to be one of the many models that are expected to debut in 2020. This is when the Euro 5 emission norms will kick-in across Europe, and will have manufacturers introduce new and upgraded versions of its existing motorcycles. Do expect Honda to give a sneak peak of the bike sometime in 2019, possibly at the Tokyo Motor Show.
For the latest auto news and reviews, follow CarAndBike on Twitter, Facebook, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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Good morning, ladies & gents. 🙂 Here we are on another lovely Monday. You know what that means! Yes! Another riveting tale from my life. That's right. So try to contain your excitement & buckle up!
This is a story of Divine Retribution.
It was the summer of 2008 and I was spending the afternoon with my good friend, Lindsay. You've seen her before, in last weeks Me Monday post.
[Side note: I'm noticing that as I'm trying to recall different memories of strange/weird/funny things that have happened to me over my life, many of them involve Lindsay. Coincidence? What say you, Lindsay?!]
So it was a regular lazy summer day – Lindsay and I were just hanging out around town, grabbing Starbucks, driving around, watching TV, blah blah blah you get the idea. The thing is for some reason, I remember being in just the most foul mood that day. I wasn't in a bad mood in the traditional sense where I was upset or anything – no, I was in a mood that transformed me into a horrible person in general. I remember all day just being so mean/rude/judgmental towards everyone around me (Not Lindsay, obviously. Otherwise she wouldn't have been hanging out with me, I'm sure. Lindsay also was not participating in my hate-fest. Lindsay is one of the nicest, most gracious, least judgmental people that I know).
Anyway, as Lindsay and I were sipping our coffees in Starbucks – all of the random people I would see around the coffee shop were irritating me. I remember being an aggressive driver as I was driving around that day. I was basically walking around with my nose in the air, acting as if I was Queen of all. The thing is – I have no idea why. I sincerely cannot remember why I was acting so irritable and annoyed with most everyone who I came into contact with. Basically – I was just being obnoxious.
(Me. Complete Grinch status.)
Carrying on.
Lindsay and I decided later on to go to a local tennis court and play some tennis. And when I say "play tennis", what I really mean is "hit the tennis ball back & forth and see how many times we can actually make contact with the ball while also hitting it to each other, back & forth". So off we make our merry way to the local tennis court. It was close to Lindsay's parents' house, so we walked. As we walked, I remember thinking to myself: "I look so good today. Look at me, walking to play tennis. Having a great hair day… my outfit is on point. Boom. Killin' it, Ash. You da best". Which is funny because I was wearing like a basic VCU t-shirt and black cropped sweats. (My present self is judging my past self.) But okay, girl. Inflated ego, party of one!
So there we were – playing "tennis".
Back & forth. Back & forth.
Eventually, I guess we decide that I "won" the match. Yes! I AM THE WINNER! Must celebrate.
As I'm completing a victory dance, I decide – you know what? I am going to do something awesome right now. Just to really make this victory memorable. I turn to Lindsay and say: "Hey Linds! I'm going to hurdle this tennis net!".
[Side bar: I have NEVER hurdled ANYTHING in my life. Have zero experience with hurdling. Don't know why I thought this was even a possibility for me, LOL.]
In my head, I imagine that I will launch over this tennis net in the most spectacular way and feel like a boss.
This will be me:
This will be Lindsay:
But, that's not what happened.
I made my way to the back of the tennis court, as I figured that I would need a good running start. As I'm trying to mentally prepare myself for this, I think, "Wait a minute. Maybe this isn't such a good idea."
So I look to Lindsay and say, "Hey Lindsay! Is this a good idea?"
And she shrugs and says, AND I QUOTE, "Hey. Couldn't hurt."
So I'm like alright! Someone has blessed this action! I will continue! I begin running and, you guys – not even kidding – as I'm running towards the net, I'm thinking in my head: "OMG THIS IS SO GOING TO HURT. THIS IS GOING TO HURT REALLY BAD. I'M PROBABLY GOING TO CRY. BUT I'M ALREADY IN TOO DEEP. THERE'S NO GOING BACK. I'LL PROBABLY JUST HURT MYSELF SLIGHTLY BAD. NOTHING SERIOUS THOUGH. HOLY CRAP HOLY CRAP HOLY CRA–"
So, apparently Lindsay said that I actually did make it over the net – most of the way. I made it all the way over, but then my back foot just barely clipped the top of the net. And it was all over from there. As I fell, I knew that I was going to fall straight on my face. I only had a split second to act – so I tried to twist my body around mid-air so that I would land on my side/back instead. What actually happened is that I landed directly on my elbow.
It can't hurt, Lindsay? OH IT CAN. IT CAN.
ENTER LINDSAY BEING LIKE, "Oh, wait, are you okay?!?"
Actually, the first thing I notice isn't even pain – it's discomfort. Something is wrong. Oh yes, I can't move my arm. The thing was – I couldn't tell why. It felt like the problem was actually in my shoulder. I thought that I had just dislocated my shoulder. So, like the genius that I am, I try to pop it back in myself. I just kinda toss my arm out. Yep. Apparently that's how you pop a dislocated shoulder in, ya'll. Learn something new everyday. Uh, nope. Big mistake. THAT, is when I notice that my entire elbow bone is sticking out down my arm.
(Never broke through the skin though. OMG. Can. Not. Even.)
Yes, I had broken my elbow clear in half.
So, there I am. Waiting for the ambulance to get there. Laying on a tennis court, flailing about. Screaming/crying/laughing – yelling out "WHY, ASHLEY?! WHY?! WHY YOU SO DUMB?!"
I can't help but now think that this right here – was some straight up Divine Retribution. Old Testament style. Served up fresh. Yes, we all have off/bad days where we act mean & irritable & rude, etc etc. We're only human. But, I also honestly believe that sometimes when you act like a nasty human being, God will jump right in to put you right back in your place. "Oh, think you can act a fool and look awesome hurdling that tennis net later? NO WAY JOSE!". Jesus calls us to love and be kind to others. Not to judge and be hateful. Which is exactly how I was acting that day. I deserved it! I did! You reap what you sow.
In other words: KARMA IS A BEAST.
The ambulance finally arrives to take me to the hospital (WHILE TAKING ALL OF THE BUMPIEST ROADS), and on the way there, the paramedic is like, "Oh don't worry. I broke my elbow two months ago and now I'm just fine. I just can't bend my arm the entire way though. But no big deal."
Get to the hospital. As I'm waiting, I call a friend to complain about my misery. As I'm crying/yelling into the phone, my friend says, "Oh wait – is your arm tingling??? I saw on TV that when you break something and it tingles, that means that your nerves are dying. You need to get to the doctor RIGHT AWAY."
My nerves weren't dying. My friend was no doctor. BUT I did end up having to have two major surgeries to screw/bolt/wire my elbow back together. Then had to have four months of three day a week physical therapy to learn how to properly use & bend my arm again. All therapy had to be paid for out of pocket. It was glorious.
Below was about two-ish months later – the way that my arm is bent in this photo is how it was legitimately stuck. I could not move it back and forth save for maybe and inch or so. I was basically walking around with a robot arm.
So. Moral of the story? Do not be a jerk. Treat others with kindness. I got my butt handed back to me in the most ridiculous way & my elbow still hurts sometimes. Sure, I can laugh about it. Now.
If you are already asking yourself if what you are about to do is a good idea – that means it probably isn't a good idea.
And above all else, the lesson that should be learned from this is:


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Panshanger Estate B&B
One wing of this handsome sandstone homestead is a luxurious two-bedroom apartment, where guests can relax in the elegant surroundings of one of Australia's finest heritage estates. Dating back to 1835, and set among 2400 hectares of farmland and classical English gardens, it offers spacious high-quality accommodation complemented by a home-grown breakfast. Relax on the lawns among garden pools and hedges, enjoy a spot of tennis, or while away the afternoon with a little fly-fishing on the property's own river. Launceston airport is just a 20-minute scenic drive away, but there's also an airstrip on-site.
Contact information
366 Panshanger Rd; (03) 6397 6500


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A U.S. surveillance drone was spotted flying above Crimea, presumably doing reconnaissance over eastern Ukraine before returning to Naval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily, according to flight tracking services.
🇺🇸 US Air Force RQ-4 Global Hawk— CivMilAir (@CivMilAir) March 8, 2018
53,000ft heading over Greece after a day's reconnaissance over eastern #Ukraine, around Crimea & along the Russian coastline. pic.twitter.com/kDGRWlP55h
The RQ-4 Global Hawk's flyover is the latest in a series of US and NATO air patrols near Russian teritory. Last June a NATO F-16 fighter jet tried to approach the Russian defense minister's plane above the neutral waters over the Baltic sea. It was warded off by a Russian Su-27, and the flight continued to Kaliningrad for a discussion on security issues. The F-16 was warded off after the Russian jet tipped it's wings, showing its armament.
And in January, a Russian Su-27 intercepted a Navy EP-3 Aires surveillance plane over the Black Sea - which drew a sharp rebuke from the Pentagon who said the Russian jet flew too close to the U.S. plane.
Arming Ukraine
The latest surveillance flyover comes on the heels of the Trump administration approving a deal to arm Ukraine with 210 Javelin anti-aircraft missiles and 37 launchers for $47 million. The deal was announced in December, however it follows Obama-era legislation to export weapons to the war-torn country.
As we noted two weeks ago, the sale marks a significant increase in U.S. military support for Ukraine and another major deterioration US-Russian relations, and is the first lethal weapons sale of its kind since the breakout of a Russian-backed proxy civil war against the central government in Ukraine's eastern provinces.
President Trump approved the plan right before Christmas 2017, and Congress has until the end of March days to sink the deal or it will go through, which is expected. Trump says the sale represents a "tougher" stance on Russia than Obama, however the Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations tried his best to downplay the comment.
"There is what I view as an artificial distinction between lethal and non-lethal military equipment," Ambassador Kurt Volker said in Washington on Monday, comparing anti-tank missiles to a counter-battery radar that improves targeting to attack and kill an enemy firing mortars. "That's non-lethal and an anti-tank missile, which sits in a box and doesn't get used unless you have a tank coming at you, is lethal. Both are clearly defensive weapons."
Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov - the guy NATO buzzed, issued a harsh rebuke in December when the news of the sale first broke.
"The United States in a certain sense crossed the line, announcing the intention to transfer weapons of direct damaging action to Ukraine," the statement said, translated from Russian. "American weapons can lead to new victims in our neighboring country, to which we cannot remain indifferent."
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said then that the sale "will once again motivate the hotheads" in the Ukrainian government and "unleash bloodshed again."
Trump's approval of the arms deal was a major shift from the Republican party platform, which was amended when Trump was the party's nominee for president, from supporting "lethal defensive arms" to Ukraine to the more vague "appropriate assistance" — language that ran counter to traditional Republican foreign policy.
Needless to say, Trump himself promised a reset with Russia, but since taking office, relations with Moscow have not improved.
And after years of covert American involvement in the Ukrainian proxy and civil war which has raged since 2014 - and which a leaked recording confirmed was precipitated by the US State Department - it appears that neocon hawks like McCain, Cotton, and Corker are finally getting their way.
Perhaps more scary in terms of escalating an unnecessary war which has already taken more than 10,000 lives since 2014, the Kiev government and some in Washington are already pushing for putting anti-aircraft weapons in the hands of Ukrainian forces.
"What we are awaiting and have called for is the provision of lethal defense weapons that are more advanced - a larger package that is under consideration right now, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles," a Ukrainian official told ABC News. "We are expecting this decision and would welcome it."
Putin, or course, just rolled out a series of brand new nukes. His new "toys" include tactical and hypersonic nuclear devices which are said to be able to overcome missile defense systems.
"Efforts to contain Russia have failed, face it," Putin said in a nearly two-hour address he illustrated with video clips of the new arms, which included underwater drones, intercontinental missiles and a hypersonic system he said "heads for its target like a meteorite." -Bloomberg
Russia has also accused the US of violating the nuclear nonproliferation treaty by "preparing the militaries of European states to use tactical nuclear weapons against Russia"
He [Putin] said Russia had long warned Washington not to go ahead with anti-missile systems that Moscow feared could erode its nuclear deterrent. "Nobody listened to us. Listen now," he said, to a loud ovation from the crowd of legislators, officials and dignitaries. -Bloomberg
We won't hold our breath for the Olympic-level mental gymnastics from anti-Trumpers trying to explain how Putin convinced Trump to sell Ukraine all that hardware which will soon create quite a few Russian army widows.


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Adjustable square wave pulser provides the flexibility necessary for both high resolution and penetration requirements.
Selectable viewing options provide the user with additional flexibility during operation: RF waveform, +/- Rectified waveform, and Large Digits with Scan Bar.
Time based B-Scan feature displays a cross section of the test material. Displays the profile of the opposite surface of the material.
Adjustable resolution settings add to the PVX's flexibilty.
Ability to use a variety of single element transducers for specific applications: Standard Delay Line (acrylic and graphite tips for metals and thin plastics), Pencil Delay Line (tough access area on thin materials), and Contact transducers (variety of applications).
- Hardware AGC gain control for multiple echo and thru-paint measurement.
- Multiple calibration options: One Point, Two Point, or selection from a Material List.
- 16 factory setups and 48 user-defined setups. User defined setups can be edited for custom applications.
- PVX is equipped with an alpha-numeric data logger to provide increased versatility for those custom reporting needs.
- The high speed scan feature speeds up the inspection process by making 32 measurements per second. Remove transducer from the test material and display the minimum measurement scanned.
- Visual and audible alarm with hi and lo limit settings for specific application tolerances.
- Auto find features locates the detection point(s) and adjusts the display settings to bring the waveform into view.
- PVX comes complete with our Windows® PC software for transferring data to and from a PC.
For technical specification see attached datasheet.
|63.5 (W) x 165 (H) x 31.5 (D) mm
|383g (with batteries)
|see attached datasheet
|Operating Temperature Range
|-10°C to 60°C
Calibration is done by comparison to PCWI ultrasonic calibration blocks.
Get pricing and any other information you need about this product by completing the form below.
Check any options &/or accessories you're interested in where available above, and complete the form.


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PHOENIX — Joshua Braun scored 22 of his 29 points in the first half and Grand Canyon cruised to a 76-51 victory over Little Rock on Saturday night.
Braun didn't miss a shot in the first half, shooting 8-of-8 from the floor with five 3-pointers and a free throw. He finished 9-of-11 shooting from the field. Casey Benson added 10 points for Grand Canyon (3-0). Fiifi Aidoo had eight points, shooting just 1-of-6 from the floor but was 6-of-6 from the line.
Andre Jones scored 11 points to lead Little Rock (0-3).
The Antelopes led 15-12 and used a 22-4 run to stretch the lead to 37-16. Braun scored 11 points and the Trojans missed seven field goals during the stretch. Grand Canyon led 42-23 at the break and cruised from there.
Grand Canyon shot 51 percent from the field compared to the Trojans' 27-percent shooting.
- Grand Canyon pulls away late, holds off Boise State
- GCU falls as South Dakota State wins nation-best 21st straight home game
- College basketball returns with heightened expectations for GCU
- Place to be: Grand Canyon soccer leads the nation in fan attendance
- Arizona talent 'bursts back on the scene' with strong MLB draft


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Autumn is a beautiful season in Brussels, the foliage of the trees show multiples colours that we can see only at this time of the year. And when the sun shines, it's splendid! That was the case last Sunday so I decided to shoot my roll of Cinestill 50d. This film comes from a motion picture film with the rem-jet/anti-halation layer removed is order to be developed with standard C-41. I choose to go to the Brussels Park, close to the Royal Palace, because I knew I would find the widest variety of trees and colours. I shot with my Leica M6 and the Noctilux lens.
Continue reading "Beautiful autumn colours with Cinestill 50d, Leica M6, Noctilux"


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An ambitious redevelopment effort is apparently coming to an end.
The owners of the Pickle Mansion have applied to the Historic Zoning Commission for approval to demolish the Queen Anne structure at 1633 Clinch Avenue.
Built in 1889, the building was badly damaged by a fire more than a decade ago. More recently, a development group that included Jon Clark announced plans to restore the structure, but that effort has stalled.
In a text message, Clark said that "I've tried every path I could find but it just isn't feasible to repair the structure." He added that even the National Park Service has rejected the building as a qualifying property based on the condition and limited remaining elements.
The request is on the agenda for the Commission's meeting on Thursday. Commission staff are recommending approval, saying that the integrity of the architecture has been compromised to the point it can no longer be reasonably re-established.
Enjoy reading Bricks and Mortar? You can also get it delivered to your inbox. Just submit your email address in the box at the bottom of the right rail, and you'll get notifications when a new post has been published.


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Pentcho Valev
David Morin, Introduction to Classical Mechanics With Problems and Solutions, Chapter 11, p. 14: "Twin A stays on the earth, while twin B flies quickly to a distant star and back. [...] For the entire outward and return parts of the trip, B does observe A's clock running slow, but enough strangeness occurs during the turning-around period to make A end up older." http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~djmorin/chap11.pdf
The student does some search and finds that the "enough strangeness" is actually a homogeneous gravitational field introduced by Einstein in 1918. This field, generated during the turning-around acceleration of the traveling twin, somehow reaches the distant stationary twin and converts him into an old man:
Albert Einstein 1918: "A homogeneous gravitational field appears, that is directed towards the positive x-axis. Clock U1 is accelerated in the direction of the positive x-axis until it has reached the velocity v, then the gravitational field disappears again. An external force, acting upon U2 in the negative direction of the x-axis prevents U2 from being set in motion by the gravitational field. [...] According to the general theory of relativity, a clock will go faster the higher the gravitational potential of the location where it is located, and during partial process 3 U2 happens to be located at a higher gravitational potential than U1. The calculation shows that this speeding ahead constitutes exactly twice as much as the lagging behind during the partial processes 2 and 4." http://sciliterature.50webs.com/Dialog.htm
"When the twin in the spaceship turns around to make his journey home, the shift in his frame of reference causes his perception of his brother's age to change rapidly: he sees his brother getting suddenly older. This means that when the twins are finally reunited, the stay-at-home twin is the older of the two." https://hubpages.com/education/Twin-Paradox
The student is in a difficult situation, isn't he/she?
Peter Hayes, The Ideology of Relativity: The Case of the Clock Paradox: "In the interwar period there was a significant school of thought that repudiated Einstein's theory of relativity on the grounds that it contained elementary inconsistencies. Some of these critics held extreme right-wing and anti-Semitic views, and this has tended to discredit their technical objections to relativity as being scientifically shallow. This paper investigates an alternative possibility: that the critics were right and that the success of Einstein's theory in overcoming them was due to its strengths as an ideology rather than as a science. The clock paradox illustrates how relativity theory does indeed contain inconsistencies that make it scientifically problematic. These same inconsistencies, however, make the theory ideologically powerful.[...] The prediction that clocks will move at different rates is particularly well known, and the problem of explaining how this can be so without violating the principle of relativity is particularly obvious. The clock paradox, however, is only one of a number of simple objections that have been raised to different aspects of Einstein's theory of relativity. (Much of this criticism is quite apart from and often predates the apparent contradiction between relativity theory and quantum mechanics.) It is rare to find any attempt at a detailed rebuttal of these criticisms by professional physicists. However, physicists do sometimes give a general response to criticisms that relativity theory is syncretic by asserting that Einstein is logically consistent, but that to explain why is so difficult that critics lack the capacity to understand the argument. In this way, the handy claim that there are unspecified, highly complex resolutions of simple apparent inconsistencies in the theory can be linked to the charge that antirelativists have only a shallow understanding of the matter, probably gleaned from misleading popular accounts of the theory. [...] The defence of complexity implies that the novice wishing to enter the profession of theoretical physics must accept relativity on faith. It implicitly concedes that, without an understanding of relativity theory's higher complexities, it appears illogical, which means that popular "explanations" of relativity are necessarily misleading. But given Einstein's fame, physicists do not approach the theory for the first time once they have developed their expertise. Rather, they are exposed to and probably examined on popular explanations of relativity in their early training. How are youngsters new to the discipline meant to respond to these accounts? Are they misled by false explanations and only later inculcated with true ones? What happens to those who are not misled? Are they supposed to accept relativity merely on the grounds of authority? The argument of complexity suggests that to pass the first steps necessary to join the physics profession, students must either be willing to suspend disbelief and go along with a theory that appears illogical; or fail to notice the apparent inconsistencies in the theory; or notice the inconsistencies and maintain a guilty silence in the belief that this merely shows that they are unable to understand the theory. The gatekeepers of professional physics in the universities and research institutes are disinclined to support or employ anyone who raises problems over the elementary inconsistencies of relativity. A winnowing out process has made it very difficult for critics of Einstein to achieve or maintain professional status. Relativists are then able to use the argument of authority to discredit these critics. Were relativists to admit that Einstein may have made a series of elementary logical errors, they would be faced with the embarrassing question of why this had not been noticed earlier. Under these circumstances the marginalisation of antirelativists, unjustified on scientific grounds, is eminently justifiable on grounds of realpolitik. Supporters of relativity theory have protected both the theory and their own reputations by shutting their opponents out of professional discourse. [...] According to the view proposed here, this only indicates how special and general theories function together as an ideology, as when one side of the theory is called into question, the other can be called upon to rescue it. The triumph of relativity theory represents the triumph of ideology not only in the profession of physics bur also in the philosophy of science. These conclusions are of considerable interest to both theoretical physics and to social epistemology. It would, however, be naive to think that theoretical physicists will take the slightest notice of them." http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02691720902741399
Pentcho Valev


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On today's THE FOOD SEEN, friends and dinner party compatriots, Cleo Brock-Abraham and Julia Turshen began Weird & Ravenous as a way to "make fresh content about food and the relationships it inspires". Through their backgrounds in entertainment and art production, they've traveled across Spain with Mario Batali, written cookbooks for Gwyneth Paltrow, made rhapsodical recipe videos for Food52, contribute mealtime musings to Medium, all while trying to Make Monday Better, promoting the idea of cooking for loved ones on Sunday night. This program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Music has been provided by Cookies.
"I think cooking in different places helps you get to know an area that you are unfamiliar with… Cooking with people is the best way to make a place your home." [12:45]
"A recipe should never fill space just because it fits into a cookbook category." [18:15]
— Julia Turshen on THE FOOD SEEN
"Even if it's something that you're doing your own take on, just acknowledge that you're not an expert and make it your own." [19:00]
— Cleo Brock-Abraham on THE FOOD SEEN


text: a compound nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium mineral fertilizer. It contains 35–52 percent N, P2O5, and K2O in various proportions and is produced in granules. The most common Nitrophoska consists of a precipitate, Ammophos, and ammonium nitrate obtained in a single production process by decomposition of apatite or phosphorite with a mixture of nitric and phosphoric acids and addition of ammonium and potassium chloride. It is used as a base and presowing fertilizer for all crops.


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George Oxford Hotel
|Prices will be charged in United Kingdom Pounds
|Sat 15 Dec 2018
|Sun 16 Dec 2018
|Mon 17 Dec 2018
|Tue 18 Dec 2018
|Wed 19 Dec 2018
|Thu 20 Dec 2018
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Double Room £10 OFF Per NightPhotos Details
Twin Room £10 OFF Per NightPhotos Details
|Move the mouse over the price for inclusions, occupancy and minimum stay
Property Information
Located in the heart of Oxford on a lively street, George Oxford Hotel offers single, double and twin rooms with free WiFi access.
All rooms at George Oxford Hotel come with a TV and tea and coffee making facilities. They all comprise a private bathroom fitted with a shower, hairdryers and iron and ironing board available.
The University of Oxford is located a 5-minute walk from the property.
There is an array of cafés, pubs, supermarkets and restaurants serving British and international specialities in the surroundings of the hotel. Busy commercial streets are just 1 minute away from the property. Oxford's Train Station is 400 yrd from the accommodation and offers regular connections with London. The Oxford University Parks and the Christ Church Meadow are located within 300 yrd from the hotel. Gloucester Green coach station is just 110 yrd away.
We look forward to welcoming you.
Property Features
- 24 hour Reception
- Free Luggage Storage
- Internet Access
- Non-Smoking Property
- Microwave
- Tour Desk
- Non-Smoking Rooms
- Foreign Exchange Services
- Cable TV
- Crib - Upon Request
- WiFi Internet
- Free High Speed Wifi
- Hair Dryer
- Iron On Request
- On Site Restaurant
- Complimentary Wifi
- Dry Cleaning Service
Accommodation Details
Double Room £10 OFF Per Night Book
£10 OFF any 3rd party rates (i.e. Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia).
The discount included in quoted price.
- Hairdryer
- Linen and Towels Provided
- Telephone
- En-Suite
- Wireless Internet
- Heating
- Tea/Coffee Making
- Non-Smoking
Terms & Conditions
During guests stay at George Oxford Hotel, guests are responsible for their room and liable for any damage that is caused to their room, either by themselves, their friends or their family. Cost of any damage will be at the managers discretion and charged in the first instance to the card used to confirm the booking with.
Subject to manager's discretion, George Oxford Hotel reserves the right to refuse check-in, or ask guests to leave without refund or explanation if guests are found to act inappropriately e.g. rude or threatening behaviour to staff or guests, putting others at risk of harm, disturbance of George Oxford Hotel etc...
George Oxford Hotel has a Non-smoking policy throughout the building. If we find smoking has occurred anywhere within the room or window, a £200 cleaning charge will be taken from the credit card used to secure the booking. If the room requires closure as a result of smoking, charges for lost bookings night will also apply.
LATE CHECK OUTS: The late check out can be extended until 11:30 free of charge by arranging this with the Reception Staff. Late checkouts will be charged at £20 for the first hour and £10 for the subsequent hours.
Payment Policy
If the card details provided are found to be inaccurate or false, your booking will be cancelled. All bookings are accompanied by an email confirmation sent to the email address provided by the guest at the time of making the booking. It is the guest responsibility to ensure they receive the email confirmation, check the booking details, and inform us of any changes or errors. If guests do not receive an email confirmation within 1 hour of making the booking, they are advised to contact the booking team immediately otherwise we will assume the booking is correct.
Credit card details are required to confirm bookings and will be taken as an acceptance of our terms. ONLY credit cards authorised by the card holder will be accepted (if card holder is not available, then proof of authorisation must be given at time of booking). Most major credit cards accepted.
Guests are welcome to use the free wireless broadband service we provide, but we will not be held responsible for any loss of service or damage to guest computer data.
Cancellation Policy
George Oxford Hotel has a strict cancellation policy and we advise guests to take out adequate INSURANCE in case of any unforeseen circumstances resulting in last minute cancellations. There is a standard 72 HOUR CANCELLATION POLICY, unless stated otherwise, on all booked nights. A cancellation must be made by 3pm, 72 hour prior to the stay date. If a cancellation is made within 72 hours of your stay date, a charge of one night's stay plus any further nights that fall within the cancellation period (applies to multiple night bookings) will be charged to the credit card details provided to secure the booking. Guests that fail to show on date of check-in and fail to inform us within our reception hours will be subject to FULL CHARGE of the entire booking, and their remaining booking cancelled. Bookings for multiple nights may be subject to cancellation or full charge if one or more nights are cancelled. Changes to bookings are subject to availability and the manager's discretion. Any changes or cancellations to a booking must be made in writing by email. A booking can only be regarded as amended or cancelled upon receipt of our confirmation. Cancellations or amendment by phone cannot be guaranteed. GROUP bookings of 3 or more rooms must be secured with a 50% non-refundable deposit.


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For several weeks, excitement has been building in Kenabres for the Armasse festival. Traditionally an opportunity for scholars and priests to come together to study the lessons of history from wars past, since Aroden's death, this holy day has become more about training commoners in weaponry, choosing squires, and ordaining new priests. Over time, Armasse has grown to encompass jousting competitions, mock duels, battle reenactments, and other festival events. In Kenabres, the festival is eagerly anticipated, for it provides distractions from the horrors of being on the front line of the war. Smiles on faces normally marred by downcast eyes and furrowed brows do wonders for city morale in the weeks leading up to the event.
The morning of the festival we came upon a group of recruits getting instructions from a bellicose Lieutenant Doyle. The Lieutenant picked volunteers from the gathering and picked Bardas Syros and Daven Firesbreath for an impromptu wrestling match. Bardas is a tall, muscular man covered in plate armor while Daven is a tall, lanky and lithe young man that appears to be fairly weak in constitution. Bardas traveled here with a young, beautiful woman whose name we have not discovered yet while Daven appears to have traveled alone.
It was no contest when Bardas quickly subdued Daven by pinning him to the ground by stepping on his chest and he was awarded a masterwork backpack, which he promptly gave to one of the other recruits. Daven was offered help by one of the other recruits, which Daven ignored but thanked him later after the fight was over. Bardas, the woman, Daven, and the helpful recruit all left for Clydwell Plaza to witness the start of the festival.
Across the city, a dwarf named Balin Gorinsson was sitting with his friend Gerrald in one of the seedier taverns in the city. Balin noticed a strange looking woman (read noble looking woman in a seedy tavern) was sitting behind him staring at him with a smile on her face. Balin attempted to ask her politely if he could help her with something and gave her one of his carved songbirds. She accepted it with a mirthful smile but said nothing. Balin returned to his friend's table and turned back around to see she had disappeared. Gerrald bid him farewell and left for the plaza, suggesting that Balin visit the temple of Shelyn to pay homage to his goddess. Balin paid his respect by tithing at the altar of Shelyn noticing out of the corner of his eyes that the statue on the dais of Shelyn glowed briefly while the eyes looked directly at him, however looking directly at the statue reveals nothing strange about a normal looking statue. Balin left to go to the plaza to join his friend Gerrald.
Nearby outside the cathedral, another adventurer named Kaey on a mission from another part of Mendev was perusing the market stalls out in the square. Stopping at a food stall, a merchant sells him an apple for 5cp and clearly sees some more money making opportunities. He offers Kaey a magical orange for 1sp, which Kaey declines, then "lowers" his price to 20cp which Kaey thinks (through a failed check) is a really good deal. Having paid twice as much for a "magical orange" he notices a heavily armed dwarf exit the nearby temple and start toward the south of the city. Kaey decides to trail the dwarf stealthily and continues south toward the inner city as well.
Balin (being followed by Kaey unknowingly) is suddenly accosted by several ruffians form a backalley that attempt to mug Balin for his possessions. Kaey disguises his voice to make them all think that guards are coming down the road toward them causing all but one to run back down the alley. Balin attempts to dissuade the ruffian from attempting something stupid, however he is unsuccessful. Kaey comes up behind him and manages to scare the ruffian into fleeing with his friends as well. Balin thanks Kaey and they continue to Clydwell Plaza.
Finding an empty space in the crowd, Kaey and Balin meet up with Bardas and Daven and wait for Lord Hulrun to speak to begin the festivities. The woman who knew Bardas kissed him and went to the market for something to eat while the helpful recruit that tried to help Daven earlier greeted everyone with a smile and a handshake. Lord Hulrun then began to speak…
As Lord Hulrun was commencing the blessing for the festival and the crowd gathering in Clydwell Plaza quieted, a bright light shone from the west as if the sun were rising from the wrong direction. Hulrun's shadow fell huge and distorted across the cathedral's facade. A moment later, the sound of a thunderous explosion ripped through the air and earth, along with a violent tremor.
To the west, a giant plume of fire, lightning, and smoke erupted into the heavens. A moment later, a powerful roar accompanied a welcome sight rising from the crowd – Kenabres' greatest guardian, the ancient silver dragon Terendelev, who had until that moment been attending the opening ceremony disguised as a human. Another form appeared as nightmarish as the dragon was breathtaking, a humanoid shape three times larger than a man: a balor lord!
The creature's identity was immediately obvious to some, but not the party. What is certain is that demons were attacking the city!
As the ground continued to shake and disgorge demons into the streets, the dragon and the balor lord clashed above. The fight was over in a few harrowing moments as the balor cut deep into Terendelev's body, swooping down to strike the dragon and arresting her charge. A few more blows and the titanic duo spiraled down the crowd with a thunderous crash on top of Lord Hulrun.
The sight of the dragon smashing into the facade of the Cathedral of St. Clydwell is one no witness would ever forget. At that moment, a titanic demon erupted at the far end of the plaza, reducing several buildings to ruins as it smashed into this world. The rift it created shot across the plaza, and this time there was no escape – it opened below the party's feet and everyone began to fall.
Even as you fell, the dragon noticed your plight. Though she saw death standing over her, she seized this final chance to save a few more souls. The dragon pointed one bloody talon toward the party's direction as they fell into the abyss. The last thing the party sees as they fall away is the sword of the Balor lord cleaving full through her neck and the rift slams shut as the party falls away into darkness…


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I really like how they get to learn all in their pupils and care about them and their people. The house owners and instructors are a number of the most genuine and devoted folks I know. Acquire courses here, you will get an excellent workout, study a whole lot about Tae Kwon Do and self defense, have some fun, and get a second spouse and children.
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News Stories 2014
Muhlenberg Named a 2015 Best Value College by Kiplinger's Personal Finance
Praised for Strong Academic Record and Great Economic Value
Fri, 19 Dec 2014 09:47:00 EST
Muhlenberg College has been named to Kiplinger's Personal Finance's list of 100 best values in liberal arts colleges for 2015. The ranking cites four-year schools that combine outstanding academics with affordable cost. Muhlenberg ranked 62nd in liberal arts colleges and 119th among all colleges.
Kiplinger's assesses quality according to measurable standards, including the admission rate, the percentage of students who return for sophomore year, the student-faculty ratio and the four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include sticker prices, financial aid and average debt at graduation. Many schools have appeared on the list multiple times (including Muhlenberg), a testament to the consistent value these colleges provide.
"We salute this year's top schools," says Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. "Balancing top-quality education with affordable cost is a challenge for families in today's economy, which is why Kiplinger's rankings are such a valuable resource. The schools on the 2015 list offer students the best of both worlds."
The complete rankings, including the top schools overall as well as the best values in public schools, private universities and private liberal arts colleges, are available online at kiplinger.com/links/college. The rankings will also appear in the February 2015 issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, on newsstands January 6, 2015. Web visitors will find special features, including a tool that lets readers sort by selection criteria; an archive of previous years' rankings and an FAQ about the ranking methodology.


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lots of old equipment
from the earthquake the whole wall caved in.
signs to other wineries
old barrels
Cool Sign with Ivy
Taking a picture in the mirror of an old truck
another cool signs.
Love just going around our wonderful county looking for unique and artistic shots to take. I challenge you to do the same, if maybe not with a camera. Just to take the time and enjoy God's creation!


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This is more of a recommendation than a product review, but nevertheless, this entry is about a book I just finished reading that had a very strong impact on me. That book is Sprout, by Dale Peck.
I'm not much of a reader. Well, at least when it comes to being forced to read a book that was written 5 billion years ago about colonial era sluts who are accused of being witches. But every now and then I will get the craving to read a young adult fiction book. But not just any book. It has to involve a young or teenage boy or I won't read it. Take Lord of the Flies for example. I was never required to read it at school, but did so during "reading time" in my 10th grade English class where we were allowed to read any book of our choosing for 30 minutes each day. I absolutely loved that book and made sure to watch both movies as well. And (dare I say it?), the book was much better.
But above all else, I love reading books about young gay boys. And that is exactly what Sprout is. Sprout is the story of 16-year-old Daniel, nicknamed "Sprout" because of his obsession with dyeing his hair green, who is being tutored by his English teacher to prepare for an Essay Contest for the end of the year. He moved from Long Island to Kansas after his mother passed away from cancer. Sprout wants to write his essay on his sexuality, but his tutor, Mrs. Miller, begins by convincing him that wouldn't be the best idea due to the fact that he was in rural Kansas. It's hard to talk about this book without giving too much away. But basically it is the story about his crushes, family struggles, friendships, sex life, and his developing life-changing relationship with a boy.
I was surprised by the fact that the writing style that the author uses in this book is very similar to the way I write. So if you enjoy my blog and the subtle humor I sometimes use, you will definitely enjoy the book. Sprout could easily be the prequel to TristanTalks, although I can't decide if I'd be lucky or unlucky to have a past like Sprout's. The book itself is written in first person, so you know exactly what is going through Sprouts mind the entire time.
While this book is fiction, it almost feels too realistic to not be autobiographical in some aspects. Plus, with the author's name being Dale Peck, he was most likely called "Pecker" as a child, which is probably the equivalent analogy to a penis as "Sprout". But that's just a guess. The REAL connection is even more surprising. The book is dedicated to a man named Lamoine Wiebe with the following statement, "in the hope that he'll always find his way back home." Without giving anything away, this sounds very much like a reference to the boy that Sprout becomes involved with later in the book. So me, being the overly curious internet-obsessed teenager that I am, Googled the name. It turns out that a man by the same name (and state) is accused of murdering his father in 2011 and 2 weeks ago faced his preliminary hearing. This came as a huge shock to me because 1) The boy who I believe was based off of Lamoine in the story had a horrible, abusive father and 2) This book was published in 2009, but the author was born in 1967, making the events that probably took place having to have occurred in the early 1980s. I am now fascinated by the topic and the possibility that Lamoine was the character in the book and would love to get in contact with the author to hear his opinion on the issue. However, I have been unable to find any contact information for Dale Peck online.
Here is a link to where you can purchase the book. You can get a used paperback version for less than $2. Yes, I do get a portion of the profit when you purchase using the link below. So think of it as not only a gift to yourself, but a donation to help keep the blog running (I just paid for another year of owning TristanTalks.com). You will definitely not regret it.
Happy reading,
Tristan Skyler


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Fishing Industry Hurt as Salmon Runs Drop
RUKMINI CALLIMACHI Associated Press Writer The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. May 12, 2005 — Fertilizer salesman Rex Harke had planned to take 12 of his most loyal clients on a salmon fishing expedition down the Columbia River this week. Normally at this time, the spring chinook salmon are charging up the river in the tens of thousands, heading from the Pacific Ocean to their spawning beds.
But in a phenomenon that has puzzled biologists, the fish turnout has been frighteningly low. Officials have halted sport and commercial fishing on the river and Harke has reluctantly called his guide to cancel.
It was one of 57 cancellations that Clancy Holt, president of Sportfishing Guides of Washington and an avid salmon fisherman, said he received in the three weeks since the closure was announced last month. In all, he has returned $10,000 in deposits to clients like Harke.
The economic impact of the closure is hitting the fishing industry hard, but its ripple effect is being felt in communities up and down the river, said Liz Hamilton, executive director of the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association. She estimates the region as a whole will lose as much as $10 million.
"We call it the 'c' word closure," she said. "It just puts a black cloud over the area that is very hard to overcome."
Fishing tackle manufacturers are particularly affected. In February, when fishery managers were predicting a high run, salmon lures were selling by the grocery bag hundreds at a time, said Buzz Ramsey, the regional sales manager of Luhr Jensen & Sons, the country's largest manufacturer of salmon lures.
Now, the company has been forced to lay off five employees, after sales fell 7 percent compared to the same time last year.
This week, Oregon's and Washington's fish and wildlife departments are expected to slash their forecast for spring chinook expected to enter the mouth of the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean to around 80,000 about a third of the 254,000 initially predicted.
So far, only around 50,000 fish have been counted at Bonneville Dam, east of Portland. One year ago at the same spot, more than 128,000 were counted.
ABC News – USA


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It's hard for animal lovers to understand how some people in this world are so evil. When a dog is injured or suffering from a disease, it's not the time to ditch them. It's time to pay them back for all of the love they gave us from day one.
This particular beauty was ditched by her family after they found out she went blind. They had to nerve to dump her in the streets to live on her own without being able to see! Who the heck does that?!?