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From the very beginning of our wedding planning, we decided that photography was our #1 priority. We even booked our venue based on the lighting (it has the most awesome natural lighting for photos), and the availability of our photographer. We were originally considering a December wedding, but since our photographer takes off the whole month of December, a December wedding was out. Yep, I'm that serious about my photos
So, as you can imagine, the choice of the actual photographer was pretty important to me. In the end, Tony indulged me and my bridal fantasies and agreed to hire my dream wedding photographer. I have been following Jasmine Star on my Google Reader for longer than I've known Tony. I've read every single post, viewed every single wedding and engagement session since I discovered her. I love her blog, her personality, her down-to-earthness, her amazing portfolio, her photographic style. Basically, I have a huge girl crush on Jasmine Star.
When we booked our wedding package with Jasmine, it came with an engagement session. We decided to drive out to meet her in Costa Mesa, CA this past weekend since it's a short 6-7 hour drive from Phoenix. An added bonus — the country's 3rd largest shopping mall happens to be in Costa Mesa. Score!
Yesterday when I saw a post with our names in the title pop up on my Google Reader it was like Christmas morning!! My heart started pounding and I squealed with delight when I went to open it!
If you are ever in Costa Mesa and want to get all glammed up, I highly recommend Carina at Flawless Faces. She worked magic on my hair and makeup!!
When Jasmine and I first spoke on the phone, she wanted to know if we had a location in mind. I told her that we weren't familiar with the area, and that we trusted her professional judgment, so she could choose. And boy am I glad she did! I couldn't have dreamed of a better setting for our photos. The colors, the backdrops, the fun murals, the cute little travel trailer. It was all eye candy, a photographer's total dream.
(I can't wait to blow this one up big on our wall!)
After the shoot, Tony said "Now I know why everyone loves her. She makes people feel like they're rock stars!" and he's right, she totally does. She's so full of positive energy, she could totally be one of those positivity coaches. But she's not all syrupy and fake or annoying. She's 100% genuine throughout the whole process.
My #1 lesson in all this: When you feel like a rock star, you look like a rock star. So rock star it up, people!
Jasmine not only has crazy talent (there's no denying that she has a way with the camera and an incredible eye for composition), but her real power lies in her ability to make a couple fall in love all over again in front of the camera. I kid you not, 2 minutes into the shoot I stepped up to Tony and felt this electric charge run up and down my body, like I was a giddy school girl. All that emotion you see in the pics? It was real! I felt like she was there but not there. She spoke and directed us to each new spot, but for the most part she just captured us being ourselves.
Case in point: Tony's expression in this next picture is JUST SO TONY. And well, we all know I'm a goofball, so that comes as no surprise…
We both left the session with a little high. The photos are GREAT, but the experience is what sticks out in my head. I can only imagine how the wedding day will be!!
The best part? Jasmine gave me the gift of calm. I wish I had met her earlier on in the wedding planning process, because now that I know a true professional will be handling my wedding photos (and the general flow of the day), I don't have to worry at all. She'll be there, no matter what happens the pictures will be great, and really, why stress out about the details?
Thank you Jasmine, for putting a silly bridal brain at ease. And giving me my diva moment for the day. <3, Heather
Note: My blog's narrow column width does NOT do these photos justice. (I need to update the bloggity with a new theme. The width is driving me craaaazy!) You can head over to Jasmine's blog and see her post with full size photos over here and a slideshow of even more pictures over here.


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Hello could you please tell me how to reset my xp to factory settings. Thanks Guys.
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Hello could you please tell me how to reset my xp to factory settings. Thanks Guys.
It depends on the maker and model so tell us what you have.
What Rkinner meant is the make and model of your pc. Name brand, Which model and what model number it is. That way he can get you the instructions on how to proceed.
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The Hotel Mouras Studios offers a laundry service. The hotel will host your pets.
Hotel Mouras Studios3 Stars
Livadi - 859 00 - Astypalaia, Greece View Map
- Jump to:
- Services
Property Location With a stay at Mouras Studios in Astypalaia, you'll be by the sea and minutes from Livadi Beach, and close to Central Square. This apartment is within close proximity of Astypalaia Castle.Rooms Make yourself at home in one of the 7 individually decorated guestrooms, featuring kitchenettes. Rooms have private furnished balconies or patios. Complimentary wireless Internet access keeps you connected, and cable programming is available for your entertainment. Conveniences include safes and desks, and housekeeping is provided daily.Rec, Spa, Premium Amenities Take in the views from a terrace and a garden and make use of amenities such as complimentary wireless Internet access. Additional features include concierge services and tour/ticket assistance.Business, Other Amenities Featured amenities include express check-in, express check-out, and dry cleaning/laundry services. A roundtrip airport shuttle is complimentary (available 24 hours), and a ferry terminal shuttle is also provided at no charge.
TripAdvisor vote: 5/5 Based on 22 guest reviews
Hotel facilities
- Laundry Service
- Pet allowed


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|Members of the European team warming up
|Tiger Woods
|Lee Trevino
|Michael Phelps
|The always entertaining Bill Murray
|Quick, look! It's Justin Timberlake!
|George Lopez poses for a photo op
|Members of the European team warming up
|Tiger Woods
|Lee Trevino
|Michael Phelps
|The always entertaining Bill Murray
|Quick, look! It's Justin Timberlake!
|George Lopez poses for a photo op
Loved it.ReplyDelete
Me too!ReplyDelete
Hi Dawn! Keeping my fingers crossed that this comment will be sent thru the internets to you. Great post! I'm sending it on to my sister b/c she is a huge golf fan, esp. Tiger, so she'll love his pic and the account of your experience. As for me, I never met a porta-potty I didn't like--I'm usually in a desperate state and just plug my nose. I'm not a Justin fan anyway but I love Bill Murray and George Lopez! Nice job, great reading!ReplyDelete
Erm, hooray! You are here! Thanks so much for stopping by! And tell your sister my son also got Tiger's signature (but that was on Day 2, while I was making a Target run with the oldest kid!) So glad you enjoyed, and I have to tell you, I was already a fan of both Bill and George, but now, after watching them work the crowds, I am over the moon about them both! Absolutely delightful! Justin, though, truly disappointed me with his self-absorption. I'd like to think maybe he learned something by watching the veteran celebs, but I doubt it :(
And I hope everyone heads directly over to your place after they stop by here because your writing is absolutely entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable! (And you even discuss porta-potties in your latest post, too!)
Well said Dawn! Enjoyed the pics too!ReplyDelete
Thank you, Tina. So glad you enjoyed the pics - I had such a great time playing paparazzo!ReplyDelete
Your post is very entertaining. I SO agree about never using a porta potty if you have a choice.
First of all, awesome to have met Lopez and Murray! I don't have my own disappointment story, as most of my celeb meetings are writers, and they have always been gracious, BUT my mom was a Trekkie as a kid and got to meet William Shatner. She was completely shattered when he was rude to her. Broke her heart. Quite frankly, if you are in the spotlight, it is your fans supporting you and allowing you to remain there. When you aren't kind to them, you disrespect them and you lose fans. Then again, I've never been a Timberlake fan...but Bill Murray!!!
Shannon at The Warrior Muse
Oh yes...and port-a-potties are EVIL~!Delete
Shannon, Murray and Lopez were so gracious and delightful! I wish all celebs would take some notes from them....
I am so disappointed to hear about your mom's experience with Shatner. I think we all need to remember not to take ourselves too seriously, and this applies to those in the public eye just as much as it does the rest of us! So disappointing to learn that for some of those guys their humility is really just an "act".
And porta potties=yuck!
Bill Murray would have been the highlight for me. Sounds like an exciting day!ReplyDelete


text: With two historian parents, Sarah couldn't help but develop an interest in the past. She went on to get more than enough education herself (in anthropology) and began writing fiction when the stories in her head overflowed and demanded she let them out. While her ancestry is Welsh, she only visited Wales for the first time while in college. She has been in love with the country, language, and people ever since. She even convinced her husband to give all four of their children Welsh names. She makes her home in Oregon. Please follow her online at www.sarahwoodbury.com


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Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Current rating:
Rate Movie | Not yet Reviewed
In this independent drama from filmmaker Eduard Bosch, Arian (Ingrid Rubio) is a naive but idealistic young woman of Basque heritage who falls in with a terrorist group fighting for the rights of her people.
Hoping to prove her commitment, Arian volunteers to take part in a kidnapping organized by the Basque extremists, and she helps to abduct Isabel (Laia Marull), the daughter of a prominent businessman.
However, as Arian watches over Isabel as they wait to hear if her ransom will be met, the unstable leader of the terrorists (Carlos Manuel Diaz) questions if Arian truly believes in the cause, forcing her to take matters far beyond the boundaries of safety or prudence.
El Viaje de Arian was expanded from a short film Eduard Bosch had made some years earlier; the feature version was shown in competition at the 2000 San Sebastian Film Festival.


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MABC Kids
There is something for all ages at Maple Avenue! Especially for the Kids!!
- On Sundays, there is Sunday School for all age groups that starts at 9:45AM.
- After Sunday School, we all gather together for worship service at 11AM. During the service, just before the sermon, the pianist will play "Jesus Loves Me" and that is the time for the kids to leave and go to Children's Church and Route 52! Children's Church is for the younger kids, and Route 52 is for older kids through 6th grade! During these times, the kids learn about the Bible on a level that they understand, and how they can apply it to their lives, even at their younger age!
- On Wednesday nights, the kids and youth meet together in the FEC (Family Enrichment Center) for dinner at 5:30PM, and then every one breaks up to their own meetings around 6PM. The youth head upstairs, while the younger boys (through 6th grade) go to RA's (Royal Ambassadors) and the younger girls go to GA's (Girl's in Action). Our younger kids, Kindergarten through 3rd grade, go to Mission Friends! There they learn about the Bible, who Jesus is and what He did for them, and also how it can be used in their lives!


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Genevieve Nnaji and Mikel Obi spotted together in South-Africa
Pretty actress, Genevieve Nnaji, and Footballer, Mikel Obi were both spotted entering a private jet today in South-Africa. They both arrived in different customised flashy cars. They took photographs and the photographs look fabulous, but no- one really knows what the pair are doing in South-Africa. It seems to be a well guarded secret. Some rumours have it that the pair are dating, but I think that is unlikely. It might be some kind of publicity stunt, maybe a photo-shoot to advertise a product or something like that. Rather than speculating, let me show you the photographs, but as the story behind the photographs unfold, I'll keep you updated. Here they are:


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CARACAS (AFP) – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is able to work on government issues and is "very energetic" despite being hospitalised and breathing through a tube, a top aide said Saturday.
The 58-year-old president has not been seen or heard from since Monday, when he returned to Caracas from cancer surgery in Cuba.
"The president continues to breathe through a tracheal tube, but he is able to communicate with us through written notes and give us instructions," Vice President Nicolas Maduro told local television.
He said he spent more than five hours with Chavez in his hospital room on Friday, and was able to discuss several issues, specifically military affairs and the economy.
"He was very energetic, had a lot of spirit and vitality, and that's what we wanted to tell the people despite the late hour," Maduro said.
"We have reviewed a number of subjects, and he told us about being extremely happy to be in Caracas, the city of his heart."
Since his last surgery, the only photos released of Chavez came out almost a week ago. He was seen bed-ridden but smiling, looking through a newspaper with two of his daughters at his side.
At the Caracas military hospital where Chavez is said to be continuing his convalescence, soldiers are on guard outside to keep out journalists and curious onlookers.
Chavez had declared himself free of cancer after earlier rounds of surgery and went on to win another six-year term in October elections.
But he later suffered a relapse and after the latest surgery in Havana on December 11, he was too sick to return to Venezuela for his scheduled inauguration on January 10.
The inauguration has been postponed indefinitely, prompting the opposition to cry foul. Vice President Nicolas Maduro, Chavez's handpicked heir, has essentially been running the country in Chavez's absence.


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It felt great to watch India win the Twenty20 World Cup. I don't usually watch cricket matches because it wastes a lot of my time. But Twenty20 cricket is different, it doesn't waste much time and I see a game that is similar to soccer where a result is to be had within two hours or, in this instance three hours.
But I did watch some of the Twenty20 matches. It had the edge of the seat excitement that soccer and tennis has. And our boys under Mahendrasingh Dhoni showed aggression, sportsmanship and team spirit. (Now, "Sportsmanship" is a term I use to denote the disposition where a player is aggressive, but at the same time fair to his opponents. This is different from "sledging," the sort used by Australian players, which is outright personal abuse and insult.)
I liked the way they played as if every run mattered and they played like Indian tigers, and not the hyenas they were in other forms of the sport.
Would you believe this? The Indian seniors on the field are a tame sort, hanging their heads, mindful of the way they look, and ever so shy to make eye contact with rival players. But the aggression displayed by Shreesanth as he bowled to Matthew Hayden was exemplary. I like that fellow Mallu, and wish him well.
Well done India! Or, should I say like Shahrukh Khan, "Chak de India!"
cricket | Indian cricket | Twenty20 Worldcup |


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MC28H5013AW 28L 900W Solo Microwave Oven
The Samsung Microwave MC28H5013AW is a high-tech appliance that makes cooking healthy food as simple as pushing a button.
Original Design
This freestanding solo microwave is striking in appearance, with a white finish and stylish black front. The touch controls are simple to use and gives a modern look to your kitchen.
The MS23F301EAW has a ceramic enamel interior that's super hard wearing and scratch resistant for long-term high quality. It's easy to clean, and an anti-bacterial finish ensures all your food is cooked hygienically. Daily spills of food and oil won't cause it to discolour either.
Power & Heat Distribution
With a capacity of 28 litres, this microwave can cook a large family meal easily. Six power levels mean you can choose the right setting for your meal, every time.
A defrost setting lets you defrost your food safely and efficiently – perfect for those times when you've got nothing in the fridge. It also helps to reduce overall cooking time if you're in a hurry.
|Black & White
|Microwave Power
|900 Watts
|Number Of Power Levels
|17.5 Kg
|51.7 x 31 x 47.5 cm
More information
As we are a Samsung Retailer we can offer you the best advice, installation and after care service than national retailers.
This Samsung MC28H5013AW is also available with a bespoke white glove delivery and installation service.
Questions & Answers
To ask a question about this product please complete the short form below.


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Sploder Game Types
March 1, 2014 2 Comments
Our assignment tasked us to watch videos by Dr. Ruben Puentedura. We were then to play a variety of game types to determine what type of game we would create using Sploder. I explored Shooter, Retro Arcade, Platformer, Physics and 3D Mission Creator games to not only gain knowledge about the games but to build necessary schema to participate in the game spaces for the EdTtech 532 classroom.
I created the following table as I made notes on the various game types:
|What I liked
|What I disliked
|Would I like to design a game like this?
|Shooter Game:
Trutah Survival
|Pace, pursuit, weapons choice
|Lack of mission clarity for me
|Yes, I find these intriguing and infectious to pursue success
|Retro Arcade:
Haskell's Test Game
|Pace, instructions, challenges, race for coins
|Lack of instructions on diving down
|Yes, I think it would be fun to design a retro game
|Weapons, climbing, different obstacles, and various enemies. Radar was a plus
|Having just one life and starting over @ beginning each time I was mired in the sauce
|I am not sure. I liked the challenges (loved Donkey Kong as a platform) Maybe.
|Use of angles and concussion to move box to take coin
|Took a time or seven to figure out the objective was to move the box into the coin
|I think I would find this an intriguing challenge to create. Not sure I have the skill set, but may give it a try.
|3D Mission Creator:
Countown to Detontation
|Levels, choices of weapons, ability to play with a partner, mission concept
|When you lost first life, scoring was disabled. Movement was challenging when firing
|As much as I liked the mission concept, I am not sure I want to create a game like this. Need to sleep on it.
After watching Dr. Ruben Puentedura's podcasts, What Is A Game, What Is a Good Game, and exploring more good game criteria here, I created my own list for what I hope to achieve designing my game. I found irony in the good game used by Dr. Puentedura – Pitfall. One of my friends owned a video game console and I remember playing this game years ago. I hope I live up to my own expectation of game design.
Puentedura's Good Game Requirements
- Preparation before challenges
- A sense of a game space
- A range of challenges
- A range of required abilities
- Skill in using the required abilities
My Unique List
- I want to provide information to be successful
- I want players to feel a sense of the game space
- I want to provide information to operate the character or machine
- I want player scores to count each time
- I want the game to get progressively more challenging
- I want the game time or lives to equal bonus if my players finish in less time with more lives
- I want to provide an experience for all levels of gamers
For a more complete listing of Dr. Rueben Puentedura's free podcasts, please check this link to iTunes.


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10mm Premium Thermal Substrate Insulation Board 1200x600mm
Product overview
|Thermal Substrate Premium
|2.37 Kg
Premium Thermal substrate insulation board is a lightweight insulated tile backing board developed specifically for use with tiled floors. It consists of a Polyfoam core with glass fibre reinforced polymer-modified cement faces. It is dimensionally stable, doesn't rot or warp and provides excellent resistance to moisture. It also offers the additional benefit of a high level of thermal insulation, making it the ideal substrate for floor tiling over underfloor heating mat systems. Thermal substrate board is extremely light and easy to cut (using fine tooth saw, jigsaw or utility knife, for example) and to work with.
- Dimensionally stable, does not warp
- Excellent resistance to moisture
- High level of thermal insulation
- Extremely light and easy to cut
Technical specifications
|BBA Certified
|10 mm
|Mat Length
|1.2 m
|Mat Width
|0.6 m
|Product Type
|Insulation Board
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Alberto Gonzales: Hispanics Are Tomorrow's Voters And, Most Likely, Tomorrow's Leaders
Last week the Pew Research Center reported that three quarters of Hispanics living in the United States say their community needs a national leader, but roughly the same number either cannot name one or do not believe one exists. No one should be surprised that so few could agree on a national Hispanic leader. While Hispanics do share common values such as self-responsibility, hard work and love of country, the U.S. Hispanic population is diverse within itself. The culture, habits and traditions of Puerto Ricans in the Northeast are different from those of Cuban Americans in Florida or Mexican Americans in the Southwest. No one person can speak for all Hispanics, nor would it be in our interests as Hispanics to have just one spokesperson.
The U.S. Hispanic population is diverse within itself. The culture, habits and traditions of Puerto Ricans in the Northeast are different from those of Cuban Americans in Florida or Mexican Americans in the Southwest.
However, many Hispanic families need help desperately as they struggle to deal with enormous challenges. We need champions who will fight for jobs, better education, greater financial security and safe neighborhoods. These advocates need not be Hispanic of course, but it has been my experience that there is an added layer of trust – a bond – between people and leaders who share experiences and a common heritage.
Hispanics who hold positions of power are role models for Hispanic children — whether they choose to be or not. A Hispanic serving on the Supreme Court or the board of a company, or one selected as Attorney General or corporate CEO, sends an unmistakable message of the power of opportunity that exists still today in America. Why is this important? It is important because projections of the future population growth in this country tell us that Hispanics are tomorrow's workforce, tomorrow's voters and, most likely, tomorrow's leaders.
So, how do we develop more Hispanic leaders? First, we nurture our Hispanic children, ensure they get a quality education, teach them the value of hard work and responsibility, demand a standard of excellence and high achievement, and train and prepare them to assume positions of leadership. Second, on election day, eligible Hispanics have to vote for the most qualified candidates who will advance their interests. Hopefully, over time, more and more of those candidates will be Hispanic. This is how America – the land of immigrants – develops new Hispanic leadership.
Developing national Hispanic leadership is a desirable goal, but it is one that will take time to achieve. Leadership at the state and local level is more easily attainable, and I believe more important. For example, New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez and Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval are making decisions today in their diversity-rich states that fundamentally directly affect the lives of thousands of Hispanics. However, even their ability to touch the lives of Hispanic families cannot match the impact of a single Hispanic role model within a family. Nothing would be more effective in developing productive Hispanic citizens of the future than preparing Hispanic parents today – particularly fathers – to be mentors to their children. If we are able to just do that, then inevitably we will see a new generation of national leaders for the Hispanic community.


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The trend toward "showrooming" -- the bane of brick-and-mortar retailers -- didn't increase last year, while more people did research online and bought in physical stores, according to a new consumer survey by Cisco.
The tech giant's third annual e-commerce study found that 40% of U.S. shoppers are scoping out products in-store before making purchases online -- the same proportion as last year.
At the same time, 65% are going online first to research purchases before buying in a store, up from 57% last year. To the extent that the results reflect wider consumer habits, that's welcome news to retailers for whom showrooming has been a growing concern in recent years.
A separate study last year by mobile marketing firm Vibes suggested that showrooming isn't necessarily as big a threat to retailers as perceived. It found that a quarter of people who showroom -- only 6% of shoppers overall -- are likely to do what is considered as pure showrooming, where they check out an item in person before buying it for less on Amazon or another online competitor.
The Cisco study however, indicated that shoppers want more mobile and self-service options from retailers in-store. For example, 85% want self-service access to digital content, while online 4% want to rely on help from store employees all the time.
The report also showed that mobile is playing a bigger part in shopping overall, with a third of shoppers using mobile searches to guide purchase decisions, up 20% on average from last year. U.S. mobile commerce overall last year grew 81% to nearly $25 billion, according to an eMarketer estimate released last week.
Use of personal mobile shopping, interactive room design, touchscreens to help select products, and automated pickup were among digital services or concepts that consumers were most interested in, according to the research. The study overall found that nearly eight in 10 (78%) of all shoppers use the Internet to research and buy products and services, and 71% want digital access in stores.
Of all the information sources influencing buying decisions, online ratings and reviews on retailers' sites carry the most weight, according to more than half (52%) of those surveyed, followed by the opinions of friends and family (49%), and expert online reviews (42%). People prefer online ratings and reviews to advice from in-store employees by a ratio of 4:1, the study found.
The Cisco survey, released Monday in connection with the National Retail Federation Convention & Expo, involved 5,000 shoppers from the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Mexico and China. The above findings reflect the U.S. portion of the study.


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Strong, fuel-efficient engine; radically different styling inside and out; high-tech communications and entertainment features; excellent ride quality; roomy interior; trunk space
The Sonata lineup comes powered by a choice of 2 4-cylinder engines. The 2.4L unit delivers 198 horsepower with a 6-speed automatic transmission. An optional 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder kicks out 274 horsepower in either SE or Limited trims. The 206-hp Sonata Hybrid pairs that 2.4L (rated at 166 hp) with a permanent magnet high-density electric motor that makes 40 hp and an industry-first lithium polymer battery. The car is capable of running in all-electric mode up to 74 mph.
The 2.4L Sonata gets an EPA-rated 24 mpg city, 35 highway. The engine's direct-injection design aids that, along with improved aerodynamics and an overall curb weight that's lighter than most other mid-size sedans. The turbo provides great efficiency as well, rated at 22 mpg city, 34 mpg highway.
The 2013 Hyundai Sonata has a rather conventional suspension layout, with MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link, independent arrangement in back, along with front and rear stabilizer bars to help bring sporty handling along with a good, well damped ride. All Sonatas have front-wheel drive. GLS and Limited models get low-rolling-resistance tires aimed at improving fuel economy, while the SE gets stickier low-profile tires and a firmer suspension tuning.
The Sonata's interior design "wraps around" the front occupants and flows through to the back, bringing climate-control vents, while the instrument panel itself follows a straightforward control layout that puts entertainment and navigation controls up high with large climate controls just below. Front and backseat appointments are plenty spacious for five adults--including enough space for taller adults in back.
In addition to the base GLS, two other Sonata automatic-only models of the Sonata are offered: the sporty SE and the especially luxurious Limited. The three models of the Sonata also get quite different interior appointments; lower-level Sonata models get a textured plastic material for the dash and doors, while SE models get more metallic trim and Limited models get woodgrain or piano-black trims. SE models add steering-wheel paddle-shifters and Limited models get a sport-shift mode for the transmission.
GLS models get a very generous array of standard equipment that includes keyless entry, cruise control, air conditioning, tilt/telescopic steering wheel adjustment, steering-wheel controls, power windows, locks, mirrors and split folding rear seatbacks. SE models add sport seats, leather steering-wheel and shifter trim and push button start, plus fog lamps, "hyper silver alloy" wheels, performance tires and a chrome-tipped exhaust. At the top of the range, the Limited gets a long list of additional features, such as a sunroof, heated leather seats (front and back), heated mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control and rear-seat heat ducts.
All Sonata models get a USB interface as well as an iPod connector, plus XM satellite radio and a Bluetooth hands-free calling interface. A 3-month trial subscription for XM is included. A wide-screen navigation system is optional on the SE and Limited, featuring real-time XM NavTraffic along with weather, stock and sports information. Also included with the system are Bluetooth audio streaming capability and 8 GB of flash memory for storing music files.
Safety features are strong in the 2013 Sonata. All models get active head restraints for front occupants and include front side airbags, full-length side-curtain bags, electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes.
Following a thorough redesign in 2011, the 2013 Hyundai Sonata carries over relatively unchanged. More features are now available on the base model, and all versions come equipped with a 6-speed automatic as the only transmission option. SE models now feature heated front seats. Limited models no longer include a panoramic sunroof--instead, a regular sunroof has been fitted. The panoramic version is now available as part of Limited Premium Package.
Hyundai has put longtime mid-size best-sellers, including the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry, directly into its sites with the Sonata. Hyundai meets or exceeds those models in most respects. With EPA fuel economy ratings of up to 24 mpg city, 35 highway, thanks to a direct-injection 4-cylinder engine, the Sonata has fuel-efficiency and power performance numbers that are both better than most base-model mid-size sedans.
The Sonata Hybrid promises strong fuel efficiency. The Sonata is classified by the EPA as a "large car," and has more passenger room than most of its competitors, while it has significantly more trunk space than the Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Malibu. The Sonata is also lighter than many cars in its class and has a short 35.8-foot turning diameter that's also shorter than most other mid-size sedans. The Sonata also has a trump card in safety, as it's a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS.
Warranty continues to be a strong selling point for the Sonata. Like with all Hyundai products; the Sonata includes a 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable bumper-to-bumper warranty, 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty and five years of roadside go cheassistance.
Additional Details
Vehicle Price: 21,670.00
*Estimated payments are for informational purposes only and don't account for acquisition fees, destination charges, tax, title, and other fees and incentives or represent a financing offer or guarantee of credit from the seller.
Equipment that may affect values (standard equipment is pre-selected):
© 2019 by Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved. The specific information required to determine the value for this particular vehicle was supplied by the person generating this report. Vehicle valuations are opinions and may vary from vehicle to vehicle. Actual valuations will vary based upon market conditions, specifications, vehicle condition or other particular circumstances pertinent to this particular vehicle or the transaction or the parties to the transaction. This report is intended for the individual use of the person generating this report only and shall not be sold or transmitted to another party. Kelley Blue Book assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions.
Get up-to-date information on the 2013 Hyundai Sonata. Read in depth about this model's features, specs, performance, and much more. Let Bestride.com be your guide to finding your next car.


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Kit includes:
♦ 1) Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens
♦ 2) Canon 100ES Digital SLR Camera Case
♦ 3) Spare LP-E10 Battery for Canon
♦ 4) Battery Charger for Canon LP-E10
♦ 5) Transcend 32GB (SDHC) 300x UHS-1 Class 10 Memory Card
♦ 6) Precision Design PD-58PVTR 58″ Photo/Video Tripod with Case
♦ 7) Universal 3 Color Diffuser Filter Set for Pop-Up DSLR Camera Flashes
♦ 8) Vivitar 58mm UV Glass Filter
♦ 9) PD 5-Piece Cleaning Kit
♦ 10) PD SD/SDHC & MicroSD HC Card Reader
♦ 11) PD 8 SD / 2 MicroSD Memory Card Case
♦ 12) PD LCD Screen Protectors
The Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera makes it easy to capture movies and photos that are nothing short of dazzling. It features a powerful 18.0 megapixel CMOS (APS-C) image sensor and DIGIC 4 Image Processor for easy recording of HD video and high-resolution photos, plus a huge 3.0-inch LCD screen for Live View recording and review. Additional features: 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system; expanded ISO range; Scene Intelligent Auto; Creative Auto; plus more! Includes the versatile, image-stabilized EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens.
The Canon 100ES Digital SLR Camera Case has been designed to protect your valuable gear while your are out and about. Organize and secure your gear with the padded, velcro divider. Water-repellent, rugged nylon for durability and comfort. Fits: One DSLR with lens attached, 1-2 lenses, a flash, and accessories.
Increase your shooting capacity with this LP-E10 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
This Rapid Multi-voltage Charger plugs directly in to your wall outlet or your car's 12V outlet, and charges your battery in approximately 60 to 90 minutes.
Take pictures faster (up to 45MB/sec.) with this Transcend 32GB (SDHC) Class 10 Memory Card.
- KIT INCLUDES 12 PRODUCTS — All BRAND NEW Items with all Manufacturer-supplied Accessories + Full USA Warranties:
- [1] Canon EOS Rebel T5 Digital SLR Camera Body & EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens + [2] Canon 100ES DSLR Camera Case + [3] Spare LP-E10 Battery for Canon +
- [4] Battery Charger for LP-E10 + [5] Transcend 32GB SDHC 300x Card + [6] Precision Design 58″ Tripod +
- [7] Universal Flash Filter Set + [8] Vivitar 58mm UV Glass Filter + [9] PD 5pc Complete Cleaning Kit +
- [10] PD SD/SDHC MicroSD Reader + [11] PD 8 SD Card Memory Card Case + [12] LCD Screen Protectors


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The Gran Ultonia Hotel and the Ultonia Hotel are located in the heart of Girona. Its privileged location allows easy access to Cathedral, the Old Quarter, the houses on the Onyar River, the Arab Bath, the Jewish quarter, the Museum of Cinema, the Auditorium and Conference Center etc.
If you choose travelling by car, remember that the hotel has a car park open 24 hours a day with direct access to the hotels reception.
A few steps away, no need to take a taxi, ours guests can easily head to the train and bus stations in order to visit other points of interest. From there, they can easily go to anywhere in the warm Costa Brava, Figueres Dalí's style or tourist attractions of Barcelona using public transport.
Girona's airport, where irish flight company Ryanair operates, is just 12 km away from the city centre (approx. 20 min.). The easiest way to get there are public transportation or calling a taxi at the same hotel reception.


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#techmums' History
Our first #techmums pilot took place in 2012, and it proved to be a huge success. Research found that not only was there a huge confidence boost in our mums' ability to use technology, there was also a significant increase in their more general personal confidence.
In fact, the headmaster of that first pilot school, Nick Soar, said that alongside boosting our mums' confidence, there was a marked difference observed in their children as well.
Since that first pilot, #techmums has been applauded by the likes of Martha Lane Fox and the Shadow Digital Minister for the work we do in encouraging more women into the tech industry.


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Hey its Ben 10 hoverboard racing game.The source game is Trickstyle.
1.Q : What do i need ?
A : Any character ideas.
2.Q : Do you need help for modeling?
A : i can't model and thats a problem just simple modeling will work.
3.Dont know how to change maps.
What am i doing?
1:Change the stats , names and texture for characters.
2:The Stats , names and textures for the boards ( but i don't know how does the hoverboard look in Ben 10)
3:Some terran Texturing.
What is done:
1.Charmcaster character is done.Its basicly Angel but its skin changed white hair purple clothes purple lips and eyes.
2.Gwen is done.The sorce is Mia but with angel clothes.
3There is Beta version for Ben the problem is that he have 2 omnitrixes and i don't know how to do that since that is from the texture.
Ok i made 3 new characters
Ben 10 - just need to add the beard.
Upgrade - invisible char just control the hoverboard.
Way big - replace Shin but its verry litle.
Look in images for pictures.


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The UNFCCC - COP22 (Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), held this year in Marrakesh, Morocco, ended on Nov. 7, 2016, just one day before voters elected Mr. Trump as the 45th President of the United States.
During the presidential campaign, President-elect Donald Trump expressed the following position and opinions about climate change:
"I'm not a big believer in man made climate change. There could be some impact, but I don't believe it's a devastating impact … I would say that it goes up, it goes down, and I think it's very much like this over the years. We'll see what happens. I mean, we'll see what happens. Maybe you and I – even you, as young as you are – you won't be around to see. But certainly, climate has changed. You know, they used to call it global warming. They've had many different – they call it extreme weather. They always change the name to encapsulate everything." interview [Miami Herald, 8/11/16]
"This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps, and our GW scientists are stuck in ice." [Donald Trump Twitter, 1/1/14]
"It's really cold outside, they are calling it a major freeze, weeks ahead of normal. Man, we could use a big fat dose of global warming!" [Donald Trump Twitter, 10/19/15]
"The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." [Donald Trump Twitter, 11/6/12]
[Quotes extracted from: League of conservation voters (Oct. 2016) – In their own words – 2016 Presidential candidates on climate change http://www.lcv.org/assets/docs/presidential-candidates-on.pdf ]
Does this mean that the US is slated to become color-blind, and that the new color green is going to be grey, like the color of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, for the next 4 years? Is this for real?
According to Noam Chomsky, in response to a question on the long-term consequences of a Trump administration:
"First we have to ask if he means what he is saying... And if he does, then not only we, but the human species is in very deep trouble." (Chomsky, 2016)
Indeed… the above-cited President-elect electoral campaign remarks and opinions are not only disturbing, they are backed by an even more unsettling policy agenda which includes such items as: 1. a pledge to revive the US coal industry; 2. a vision of the US as a leader in fossil fuel production with an expansion of both onshore and offshore drilling and, 3. a plan to dismantle, or greatly cut back on the activities of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). All of which arises in direct and complete opposition to internationally binding climate change decisions and agreements. First, beginning in 1994, with the ratification, and quasi-universal acceptance of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), an agreement whose essential goal is to prevent "dangerous human interference with the climate" and that brought together 197 countries party to the Convention. Secondly, the Kyoto Protocol in 1997 which set internationally binding emissions reduction targets for all the 197 countries party to the UNFCCC. And finally, in stark denial of the UNFCCC – COP21 - Paris Agreement, ratified on Dec. 12, 2015, and now in force, 113 countries of the 197 Parties to the UNFCCC having already signed the agreement which calls for keeping the rise in global temperatures this century down to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and if possible even down to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
As a result of such denial, responses to the new grey color of climate change have ranged from raw despair, fear and anger on the part of climate change activists, to a more tempered, firm and hopeful response on the part of scientists and current climate change policy makers, who complacently believe that their indisputable data on climate change and global warming will ultimately be recognized --once the new administration is in place.
In other words, and as Chomsky put it, activists definitely believe that the President-elect "means what he says" and that the US is on a new path to opt out of all previous international climate change agreements, whereas scientists and climate change policymakers think the President-elect "can't possibly be meaning what he says", considering the amount irrefutable data on global warming, produced by such widely recognized and reputable institutions as: the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), The World Meteorological Organization, the CNRN - Centre national de recherches météorologiques (France), Environment and Climate change Canada, the UK Met Office, plus many more.
As Daniel Kammen, science envoy for the U.S. State Department, Professor of Energy at the University of California at Berkeley, has responded:
"To be a climate denier in 2016 is to simply ignore science. A businessman is supposed to be flexible and thoughtful about opportunity. Clean energy is an economic boom, and it's a boom for equity around the planet. And to turn your back on that is to put ideology over simple, good clean energy business and clean energy jobs." (Democracy Now!, Nov. 15, 2016)
So, at the end of the day, do we, translators, all update our term bases with the term "grey" instead of "green" in reference to technology and patents that seek to both reduce global warming and/or mitigate its effects?
Well, it is perhaps too early to tell, since the US has just entered the transition period between administrations, before the January 20th, 2017 inauguration day. What is certain, however, is that the President-elect's opinions and remarks are both misguided and the reflection of a true misunderstanding of global warming and climate change.
Such statements as: "This very expensive GLOBAL WARMING bullshit has got to stop. Our planet is freezing, record low temps, and our GW scientists are stuck in ice" uncover several important misconceptions of global warming, climate change and the science that drives the interpretation of planetary temperature.
First, scientists understand climate change as a result of global-warming, and not vice versa. Scientists understand global warming as a phenomenon arising out of the accumulation of greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide (CO2). In other words, it is not the weather that is responsible for global warming, it is our fossil-fuel and heavy emissions industrial activity, and more particularly the industrial activity of the Northern Hemisphere, that is assumed responsible for the accumulation of GHG, which in turn has steadily augmented the temperature of the planet. A record streak of freezing temperatures in New York City, Paris or Vienna will not "cool" our planet, just as a record heat wave in Detroit, Chicago or Southern Europe will not "increase the temperature" of our planet. These exceptional climate events are the consequences, not the cause of global warming, especially when recorded as increasingly frequent phenomena.
The following glossary entry on "Global Warming" extracted from the EPA Student's guide to Global Warming clearly explains the relationship between global warming and climate change (italics mine):
Global warming: An increase in temperature near the surface of the Earth. Global warming has occurred in the distant past as the result of natural causes. However, the term is most often used to refer to recent and ongoing warming caused by people's activities. Global warming leads to a bigger set of changes referred to as global climate change.
Secondly, a warmer planet does not mean just warmer weather, it means an increase in the frequency of extreme weather and catastrophic weather events, such as for example, an increase in both the number and intensity of hurricanes arising from the increase in ocean temperature; a record number of tornados, an increase in rainfall and floods by almost 20% in the last century, and an increase in snowfall and resulting damages, pointing to "weather gone-crazy" in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the disappearance of lakes and increased droughts in the non-industrialized Southern Hemisphere generating increased suffering from the resulting shortages of both food and water supplies. However, these points are truly nothing new. This is a message that was already delivered loudly and very clearly in 2006 by Former Vice-President Al Gore in the book and non-fiction documentary titled An inconvenient truth: The planetary emergency of global warming and what we can do about it.
In fact, this message was powerful enough to generate a quasi-universal response, consolidating the action of 197 countries in the fight against global warming and its consequences (Lapowski, 2016). All of which makes the President-elect's remarks all the more disconcerting.
The hope then, as far as translators and interpreters are concerned, is that we might be commissioned to build more communication bridges in educational campaigns designed to gain the support of "climate change deniers", whose loudest and winning representative is about to take the highest office.
If the new grey color of green is just a misconception, then there is still a place for reason, and for hope. Indeed, if President-elect Donald Trump really meant what he said when he asserted:
"I think that clean air is a pressing problem. You want to have clean air, clean water. That's very important to me, and I've won many environmental awards. I am not a believer in climate change,' [Politico, 9/24/15 in League of Conservation Voters, 2016]
then it won't be too difficult to reconcile the contradiction expressed above, so that green, clean and renewable energy remains the true color of climate change and the fight against global warming. 👠
Al Gore (website)
Chomsky, n. (2016) If Trump becomes president (YouTube recording)
CNRM - Centre national de recherches météorologiques (France)
Democracy now! (Nov 15, 2016) U.S. State Dept. Science Envoy on Trump's Climate Denialism & Why Sanders Could Have Beaten Him
Environment and Climate Change Canada
EPA- Environmental Protection Agency - EPA
EPA – Student's Guide to Global Climate change
Gore, A. (2006) An inconvenient Truth: the Planetary Emergency of global Warming and what we can do about it. New York, NY: Rodale.
Lapowski, I. (2016) Ten years after An Inconvenient Truth, Al Gore may actually be winning.
League of Conservation Voters (Oct. 2016) – In their own words – 2016 Presidential candidates on climate change
The World Meteorological Organization
UK Met Officehttp://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research


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Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Pinecote Pavilion (part 1)
I recently revisited Pinecote Pavilion - designed by Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice Fay Jones - located at the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, Mississippi. The Arboretum and Pavilion are well worth a visit. More photos tomorrow.
Posted by James Polk at 9:12 AM
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I look at the party invite that my parents have received for Steve's 30th Birthday. One thought runs through my head- "30. Steve, I'm so sorry. Life is over for you now." As a very wise 14 year old, I could see that my life was full of possibility and clearly, at 30, Steve should just give up. What was there to live for after 30?
9 years ago:
My twentieth birthday hits me like a ton of bricks. Living in the States with family, I have a near meltdown, sure that I'm light years away from where I should be in life. There are many tearful emails written to family and friends back home that all share a common theme- "I'm 20, shouldn't I have it figured out by now? I'm nowhere where I thought I'd be."
1 year ago:
I turn 28. There's no denying it now. I'm in my late twenties. None of this forgiving "mid-twenties" stuff, I'm rolling to the finish line. I start to see 30 on the horizon, waiting to give me my Retirement From Life papers. A steady dread makes itself at home in my mind, occasionally singing "30's getting closer! 30's getting closer!", like a school yard bully.
I turn 29. I have 365 days until I'm 30. You may think it's silly, hey, I think it's silly, but I'm kinda freakin' out. I have often said, "If my 20 year old self knew that I'd age almost a decade and still not really know what I'm doing, I would have really and truly lost my mind." I feel like I should know where I'm headed(or at least a general direction), that I should know what I'm about. I've got to be honest with you, most days, I don't. However, an experience last weekend had an unexpected influence on me. I went camping. You might say I had an epiphany. And by epiphany, I mean, I realized something that most people would find to be common sense. Let me explain.
Camping has never been on my radar. I didn't hate it(although I did have a number of minor death-related fears about it), I didn't love it, I had no feelings towards it at all because I had never tried it. There are lots of things in life, trivial and otherwise, that I'm indifferent to, or more importantly set against, because of the unknown. I don't know what the outcome will be so I eliminate the possibility of the experience altogether. Here's the problem with that thinking-you miss out on so much! Well, I assume you do, I wouldn't know. :)
What 29 Looks Like, to see what some of my goals are.
What 29 Looks Like, to see what some of my goals are.


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The NNEPRA Board Meeting was held on Monday, June 27th.
Ridership: Executive Director Patricia Quinn reported on the latest performance numbers. The May, 2106 ridership was 38,754 as compared to 22,722 in May of 2015 (Need we mention that May, 2015 was a disastrous 30 days due to a tie-replacement project gone awry). However, the actuals missed the projected ridership by a considerable degree.
Revenue: May, 2016 revenue came in at $663, 377 as compared to $393,556 in May of 2015. Still, this past month's revenue fell 11% below target.
OTP: On Time Performance was 81% as opposed to 0% (!) in May of 2015.
CSI: The overall Customer Satisfaction Index for the Downeaster was 91 - Amtrak checked in at 88.
Brunswick Layover Facility: Special Projects Manager Jim Russell reported, "It's on schedule and on budget with 75% of the track work completed."
Royal Junction Siding: Funding has been acquired. This siding will ultimately allow all Downeaster trains to start and end in Brunswick.
Chairman Wayne Davis and Vice Chair Andy Hyland briefed the DOT's Passenger Rail Advisory Council yesterday in Augusta on TRN's vision of direct service from Maine to New York City. The Downeaster would go as far as Worcester - connecting passengers to existing Amtrak service there. The proposal would require the upgrade of existing tracks from Lowell to Worcester. From Worcester, passengers would continue on to Springfield, Hartford, New Haven and then NYC.
"There's light at the end of the tunnel!"
Today's NNEPRA Board meeting still reported dismal ridership numbers for May, ridership was down some 15,000 and 147 trains were cancelled. That having been said, some 22,000 ties have been replaced with another 3,300 needed to finish the job. The surfacing crews are beyond Dover on their way to Wells. Next week, Amtrak hopes to be able to schedule mid-day trains between Wells and Boston, using a shuttle bus between Portland and Wells.
Next step on the Brunswick Layover Facility now that the DEP Commissioner has said "yes" to construction? NNEPRA needs to re-examine the costs with the construction company since the figures are two years old. The front-end plugin power equipment should be ready to go at the Brunswick layover property by August 1st. This will help to reduce engine idling.
Commissioner Patricia Aho signed the approval letter to NNEPRA today which grants the rail authority its much sought after and frequently delayed Storm Water Runoff permit. There is, as expected, a list of "Special Conditions" that must be met. None seems to be excessively burdensome.
Good news from the DEP. The storm water runoff application requested by NNEPRA has been tentatively approved, thus going a long way toward eliminating the last environmental obstacle to the construction of the Brunswick Layover Facility. While there are more than a dozen conditions attached to the draft decision, not one appears to be a 'deal breaker' for NNEPRA. The final decision is expected to be announced on June 17th. More in the Forecaster: http://www.theforecaster.net/news/print/2015/06/04/dep-tentatively-oks-permit-brunswick-train-layover/235135
The Downeaster has had more than a decade of uninterrupted, successful growth. However, these past few months have reminded NNEPRA that setbacks come with heavy-handed results. Let's get the 'ugly' out of the way first.
The Ugly
The recent spate of slow orders, the PanAm right-of-way rehabilitation of a road-bed that was pummeled by the harsh winter AND the ongoing construction of the Haverhill bridge finally showed up in the numbers this month. April's On Time Performance registered 35.6% with no train making it into the 80% category. May's OTP was 8%!
The Federal Railroad Agency, which has jurisdiction over U.S. railroad activities, issued its long-awaited review of the Brunswick Layover Facility's Environmental Assessment provided to the agency by NNEPRA. The FRA issued a FONSI (A Finding of No Significant Impact) which clears the way for construction to begin on the BLF. It will house three train sets just 0.6 miles from the Brunswick Station.
Our May newsletter was recently sent to our membership.
It features the latest Downeaster FY 2014 data, a tribute to Benjamin Kirkland (one of TRN's original and deeply dedicated supporters), a column on the delaying tactics of the West Brunswick Neighborhood Coalition over the proposed Downeaster Layover Facility, and recommendations from Chairman Wayne Davis how best to improve and grow the Downeaster service. Go here for these stories and more.
In addition to the newsletter, the TrainRiders/NE Board sent a special request letter to all of our many supporters. We share this with you hoping it will encourage your further support.
Train riders from Portland to Boston can exhale a sigh of relief as the 27-month compromise transportation bill has gone to the president for his signature. Successful last minute efforts by Senator Olympia Snowe sealed the deal keeping federal funds flowing to the Downeaster. Here is a portion of Sen. Snowe's press release:
Provision to Preserve Downeaster Funding Included in Final Highway Bill Legislation also includes Snowe measure regarding veterans' commercial drivers licenses
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A modified version of a measure introduced by U.S. Senator Olympia J. Snowe (R-Maine) to preserve funding for operation of the Downeaster rail service today passed the Senate as part of the final compromise Highway Bill package.
The House & Senate agreed Wednesday night on a compromise 27-month extension of the Surface Transportation Bill. NARP's analysis concluded: "...for train passengers, this unveiling will undoubtedly leave them with a resounding sense of disappointment."
The full report is available on the NARP site.
The NNEPRA Board met this week in Portland where Executive Director Patricia Quinn reported continued growth in Downeaster ridership and revenue for May and the fiscal year to date:
June 27, 201
Last chance to speak up for trains!
Votes on amendments to the transportation/housing appropriations bill could come as early as today at 4:00 PM Eastern. In an unusual move, the House is operating under an "open rule," which makes it very hard to know for sure what amendments will be offered. However, NARP has identified two distinct possibilities passengers should should be concerned about: Elimination of $500 million from Amtrak capital—As reported in yesterday's email, it appears there will be an amendment that would eliminate a $500 million bridge and tunnel grant within the Amtrak capital program. That money is vital—not only for capital, but for the potential to flex $80 million of it over to Amtrak operations. Rep. Jeff Flake Targets Amtrak's Food Service—NARP just learned this morning about a "no-money-for-food-service" amendment from Representative Flake (R-AZ).
This issue was already address by Amtrak's Bill Crosbie in his June 9, 2005, prepared testimony before the Railroads Subcommittee: "Amtrak's food and beverage service is a fundamental part of the service that we offer on the majority of the trains that we operate on a daily basis. Its primary purpose is to enhance ticket sales and ridership, not serve as a profit center." Translation: it's hard to make money on food when your clientele is limited to people on a single train, but no food service would mean huge loss in ridership.
With so little time left, it's important that they hear from America's passengers. So call your Representative now, and tell them to "vote against amendments that would reduce Amtrak funding or limit its ability to provide food service" (if a the staff person is not available to speak to you, please leave a concise message, since the vote likely will come before your call is returned).
It appears that a deal has been reached between House and Senate conferees on a multi-year transportation reauthorization. While details are still fuzzy, if the rail provisions are anything like what was contained in the Senate version, this is good news for trains. An extended authorization will clear the way for investment in transportation infrastructure, putting Americans back to work in time for the summer construction season.
NARP will keep you updated as events unfold.
The June edition of the NARP Newsletter details the extraordinary 12-year-effort of Wayne Davis and his TrainRiders organization to bring Amtrak passenger service to Maine. NARP states that chairman and founder Wayne Davis "set a gold standard for effective citizen action."
The article details how untiring work in communities along the line and in Augusta resulted in a nickname for the Downeaster that continues to be proudly used today: "America's Favorite Train."
The full article can be viewed here.
Federal Railroad Administrator Joe Szabo recently analyzed the economic benefits of the Downeaster's continued growth - an estimated $7.2 billion in economic activity through 2030.
Citing an independent analysis, Mr. Szabo said the new construction along the corridor in Maine, particuarly from Portland to Freeport and Brunswick, can create 18,000 new jobs. More on this upbeat assessment at the NARP website.
Great news! As NNEPRA's fiscal year comes to an end later this month, the Downeaster is already celebrating record-breaking ridership and revenue!
From Executive Director, Patricia Quinn:
The Public Comment time was moved to the top of the agenda in deference to three citizens from Brunswick. They were representing residents who oppose the proposed location of the Downeaster Maintenance Facility in the vicinity of their neighborhood.
The proposed location of the Downeaster maintenance facility in Brunswick was the subject of a public forum last night. The MDOT-sponsored session heard from residents who, though welcoming the arrival of Downeaster service next fall, expressed deep concerns about the location of the work area in their neighborhood. They cited expected noise, light and air pollution as primary concerns.
NNEPRA's Excecutive Director Patricia Quinn informed residents that other sites will be examined before a final decision is made.
The 40,000 square foot shed will house up to three trainsets when service to Freeport and Brunswick commences in the fall of 2012.
A full article at the Press Herald's website.
We encourage TRN NH members to contact their Senators to sustain Gov. Lynch's veto of HB 218 which would derail (kill) the NH Rail Transit Authority.Content suggestions from several of members include these points:
You can go to the NH Senate's website for postal/email addresses along with phone numbers.
The NH DOT released an update to its comprehensive rail plan. As Steve Pesci noted in a comment, it is still in draft form.
It addresses both freight and passenger rail needs. The Lynch administration has a forward-looking vision of how rail can spur economic development for businesses and ease commuter and visitor travel in the state..
The latest draft is available here.
Governor Lynch's Veto Message Regarding HB 218
By the authority vested in me, pursuant to part II, Article 44 of the New Hampshire Constitution, on June 15, 2011, I vetoed HB 218, relative to the New Hampshire rail transit authority.
I am vetoing this legislation because business leaders, particularly in Nashua and Manchester, has clearly said that this bill will hurt their efforts to grow their businesses, to create jobs and to attract new companies to New Hampshire.
The New Hampshire business community has made a clear statement that it sees rail, in the words of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, as "a proven economic catalyst that will spur economic development and create jobs." Several major companies have made clear that they believe rail will improve their ability to attract workers, access their markets, attract additional customers and grow their businesses in New Hampshire. In addition, the Manchester and Nashua chambers of commerce both believe that developing the state's rail infrastructure will assist their efforts to attract new businesses and jobs to the state. That is one reason both chambers have asked me to veto this legislation. The Merrimack Town Council, the Bedford Town Council, and the Nashua Board of Aldermen have also passed resolutions expressing support for expanded rail service and the benefits it would bring to their communities.
The support of the business community is validated by an independent study that concluded that the development of rail in the capital corridor could result in more than $2.4 billion in new business sales and nearly 1,000 new jobs created and sustained in New Hampshire in the first twenty years of operation.
HB 218 makes substantial changes to New Hampshire Rail Transit Authority that will reduce its ability to fully consider all transit options for the state. New Hampshire businesses banded together to raise $120,000 to fund the Rail Authority's grant application without any state funds because they believe a full consideration of rail is important to New Hampshire's economic future. Going back on our commitment to the businesses who contributed funds to pay for grant applications sends the wrong signal to the private sector about state government's willingness to stand by its commitments. We should see the study through to its conclusion with a fully functioning Rail Authority so that we can make informed policy choices about the best way forward for our state.
Concerns about specific provisions in the Rail Authority statute could have been addressed through much more narrowly drafted language that would leave intact important functions of the rail authority. As currently written, this legislation takes away the rail authority's ability to enter into contracts with partner organizations, to accept gifts and to work with the private sector on economic development projects adjacent to potential rail sites.
Given the strong concerns among New Hampshire business leaders that this legislation will jeopardize their efforts to grow their businesses and create new jobs, I am vetoing House Bill 218.
The governor of NH, John Lynch, has vetoed a bill that would have shut down the NH Transit Authority. Although both houses of the state legislature approved the bill, a "No" from the governor stopped this effort in its tracks.
The NH Transit Authority cost the state nothing and was an all-volunteer organization. New Hampshire had received a federal grant to study passenger rail between Boston and Concord serving Nashua, Merrimack, Manchester and Concord.
TrainRiders/NE opposed the legislation as had many public interest groups in New Hampshire. Article from the Boston Globe.
Gov. Lynch's Veto Message
From NARP:
The appropriations process determines how much money federal programs will get in Fiscal 2012, which starts October 1, 2011. Although the first step in the formal House appropriations process is not expected until mid-July, it seems certain that the subcommittee will impose a crushing funding reduction on Amtrak, possibly zeroing out the national network and limiting capital funding to the bare minimum needed to avoid bankruptcy.
Go here to take action on their alert.
The expansion to Freeport and Brunswick continues apace with crews beginning the construction of the Brunswick platform (Freeport's will follow upon the completion of the Brunswick project). Both concrete platforms will be 400 feet long and cost a total $1.57 million, the cost of which is part of the overall FRA grant to NNEPRA for the Brunswick expansion.
The full story can be read at the Times Record website.
Some 35 active Train Hosts gathered at DiMillo's Restaurant in Portland to celebrate Train Host Appreciation Day. Hosts from as far away as Boston were in attendance.
The gathering heard from chairman Wayne Davis about the successes of the program and the continued goal of lending an informative, helping hand to Downeaster riders.
Wednesday was "Train to Maine Day" at North Station. Natalie & Brian from NNEPRA led a group (including our own board member Bob Rodman) that engaged the folks at the station - passing out beach balls, t-shirts, timetables and other baubles to let folks know Maine was just a Downeaster ride away. NNEPRA has an impressive ad campaign underway in our 'southern' station cities.
NNEPRA also debuted a new video entitled, "I ride the Amtrak Downeaster." It was produced by this site's webmaster. Enjoy it by going here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6EiE-dP8QU
It's a big step forward for Exeter - the only Downeaster stop in New Hampshire without a station building.
The Exeter Station Committee, headed by TrainRiders/NE board member Bob Hall, worked with the state DOT and received a $282,240 grant to convert the old baggage building into a new transportation center.
Congratulations to Bob, the committee and the NHDOT! More in Seacoastonline.
Maine voters approved Question 3, the Transportation Bond Issue, by a 58-42 margin. This is good news for maintaining freight rail service and its jobs in Northern Maine. The issue read as follows:
"Do you favor a $47,800,000 bond issue to create jobs in Maine through improvements to highways, railroads and marine facilities, including port and harbor structures, and specifying the allocation of $4,000,000 of the transportation bond approved by voters in November 2009 to be used for capital rail purposes?"
More details at the Portland Press Herald website.
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Rio de Janeiro: American pop star Stevie Wonder and Brazilian singer-songwriter Gilberto Gil filled Copacabana Beach with music during a seaside concert that attracted some 400,000 people, police said.
Christmas Eve on one of Rio de Janeiro`s most famous beaches rocked to the soul and pop rhythms of Stevie Wonder, who appeared with a band of 11 musicians and opened with "What a Wonderful World This Would Be".
The charismatic musician spoke in Portuguese to an audience he won from the start, and which he fully entranced with a version of "Garota de Ipanema" (The Girl from Ipanema), the classic bossa nova number created by Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim.
Wonder was preceded by Gilberto Gil, who gave a touch of reggae and Brazilian pop music to the night before Christmas, and who also paid special tribute to Claudionor Viana Teles Velloso, known as "Dona Cano" and the mother of Brazilian musicians Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethania, who died Tuesday at the age of 105.
"She lived a very long life and left us the most beautiful family," Gil said of Dona Cano.


text: LONDON (AP) -- The U.S. dollar rose against most other major currencies in European trading late Thursday. Gold prices fell. The euro was quoted at $1.2733, down from $1.2807 late Wednesday. Later, in midday trading Thursday in New York, the euro fetched $1.2736. Other dollar rates in Europe, compared with late Wednesday, included 116.46 Japanese yen, down from 116.59; 1.2426 Swiss francs, up from 1.2350; and 1.1094 Canadian dollars, up from 1.1053. The British pound was quoted at $1.8748, down from $1.8842. In midday New York trading, the dollar bought 116.40 yen and 1.2426 Swiss francs, while the pound was worth $1.8749. Gold traded in London at $616.80 bid per troy ounce, down from $636.90 late Wednesday. In Zurich, gold was quoted at $617.00, down from $636.90. Gold fell $3.10 in Hong Kong to $633.90. Silver traded in London at $12.57 per troy ounce, down from $13.16.


text:
|Auckland Portworkers (Wharfies) mass rally March 10, 2012
Port workers struggles
he fight between shipowners, port owners and wharfies (portworkers) in Aotearoa is about driving down shipping costs to restore profits to the monopoly shipping lines. It is little surprise then that Ports of Auckland backed by the new right NACT regime came out in 2011 hell-bent on smashing the Maritime Union of NZ (MUNZ) the union covering wharfies, to drive down wages by contracting out jobs.
The board members of the ports of Auckland were picked as part of the restructure of Auckland in the invention of a Supercity. Where the elected Auckland Regional Council had run the port and used profits to subsidise public transport developments, the new board was hand-picked by Rodney Hide on behalf of global finance capitalism. The port was set up as Ports of Auckland Ltd (POAL), prepared for privatisation. It is ready for the next right-wing dominated council to privatise.
Already the Ports of Auckland have contracted out work. They set up Conlinxx as a 70% POAL owned contractor that drives shuttles moves containers between ports and the "Wiri inland port". The other (30%) player in this is NZL, a Tauranga based capitalist logistics contractor. This is a part privatisation at the port. Other private contractors getting in behind the gates are Spotless and Labour hire companies.
National-Act attacks on the working class continue to create unemployment and at the same time they harass the unemployed into accepting any job at low wages. Marx described the unemployed as a reserve-army of labour: A part of the working class that is ready for work. Unless the union movement starts to protect the unemployed – the capitalist class will continue to use the unemployed as scabs in fights with organised unions.
As a direct result of the POAL dispute the NACT regime is writing new labour laws which support the bosses walking away from negotiations and screwing the working class and dumping unions completely. The new legislation will allow bosses to lockout workers and replace them legally to smash the unions.
The Labour Party plays it "safe": Neither for nor against the wharfies. Auckland Mayor Len Brown and Opposition leader David Shearer don't want to takes sides in a class war. They play the roles the capitalist class allows them – and are proven to be ineffective for workers needs in this fight.
While the current situation has reached a stalemate and no further contracting out is happening, workers have lost wages during the recent strikes and lockouts, and are now subject to total video surveillance on the job. Unless the union learns the lessons of its failure to mobilise the wider working class support to shut down the port, it is only a matter of time before the next round of attacks under the new labour law 'reforms' take place.
Break the labour law!
Those labour supporters and union leaders who continue to think these attacks are just "rogue' employers and possible to control those "bad faith" employers with "good laws" are foolish. Capitalist crisis is the underlying cause of these attacks on the working class as the capitalist class tries to restore their profits at the expense of the working class. Parliament will not tame capitalism. Only the working class taking control of ALL the workplaces internationally can end this crisis ridden system and build an economy planned to meet the needs.
The existing union leadership continues to follow the legal road when the capitalist state has them legally cornered. To break the law would jeopardise their role as the agents of capital in the unions. Under capitalist law unions are tamed: Real pickets (that shutdown the workplace) or "illegal" strikes risk financial penalties on unions and their officials. That is the way the capitalist state has neutered the official unions. We have to look back to unions who refused to operate under the bosses laws, for an example of unions who refused to be tied down by the capitalist laws: the Red Feds. Workers need unions since they give us the opportunity to organise collectively, but we also need maximum independence from the capitalist class.
There are two areas of rank and file struggle when unions have been tamed. We fight within the unions, to raise demands for the needs of workers to be met – and run into the limits of unions working within the system. So that we can be as organised as possible, and so every worker learns that unions are limited by capitalism within capitalism. We fight outside the union –as a party we aim to organise the wider working class. For example the occupy movement in California demonstrated how it could unite with rank and file unionists to shut down West Coast ports even for a few hours.
Further, the dispute at Longview proved that non-unionised workers in Occupy could join forces with the ILWU rank and file shut down the port to force the employers to negotiate a truce (agreement) with the union. In the process the union officials are exposed as doing deals to keep the lid on a union revolt that also organises non-union workers. Thus we can build a new labour movement uniting organised and un-organised workers by fighting for democratic, fighting unions that break from the bureaucracy and the bourgeois labour laws.
Meat workers struggles
The fight between Meat company bosses and Meat workers is also about casualising labour to drive down wage costs and the price of meat shipped offshore during a global capitalist crisis. NZs competitive advantage in producing meat for export depends on driving down labour costs further than its competitors.
The recent round of attacks on meat workers was started by the CMP (Canterbury Meat Packers part of the ANZCO group) who used a 65 day lockout at its plant in Rangitikei to force a 20% pay cut. ANZCO Foods Ltd, is jointly owned by the directors and managers, Itoham Food Inc and Nippon Suisan Kaisha Ltd. "Sir" Graeme Harrison is the Chairman of the Board and was awarded Wellington businessman of the year.
On 17th November 2011 another 50 NZMWU members from branches across the country converged on the plant as well as members of many other unions, joining the locked out workers in a 200-strong mass picket. Rather than let the scabs confront the reinforced picket the bosses closed the plant down for the day. This was a real picket because it shut down the plant. However the working class needs to be ready to do this for more than one day i.e. indefinitely, until the bosses concede to the needs of the working class.
Talleys – Affco tried the same as ANZCO, locking out the members of the Meat Workers Union at its plants while continuing to run on a scab workforce. Some families were split between those still working and those on picket lines! As we wrote in an earlier issue a picket that cannot stop family members from crossing it is not a picket! The only way for workers to shut down the meat works is for real pickets that stop the scabs.
Because of the weakness of the token pickets it was the Iwi leaders who came to the rescue. Iwi politics became the negotiators after Tainui workers put pressure on iwi leaders to help with negotiations. Contrary to the official union line, it was not working class solidarity but tribal ties to Iwi capitalism that threatened the Talley family to resolve the dispute.
Class not 'family' solidarity
The two meat workers disputes highlight what is progressive and reactionary in the NZ working class. At Fielding working class solidarity shut down the plant for a day showing that the way forward is the mass picket that defies the labour law. At the Talley plants families were split and the appeal to the Tainui leaders to pressure the Talley family was the result of working class weakness. Pressure by Iwi capitalists on Meat bosses has more to do with the backroom deals between bosses than trade union struggle. It poses the question put to Class Struggle by one Tainui worker after the settlement; why do we need unions?
Under the impact of the global crisis, NZ is reverting back to the extractive colony of the late 19th century when its role in the world economy was to provide raw materials for the mother countries. This trend will be reinforced by the Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement that will re-colonise NZ. The only resistance that will succeed against global capitalism will be a mass movement of workers and poor farmers united across the whole Pacific to prevent the exploitation of raw materials and land in what is a rip, shit, bust process of recolonisation. Today this struggle cannot be won by indigenous struggles such as that of Maori nationalism. Maori are now divided along class lines with Iwi bosses voting for privatisation of assets, while the vast majority of Maori are at the bottom of the working class. We need to unite along class lines nationally and internationally across the whole Pacific to take back and take control of the resources we need to survive.
· We need to prepare for Strikes, Occupations and Workers Control!
· Mass pickets to defend the jobs, and protect union workers! Mass pickets to shut down workplaces!
· Occupy against the 1%, workers control!
· For Occupations and Nationalisations without compensation under workers control!
· For a General Strike to defeat the NACTs and for a mass Workers Party based on the rank and file of the unions!
· For a Workers' Government and planned socialist economy!
· For a Socialist Aotearoa in a Socialist Asia/Pacific!