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|In the Matter of
The Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") deems it appropriate that public administrative proceedings be, and they hereby are, instituted pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act") against Saf T Lok, Inc. ("Saf T Lok" or the "Respondent") to determine whether Saf T Lok violated Sections 10(b) and 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder.
In anticipation of the institution of these administrative proceedings, the Respondent has submitted an Offer of Settlement for the purpose of disposing of the issues raised in these proceedings. Solely for the purpose of these proceedings and any other proceedings brought by or on behalf of the Commission or in which the Commission is a party, the Respondent, without admitting or denying the findings set forth herein, except that it admits to the jurisdiction of the Commission over it and over the subject matter of these proceedings, consents to the entry of the findings and to the issuance of this Order Instituting Proceedings Pursuant to Section 21C of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Making Findings and Imposing Cease-and-Desist Order ("Order").
On the basis of this Order and the Respondent's Offer of Settlement, the Commission finds the following1:
Saf T Lok, a Florida corporation headquartered in West Palm Beach, manufactures and markets patented gun locks that are designed to prevent the unauthorized or accidental discharge of weapons on which they are installed. Saf T Lok has marketed its products as tools to prevent the unauthorized use of firearms, especially by children. Saf T Lok common stock is registered with the Commission pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act and traded on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market.
1. Background: Saf T Lok Enters Into a Private Stock
Offering to Raise Capital and Avoid Delisting From Nasdaq
In June of 1997, Nasdaq officials notified Saf T Lok management that the company faced delisting from the Nasdaq SmallCap Market because its total assets had fallen below $2 million. Desperate to raise capital, Saf T Lok began negotiating with an individual named Sholam Weiss ("Weiss"),2 who claimed to represent various offshore entities that were interested in investing in the company through an offering of restricted stock pursuant to Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933. Discussions between Saf T Lok and Weiss contemplated pricing the Regulation S stock at $1.50 per share, a discount of approximately 60 percent from the market price of approximately $3.60 per share. However, Nasdaq's Listing Qualifications Panel concluded in a letter dated October 14, 1997, that such a discount was "excessive" and that the proposed offering would be "harmful to the investing public." Nasdaq informed Saf T Lok that closing the offering at the proposed terms would result in the immediate delisting of the company's securities. Thereafter, Weiss agreed to increase the offering price from $1.50 to $2 per share.
Saf T Lok eventually issued $3 million worth of common stock (and additional stock purchase warrants), to the three alleged offshore investors represented by Weiss, and avoided delisting. As a result of the various fees, expenses and other third-party payments ordered by Weiss, however, Saf T Lok netted a total of only $1,910,000 in exchange for issuing the $3 million of common stock.
2. Saf T Lok Makes False or Misleading Disclosures
Concerning a Purported Business Consultancy Contract
As one condition to closing Saf T Lok's 1997 Regulation S offering at the higher price required by Nasdaq, Weiss demanded that Saf T Lok enter into a contract with an entity called A.B. & Associates ("AB") and pay $250,000 for supposed business consulting services. AB was a shell entity created by a longtime acquaintance of Weiss. It listed a commercial mail box facility in Monsey, New York for an address, had no clients, and had never conducted any business. In short, AB had no capacity to provide such services.
Nevertheless, at Weiss's insistence, Saf T Lok entered into a contract with AB to provide certain consulting services. Specifically, the contract provided that AB might, among other things, review, analyze and report on proposed investment opportunities and short-term and long-term investment policies, and render advice with respect to public and private financings. Saf T Lok did not attempt to negotiate any of the provisions of the purported agreement, but simply accepted all the terms of a contract proposed by Weiss.
Saf T Lok disclosed this purported "financial and management consulting services agreement" with AB in its Form 8-K filed on November 14, 1997, but failed to disclose any of the material facts concerning AB, or that Saf T Lok would receive no services or anything else of value from AB in exchange for its $250,000 payment.
3. Saf T Lok Makes False and Misleading Statements
Concerning a Purported $20 Million Distribution Agreement
a. Background
While negotiating the terms of Saf T Lok's Regulation S offering on behalf of his purported offshore investors, Weiss proposed to Saf T Lok management that he would set up a distribution company that would sell Saf T Lok's products. Weiss had a new company, United Safety Action, Inc. ("USA"), incorporated for the stated purpose of distributing Saf T Lok's gun locks. USA had no assets, offices, or employees. Its business address was the same commercial mail box facility in Monsey, New York used by AB. Weiss proposed to raise $10 million to finance USA's operations, with $7 million to purchase an inventory of Saf T Lok products for resale, and $3 million earmarked for related expenses. During negotiations of the USA agreement, however, Weiss indicated to Saf T Lok management that he would be unable to raise the full $10 million, although he still proposed to raise a much smaller amount, perhaps as little as $2 million to $3 million. USA eventually received total funding of only $150,000.
b. Saf T Lok Enters Into the USA Distribution Agreement
Despite USA's lack of financing and inability to perform, Saf T Lok entered into a distribution agreement with USA on February 12, 1998. The contract granted USA exclusive rights to distribute Saf T Lok's products to retailers, and provided that USA would purchase up to $20 million of gun locks over a three-year period. However, as a practical matter, the agreement only committed USA to purchase $1 million of locks. Specifically, the agreement provided that USA could terminate the contract after fulfilling the "initial order" of $7 million of gun locks. It also provided that any purchase orders Saf T Lok received from "any customer" would count towards satisfying USA's "initial order" obligation. On February 11, 1998, one day before entering into the USA agreement, Saf T Lok had announced its receipt of a $6 million purchase order from a third-party wholesaler ("Wholesaler"), potentially leaving USA with a purchase obligation of only $1 million.
c. Saf T Lok Makes False or Misleading Statements and
Omissions in Describing the USA Distribution Agreement
Saf T Lok published a series of materially false or misleading statements concerning the USA agreement in various press releases and Commission filings in 1998. First, a February 19, 1998 Saf T Lok press release announcing the USA distribution agreement included the false statement that USA "had secured $10 million in working capital" to start its business plan and advertising campaign. Additionally, the release falsely claimed that USA had an "obligation to purchase at least $20 million" of Saf T Lok products, and quoted Saf T Lok's president and chief executive officer as saying that the agreement was "guaranteeing $20 million in sales." The following month, on March 13, 1998, Saf T Lok filed a Form 8-K that discussed the terms of the USA distribution agreement, but failed to disclose that USA was not financially capable of performing its obligations.
Two months later, in May 1998, Saf T Lok made additional false or misleading statements and omissions about the USA distribution agreement. Saf T Lok's Form 10-Q for the first quarter ended March 31, 1998 (filed May 20, 1998) falsely described USA's minimum purchase obligations as "in addition" to the $6 million purchase order received from the Wholesaler. Further, the Form 10-Q added: "Based on the aforementioned, management believes it has adequate capital to fund operations for a reasonable period of time." At that late date, however, three months after the purported USA agreement was entered into, USA still had no capital and had not made a single payment to Saf T Lok under the distribution agreement. Finally, in a May 21, 1998 earnings announcement, Saf T Lok falsely stated that the USA contract would provide a "minimum of $20 million in orders over a 24-month period." The release also attributed to Saf T Lok's president and CEO the baseless claim that, in light of the USA contract, "the Company will be profitable in the next quarter."3
4. Saf T Lok Announces, Then Voids, a Major Development Contract
In May 1998, Saf T Lok entered into a contract with a laser technology company to develop a fingerprint recognition system, mounted on a handgun, that would unlock the weapon only if the user's fingerprints matched the fingerprints pre-set in the system. The laser technology, if effectively applied to Saf T Lok's products, had the potential to revolutionalize the gun locks. However, the technology necessary to implement such a product was unproven, and Saf T Lok lacked the resources to finance its development. Saf T Lok's chairman authorized the expenditure of no more than $20,000 to investigate the possible development and application of the technology. Saf T Lok entered into a contract with the laser technology company in May 1998.
On May 26, 1998, Saf T Lok issued a materially false and misleading press release announcing the contract. The release failed to disclose material uncertainties about the technology or that Saf T Lok lacked the resources to finance the development of the proposed product. On the contrary, the release boasted that the fingerprint recognition system "will be available by the end of the year."
Approximately two weeks later, Saf T Lok voided the contract because it was unwilling to commit the required resources to it. Saf T Lok issued a press release that same day, after the market closed, announcing termination of the agreement.
5. Saf T Lok Pays For and Reviews Drafts of a
False and Misleading Third-Party Research Report
In February 1998, Saf T Lok paid $5,000 to a securities analyst ("Analyst") to prepare a research report for dissemination concerning Saf T Lok and its securities. The Analyst received certain financial information from the company, and spoke to senior management and another employee about Saf T Lok and its products. The Analyst later sent a draft of his research report to Saf T Lok, and had a conference call with its CEO to discuss possible revisions.
The report, issued later under the name of State Street Securities,4 strongly recommended an investment in Saf T Lok, describing the company and its products in glowing terms and projecting dramatic increases in Saf T Lok's sales, earnings and stock price. State Street Securities placed the report on the PR Newswire and on the Business Wire on February 17, 1998.
The research report included false or misleading forecasts about the company's business prospects. For example, the report projected sales of two million units in 1998 and three million units in 1999, with net sales of $60 million in 1998, and $90 million the following year, figures that Saf T Lok's chairman and CEO both later acknowledged were unreasonable. The report further said that the stock price "could rise to $20-$40 per share over the next 12-24 month period."5 Saf T Lok officials reviewed the report - including those figures - before it was published, and knew that those projections were unreasonable and far exceeded the company's own projections. Nevertheless, Saf T Lok did not object to those financial projections at the time the report was prepared or disseminated, issue any corrective disclosure, or take any steps to halt distribution of the report until May 1998, three months after the report was made public.
6. The Market for Saf T Lok Stock
Several of the false or misleading statements discussed herein had a material impact on the daily trading volume and price of Saf T Lok common stock. For example, for the month of January 1998, Saf T Lok stock traded at an average price of approximately $3 per share, at an average daily volume of approximately 330,200 shares. On February 17, 1998, the day State Street Securities released its "strong buy" recommendation, the stock closed at $4 3/16 per share, an increase of approximately 9.8 percent from the previous day's close of $3 13/16 - on trading volume of nearly 2 million shares. For the three-day period of February 17 through February 19, 1998 (the date Saf T Lok announced the USA distribution agreement), the stock's average daily trading volume was nearly 1.4 million shares. Finally, on June 12, 1998, the first full trading day after Saf T Lok announced the termination of the fingerprint development contract, Saf T Lok's stock price fell approximately 23 percent, from $4.25 per share to its closing price of $3.25 per share.6
1. Applicable Law
Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder prohibit the use of manipulative and deceptive practices in connection with the purchase or sale of a security. Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act requires all issuers with securities registered under Section 12 of the Exchange Act to file such periodic reports as the Commission shall prescribe by its rules and regulations. Rules 13a-11 and 13a-13 require issuers to file Forms 8-K (as necessary) and Forms 10-Q (quarterly), respectively. Inherent in Section 13(a)'s reporting requirement is the requirement that all reports be complete and accurate. A violation of Section 13(a) occurs if periodic reports contain materially false or misleading information. Moreover, Rule 12b-20 requires that such reports contain, in addition to all expressly required disclosures, such other information as is necessary to ensure that the statements made in the report are not materially misleading.
2. Liability for False and Misleading Disclosures Concerning
The Purported Consulting, Sales and Development Contracts
a. The AB Business Consulting Agreement
Saf T Lok violated the antifraud provisions, as well as Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13a-11 and 12b-20 thereunder, by falsely describing the AB contract as a bonafide consulting agreement in its Form 8-K filed November 14, 1997, and failing to disclose the true circumstances concerning the formation of the purported agreement. The disclosure was material because it concerned the supposed hiring of a firm to provide advice on raising capital, and involved the disposition of approximately eight percent of the gross proceeds of the Regulation S offering - facts of import to reasonable investors of a company facing possible delisting. Full disclosure of the facts and circumstances concerning the AB agreement was necessary to make Saf T Lok's disclosure not misleading.
b. The USA Distribution Agreement
Saf T Lok violated the antifraud provisions by making false and misleading statements and omissions in two press releases concerning the purported USA distribution agreement. Saf T Lok also violated the antifraud provisions, as well as Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 13a-11, 13a-13, and 12b-20 thereunder, by making false or misleading statements and omissions concerning that purported agreement in two Commission filings.7 The disclosures falsely described USA's financial ability to perform its obligations under the contract, and misrepresented the terms of the agreement. The false or misleading statements was material to investors, since Saf T Lok at that time had little sales and no profits. Full disclosure of the circumstances surrounding the USA agreement was necessary to make Saf T Lok's disclosures not misleading.
c. The Laser-Based Fingerprint Development Contract
Saf T Lok also violated the antifraud provisions by issuing the false and misleading press release on May 26, 1998 that announced the fingerprint development contract, which included terms that Saf T Lok was unwilling to accept. The press release was material because it reported a major development - computer-based fingerprint technology - that could have fundamentally changed the nature of Saf T Lok's products.
3. Direct Liability for Inaccurate Projections
In a Research Report Paid for by Saf T Lok
Under Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, Saf T Lok is directly liable for the materially false and misleading projections contained in the analyst report ultimately issued by State Street Securities. Saf T Lok paid $5,000 to an analyst to prepare the State Street Securities report; Saf T Lok senior management provided information (including a copy of the illusory USA contract) to the author, edited a draft of the report, represented that the report was consistent with the company's views, and then released the report to State Street Securities for the purpose of public distribution. By exercising such direct control over the report, Saf T Lok is directly liable for its contents. Saf T Lok management recognized that the report's projections lacked any reasonable basis and they far exceeded internal company projections. For example, the report projected sales of two million units in 1998 and three million units in 1999, with net sales of $60 million in 1998, and $90 million the following year. The report further said Saf T Lok's stock price "could rise to $20-$40 per share over the next 12-24 month period."8
On the basis of this Order and the Offer of Settlement submitted by the Respondent, the Commission finds that Saf T Lok violated Sections 10(b) and 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder.
In view of the foregoing, the Commission has determined to accept the Respondent's Offer of Settlement.
Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 21C of the Exchange Act, that Saf T Lok cease and desist from committing or causing any violation and any future violation of Sections 10(b) and 13(a) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5, 12b-20, 13a-11, and 13a-13 thereunder.
By the Commission.
Jonathan G. Katz
1 The findings herein are made pursuant to Saf T Lok's Offer of Settlement and are not binding on any other person or entity in this or any other proceeding.
2 In an unrelated matter, Weiss, 46, of Monsey, New York, was convicted in November 1999 after a lengthy trial in federal court in Orlando, Florida of 78 counts of racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering, and other crimes in connection with the looting of millions of dollars from a life insurance company. Weiss fled during the start of jury deliberations, and became a fugitive. He was sentenced in absentia to 845 years in prison and ordered to pay a $123 million fine and another $125 million in restitution. He was arrested in Vienna, Austria, on October 24, 2000, and is awaiting extradition proceedings.
3 For the first quarter of fiscal 1998, Saf T Lok announced a net operating loss of approximately $76,000 on gross revenue of approximately $277,000. The USA contract did not make Saf T Lok profitable for any quarter, as neither the Wholesaler nor USA met its obligations under their respective agreements.
4 State Street Securities, now known as Taylor Stuart Financial, is a registered broker-dealer based in New York, and is not related to State Street Bank and Trust Co. State Street Securities was the placement agent in Saf T Lok's $3 million Regulation S offering in 1997. State Street Securities distributed the report at Saf T Lok's invitation, after reviewing its contents with Saf T Lok's senior management.
5 On February 17, 1998, the date the State Street Securities report was released, Saf T Lok stock closed at $4 1/32 per share.
6 Saf T Lok's June 11, 1998 press release announcing the termination of the fingerprint development contract also announced other events adverse to the company.
7 See supra at Section III B(3)(c).
8 An issuer that sufficiently involves itself in the preparation of a third-party research report is liable for any false statements or baseless projections contained in the report under a separate theory of liability, sometimes referred to as the "entanglement theory." Under this theory, the issuer's prepublication involvement is such that the information in the report can be reasonably attributed to the company itself. See e.g., Elkind v. Liggett & Myers, Inc., 635 F.2d 156, 163 (2d Cir. 1980); Schaffer v. The Timberland Co., 924 F. Supp. 1298, 1310 (D.N.H. 1996) ("liability may attach to an analyst's statements where the defendants have expressly or impliedly adopted the statements, placed their imprimatur on the statements, or have otherwise entangled themselves with the analysts to a significant degree"); In re ICN/Viratek Securities Litigation, Fed. Sec. L. Rep. (CCH) ¶99,213 (S.D.N.Y. 1996); In the Matter of Presstek, Inc., Exchange Act Rel. No. 39472 (December 22, 1997). Saf T Lok, however, did more than merely involve itself in the publication of the State Street Securities report. By paying for the report, which, as described above, Saf T Lok knew contained false and misleading information, Saf T Lok is directly liable for the report's contents, just as it would be liable for a false and misleading press release prepared by a third-party public relations firm. SEC v. Green Oasis Environmental, Inc., SEC Lit. Rel. No. 15876 (D.S.C. August 21, 1998) (injunction entered against issuer that paid public relations firm which issued false and misleading press releases as part of fraudulent scheme).
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We moved into our neighborhood 11 years ago.
When we bought this house, most of the homeowners in this area were retired couples who would sit outside and drink sweet tea, while they waved to my kids.
They were givers.
They would bake cookies for us for the holidays, and surprise me by shoveling my driveway when it snowed.
I would sit and talk with them, and listen to some of the world's greatest stories.
Just such beautiful generation of people, raised right, and so lovely to be around.
I loved it so much.
In the decade since we moved in, many of those good people have either passed away or moved to assisted living. Consequently, our neighborhood has become rental central, so we are constantly getting new neighbors.
This demographic is much different.
Renters do not invest, neither in property nor relationships.
Their grass is knee high before they mow.
They don't speak to neighboring families unless they want something.
They have often moved out before I even knew they were there.
So last year a new family moved in next door. They have dropped in several different times to borrow everything imaginable.
Show shovels.
Frozen pizza.
At one point I considered putting in a drive-thru window for their convenience.
And mine.
Shortly after they moved in, one of the little girls was making fun of Zion when he was playing outside. Zoë came into the house bawling her eyes out, saying that the little girl was mimicking Zion and making fun of the autism. To this day, I have never seen Zoë cry quite like that.
I marched directly out into the street and "lectured" that little girl for 10 minutes.
Mess with my kids. I eat you. Roll credits.
Not my finest moment by any stretch.
But it did get me chatting with the mom, who is actually quite nice.
She apologized for the actions of the little girl, who is actually just a cousin who was visiting.
My neighbor went on to tell me about her oldest daughter, who has "severe ADHD," and is on 3 different kinds of medication…so she understands my pain.
She asked if Zion was on medication, to which I replied a simple "No." She asked why. I explained that I choose to send him to intensive therapy instead of medicating him. She couldn't understand why I would do such a thing. That was okay with me.
I don't need her to understand.
She finally reached the point that she could tell that this was not a subject for driveway discussion, so she didn't say much more…though she did manage to slip in that that her daughter wouldn't be able to function without her meds.
I tuned out completely at that point, though I did feel a small wave of relief. I thought perhaps this woman might be more understanding than most neighbors when Zion chooses to throw all of our fallen tree limbs into her yard, or go up onto her porch to draw some chalk art, or climb the fence into her yard and pick all of her marigolds.
Or pee on them.
About a week later, I was outside in the back yard, and I saw the oldest daughter drinking a frappuccino from Starbucks.
A few days later, I saw her drinking a frozen coke.
Veddy intedesting.
Since that time, I have seen her with Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and about a zillion other caffeinated beverages.
So it seems to me that baby girl's severe ADHD may actually be severe bad parenting.
And sugar/caffeine overload.
(Excuse me while I puke, lady. You don't understand my pain.)
But this is our society these days.
Ingest insane dosages of caffeine on the daily, then take medications to control the hyperactivity.
This is ludicrous.
Let me tell you a little story.
The past couple of months my mom and I have been whipping my house into shape to put it on the market, so the kids and I can move back to my hometown.
Isn't it incredible how long you can walk past a door caked with kid dirt and doggie prints, and not even notice? (Or care?) But suddenly when you're faced with presenting your living space of over a decade to a stranger, you can find flaws at every turn.
Battered and dirty baseboards.
Missing switch plates. (The one in the living room has been missing for 6 years.)
Tiny handprints on door frames.
Lime-stained bathroom tile.
Grease spots on the kitchen ceiling.
So two weeks ago, mom chose to dive into the project of the front bathroom.
The plan was simple, yet tedious…
- Scrape the shower tile with a razor blade.
- Scrub everything with Lime Away.
- Paint the walls.
Mom spent hours scraping the tile. Once she reached an acceptable stopping place, she started to take down the fixtures.
Rusted bathroom shelves.
Dated towel hooks.
Zion's mural of urine on the wall behind the toilet.
Now, right about the time mom went to pull the shelf out of the shower, I heard her say, "Oh crap…..Angie?"
I walked hesitantly toward the bathroom, half expecting to see a mammoth wolf spider.
The shower wall had busted in. Mom had leaned on it ever so gently, and it popped right open like a can of Pringles.
And guess what was behind that busted tile?
You guessed it.
And lots of it.
I started laughing.
I said, "So, do you think the buyer will notice if we just hang a poster over it?"
After a call to the insurance company, and an estimate from my contractor, I learned what I already knew in my heart. The whole bathroom and adjacent laundry room need to be gutted.
To the tune of about six grand.
Well this is delightful. Our goal was to make the space aesthetically pleasing, not get into a deep-rooted problem that would cost thousands of dollars and tons of time.
In a perfect world there would never be busted walls or mold or drywall rot.
But life doesn't work that way, does it?
So I have two choices:
I can heavily caulk those tiles back into place, pretend the issue doesn't exist, put some pretty paint on the walls, and put it on the market as-is.
I can tear down those walls and demo (demolish) that bathroom to the root of the problem, and fix it for good.
The latter is expensive.
And time consuming.
And all out exhausting.
But worth it.
Same with Zion.
For him, medication is like a crappy caulk job on a rotting shower.
ABA therapy is our version of a complete demo and remodel.
And worth every penny.

subset: commoncrawl


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Your Recycling Questions Answered
We asked our Facebook fans to tell us what they've always wanted to know about recycling and we were inundated with questions!
Here's our top 12 answered by Recycle Now, the national recycling campaign for England.
- Why is recycling not the same UK-wide?
- What plastics can I recycle?
- What should you add to compost?
- Lids on or off?
- Are all bio-based plastics biodegradable?
- Does everything have to be perfectly clean before it is recycled?
- Does it matter if I don't separate different coloured glass?
- What everyday items are made out of recycled materials?
- What happens to the things we recycle?
- How is recycling separated if it all goes in one bin?
- How many times can you recycle an item before it cannot be recycled again?
- What is the current ratio of landfill to recycled materials in the UK?
Q. Why don't all refuse collectors collect the same recyclable items throughout the Country? I have to go to collection points to recycle my plastic and cardboard. My neighbouring county get theirs collected from their homes.
Local authorities (councils) set up appropriate collections for their circumstances based on their budget, resources, the types of housing in their borough, the contracts they have with their reprocessors, the types of vehicles they're able to use, their own storage capacity for the materials they collect, the views of their local counsellors (which is often based on political considerations), council priorities, proximity to treatment plants etc.
Some authorities have lots of space to collect many different items at their own depot, so are able to offer a collection of more items. Some are under contract to external operators, which may or may not be able to offer a broad range of materials to collect and recycle.
It is worth contacting your local authority to enquire why they are not collecting certain materials.
You can check what you can recycle near you using our recycling postcode locator
Q. I never understand what plastic can and can't go in recycling bin, such as can grape plastic basket go in and what about plastic egg boxes? Is there a symbol I should be looking for?
It's best to check what plastics are collected in your area. Putting your postcode into our recycling locator will show you what's recycled near you - recyclenow.com or check with your local council.
Most councils collect all types of plastic bottles – this includes shampoo bottles, bleach bottles, washing up liquid, milk, drinks etc.
For other plastic packaging, local authorities vary as to whether they collect these.
If they do, it tends to be pots, tubs and trays such as plastic fruit baskets and yoghurt pots – but not the plastic bags that some fruit comes in.
You can find out more about the symbols used on packaging here
Q. My hubby is about to make his own compost bin. What should he be putting in to help it become compost quicker?
He should ensure that the compost bin sits on earth/grass. That way worms can easily access the waste to start the process of breaking down the material.
Ensure it has a good mix of materials, greens such as grass and veg peelings, and dry materials, browns.
Turning can help to speed up the process, as can sitting the compost bin in a sunny spot. He should produce some lovely compost after about 9-12 months.
You can find more information here
Q. Lids on or off?
You should check this locally, as each council has different contracts in place with the reprocessors who take the materials collected.
Some are happy to process lids, some not – so check using our recycling postcode locator
Q. Are all bio-based plastics biodegradable?
In theory, all bio-plastics are biodegradable in that they will biodegrade over time. But they are not all compostable. To be compostable, they need to biodegrade within a certain period.
You can find out more about the symbols used on packaging, including the 'seedling' logo for bioplastics here
Q. Does everything have to be perfectly clean e.g. yoghurt pots, or could they contaminate the rest of the recycle items?
Generally as long as items are reasonably clean (a quick rinse in your washing up water once the plates are washed) then that's fine.
You just want to make sure that most of the food residue is removed. However you should check locally as each council will have their own approach.
Q. Does it really matter if I don't separate the different coloured glass... I mean obviously I always do...just asking for a friend
It depends on your local authority collection. Some collect separated and so can achieve a higher rate of income for that colour stream – it helps keep the quality higher.
Other local authorities collect the glass mixed, which can then be sorted at an optical sorting facility.
The best thing to do is to check locally with your council – if they ask for it separated, please do keep the colours separate.
Q. Are there any everyday items made out of recycling materials that would surprise us to know ?
Cars – use recycled aluminium on the body and rags made from recycling old textiles as stuffing for cars
Toilet roll! And kitchen roll
Bin liners
Most glass and metal – as they can be recycled again and again (probably forever!).
Fleeces and football shirts – these can be made from recycled plastic, and some brands already have ranges made entirely of recycled materials.
Some park benches are made out of recycled plastic.
Q. What happens to the things that we recycle, do they recycle all of it or does some of it end up in land fill anyway. I love recycling but wonder where it goes.
Everything that is recyclable, is recycled. Glass can be recycled over and over again, although in England, some is crushed up and used as road aggregate.
Paper is pulped and used by the newsprint industry or made into other paper products such as writing paper, toilet roll and books.
Cardboard is made into products such as tubes for toilet roll inserts. Tins and cans are separated into steel and aluminium and used to make more steel and aluminium products such as food drinks and cans or used in car manufacturing, amongst other things.
Textiles are graded and either reused or recycled into industrial rags and used to stuff car seats.
Garden waste and food waste is composted and used as landfill cover or soil improver - and it may also generate energy.
To find out more have a look at our animations which show how different materials are recycled
Q. I've always wanted to know how they separate things when they take our recycling bin that has glass, metal tins and plastic in one bin. Do they have a special machine, if so how does it work? Or do they have people separating the things by hand, and how do they so this quickly and safely without injury.
Mixed recycling is sent to a materials recovery facility (MRF).
A typical MRF uses a mixture of hand and mechanical sorting to separate all the different materials, using all sorts of different technology to separate out metals, plastic, etc.
The material is carried around the MRF on a series of conveyor belts as it goes through the various processes.
Have a look at this animation which explains it all quite well:
Q. How many times can you recycle an item before it cannot be recycled again?
Each material is different. Paper fibres start to break down, so can only be recycled a limited number of times.
Glass and metal however can be recycled over and over again.
Q. What is the current ratio of landfill to recycled materials in the UK?
The amount of materials sent to landfill in the UK is decreasing. DEFRA collect data on waste and recycling, the latest figures show that in 2013 nearly 18 million tonnes was sent to landfill, whilst almost 11.5 million was recycled.
For Londoners looking local recycling information, please use the postcode locator here (recycleforlondon.com)
All images courtesy of WRAP


text: Hi, I'm John Linscheid. Just turned 63I was diagnosed with prostate cancer in April 2014 (Gleason score 7) and had a radical prostatectomy in July 2014 (due ot a history of Crohns disease and a liver transplant, radiation has not been deemed a safe option). In April 2015, my PSA jumped from undetectible, has since leveled off, and is now slowly rising. I am currently at 0.94. I am being followed by Dr. Naomi Haas at the Abramsom Cancer Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Haas plans to hit me with Lupron when my PSA rises above 1.0. My partner (now husband) of 32 years has been extremely supportive--but then he's gotten used to dealing with medical crap from his loving hunny, I'm afraid. I feel great and we are determined to do some traveling and other fun stuff now that we're both retired. Although I did not post much to the group on the yahoo groups list, it has been a lifeline of information and a great source of support over the last two years. So glad I googled "gay men cancer" and found a link in a article that turned up.


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Robert Frost 101
Robert Frost may be not only the most famous American poet but also the most misunderstood. There is not just one way to read Frost's poems but many, and different interpretations can be difficult to reconcile. Frost was a traditionalist in his style, preferring to write in blank verse and often with rhyme, but he was also an innovator who sought to marry the plain speech of New England to formal verse. We have the nature-loving farmer Frost, who wrote often of rural landscapes and people, and the dark and brooding Frost, whose bleak lyrics literary critic Lionel Trilling called "terrifying." There is the Modernist Frost, the ambitious cosmopolitan who moved to England to rub elbows with Ezra Pound, and the classical Frost, the poet greatly influenced by ancient Greek and Roman poets and by the classic poems in Palgrave's Golden Treasury anthology that he memorized as a boy. This brief sampling of poems, presented chronologically, is a look at the poet's varied work and introduces readers to a number of different Frosts.
Like many of the poems in Frost's first book, A Boy's Will (1913), this sonnet is a meditation in the Romantic mode: the speaker sees truth and "earnest love" through the contemplation of a pastoral scene. But Frost also notably resists Romanticism in important ways: rather than inspiration or natural beauty, work is the source of truth here. The poem can be read on its surface and admired for its ability to capture a quiet moment, but it could also be interpreted symbolically as a poem about poetry itself. For example, the poetic muse can be the tool (a scythe), and poetry—its whisper suggests—is viewed as a process, a form of labor whose yield is facts, not fantasies of "fay or elf" dreamed up in "idle hours." If writing, for Frost, is a kind of work, then so too is reading—a helpful thing to keep in mind when looking for the deeper readings of his poems. Like the departing mower in the poem's final line, the poet must eventually move on and leave readers to make hay of the poem.
"Mending Wall"
The first poem in his sublime second book, North of Boston (1914), "Mending Wall" bears many hallmarks of Frost's distinctive style. Though written in blank verse, its syntax is wild and complex ("Something there is that doesn't love a wall"), and its narrative approach is indirect. Both intimate and impersonal, the poem's coy speaker poses a kind of riddle: if "it's not Elves exactly," then what does knock the rocks from his stone walls? Frost never says, only hints. Indeed, the poem treats the very idea of certainty with some skepticism: The poem's best-known line, "Good fences make good neighbors," is ironically not said by the speaker but by his neighbor, whom Frost gently mocks for being set in his ways. Frost called North of Boston his "book of people," and here we see Frost both of and apart from them, at once teasing and, walking alongside, listening. It's an example of a Frost poem that is often read as a quiet, humorous look at rural life and can be—and has been—read as a statement on isolationism and relations between countries across borders.
"Home Burial"
It's easy to see why poet Joseph Brodsky, in his great essay on Frost, "On Grief and Reason," presents this New England eclogue as his primary evidence of Frost's essential darkness. "Home Burial" is certainly one of Frost's bleakest poems: building relentlessly in intensity, the dialogue between husband and wife about their deceased child reaches no real resolution—the last line cuts off in a dash. Though its brutal theatrics may be a far cry from the sly humor of "Mending Wall," the two poems do have one thing in common: a commitment to the sound of speech and the music of vernacular English. As in "The Oven Bird," Frost knew "in singing not to sing" that a kind of practiced plainness could sound more authentic than traditionally lyric language. Much of the power of "Home Burial" (and Frost's book North of Boston generally) derives from its backwoods characters, whose common speech and circumstances were then uncommon in poetry.
"Christmas Trees"
For a holiday poem, this Yuletide georgic poem from Mountain Interval (1916) is remarkably unsentimental: the speaker declines to sell off his fir trees, not out of principle or Christmas spirit but because the offer is too low. If Frost was skeptical of farming economics, he was also a shrewd student of them, playing up his rural provenance to make ends meet. It's fitting, then, that this meditation on "the trial by market everything must come to" was the first poem his publishers chose for what became an annual tradition, one that neatly charts Frost's growing popularity: the Frost Christmas card. For that first printing in 1929, Spiral Press printed 275 broadsides, intended mostly for friends and family; for the last card, sent shortly before Frost's death in 1962, they printed 16,555.
"Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"
Frost didn't publish his first book until 1913, when he was almost 40. But in the decade that followed, he published three more books, the last of which, New Hampshire (1923), won a Pulitzer Prize. That volume contained this poem, one of his best known and most beloved, which was apparently inspired by a real incident, one that may help explain what was behind his enormous burst of creativity. In the years before he found literary stardom, Frost lived in poverty in New Hampshire, farming to support his family and struggling to finish his first book. Riding home on the winter solstice, the story goes, Frost stopped and began to cry on the side of the road, overwhelmed by shame: he hadn't sold enough at market to give his family a good Christmas. Such personal details are left out of the poem's final version to accommodate a much broader series of interpretations, but their impression lingers: the woods, dark in literal and perhaps figurative ways, offer oblivion for the dispossessed speaker, who nonetheless chooses obligation and the hard work ahead. After all, he believed "the woods are lovely" because they are "dark and deep." The spellbinding repetition at the end of the poem—"And miles to go before I sleep"—has been interpreted to reference the big sleep of death.
"Ten Mills"
A major part of Frost's popular appeal comes from the farmer-poet persona he cannily cultivated on the page and on the stage. In poems like this one, a collection of ten epigrams first published in Poetry magazine in 1936, then collected in Frost's book A Further Range (1937), his tendencies don't cancel so much as synergize; he simultaneously projects wisdom and humility, always making sure we're in on his jokes. The first aphorism sets the tone: the parallel constructions of "Precaution" neatly perform the moderation it espouses. Elsewhere, his couplets are winks and nods, theirrhymes both undercutting their seriousness and underscoring their cleverness. In the final section, "In Dives' Dive," Frost likens the American dream to a card game, at once mocking attitudes and embodying them: the speaker can certainly afford to take a chance on "another five"—he owns the joint. This series of poems shows Frost's tonal range and his uncanny ability to write brief poems capable of yielding multiple interpretations.
"The Gift Outright"
Frost was asked to prepare a new, celebratory poem to read at John F. Kennedy's inauguration in 1961, but on the morning of the ceremony, Frost had difficulty reading his papers in the bright sunlight and instead recited this poem from memory. On its surface, "The Gift Outright" is frankly imperialistic, offering an account of colonization and Manifest Destiny as a kind of national sacrifice. But the 13th line sticks out like a thorn: enclosed in parentheses, it reminds us of the centrality of violence (our "many deeds of war") in American history. As critic Albert J. von Frank observed, our "deed of gift" is literally Faustian: Frost likely lifted the uncommon legal term from Marlowe's version of the German legend in which an ambitious scholar sells his soul to the Devil.
"The Prophets Really Prophesy as Mystics The Commentators Merely by Statistics"
By the end of his career, Frost had achieved a level of fame and status still unmatched in American letters. He had won four Pulitzer Prizes and been awarded so many honorary degrees that he had pieces of the doctoral hoods sewn together to make a quilt. Lionel Trilling said he was "virtually a symbol of America … not unlike an articulate … Bald Eagle." In 1962, at the height of the Cold War, Frost even visited the USSR on a cultural exchange and used his influence to get a brief meeting with Khrushchev. In this poem, the last one he published (and the last of his Christmas card poems), Frost relishes his role as a public figure. Adopting the title of prophet, he imagines, in heroic couplets, a kind of spaceship Earth, unmoored in the heavens by "our lofty engineers." Though its style is far removed from the rural voices that made his name in preference for the scientific fascinations of his later years, Frost still ends the poem with an earthward turn, as if the farmer in him were showing through. "What a charming earnest world it is," he writes in the final stanza, "so modest we can hardly hear it whizz, / Spinning as well as running on a course / It seems too bad to steer it off by force."
Benjamin Voigt grew up on a horse farm in upstate New York. He earned an MFA in poetry from the University of Alabama and is currently a visiting assistant professor of English at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
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A two-day Indo-US Education Colloquium organised by city-based All India Shri Shivaji Memorial Society (AISSMS) in collaboration with Alliance for US India Business (AUSIB) will be held in the city on February 5 and 6.
As part of the event, more than three MoUs will be signed between the society and various US-based companies in the field of pharmacy and hotel management, said AISSMS officials.
"The colloquium will see a delegation of more than 35 renowned academicians, corporate leaders and policy makers from USA and India discuss various issues related to education and research. The delegation includes Swati Dandekar, member, Iowa Utilities Board, Bill Northey, Secretary of Agriculture, Iowa State, Mahesh Naithani of Pharamaceutical industries, to name a few," said Captain Shivaji Mahadkar, honorary secretary, AISSMS.
Mahadkar said the aim of the colloquium is to initiate efforts to strengthen collaborative activity and build partnership between Indian and the US institutions for higher education.
"The colloquium will look at various options for Indian students such as research collaborations, dual degree programmes, twining programmes (where one semester, usually the last, is spent by a student in foreign university), student exchange programmes etc," said Pushkar Kulkarni, manager, Business Development, AUSIB.
"The MoU's will probably allow our Hotel Management students to go abroad for internships. We are also planning to introduce various research centres where pharmaceutical companies will outsource their work to our students. This will be a great learning opportunity for students," said Mahadkar.
"The colloquium will also provide opportunity for one-on-one interaction between US and Indian participants," added Mahadkar.


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Another assumption: Europeans ship most stuff by truck compared to here, where a lot is shipped by rail.This is true. They put quite a bit less cargo on trains, and while barges and ships pick up a bit of the load the bulk of it goes into trucks on the highway.Their rail system is designed for people, not freight.
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I waited seven hours before I got latest development on former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's health status. She's been staying on and off to St. Luke's Medical Center in Global City, Taguig City for few weeks now.
The former President underwent second surgery after the cervical spine operation seems to caused infections. She recently returned in the hospital and now being monitored in the Coronary Care Unit – no visitors allowed.
Good thing, Arroyo's spokesman Atty. Raul Lambino gave initial updates after attending a private mass for the former President inside the hospital. He said, Mrs. Arroyo was allowed to move a little but remain considered as a critical patient. She is not allowed to use any communication gadgets nor learn anything from news sources like media. Her doctors earlier decided to keep a happy face during visits to Mrs. Arroyo as they are trying to lift her morale. Mrs. Arroyo is said to be set to undergo 3rd operations and many feared if the infections does not heal, it may caused paralysis to the former leader, or worst.
I am not a friend nor a supporter of the Arroyos, but I wish that the former President and her family's detractors should shut up for a while. Negative news will not help Mrs. Arroyo in her recovery. Unless, they want her dead.


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Helpful Hints for Writing a Bare Submission
PROMPTS – (these are not by any means guidelines, just ideas if you need some inspiration or are feeling stuck, if they lead to something drastically different, submit that too!)
- Write about any sexual feeling you have had – lust, desire, etc… and where in your body you feel like it stems from – avoid clichés – when you feel pleasure of course it radiates from your pelvis, but do you feel an uplifting in your sternum? Does the top of your head tingle?
- Write specifically about the sexual environment of Skidmore? What is it like to be of a "divergent" sexuality? to feel as though you do not fit within the institution's sexual guidelines? Write editorially, satirically, confessionally, personally, comically.
- Your gender stories: Tell us how you identify and what gender means to you through art, photos, essays, etc.
- Tell us a story about body image/ self-esteem/ self-love.
- What is something you have felt ashamed of? Why do you think you felt that shame? Recall and write down the first time you felt it, try and trace down its origins in writing – what made you feel like you were doing something wrong or something that had to be kept secret? If you maintain this shame write how it effects your life now, and if not write about the moment you overcame it and the realization. Be reflective! This can be therapeutic! This is a chance to make other people feel more comfortable in their own skins, and to make other's realize they are not alone!
- Are you angry about something? Do you want the world to know about a political topic/campaign/policy? Write it down and tell us about it!Write about a fantasy versus your reality
- Have you ever felt angered by someone's reaction to your sexuality? VENT! Write down your reasoning! This is your chance to make them aware, and help them understand!
- Have you ever felt confined by your sexuality? Why? How? Imagine the moment that you break free and what it would be like?
- What's the best sexual experience you ever had? What's the worst? Develop the context of the situation – characters, emotional background, setting – draw people into the story
HOW TO WRITE (once again, just suggestions)
- Get graphic, if you want, or don't – be subtle – both can be interesting, just go for it.
- Make lists
- Write short sentences or very long, allow your sentences to communicate how you're feeling in the moment you're writing about.
- Write in diary entries
- Write a letter to someone else
- Make metaphors – writing about sex or sexuality does not have to be described in literal sexual terms – does sex make you think of something else? Use that action or moment to describe sex or your sexuality Ex: a tennis match, a flower blooming (very cliché example)
- Write instructions for someone else on how to do something sexual, or how live a certain lifestyle that you have experience with – Ex: 'How to be a Lesbian at Skidmore, How to have a threesome with your two best friends'
- Write "a day in the life of" Ex: "A Day In the Life of a Trans Man"
- Write a conversation – via text, email, AIM or real dialogue that conveys something important – let the words speak for themselves
- Don't be afraid to be funny, sex is funny, people respond well to funny
- Don't be afraid of poetry – it doesn't have to rhyme or be cliché – play with word choice, punctuation, alignment, and spacing. Make sure the words you use count because you will use less of them than you do in prose.
- BE HONEST, especially if you're submitting anonymously – what do you have to lose?
We want your paintings, sculptures (we can photograph), photographs, collages, contemporary pieces, comic strips, etc etc etc.
Check out our blog posts for some ideas!


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I've just joined Supercharge your CPD: 23 Things for Professional Development (which I found via here). Described as:-
23 Things for Professional Development, also known as cpd23, is a self-directed, self-paced, inclusive, practical and free online programme open to librarians and information professionals at all stages of their career, in any type of role, any sector, and from any part of the world. It encourages information professionals to explore and discover social media 'Things', including Twitter, RSS feeds and file-sharing, as well as other 'traditional' CPD routes, such as gaining qualifications, presenting skills and getting published. Participants will be asked to assess how each Thing can assist them in their professional development, and then to blog about each Thing and share their thoughts, views and expertise. The programme is completely informal and no prior knowledge or experience is expected or assumed.
The first part was to set up a blog. The second part was to investigate and comment on others. I am hoping to do the course even though my new job means i'm constantly busy.


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This week we have been learning about potential hazards we could come across when walking around roads.
Here is a word cloud of what we have identified as hazards.
Can you think of any other hazards? Please comment below
We are a phenomenal class of year 4-6 learners who are embarking on a journey through LEARN, CREATE, SHARE and REFLECT.
Friday, 8 April 2016
Week 10: 'Stepping out' with Constable Rob
3 comments:
Hi my name Larissa and I am from Grey Main SchoolReplyDelete
I really like your post.
Maybe next time you could put pets into your cloud.
Hi I'm Aniya I really like the way you worked really hard to make your word cloud maybe make some of the words biggerReplyDelete
next time if you do another one, but I really like the color!and all of the words that represent the road ;) I hope you have a good rest of the day! ;)
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It sounds like the title for a classroom presentation by a socially awkward nine-year-old, but according to Prospect's events listing for November (PDF file), tonight the Institute of Electrical Engineers is hosting a talk by the author Deborah Moggach, entitled My Fantasy Art Collection.
Now, we can't find any mention of the event of the IEE's website (we did find a link to the 13th International Symposium on Antennas though), but according to her website, Deborah Moggach is quite a well respected author from west London who is also Chairman of the Society of Authors and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
So what kind of fantasy art does Deborah like talking about? We're envisioning Dunegons & Dragons stuff involving Conan the Barbarian and some scantily-clad amazonion warriors...but maybe that's just us.
More likely (according to past talks Deborah has done) attendees will get "paintings that let you encounter secret dramatic episodes, like the quiet interiors of Dutch genre paintings or the snapshot glimpses of Vuillard and Hopper".
No dragons then?
Next week at the IEE: Jeremy Paxman discusses his collection of Star Wars trading cards.


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S: Socrates: What was the truth?
BC: The Death of Socrates | Socrates was put on trial for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens. On trial, he did not try to explain his principles or persuade the jury to pardon him. After convicted, his followers urged him to flea. However, Socrates firmly believed in his philosophy and Socrates was executed by drinking hemlock. This was the first death from free speech. Socrates revealed the truth, but it seemed like the people of Athens couldn't handle the truth.
FC: Socrates was a teacher philosopher and thinker. He pursued the truth by enabling his students to think for themselves. Socrates would have discussions with the aristocrats of Athens as he constantly questioning their confidence in the truth of popular opinions. Eventually, he payed the ultimate price by being put to death. By using his of critical methods of reasoning and his consistent commitment to truth, Socrates set the standard for all Western philosophy.
1: Socrates lived from 469 to 399 BC. Socrates spent much of his adult life in the agora conversing with Athenians about ethical issues. He had an urge to expose ignorance, hypocrisy, and biased opinions among his fellow Athenians, particularly in regard to moral questions. This caused him to be disliked by most of them. All of his methods of the search of truth would cause him to die prematurely.
2: He taught his students that education was vital to personal growth. Socrates did not use memorization as a teaching tool. However, he proposed that his students should be trained to thinks for themselves. He asked questions that forced students to evaluate his/her own ideas. Socrates taught his students by questioning them extensively which became known as the Socratic Method. Although he was praised by some, Socrates had powerful enemies and many his questions often made public officials look foolish. He criticized Greek democracy, by saying that unskilled people should not hold positions of power. | Socrates: The Teacher
3: The Socratic Method | Socrates was convinced that disciplined practice of thoughtful questioning enabled the students to examine ideas logically and to be able to determine the validity of those ideas. Also known as the dialectical approach, this type of questioning corrected misconceptions and lead to reliable knowledge construction. In Socrates' pursuit of the truth, he allowed others to find it as well through his teachings and principles.
4: The Socratic Syllogism | Syllogism is used to prove that a statement is true. The Socratic syllogism stated that: 1. All men are mortal. 2. Socrates is a man. 3. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.
5: This method is used in our time by the geometrical law of syllogism. This law states that p->q, q->r, then p->r. The law of syllogism is the exact same as the Socratic syllogism. | How Socratic methods of finding the truth visible today.


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William Hill believe around £150m to be staked on each of the Festival's four days – an average of £24m per race for the 26 races.
And they are also predicting a £40m climax for Friday's Gold Cup rematch between Kauto Star and Denman.
At the same time, however, bookies also fear the Festival's four red-hot favourites – Dunguib, Master Minded, Big Buck's and Kauto Star – could cost them as much as £50m if they all come home first.
"Bookies really are starting on the back foot this year," said spokesman David Hood. "These are four outstanding chances for punters to get their teeth into – and each one dominates a day of the Festival.
"We can only hope to get one or more of them beaten, but realistically they look like bankers for the punter and if all four win, it will put the bookies on their knees. Punters won't be able to carry it all home!"
l Meanwhile, Kauto Star is more familiar than Nick Clegg, according to a Ladbrokes survey. A whopping 98 per cent of punters have heard of the Gold Cup favourite while almost one in four punters claim never to have heard of the Liberal Democrat leader.
Cabinet Minister Ed Miliband who left 21 per cent of the public clueless as to who he is, while more people had heard of Gold Cup hero Desert Orchid than Chancellor Alistair Darling.


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MOOVZ Supports ShanghaiPRIDE 2014
Shanghai PRIDE will proudly celebrate its sixth anniversary this year. Building
on its traditional agenda of promoting tolerance and celebrating diversity, this year's festivities will be
organized under the slogan "Better Together". The overarching theme of togetherness which will inspire and
help shape various events reflects the aspirations of the Shanghai-based LGBT community to strengthen its
position in terms of equal rights, acceptance, self-affirmation, and community-building within both the local
and the global contexts, outreaching to other Prides around the world and joining the international LGBT
Pride Month celebrations


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Bradley linked with Sunderland move
Each day we'll bring you the very latest tabloid rumors as the biggest clubs around splash the cash to bolster their rosters. True or not, they're always entertaining…
Chelsea still want to sign Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney despite their interest in Anzhi Makhachkala striker Samuel Eto'o.
Spurs are preparing a £30m bid for Zenit St Petersburg striker Hulk as well as a £26m deal to sign Roma forward Erik Lamela.
Manchester United could ditch plans to sign left-back Leighton Baines and concentrate their efforts on signing his Everton team-mate Marouane Fellaini.
Joe Kinnear insists he is not a threat to the job security of Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew.
Meanwhile, the Magpies have told Arsenal they must pay £20m for French midfielder Yohan Cabaye – with 75 per cent of it up front.
Crystal Palace have launched an ambitious bid to sign Arsenal's out-of-favour striker Nicklas Bendtner.
Barnsley will try to sign Swansea City striker Leroy Lita and hope a £9,000-a-week loan offer will be accepted.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has blamed the media for "brainwashing" Gunners fans into thinking there is a crisis at the club.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has blamed Manchester United counterpart David Moyes for causing Wayne Rooney's Manchester United transfer hell.
Arsenal are considering a £38 million move for Real Madrid's 24-year-old midfielder Mesut Ozil.
Spurs have agreed an £8.5m move for 23-year-old Steaua Bucharest defender Vlad Chiriches.
Atletico Madrid want to take 25-year-old Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata on a season-long loan.
Southampton striker Billy Sharp is poised to seal a move to Scottish champions Celtic.
Cardiff, Swansea and Stoke are in a three-way battle to sign West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie.
Jose Mourinho insists David Moyes is to blame for putting Wayne Rooney at the center of a bitter transfer tug-of-war.
Meanwhile, Arsenal believe they can still persuade Rooney to sign for them, with manager Arsene Wenger also keen on QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar.
French midfielder Yohan Cabaye has told Newcastle he won't play for them while his future is up in the air. Arsenal are looking to make an improved bid.
Gareth Bale is free to join Real Madrid after Tottenham agreed a world record £86million deal with the Spanish giants.
Jose Mourinho told David Moyes: I didn't unsettle Wayne Rooney, you did.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants to sign Chelsea winger Victor Moses, 22, on a season-long loan.
Crystal Palace and West Brom have enquired about Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner who is valued at £3m and wants to stay in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Palace are also interested in Brighton striker Ashley Barnes and 20-year-old Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.
Sunderland have had a £5m bid rejected by Roma for midfielder Michael Bradley, who the Italian side value at £10m.
Everton are in discussions with former Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, 28, who is available on a free from Paris Saint-Germain.
Southampton want to sign Valencia winger Pablo Piatti, 24, on a season-long loan with Everton, Celtic and Rennes also tracking him.
Newcastle watched Marseille pair Andre Ayew and Andre-Pierre Gignac at the weekend.
Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell has been backed for England honors after his second-half brace stunned Manchester City.
Jose Mourinho says David Moyes is to blame for Wayne Rooney's misery at Old Trafford.
Tottenham Hotspur have finally agreed the world-record 100million euro transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
Arsenal are confident of signing forward Angel di Maria from Real Madrid and have also inquired about out-of-favour goalkeeper Iker Casillas.
Tottenham are tracking Inter Milan left winger Alvaro Pereira who played under Andre Villas-Boas at Porto.
Newcastle have made a bid of around £7m for Marseille midfielder Andre Ayew as they look to replace Arsenal-bound Yohan Cabaye.
West Brom are tracking Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac, who scored the winner against Valenciennes at the weekend.
Everton have held talks with Juventus about midfielder Luca Marrone.


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In an era where chairmen of Premier League clubs are as elusive as the offshore bank accounts that house their wealth, Dave Whelan represents a throwback to the day and age when chairmen were the face of a football club wearing dodgy but expensive suits, puffing cigars and dealing in brown paper envelopes. The chairman was the main man and they weren't afraid to let people know it (see Barry Fry).
Dave Whelan is a larger than life character who wears his heart on his sleeve and has never been afraid of voicing his opinion. As a player he characterised all that football traditionalists love about a footballer -strong in the tackle, hard working, honest and fair- and as a chairman he has become admired by many people within the game with how he is a true 'football man' who understands the game and shows honour and loyalty to the men he employs.
Dave Whelan may have won a lot of fans, but he may lose a few with his latest comments in the wake of Wigan's victory against Newcastle.
Wigan's win was marred by Callum McManaman's horrendous knee-high challenge on Massadio Haidara that made all the headlines. The challenge left the Magpies' defender with suspected ligament damage and the well-liked Whelan with a damaged reputation after he refused to acknowledge McManaman's role in the incident.
McManaman, who made his first Premier League start on Sunday, appeared to be distraught after realising the full extent of the event, and while nobody is accusing the Wigan player of committing to the tackle with any malice, Whelan's stance left many observers puzzled.
Whelan, after all, is a man whose career took a turning point when he suffered a fractured leg in the 1960 FA Cup final as his Blackburn Rovers succumbed 3-0 against Wolves, leaving Whelan to join the list of victims of the "Wembley Hoodoo"
"It's horrendous when you do have an accident like that," explained Whelan in a tear-sodden press conference ahead of his team's FA Cup quarterfinal against Everton last week.
While Whelan's lack of resent towards Norman Deeley – the player who committed the foul – is admirable "We both went for the ball. I got the ball and he got me, but I'm not saying it was deliberate because accidents happen when you're both fighting like hell for the ball. He did come over the top, there's no question about that. I've still got two stud marks in my leg. But I don't think it was deliberate" his defense of Callum McManaman's challenge is not.
Whelan stated "The ball was there and McManaman got the ball as clean as a whistle, then followed through and they collided. The referee was 15 yards from the tackle. I don't think his view was blocked. He had a clear view. I had a clear view in the stands"
The fact that Mark Halsey appeared to see the incident and didn't deem it worthy of punishment is totally irrelevant, and should the FA decide to take retrospective action of McManaman then Whelan, Martinez or the player himself will have very little room for complaint.
Such tackles should be punished as a deterrent to others and Whelan should not promote tackles like McManaman's as acceptable in the way he did. The Premier League has seen some horrendous tackles throughout the years, Roy Keane on Alf-Inge Haaland, Martin Taylor's tackle that derailed Eduardo's career at Arsenal and Ryan Shawcross' challenge on Aaron Ramsey to name but a few, but the game has seen a marked decrease in bone-crunching tackles, and while the game has undoubtedly become softer, the players are also safer.
Whelan, a football romantic who has never made a mystery of his disdain for modern football, recalled how Tom Finney refused to take him on in his first game after his injury.
"Finney said 'You've had some bad luck son, and I'm not going to take you on, I want you to get through today's game and get back into the first team.' I'll never forget him saying that to me. He was, and still is, a total gentleman," explained Whelan.
Sadly, with Whelan's comments about the McManaman tackle, he missed out on a big opportunity to emulate Tom Finney and remain to be seen by many in football as one of the nice guys in a modern game that is now sadly lacking in gentlemen.
Has Dave Whelan overstepped the mark with his defense of McManaman or is it all a major overreaction prompted by Newcastle and Alan Pardew? Do you think tackling in the Premier League has got better? Leave your comments below and have your say. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the best that the football world can offer.


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We offer graduate degree programs with classes on campus and online. See how you can earn yours on a timeline that works for you.
Ph.D. in Finance, MS in Finance, and BS in Finance
My Academic Focus Finance
I built my career in finance, culminating in a VP position in the manufacturing sector. After a 20 year career in finance, I wanted to extend my mentoring skills from the office to the classroom. I viewed this as a chance to share my real-world experience with Keller students and marry my finance expertise with my passion for teaching. As VP of finance, I focused on increasing profitability and during M&A negotiations worked with banks and analyzed bids. That work was important, but the most fulfilling part was helping junior members of my staff progress in their careers. Now I do that for my Keller students by teaching them how to apply their analytical skills to real-world business problems, which helps them to apply this new knowledge.
So many of today's students aren't traditional…they're balancing priorities while trying to fit school into their busy lives. That's why Keller offers the flexibility to learn when and where learning is convenient, and it's why I'm available to my students every day of the week. I love that about Keller. I'm also a strong proponent of the type of education Keller offers – programs based on sound business theory that are delivered by professors who bring practitioner, real-world experience to students eager to make an immediate difference in the work place. I'm proud to be a professor at a progressive university that puts teaching and positive student outcomes first.
Keller's Online Course Schedule
See Online Learning FAQs


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Discovery Trail by Quad or Buggy- Frederica Nature Reserve
|Minimum Age
|Operating Days
|All Days
|2 hrs
|Activity Time
|Morning Session: 09.00 Afternoon Session: 13.00 No previous quad bike or buggy experience is needed.
Contact Us+230 269 1000 Send Message
This Activity is currently Not Available
The Spirit of thrilling Adventure - Quad or Buggy Drive
This is a fantastic adventure trail, taking you off the beaten track to discover one of the most rejuvenating sites on the island. This package has specially been designed to meet your expectations for an amazing adventure moment!
In this two hours of comprehensive and intensive exploration at Frederica Nature Reserve, sightseers are indulged into a rich diversity of sites and panoramas, including stops and a possibility of swimming at the L'Exemple waterfall.
More about the Quad/Buggy Discovery Trail
Your journey will start on a four wheel ride in a beautiful natural setting, featuring spellbinding waterfalls, beautiful rivers and enticing geological wonders in the south coast of Mauritius.
Drive through the sugar cane fields along the beautiful coastline, up the Dalsing plains to the higher lands and discover amazing fauna and flora through valleys drenched by enchanting waterfalls and streams.
Throughout this exciting adventure, you will be guided by a professional trainer, who will give you insights about the history of the natural site.
Spot the mysterious Java deer gracefully parade in vast lower plains as you enjoy this absolutely fun drive!
The Discovery Trail at Frederica Nature Reserve includes:
- Duration of excursion: 2 hours
- Activity can be done by:
Single quad-biking, or
Double quad-biking, or
Buggy drive
- Around 5 minutes' walk to L'Exemple waterfall for a swim.
- Equipment/ facilities that will be provided:
Sanitary caps with helmets;
First aid kit;
Bottle of water;
Rain coat.
- Test drive and security briefing.
- Experienced guides by your side for the whole duration of the trip.
Discovery Trail Quad/Buggy & Trekking Adventure
With a combination of trekking and motor sports, this three-hour-and-a-half trail leads deep into Frederica Nature Reserve, along unbeaten paths. After the drive, rejoice in a short trek in the midst of nature where a pure gem unfolds in front of your eyes: the fabulous Quintré Waterfall, where you can enjoy the fresh water.
The Adventure Trail at Frederica Nature Reserve includes:
- Duration of excursion: 3h30
- Activity can be done by:
- Single quad-biking, or
- Double quad-biking, or
- Buggy drive.
- Around 45 minutes of adventurous trek in the lush nature reserve, leading to a Quintré waterfall for a swim.
- Equipment/ facilities that will be provided:
Sanitary caps with helmets;
First aid kit;
Rain coat.
- Test drive and security briefing.
- Experienced guides by your side for the whole duration of the trip.
- Activity: There are morning and afternoon activity sessions
- Number of participants: Maximum 20 pax.
- Minimum age:
Quad - Driver 18 years old; passenger as from 12 years old
Buggy - Driver 16 years old; passenger as from 5 years old
- What to wear: Sports or walking shoes, jeans or trousers, t-shirt, sweat shirt, hat or cap for trekking.
Equipment provided: Safety helmets, goggles, rain coats, water and first aid kit.
- Safety Requirements: This activity is not meant for disabled persons or pregnant women for their own security.
- What to bring: Sunscreen lotion, sun glasses, camera, spare set of clothes, swimming suit, and towel.
- Booking: Should be done 48hrs in advance depending on availability.
- Price for a Single Quad: 95 Euro / person
- Price for a Double Quad (2 pax): 130 Euro / Quad (65 Euro / person)
- Price for a Single Buggy: 95 Euro / person
- Price for a Double Buggy (2 pax): 130 Euro / Buggy (65 Euro / person)
Exclusive Trips for Families:
- Price for Exclusive trip in a Family Buggy (4 seats): 210 Euro / buggy
- Price for Exclusive trip in a Family Buggy (6 seats): 280 Euro / buggy
Dear Customer, to book this activity please contact us on +230 269 1000.


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Sao Tome- Sao Tome and Principe (PANA) -- Sao Tome and Principe Prime Minister Maria das Neves has lodged a court case against Abel Veiga, a correspondent of the Portuguese Radio and Television (RTP)/Africa, accusing him of publicly insulting and defaming him, as well as abusing press freedom.
A reliable source told PANA in the Sao Tomean capital that Maria das Neves lodged the suit against the journalist after he filled a story alleging that three corrupt personalities served in the Sao Tomean government.
His story was based on an interview granted by Arlindo Ramos, one of the directors of the disbanded state security and information services, to the privately-owned bimonthly paper "O Parvo".
Arlindo Ramos alleged that the three top MLSTP-PSD officials were currently part of the executive.
He did not identify them by name.
According to the plaint, the journalist lifted the interview in order to discredit the Prime Minister and public works and infrastructure minister Antonio Quintas.
Arlindo Ramos and RTP/Africa were cited as the co-accused.
Maria das Neves prayed the public prosecutor's office to apply the required sentence against Arlindo Ramos, Abel Veiga and RTP/Africa.
The Prime Minister asked to be paid 300 million dobras (about 30 thousand euros) in damages.


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The Talk Talk annual Digital Heroes competition is back with a bang this year, and they're on the hunt the UK's most extraordinary technology pioneers - and they want to hear from you.
One of last year's winners was Charlene Tait who was shortlisted for setting up Right Click, an online support programme for carers of young people with autism for the Scottish Autism charity.
Following on from her win, Charlene Tait and her team at Scottish Autism have helped over 500 parents and carers so far and hope to roll out similar programmes in the near future.
Digital Heroes - the facts
Digital Heroes are the inspirational individuals offering support to those around them with the help of technology.
Shortlisted winners will each receive £5,000 of funding to enhance their projects; the Next Generation winner will receive £4,000 and a MacBook Air to give them a further boost.
The Digital Heroes are honoured at the House of Commons in the autumn, where the overall winner is announced and granted £10,000 prize money.
Last year's Digital Heroes included the developer of an app that would donate to charity every time the user hit 'snooze' on their alarm, the 2014 winner was inspirational 18-year-old Andrew Mulholland who leads workshops and courses for children, teaching them what computer science is.
Are YOU a Digital Hero?
If you are or know someone making a big impact through technology and would benefit from more funding TalkTalk wants to help.
Simply visit Digital Heroes to nominate yourself or your hero now.
The 10 categories
Employment: If you know someone who is trying to get people back to work, go ahead and let them be known.
Healthy Living: Technology has got a bad reputation for getting people out of shape, so let's give a hi-five to those using tech to kick Britain back into shape.
Silver surfer: Technology is for everyone and this hero loves to show the older generation how to get the most from tech - from email to new messaging platforms like WhatsApp.
Skills: Tutorials, workshops, one on one sessions, you name it, they do it. This hero believes that sharing is caring and won't stop until their knowledge has been shared with everyone.
Volunteer: This hero helps harness tech for good but not just for the money. It's because they just believe in helping others. Let's give them the boost they need to keep on doing it!
Fundraising: Charities and fundraisers need all the help they can get; this hero uses technology to help them raise money through donations.
Next Generation: The next Facebook or Pinterest could be in the making right now, right next door to you. If you know a young internet self-starter with a great idea, let them be known!
Education: Teachers and technology make the world go round, so how about the person who goes above and beyond to ensure no one is left behind.
Sustainability: The environment is under attack, and this hero believes that technology can help save our planet.
Internet Safety: The internet can be a dangerous place and this hero is dedicated to helping children and young people navigate new technology and the internet in safety.
Find out more information on the awards and how to enter at www.talktalkdigitalheroes.co.uk.
Keep up to date with the latest information on the TalkTalk Digital Heroes Awards via the @TalkTalkComms Twitter feed or by searching #digitalheroes.
Read more about the awards on the TalkTalk blog or on Facebook.


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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Lincat catering equipment - most frequently asked questions.
General Questions
Can I buy items direct from Lincat?
In the private sector, Lincat products are sold exclusively through a wide network of catering equipment dealers. To find your local distributor then please visit the Where to buy section. Public sector organisations may purchase directly.
How do I apply to be a dealer for Lincat?
If you wish to become a dealer in the UK, please contact the Sales Department on 01522 875500 or email email@example.com with details of your company and a contact name and telephone number. We shall arrange for your Regional Sales Manager to get in contact to discuss things further. Enquiries from overseas companies should be directed to our Export Sales Department on +44-1522-503250, or by email to firstname.lastname@example.com.
How can I get spare parts for a Lincat product?
You can purchase spares direct from us. Please contact our Spares Department on 01522 875510 or email email@example.com.
Where can I find my local distributor?
Please go to the Where to buy section of the website and enter your postcode to find your nearest distributors.
What are your opening hours?
The Lincat office and telephone lines are open from 8:30am to 5:15pm Monday to Friday.
What is the warranty on my Lincat equipment?
All products sold in the UK and Ireland from 1st June 2013 are covered by a two-year on site parts and labour warranty.
The only exceptions to our warranty terms are consumable items such as door seals, filters, bulbs, glass and LTX toaster elements, and failure due to customer misuse or a lack of maintenance. Spare parts are covered for 90 days.
My item has been delivered damaged, what should I do?
Our claim period is 24 hours. If an item has been received damaged you must contact us within 24 hours on 01522 875500 or email firstname.lastname@example.com to discuss further.
Do you supply your products outside the UK?
Yes, Lincat supplies professional kitchen equipment to over 50 countries worldwide. Our export sales team can advise customers on technical and practical. Please contact the export team on (+44) 01522 503250 or email firstname.lastname@example.com.
I want to buy a new Panther hot cupboard, what are the previous equivalent codes of the new models?
I have seen the brand "FriFri". Is this part of Lincat?
Yes, FriFri is a brand of high specification fryers. The brand originated in Switzerland and was transferred to Lincat from our Italian sister company, Giga, in 2012.
Where can I download brochures and user instructions?
Navigate to your chosen product and click the link to download a brochure, user manual, or spec sheet.
Service Related Questions
How do I change the filter on my FilterFlow water boiler?
After buying a new filter (part code FC02) from Lincat, simply twist the used filter 90 degrees to the left and carefully lower from the unit. Insert the new filter into the recess and twist to the right to lock into place. Now press and hold the "Fn" button for approx. 5 - 10 seconds to reset the filter life monitor.
If you would like to speak to someone in our Service department please call 01522 875520.
The green neon is on but the fryer won't heat when I turn the temperature dial?
Check your manual for the location of the high limit thermostat reset button. If it clicks when you press it, you have reset it. If it doesn't click, it hasn't tripped, so contact Lincat Service for advice and/or assistance. An illuminated green neon indicates you have power to the fryer. When the amber neon lights the fryer is heating. Having reset the fryer, the amber light should now be illuminated.
Can I run my J6 fryer off a 13 amp plug and socket?
No. The J6 is a 6 kilowatt (6kW) fryer and needs to installed by a competent installer. It cannot run at 3kW to suit the available supply. Be sure you have the power available before committing to high-powered appliances. You may wish to consider a 3kW model such as our DF33.
I have moved abroad and taken my gas equipment with me. Can you help me get it installed and commissioned?
Unfortunately not. Gas equipment purchased in the UK is approved only for the UK and Ireland. Export models are available for specific markets and further information can be obtained from the Lincat Export team.
Can my Lincat gas product can be converted from one gas type to another?
Models from the Opus 700 range, and the LMR9, LMD and LMO units can be converted between Natural and Propane gas. However, Silverlink 600 gas products cannot be converted.
Spares Related Questions
I have received my spare parts but not my invoice, where is it?
The invoice follows the spare parts in the post, usually 3-5 working days afterwards. The document issued with the parts is a dispatch note, not an invoice.
How long is the warranty on a spare part bought from Lincat?
All spare parts carry a 90 day warranty from date of purchase, excluding glass items.
I have a spare part which I no longer require, can I return it to Lincat?
Yes. Providing the item is still in warranty it can be returned to us. Please note, however, that a 15% restocking charge will apply. Please contact our Spares Department on 01522-875510 for a Returns Number before posting the item.
How much is postage and packaging on spare parts?
We offer a number of options for the delivery of spare parts. Charges are per order and not per item, so consider buying additional items to save money on delivery charges. This is particularly worth considering when purchasing replacement FilterFlow cartridges. The various options are:
- 2 - 3 day delivery via Royal Mail - £7.50
- Overnight delivery via courier - £12.50
- Overnight pre 12 noon delivery via courier - £22.50
- Overnight pre 10am delivery via courier - £26.50
- Saturday a.m. delivery - £44.00


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Age: 23
Height: 5'4
Measurements: 35b 26 35
9000 for 2 hours
18000 for 12 hours (Overnight)
Yessie is a sexy classy very down to earth escort who loves to be sensual and playful…
She takes care of her body with daily workouts and loves to keep herself well groomed.
She enjoys fine dining and great conversation as well as being the best party companion.
Yessie loves to be naughty and kinky… this is where where she shines!!
If you are a discerning gentlemen be sure that she will feel comfortable in most situations.
A can't miss prospect to be added to your hot date to-do list!


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Gateway to Fukushima: A Town's New Tone
(Editors note: Wall Street Journal reporter Phred Dvorak joins a group of reporters touring Fukushima Daiichi Tuesday. This is her first dispatch).
The town of Iwaki used to be known as a stop on the way to Sendai, one of the largest cities in the northeastern Tohoku region. Now Iwaki is the terminus: the express line further north has been blocked off after the nuclear accident that transformed the region nearly a year ago. Iwaki has become the bustling jumping-off spot for workers at, and the handful of visitors to, Fukushima Daiichi.


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BBC News
- Brexit: May looks for way to break deadlock
- British soldier sues Army over Q fever chronic fatigue
- "Excited" Evans launches new breakfast show
- Prince Philip crash: Debris for sale on eBay
- WhatsApp restricts message-sharing to fight fake news
- Mike Ashley in talks to buy music chain HMV
- Card surcharges: Customers charged hundreds illegally
- Man who had machete on train in Essex arrested
- UKIP member called for Gina Miller to be beheaded
- Stonewall 100: MI5 and law firm among 'best LGBT employers'
- Women's frozen eggs 'should be stored for longer'
- 'Landmark' overhaul for domestic abuse laws
- Night shifts: The toll they can take on your life
- Brexit protests: Testing the atmosphere on College Green
- WW2 wreckage found by grandson on Norwegian mountainside
- Ashford art project helps Syrian refugees settle in
- 'I wear a mask to prevent cold allergy reaction'
- Liverpool fan celebrates 104th birthday with Klopp invitation
- How do you transport a rhino from Germany to the UK?
- BBC News Channel
- Poundland criticised for gift of sweet nothing
- Mystery tribute to Windsor Davies spotted in Bridgend
- Newspaper headlines: 'May blames Corbyn as cross-party talks fail'
- War on fatbergs: Can this 21st Century peril be blitzed?
- The pain of Tourette's: 'I'm always covered in bruises'
- Why your name matters in the search for a job
- Can pubs stand many more Dry Januarys?
- The woman with her head in the clouds
- Are grey cars really silver? And other car colour questions
- What's behind the success of Netflix's latest releases?
- Hunted on TV: Could ex-criminal take prize?
Below we are listing a number of UK job websites that have full-time and part-time job opportunities available in the GWAENYSGOR area.
Fish4 Jobs
JobSeekers (Direct.Gov.uk)
http://api.indeed.com/ads/apisearch?publisher=4773927896266615&q=&l=LL19 9PG&sort=&radius=5&st=&jt=&start=&limit=10&fromage=&filter=&latlong=1&co=gb&chnl=AVUK&userip=126.96.36.199&useragent=CCBot/2.0 (https://commoncrawl.org/faq/)&v=2
Jobs at IndeedWarning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in D:\Webvirtual\ANYWeb\www\Wordpress\wp-content\plugins\shortcode-exec-php\shortcode-exec-php-class.php(895) : eval()'d code on line 9
Looking for more jobs...
jobs by


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Wind River Unveils VxOPC Solution
ALAMEDA, Calif., June 4, 2001 - Wind River Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:WIND), a leading provider of software and services for connected smart devices, today announced the general availability of VxOPC, a product aimed at the industrial measurement and control (IMC) market. Fully integrated with Wind River's leading VxWorks® real-time operating system (RTOS), the VxOPC solution implements the OLE for Process Control® (OPC) data access server, a set of standard interfaces that makes interoperability possible between automation/control applications, field devices and business/office applications. Wind River's VxOPC product provides developers with the pre-integrated run-time components and tools to quickly deliver high-performance and advanced connectivity for the IMC market.
For industrial software manufacturers, OPC has become the de facto standard. Thomas Burke, president of the OPC Foundation (www.opcfoundation.org) commented, "Users of embedded computing products are increasingly demanding easy, seamless interconnection with other devices. The OPC foundation is pleased to have industry leaders like Wind River as members of our organization. Wind River's VxWorks RTOS implementation offers a powerful solution with all the necessary run-time components and integrated tools to facilitate and accelerate the development of OPC-based applications."
The VxOPC solution includes a data access server run-time component and associated interactive client tools, all tightly integrated with Wind River's Tornado® integrated development environment (IDE). With the VxOPC product, customers can quickly and efficiently develop industrial applications for process control, robotics, machine builders, semiconductor manufacturing, distributed control systems, discrete controllers, and other industrial devices.
"By introducing VxOPC, Wind River customers now do not have to obtain an OPC server from another automation supplier and go through the integration hassles," said ARC Advisory Group Senior Analyst Dick Slansky. "VxOPC, when combined with the current product offerings from Wind River, provides for a complete industrial automation control development suite for the embedded environment. Wind River is clearly focusing on the industrial measurement and control sector with VxOPC, and with this addition, nicely rounds out their capability to offer automation solutions for both process and discrete control applications."
"Wind River is a leading provider of enabling technology for the industrial market with our VxWorks RTOS, Tornado IDE, VxDCOM™ technology and other important embedded development tools," said Scot Morrison, vice president and general manager of Wind River's Automotive and Industrial business unit. "By adding VxOPC to our extensive product portfolio, industrial customers have an ideal set of tools to quickly create reliable and innovative industrial devices."
About VxOPC
The VxOPC product is Wind River's implementation of the OPC specification for the VxWorks RTOS. VxOPC includes an implementation of the OPC data access server and an interactive client tool. VxOPC is tightly integrated with Wind River's Tornado IDE, VxWorks RTOS, and VxDCOM technology, reducing developers time-to-market. VxOPC is used in IMC applications, including process control, robotics, machine builders, semiconductor manufacturing, distributed control systems, discrete controllers, and test and measurement equipment.
Product Specifications/Availability
The VxOPC implementation is available on Wind River's Tornado II development platform. It requires Tornado II IDE, VxDCOM, MSVC 5.0, or Visual Studio, and a Microsoft Windows NT™ host Supported target systems include PowerPC, x86, ARM, MIPS, 68K, CPU32, and Sparc architecture. The VxOPC will be available in June 2001.
About Wind River
Wind River is a worldwide leader in embedded software and services for creating connected smart devices. Wind River provides software development tools, real-time operating systems, and advanced connectivity for use in products throughout the Internet, telecommunications and data communications, digital imaging, digital consumer electronics, networking, medical, computer peripherals, automotive, industrial automation and control, and aerospace/defense markets. Wind River is How Smart Things Think™. Founded in 1983, Wind River is headquartered in Alameda, California, with operations in sixteen countries worldwide.
Wind River Systems, the Wind River Systems logo, VxWorks, Tornado, VxDCOM, and How Smart Things Think are registered trademarks or trademarks of Wind River Systems, Inc. All other names mentioned are trademarks, registered trademarks or service marks of their respective companies.
Contact Information
Jessica Miller
Director, Global Communications


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See my beautiful coffee mug? It's a one of a kind. I received it as a gift from my best friend. She is the type who remembers to send gifts at just the right occasion, when you are least expecting it and need a pick me up. She is such a good friend :) I got the little parcel tag in the mail and thought maybe it was one of the free samples I have been signing up for. (I will wait to see if I get any before I share the link. I don't want to pass on bogus information.) So, I finally brought my little tag to the post office and got back in the van and opened up the box. Inside was this beautiful mug! Just for me, for Mother's Day. My son, seeing how much I liked it, eyed it hopefully and asked, "Aunty sent that cup for all of us, right?" In his four-going-on-five year old mind, everything I have is also, by rights, his and mostly that is true. Some things, though, are just for me. I was happy to say, "Nope, it's for me, for Mother's Day." The boys, too, spoiled me quite well for Mother's Day. This year I got breakfast in bed, a potted plant and chocolates. It was lovely. I think we Mums need things that are just for us. Whether it is a special coffee mug, listening to our girly music instead of the husband's punk, or 15 minutes alone in our bathtub without interruption. Good luck with that, I still haven't managed to find the secret to that one. I have a small family but they both seem to need my attention quite a bit, especially when I am in the bathroom and technically unavailable.
One thing I have done to make life easier is to start and stick to a menu plan. This takes care of the dreaded four o' clock question: "What's for dinner?" This way, we all know and whomever is around to cook, (usually me, but not always,) knows what to make. I keep it simple. No thinking required. We also know we have the ingredients handy because we planned the menu before we went to the store. Again, no thinking. (Just rattle those pots and pans, will ya? We're starving over here.) This also saves money because you are not just buying whatever strikes your fancy at the time that you are shopping. (Oooh, a shrimp ring! That should be good for the week...) Many times I have put all the groceries away and then somebody opens the fridge and states with disgust, "There's nothing to eat." No more. I don't plan all of the meals, just dinner. Breakfast is usually oatmeal and yogurt, or commercial cereal. Snacks are fruit, cheese or a PB toast. Once in a while I bake cookies or muffins, but those are usually gone before they come off the cooling rack. Lunch is usually soup and sandwiches for me and the boy and the husband eats dinner leftovers at work. Don't go feeling sorry for him, our leftovers are usually pretty awesome because we cook things we like to eat. Way better than a frozen dinner or a sub from the convenience store. He has a big appetite and those puny frozen portions don't hold him over all day. He would then end up buying two or three snack foods. Cha ching. He also has been bringing his own coffee in a thermos. He started this last year when I printed out the ATM statement, highlighted and added up how much we both were spending at the corner store on snack foods for work. Because we work so hard, we deserve to pay the salaries of convienience store workers? Yikes, it didn't make any sense. Of course, we both smoked then, too and bought our coffee in a paper cup EVERY morning. What were we thinking??
Whew, I'm glad we have wised up a little. We still have a long way to go to get where we want to be, but at least now, we have a plan. A menu plan.