text:
-2.77 -11.5%
as of Mar 21 '23
52 Week Range:
17.06 36.64
Index is in a bear stage
Latest index price 21.38 is below long term (200 days) moving average (MA200 is 24.05). 50 day moving average is 20.54 and below 200 days moving average.
44.25 50 Relative Strength Index (RSI) is 44.25.
Current value is below 50 levels, which means that index's recent performance is relatively poor.
The stock charts below are:
- Price Chart
- Price Chart includes daily price chart. In interactive mode it shows prices as a Candlestick chart. Read more »
- Moving Averages
- Price Chart includes short term (10 and 30 day), middle term (50 day) and long term (150 and 200 day) moving averages as well as volume and average volume bar charts. Read more »
- Bol. Bands
- Bollinger Bands® is an indicator designed to provide traders with information regarding price volatility. Many traders believe the closer the prices move to the upper band, the more overbought the market, and the closer the prices move to the lower band, the more oversold the market. Read more »
- Weekly Price Chart
- Weekly Price Chart includes weekly price chart and 30 weeks moving average.
- Stochastic
- The idea behind this indicator is the prices tend to close near their past highs in bull markets, and near their lows in bear markets. Read more »
- Moving Average Convergence / Divergence (MACD) is a trend following indicator, and is designed to identify trend changes. Read more »
- Relative Strength Index (RSI) intended to chart the current and historical strength or weakness of a stock. Read more »
- Relative Strength (RS) is a measure of price trend that indicates how a stock is performing relative to other stocks in its industry. It is calculated dividing the price performance of a stock by the price performance of an appropriate index for the same time period. Read more »
One Year Statistics
- Benchmark is SPY - S&P 500 Index ETF
- Risk Free Rate: 5% (constant)
- Read more about Risk-Reward Ratios in the Market Ratios section
Beta: -5.0000
Beta of -5.0000 suggests that the asset is less volatile than the rest of the market.
The beta is a measure of a stock's price volatility in relation to the rest of the market. Beta measurements utilize benchmark indexes, such as the S&P 500 for a US market.
Alpha: -0.0001
Alpha of -0.0001 suggests that the asset is underperforms the market.
Alpha is a measure of the active return on an investment, the performance of that investment compared with a suitable market index. In general, a greater than 0 ratio means that instrument performs better than the market.
Sharpe Ratio: 0.3472
Sharpe Ratio of 0.3472 suggests that asset's reward/risk ratio is relatively low.
The Sharpe Ratio characterizes how well the return of an asset compensates the investor for the risk taken. In general, a ratio of 1 or greater is considered good; 2 or better is very good; and 3 or better is considered excellent.
Last Year Returns & Risk / Reward Ratios
|1 year
|6 month
|1 month
|Total Return
|Average Daily Return
|Average Daily Volatility
|± 6.44%
|± 5.46%
|± 8.31%
|Risk / Reward Ratios
|Beta (Volatility)
|Alpha (Surplus)
|Sharpe Ratio (Risk-Reward)


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You are currently browsing the daily archive for April 30, 2008.
I called this Bronze 1 some months back. It's the distinguishing color for the Reinauer fleet.
Craig Eric
Meredith C.
Morgan . . . and oh so many more all pushing fuel. It's the safest way to move fuel closer to your gas station. Lisa M. is the expert on Oil on the Brain–and everywhere else.
Given all these names, I'd love to see a Reinauer family tree.
My father–a dairy farmer all his life–used to name cows for friends and acquaintances but never family members, never cute names. I wonder what he's have done for naming if he'd pursued his childhood dream of being a Rhine barge captain.
Photos, WVD.


text:
A letter to mother
April 11, 2012 § 1 Comment
Dear Mom:
I really love you a lot. I hope you know that. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be what I am today. Well, I guess it's not all your fault. Anyway, just wanted to take a sec and tell you you're the best mom ever, and it's been good times being your son. Just remember, anyone can be a father, but only a mother can be a mommy!
So, anyway, I had some details I wanted to go over with you for the "post-BWR me" if that's cool and if now is not a good time that's cool too. My first choice is the solid cherry. Its got a patented locking mechanism that's so no one can get inside I guess. I want to have my SPY kits with me and once people know where I am they will probably try to swipe them so the locking mechanism would shut that down cold. I reckon it would.
Then I'd like the satin finish, which is very classy and sort of says "This dude was rad" which is pretty cool to be said about I reckon. That is what they will be saying on BWR when I kick their dicks in. Next its got wood bars instead of those aluminum ones so my buds will have something natural to grip when they carry it plus it's has a safety bottom. I don't know what that's for exactly but I reckon its so you don't fall out of the bottom once you get all mushy but even if you fall through the bottom like so what? Its just dirt.
Then the most rad part is it has a adjustable bed and mattress that is rad. It will be cozy after the BWR beatdown and feel good to. You could adjust your position if you wanted to or if they had to dig you up for to check to make sure you were dead the first time they could readjust all the goop on the mattress which is rad. Now get this it also has swing bar hardware and mom I dont cuss to much but what the fuck is that? And its got a reversible pillow and overthrow I reckon thats for if the pillow gets smelly which it woould after about an hour cuz your fucking dead and they can reverse it so it's not so smelly. But I'm thinking if youre dead what the fuck do you care what the pillow smells like you know. The overthrow is cool to. That's like a throwover they just throw it over you just make sure it dont cover up my Sidis which are rad.
Its only $3795 which is cheaper than the all copper one which is rad too and to make it uber rad could you get it with the Wilberts Bronze Triune thanks mom! That's like the overcase that the solid cherry goes into, kind of like a double bagger on your dingdong when you think the first rubber might bust. But the triune costs $3895 extra (ouch) I love you mom but im not worth that much, I mean unless you really love me.
Now then it prolly sounds like a lot of money and I know that you have been struggling and living is tough in that tarp and cardboard thing they made for you down at the Occupy place but still for only $3795 the solid cherry is a deal its cheaper than my Specialized Scratch frame which I want put in with me too. I know I cant ride it when I'm dead but theres no freaking way I'm gonna let Hockeystick get it. No on that and I mean no. And he dont get my BWR finisher jersey either because he quit early with Miller and Mazer and Junkyard and Toronto and Arkansas Traveler and they was all just thongwatching and beating off down at the beach while I was paying the ultimate price sacrifice. "All gave some (except those wankers), some gave all."
NOw there is also a thing on the same internet weg site I found as the solid cherry called "An inexpensive alternative for families. Cloth covered caskets are moderately priced as a result of the construction materials used in their manufacturing process." and it says it's made out of hemp cloth. Now thats cool because hemp is dope I'm pretty sure being stoned to fuck for eternity is rad but I don't want to be rolled like a joint and stuck in the ground fuck no mom. Cherry wood, solid, please. If you want to toss in one of your bongs and an ounce of the good shit thats cool to but again keep an eye on Hockeystick back in the day they called him "Bogart."
So next lets work on my obiterary notice which should be in the major newspapers like Velonews NYCBikeSnob and Twitter. I already no what it should say so you wont hve to haggle with the funeral director. Those guys are dicks sometimes and you would be too if everytime a dead body came over you were like "Oh maam thats so terrible I'm so sorry what a tragic loss you must be devastated," but inside your really going "Rock on, another stiff, cha-ching!!" That's fucked up.
I want the obiterary to be same as my headstone and to say exactly like these words: "Wankmeister was a badass motherfucker. He didnt take nofucking prisoners and didn't ask for any, either. He was a real badass. He knew the BWR was gonna kill his fukkin ass but he didn't give a fuck I reckon he didn't no sir. He fucking drilled it as long as he could until he blew a cork and fucking died and all his socalled buddies ran over his dick. Then he was dead. And all the pussies who said BWR is for pussies and sent him links to that UltraPlanet bullshit stuff for pussies well they are a bunch of pussies. RIP. Born a long fucking time ago and died young making a good-lookin corpse. Plus he was coached by Captaintbag who is rad."
Now my ballbearers are gonna be my best buds I want Hockeystick not cuz hes my best bud but so everyone can keep an eye on him from swiping the Scratch he's got his eyes on it I'm telling you and no I'm not paranoid. And I want G3 because he will be crcking jokes and peeing on the fake flowers for laughs that will be rad. And I want Zeke because he is Dog. And I want New Girl and LEgit Girl and Sparkles and Mel and Mighty Mouse and Tink and Trixie and Dara and VV and all the other smokin hot broads put them in bikinis please little tiny ones. And I want MMX so we can serve him with the lawsuit papers for killing me on the BWR in the first place that fukker. And I dont care that hes drunk and in Milwaukee I want Filds and the Amsterdam Hammer and Unkl Phil to. If Glasship shows up witch he won't he still owes me for firing me just before Christmas that douche and not severancing me any money.
For my clergy they should be Catholic-Jewish-Baptist and do the regular thing with the goat but keep the blood off my cherry solid. I will leave it to you mom to figure out what they say but make sure it includes this: "Oh Dog [this is wehre Zeke will wag his fukkin tail and knock over the vase and stick his nose up the girsl crotches] he was a badass send his fukkin ass to heaven and if you cant do that because he was an atheist send him to hell but in no event to Lubbock. He kicked in a lot of dicks in his time and he always gave a lot of you sorry fukkers in the audience his wheel even though you didn't deserve it. Bless us this day our heavenly bread in the valley of evil though we may walk to radness amen, in Dog's name, dudes."
Don't worry about decorating the grave just my old Garmin and printouts of my Strava KOM's is enough especially that badass on the downhill of VDM nobody's ever gonna crack that beatch. Bull is so far in second place he'll never beat that KOM. You can give away my Capo socks too. But not my BWR finisher's tee-shirt although Hockeystick will offer you money for it tell him to fuck off and he still owes me five bucks.
Now then you will have to pick a funeral director which is also the same as the embalmer. If more than 24 hours goes by between the end of the BWR and interment, the law hereabouts says that the remains got to be refrigerated or embalmed so dont put me in the fridge please. I don't want somebody reaching in for a cold one and hauling out my frozen dick.
You can skimp on the embalming too if you just go straight to burial and save the money mom. Don't get too freaked out the embalmer washes the body with spermicidal soap and replaces the blood with embalming fluid to preserve the body but I won't have much blood it will all have drained out on Bandy Canyon, sure, mostly through my eyes and ears and nose. They may reshape and reconstruct disfigurements using materials, such as clay, cotton, plaster of Paris, and wax because frankly I'm gonna look all fukked over after BWR and there's no point in open-casket gawking if my fukkin elbow is coming out my ass.
They also may slather on the cosmetics to make me look more naturally colorful pinkish rather than gray and yellow, and cut-n-glue to get rid of the grimaces. Then dress the body and place it in a casket but SPY kit all the way baby. Put some of my Ironfly shit in there to so Fukdude isn't too pissed but how pissed can he be he never invited me on his pursuit team and theres nobody in the fuckin 45+ to race with anyway and so Fireman doesnt go ballistic. Ironfly sox would be rad.
Although I want burial in a casket, cremation might be fun too, which is where they burn the shit out of you in a special giant deal like a barbecue cooker, it can be more convenient and cheaper. AFterward you can be easily ship the bones and ashes and shit around to friends and shit or keep them at home in your tent, or even scatter them over the ocean which is weird because I cant swim. Mom, if you put my cremains in some kind of receptacle dont make it in the kitty litter box because they will get shat on and cat poop is way worse than dog poop except for Zeke. You can get something rad at the Container Store
IF you end up going with this place I'm sending you to, "Bill's Family Funerals, A Place for the Whole Family," which is a family-run business kind of like a bike shop, its in Carlsbad so they'll be able to get my cadaver straight from the BWR finish to the funerary, you have to treat them like a bike shop. Don't fucking take the first price and always get the team discount. Thats NOT 15 percent which is the FRED discount. Always get 30% that is for the HAMMERS. fucking Stern-O never fucking pays retail dont you either mom. Thirty percent.
You can also get some great deals on the internet better than Bill's but like at a bike shop go to Bills first and get all the info and even test drive the cherry solid to make sure its rad then order it online lots cheaper. Bill will still service the body and do al the shitwork just like a LBS. Not your fucking problem mom if they dont make any money and go bankrupt you didnt' tell them to be a funeral shop . Dont sign up for any bullshit post-death support group activities bullshit either. Do you really want to sit around on Friday evenings with some douchebag crying over how daddy got plucked away in the flower of his youth and he was only on his fith DUI? course not.
You can get a rad hearse like the one in the picture and the driver is pretty rad because he's badass enough to keep Hockeystick from stealing the Scratch and the bong but I'd rather go in Surfer Dan's vanagon which is old and rusted to fuck but highly rad. G$ can make some bitching rad logo with purple and green and orange and shit and some big ass angry orange on the front and fly it like a flag off the vanagon.
And one last hing, mom. If they try to pin that fucking purple jersey on my dead body don't you let them. Don't you fucking dare.
Your Son
§ One Response to A letter to mother
Batesville Casket Company in Batesville, AR, has a deal on curly maple going on the internets. One-Click™ shopping and delivered right to your door.


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[ Chapter start ] [ Previous page ] [ Next page ]Portions from Application-Specific Integrated Circuits Copyright © 1997 by Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Figure 2.33 shows a three-state bidirectional output buffer (Tri-State ® is a registered trademark of National Semiconductor). When the output enable (OE) signal is high, the circuit functions as a noninverting buffer driving the value of DATAin onto the I/O pad. When OE is low, the output transistors or drivers , M1 and M2, are disconnected. This allows multiple drivers to be connected on a bus. It is up to the designer to make sure that a bus never has two drivers—a problem known as contention .
In order to prevent the problem opposite to contention—a bus floating to an intermediate voltage when there are no bus drivers—we can use a bus keeper or bus-hold cell (TI calls this Bus-Friendly logic). A bus keeper normally acts like two weak (low drive-strength) cross-coupled inverters that act as a latch to retain the last logic state on the bus, but the latch is weak enough that it may be driven easily to the opposite state. Even though bus keepers act like latches, and will simulate like latches, they should not be used as latches, since their drive strength is weak.
Transistors M1 and M2 in Figure 2.33 have to drive large off-chip loads. If we wish to change the voltage on a C = 200 pF load by 5 V in 5 ns (a slew rate of 1 Vns –1 ) we will require a current in the output transistors of I DS = C (d V /d t ) = (200 ¥ 10 –12 ) (5/5 ¥ 10 –9 ) = 0.2 A or 200 mA.
Such large currents flowing in the output transistors must also flow in the power supply bus and can cause problems. There is always some inductance in series with the power supply, between the point at which the supply enters the ASIC package and reaches the power bus on the chip. The inductance is due to the bond wire, lead frame, and package pin. If we have a power-supply inductance of 2 nH and a current changing from zero to 1 A (32 I/O cells on a bus switching at 30 mA each) in 5 ns, we will have a voltage spike on the power supply (called power-supply bounce ) of L (d I /d t ) = (2 ¥ 10 –9 )(1/(5 ¥ 10 –9 )) = 0.4 V.
We do several things to alleviate this problem: We can limit the number of simultaneously switching outputs (SSOs), we can limit the number of I/O drivers that can be attached to any one VDD and GND pad, and we can design the output buffer to limit the slew rate of the output (we call these slew-rate limited I/O pads). Quiet-I/O cells also use two separate power supplies and two sets of I/O drivers: an AC supply (clean or quiet supply) with small AC drivers for the I/O circuits that start and stop the output slewing at the beginning and end of a output transition, and a DC supply (noisy or dirty supply) for the transistors that handle large currents as they slew the output.
The three-state buffer allows us to employ the same pad for input and output— bidirectional I/O . When we want to use the pad as an input, we set OE low and take the data from DATAin. Of course, it is not necessary to have all these features on every pad: We can build output-only or input-only pads.
FIGURE 2.32 A three-state bidirectional output buffer. When the output enable, OE, is '1' the output section is enabled and drives the I/O pad. When OE is '0' the output buffer is placed in a high-impedance state.
We can also use many of these output cell features for input cells that have to drive large on-chip loads (a clock pad cell, for example). Some gate arrays simply turn an output buffer around to drive a grid of interconnect that supplies a clock signal internally. With a typical interconnect capacitance of 0.2pFcm –1 , a grid of 100 cm (consisting of 10 by 10 lines running all the way across a 1 cm chip) presents a load of 20 pF to the clock buffer.
Some libraries include I/O cells that have passive pull-ups or pull-downs (resistors) instead of the transistors, M1 and M2 (the resistors are normally still constructed from transistors with long gate lengths). We can also omit one of the driver transistors, M1 or M2, to form open-drain outputs that require an external pull-up or pull-down. We can design the output driver to produce TTL output levels rather than CMOS logic levels. We may also add input hysteresis (using a Schmitt trigger) to the input buffer, I1 in Figure 2.33, to accept input data signals that contain glitches (from bouncing switch contacts, for example) or that are slow rising. The input buffer can also include a level shifter to accept TTL input levels and shift the input signal to CMOS levels.
The gate oxide in CMOS transistors is extremely thin (100 Å or less). This leaves the gate oxide of the I/O cell input transistors susceptible to breakdown from static electricity ( electrostatic discharge , or ESD ). ESD arises when we or machines handle the package leads (like the shock I sometimes get when I touch a doorknob after walking across the carpet at work). Sometimes this problem is called electrical overstress (EOS) since most ESD-related failures are caused not by gate-oxide breakdown, but by the thermal stress (melting) that occurs when the n -channel transistor in an output driver overheats (melts) due to the large current that can flow in the drain diffusion connected to a pad during an ESD event.
To protect the I/O cells from ESD, the input pads are normally tied to device structures that clamp the input voltage to below the gate breakdown voltage (which can be as low as 10 V with a 100 Å gate oxide). Some I/O cells use transistors with a special ESD implant that increases breakdown voltage and provides protection. I/O driver transistors can also use elongated drain structures (ladder structures) and large drain-to-gate spacing to help limit current, but in a salicide process that lowers the drain resistance this is difficult. One solution is to mask the I/O cells during the salicide step. Another solution is to use pnpn and npnp diffusion structures called silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) to clamp voltages and divert current to protect the I/O circuits from ESD.
There are several ways to model the capability of an I/O cell to withstand EOS. The human-body model ( HBM ) represents ESD by a 100 pF capacitor discharging through a 1.5 k W resistor (this is an International Electrotechnical Committee, IEC, specification). Typical voltages generated by the human body are in the range of 2–4 kV, and we often see an I/O pad cell rated by the voltage it can withstand using the HBM. The machine model ( MM ) represents an ESD event generated by automated machine handlers. Typical MM parameters use a 200 pF capacitor (typically charged to 200 V) discharged through a 25 W resistor, corresponding to a peak initial current of nearly 10 A. The charge-device model ( CDM , also called device charge–discharge) represents the problem when an IC package is charged, in a shipping tube for example, and then grounded. If the maximum charge on a package is 3 nC (a typical measured figure) and the package capacitance to ground is 1.5 pF, we can simulate this event by charging a 1.5 pF capacitor to 2 kV and discharging it through a 1 W resistor.
If the diffusion structures in the I/O cells are not designed with care, it is possible to construct an SCR structure unwittingly, and instead of protecting the transistors the SCR can enter a mode where it is latched on and conducting large enough currents to destroy the chip. This failure mode is called latch-up . Latch-up can occur if the pn -diodes on a chip become forward-biased and inject minority carriers (electrons in p -type material, holes in n -type material) into the substrate. The source–substrate and drain–substrate diodes can become forward-biased due to power-supply bounce or output undershoot (the cell outputs fall below V SS ) or overshoot (outputs rise to greater than V DD ) for example. These injected minority carriers can travel fairly large distances and interact with nearby transistors causing latch-up. I/O cells normally surround the I/O transistors with guard rings (a continuous ring of n -diffusion in an n -well connected to VDD, and a ring of p -diffusion in a p -well connected to VSS) to collect these minority carriers. This is a problem that can also occur in the logic core and this is one reason that we normally include substrate and well connections to the power supplies in every cell.
[ Chapter start ] [ Previous page ] [ Next page ]


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Museum Artist Steve Quinn Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
by AMNH on
If anyone was born to work at the American Museum of Natural History, it is Stephen C. Quinn, who retired this spring after 39 years as an artist in the Department of Exhibition.
This past weekend, Quinn was honored with the Garden State Taxidermists Association's Hansen-Schneider Lifetime Achievement Award, for his long, productive career and for encouraging many young people in the museum arts of painting, sculpture, taxidermy, and more.
Quinn grew up in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, not far from the birthplace of Frank Chapman, the Museum's noted early curator of birds, in West Englewood. He developed his own passion for birds, identifying and sketching them while roaming what were then the wild marshes of the Hackensack Meadowlands with his older brother, John, who would become a nature artist and museum preparator at the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.
And Quinn family trips into New York City more often than not included the Museum, where at age 4, family folklore has it, young Steve pointed to the elephants in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals and announced, "This is where I want to work!"
Quinn feels the affinity as strongly today as he did then. "I'm the kid this Museum was designed for," he says. "If ever there was a kid who took the bait, hook, line, and sinker, it was me. The Museum without a doubt validated my own passions in nature."
Members and other Museumgoers likely know Quinn for his behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum's dioramas; his wonderful book on the subject, Windows on Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas of the American Museum of Natural History; the seasonal bird walks through Central Park that he led for 32 years; and his popular series of animal drawing classes that took place after-hours in the Museum's halls.
Whether they knew it or not, most visitors to the Museum also have seen his work, most recently in the major renovation of the Jill and Lewis Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals and, over the years, in luminous background paintings for many spectacular dioramas in special exhibitions. In each of these endeavors, whether he was painting Emperor Penguins lit by the beautiful aurora australis for Race to the End of the Earth (2010) or the forests of 50 million years ago in what is now Canada for Extreme Mammals (2009), just to cite a few recent examples, Quinn's goal was to ignite each viewer's personal passion for the natural world.
"One of my most pleasurable tasks for the Museum was to act as an ambassador for nature," he says. "To make the connection, see the lights go on. It's so exciting to be part of that awakening. And the thing is it's not that difficult to do."
Quinn came to the Museum fresh from art school in 1974. He had met Lamont Curator of Birds Dean Amadon and ornithologist John Bull while researching Mallard ducks, Merlins, and various sandpipers in the Museum's Department of Ornithology for his senior portfolio. Amadon and Bull encouraged him to apply for a job with Exhibition, launching a career that included a host of additional mentors: Farida Wiley, a longtime Museum educator and bird guide whose Central Park bird walks Quinn inherited in the 1980s; David Schwendeman, a master taxidermist; Raymond deLucia, foreground artist responsible for many beautiful scenes in the Bernard Family Hall of North American Mammals, among others; and Robert Kane, background painter.
Quinn feels particularly gratified to have been able to return the favor, training a new generation by "mentoring younger artists in the diorama arts I was hired to learn in the '70s."
In retirement, Quinn plans to paint murals in his home studio, work with his wife, Linda, to establish a wildlife habitat adjacent to their home, and continue to advance conservation through such organizations as Artists for Conservation, The Society of Animal Artists, Salmagundi Club, Boone and Crockett Club, and The Explorers Club. He will maintain a connection with the Museum as an "exhibition associate," returning now and then for special projects.
Asked to name his favorite diorama, Quinn answers without hesitation that it is the mountain gorilla diorama in the Akeley Hall of African Mammals.
Members may remember reading in Rotunda (Summer 2011) about his 2010 trip to the Congo to do a plein-air painting of the diorama's background as it looks today. (Aptly, the Museum's retirement gift to him was a signed edition of Akeley's book In Brightest Africa.)
Quinn notes Akeley's success not just in raising public awareness through the diorama but lobbying King Albert of Belgium in 1925 to create Africa's first national park, which, expanded, is now the last hope for the survival of the gorilla. "It was such a pivotal time with key figures, people like Carl Akeley, Theodore Roosevelt, Frank Chapman, great visionaries whose thought and efforts really drove conservation," says Quinn of the early 20th century.
So does he feel he has been a link in that chain? "I do," he says. "Everyone who works at the American Museum of Natural History should feel that link."
A version of this story appears in the summer 2013 issue of Rotunda, the Member magazine.


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There are a few things you should consider when searching for a Duluth concrete contractor. First, make sure you get a quality job. Duluth is well-known for its high quality work. Its workers are experienced, courteous, and thorough. Duluth Concrete Company is a top choice for commercial and residential projects. You'll love the look of your new floor, which will last a lifetime.
Second, make sure the company you choose is reputable. Concrete companies in Duluth have a long history in the area. The company's name is a mark of quality and it's well worth your time to look at their work. Duluth Concrete Company was established in 1895 and has been serving the community for 15 years. Site preparation, landscaping, paving are all offered by the company. They meet or exceed their customers' expectations, and they'll leave you happy with the end result
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The New World Order is coming! Are you ready? Once you understand what this New World Order really is, and how it is being gradually implemented, you will be able to see it progressing in your daily news!!
For so very many years, Freemasonry has been one of the most secret of the secret societies. While it had its own publishing press, its books were never sold to anyone who was not a Freemason. Freemasonry held its teachings very secret within its members, and each member took oaths whereby he swore to never, ever divulge the teachings which he was about to receive.
Alice Bailey, Director of the House of Theosophy in the early part of this century, writes about the role of Freemasonry in the coming New Age and in the realization of the appearance of the Great One [Antichrist], and the reason for all this tremendous secrecy. Actually, Bailey is writing as a conduit for her demonic 'Guiding Spirit', Master D.K. Bailey writes in 'The Externalisation of the Hierarchy', "The Masonic Movement ... will meet the need of those who can, and should, wield power. It is the custodian of the law; it is the home of the Mysteries and the seat of initiation. It holds in its symbolism the ritual of Deity, and the way of salvation is pictorially preserved in its work. The methods of Deity are demonstrated in its Temples and under the All-seeing Eye the work can go forward. It is a far more occult organisation than can be realised and is intended to be the training school for the coming advanced occultists ... in Masonry you have the three paths leading to initiation. As yet they are not used, and one of the things that will eventuate -- when the new universal religion has sway and the nature of esotericism is understood -- will be the utilisation of the banded esoteric organism, the Masonic organism and the Church organism as initiating centres. These three groups converge as their inner sanctuaries are approached. There is no dissociation between the One Universal Church, the sacred inner Lodge of all true Masons, and the inner-most circles of the esoteric societies. (Pages 511, 513)
Alice Bailey reveals much truth about Freemasonry in these words, above. Freemasonry reveres the Egyptian All-seeing Eye of Horus, which is Satanic through and through. Bailey also ties together as one organization the Universal Church of Antichrist, Freemasonry, and other esoteric (occult) groups such as Rosicrucians, the Knights Templars, the Order of the Golden Dawn, and many other such groups of occult magick throughout history!
Then, Bailey lays all the cards on the table for anyone who wants to understand, when she says, that Masonry is "a far more occult organisation than can be realised and is intended to be the training school for the coming advanced occultists." Freemasonry is the "training school for the coming advanced occultists" which will lead America and the world into the coming New World Order. This revelation casts new meaning on the many U.S. Presidents which have been Freemasons, doesn't it? We now realize, with horror, that these men were "advanced occultists" leading America away from the One True God of the Bible and toward the Great One [Antichrist].
"Harry S. Truman was also Grand Master of his home state, Missouri. Lyndon Johnson was an Entered Apprentice but never progressed beyond that degree. Ronald Reagan is not a craft Mason. He was made an honorary 33rd degree Mason by the Southern Jurisdiction of the AASR and an honorary member of the Imperial Council of the Shrine .... Bill Clinton is not a Mason, though he was involved in DeMolay for a time. Many other leaders in government have been Masons. 'They have included fourteen Presidents and eighteen Vice Presidents of the United States; a majority of the Justices of the United States Supreme Court, of the Governors of States, of the members of the Senate, and a large percentage of the Congressmen. Five Chief Justices of the United States were Masons and two were Grand Masons. The five were Oliver Ellsworth, John Marshall, William Howard Taft, Frederick M. Vinson, and Earl Warren (also Grand Master of Masons in California.' --- Henry C. Clausen --(Source: "History of Freemasonry", http://www.cyberconnect.com/max/hist.htm)
Therefore, we can look now at horror of this litany of key leaders of the United States. At key moments in our history, these men were actually "advanced occultists" secretly carrying out the Plan for the coming New World Order!! This listing is a true Hall of Infamy!!
Alice Bailey then concludes her instructions about the role Freemasonry is to play in the coming establishment of the New World Order and its Great One [Antichrist]. "There is no question, therefore, that the work to be done in familiarising the general public with the nature of the Mysteries is of paramount importance at this time. These Mysteries will be restored to outer expression through the medium of the Church and the Masonic Fraternity ... When the Great One comes with His disciples and initiates we shall have ... the restoration of the Mysteries and their exoteric presentation as a consequence of the first initiation." [Page 514]
The goal of Freemasonry has always been to gradually familiarize the general public with the nature of the Mysteries. What is the nature of the Mysteries? Albert Pike states in "Morals and Dogma", page 219, teaching of the 14th Degree, that Masonry "... is the universal, eternal, immutable religion, such as God planted it in the heart of universal humanity". So, now we know that Freemasonry IS a religion, their protestations to the contrary notwithstanding!! Then, on page 224, Pike reveals that "Religion, to obtain currency and influence with the great mass of mankind, must needs be alloyed with such an amount of error as to place it far below the standard attainable by the higher human capacities." Now we know that Freemasonry lies to its own members at the lower degrees!! Pike reiterates this awful truth on page 840, in the teaching to the 32nd Degree, that Masonry symbols "... ever conceals from the Profane, and ever preserves to the Elect ..." Therefore, the explanation for Masonic symbols given to the lower degrees are a lie, and it is only when one reaches the upper degrees -- probably the 30th -- that they are told the truth.
What is the truth about the religion of Freemasonry? Pike reveals, on page 624, Teaching of the 28th Degree, that "Masonry is identical with the Ancient Mysteries ..." Then, on page 567, Teaching of the 26th Degree, Pike calls Lucifer the "Angel of Light" that Freemasonry worships!!
On pages 207-208 of Morals and Dogma, Pike traces the Ancient Mysteries back to "Egypt, in India, in Persia, and Phoenicia, in Greece, and Samothrace, in the greater mysteries ..." Therefore Freemasonry teaches the same Satanic religion of Ancient Egypt, the same religion which God judged as He delivered Israel out of bondage!! You can read the way in which God brought Judgment on Egypt in Exodus 1-15. This Egyptian religion, which God condemned and judged, is the very religion now being taught by Freemasonry!! In fact, later in this article, we discuss the obelisk in Washington, D.C., popularly known as the Washington Monument! Dedicated occultists bow down to the obelisk three times daily, because they believe the spirit of the Egyptian god, "Ra" indwells the obelisk. This Egyptain god, "Ra" is the Sun god of Exodus 10:21-23, where God caused an impenetrable darkness to cover the land of Egypt, so the people were too afraid to go out of their houses. However, God caused natural light to shine miraculously in the dwellings of all the Israelites. God chose to cause this darkness to fall upon Egypt because He was judging them for their worship of the Sun god, "Ra"!! Congratulations, Freemasons, you are worshipping one of the very pagan gods whom God has already judged! I am saddened every time I go past a grave yard in which some of the graves have a small obelisk built over top. These poor people almost always were Freemasons, and in their death, they chose this symbol of infamy as the covering of their headstone. How very, very sad!!
Pike also reveals that "We teach the truth of none of the legends we recite ... we reproduce the speculations of the Philosophers, the Kabalists, the Mystagagues and the Gnostics." So much for Jesus' dogmatic assertion that "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." [John 14:6] This is THE fact which forever brands Freemasonry as a lie: they teach that all religions are valid, and as we showed you in article FREE01, their teachings about Jesus Christ brand them as the Biblical forces of Antichrist!! Freemasonry always talks a great deal about God, but never about Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Redeemer of mankind. Speaking about God while eliminating Jesus Christ I a Biblical hallmark of Antichrist [1 John 4:1-4]. Freemasonry does this constantly.
Therefore, when Alice Bailey says that the Masonic Fraternity shall hide the Mysteries, gradually teaching them to the masses of the people, so that, when the Great One appears, he may bring the hidden Mysteries to "outer expression", she is saying that, when Antichrist arises, he shall restore Luciferian worship to public worship!! This is the Plan. This public worship of Lucifer will begin by the False Religious Prophet, but will soon be directed by the Great One himself.
Before we go on to our original subject of Government Center in Washington, D.C., being originally laid out according to Masonic, and Occultic, symbols, let us address the issue of who was Alice Bailey, and her husband, Foster. As I stated before, Alice Bailey was the global leader of the House of Theosophy, an occult organization very influential in the leadership toward the New World Order. Hitler attended Theosophical seminars in Switzerland, where he learned the true depth of the terrible lies of the "Secret Doctrine", which justified to him the killing of the Jews, who were considered an inferior "root race". But, Alice and Foster Bailey were much more; they were also founders of Lucifer Publishing Trust [quickly renamed 'Lucis Trust'] and the Arcane Schools. Foster Bailey was very influential in Freemasonry, writing a book entitled, 'The Spirit of Masonry', within which is the text of a lecture which he presented to a lodge in New Jersey. Both Foster and Alice Bailey were members of what today is called "Co-Masonry" or Adoptive Masonry, a very secret group which admitted both men and women! [Gary Kah, Christian author, writing in "En Route To Global Occupation", p. 89-90].
Therefore, no Mason can dismiss the revelations of Alice and Foster Bailey as coming from some outsider who cannot understand Freemasonry because they were never Masons. These promoters of the coming New World Order under the leadership of the Great One [Antichrist] speak very glowingly, very approvingly, of Freemasonry!! By the way, this concept that no one outside of Freemasonry can hope to understand it, is completely false. Anyone who can read their books, comparing them to Scripture, can understand what Freemasonry is all about. In fact, when we read their books, we are obeying Scripture, when the Apostle John stated, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." [1 John 4:1]. We are to test the spirits confronting us, to determine whether they are true or false. We are to compare them to Scripture to determine whether they are true or false. When we do this exercise, we discover Freemasonry to be, at best, counterfeit Christianity, and at worse, of the forces of Antichrist [See FREE01]!!
Now, in the light of these facts about the Luciferian nature of Freemasonry, let us examine the material we discovered on the Internet. http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/s2.html You will discover an article entitled, "The Most Approved Plan: The Competition for the Capitol's Design", giving the history of creating the plan for Government Center. Reading closely, you can see the influence which past pagan religions exercised on this plan.
"Open Competition: Thomas Jefferson decided that the Capitol's design should be chosen by a public competition, and advertisements began appearing in American newspapers in March 1792. The entries were disappointing to the judges -- Washington, Jefferson, and the Commissioners of the District of Colombia. Most of the entries survive to this day; they are a revealing reflection of the talent available among America's amateurs, builder-architects, and professionals. The published guidelines stipulated matters of fact -- size and number of rooms and materials -- not issues of taste, such as style of architecture, historical association, or symbolic meaning. Thus the competitors themselves proposed ideas of how to convey America's new political structure and social order. Their suggestions, ranging from simple to complex, economical to expensive, reflected commonly held beliefs about America's governing population -- primarily farmers and merchants -- or promoted benefits promised by the Constitution. Most competitors drew upon Renaissance architectural models, either filtered through the lens of eighteenth-century English and American Georgian traditions or based directly on buildings illustrated in Renaissance treatises. The Capitol competition coincided with nascent Neoclassicism in America, in which forms and details from Greek and Roman architecture were revived. Three of the competition entries were inspired by ancient classical buildings. The Roman Pantheon -- the circular domed rotunda dedicated to all pagan gods -- was suggested by Jefferson, who later shepherded it through several transformations."
Did you understand the last sentence? Thomas Jefferson favored the design of the Roman Pantheon for the Capitol building, and protected it through several "transformations", even though he knew this design was a "circular domed rotunda dedicated to all pagan gods". This tells you volumes about the pagan influence upon the creation of Government Center, an influence insisted upon by our leaders of Freemasonry, our Founding Fathers. Next, we shall examine the copy of the original advertisement for the above mentioned "Open Competition" for the design of Government Center. We apologize for the fact that the extreme right hand of this copy is cut off, but this was the condition of the copy on this Internet page.
Source: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/twtynine.jpg
This design was produced by a French Freemason, Pierre Charles L'Enfante. When you look closely, you can see the Pentagram north of the White House and the Freemasonry tools connecting the White House and the U.S. Congress. We have reproduced the winning map design, below, which was changed from L'Enfante's design ever so slightly; only on this map, we have traced these Freemasonry symbols in color. Note: The street that makes up the upper part of the square is not visible on this map but that street is there today.
Source: http://lcweb.loc.gov/exhibits/us.capitol/twntyseven.jpg -- Winning Design
As you can see, our Founding Fathers who were Freemasons, intended from the beginning, that Washington, D.C., Government Center, was to be established as a Freemason Capitol. They intended that Freemasons would determine the political and spiritual direction of the infant United States of America. This direction was to be toward their New World Order. We are now very, very close to this goal today. Thus, our seeds of destruction were sown by our Founding Fathers without anyone else knowing about it! This fulfills the stated objective of Albert Pike in his book, "Morals and Dogma", hiding the truth from the "Profane" while revealing it to the "Elect". The arrogance of this statement is beyond my comprehension!!
As we revealed in FREE01, the true center of spiritual and political power resides only in the Freemason Temple of Understanding, located 13 blocks north of the White House, and directly in line with the massive obelisk known as the Washington Monument. Occultists believe that the spirit of the Sun God "Ra" indwells the obelisk, and that the "Elect" must bow down before it twice to three times daily. Thus, the Washington Monument, the obelisk, is in direct line with the Congress to its East, and with the Freemason Temple directly North. The White House is not in direct line with the obelisk, which is very revealing as to the planned center of power. Freemasons intended that the center of power would be the Temple of Understanding, not the White House!! Thus, they located the Temple due North of the obelisk! We hope you understand now that the spirit of Freemasonry has been guiding our nation's direction ever since 1776, and that this guidance was solidified in 1792 by incorporating Freemasonry symbols into the very street structure of Government Center. The importance of our discovery of these maps is that we found them on a Freemason Web Site, http://www.eskimo.com/~daylight/. The fact that we found these maps on a Freemason site PROVES beyond a shadow of a doubt that the intent of L'Enfante and our Founding Fathers, from the beginning of our country, was to deliberately design Government Center according to Freemasonry principles.
Finally, the truth wins out, and we have this Freemasonry Web Site to thank for it!!
The New World Order of the Great One [Antichrist] is almost upon us. Are you spiritually ready? Is your family? Are you adequately protecting your loved ones? This is the reason for this ministry, to enable you to first understand the peril facing you, and then help you develop strategies to warn and protect your loved ones. Once you have been thoroughly trained, you can also use your knowledge as a means to open the door of discussion with an unsaved person. I have been able to use it many times, and have seen people come to Jesus Christ as a result. These perilous times are also a time when we can reach many souls for Jesus Christ, making an eternal difference.
If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.
If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually. If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.
Finally, we would love to hear from you.
You can contact us by mail or email.God bless you.
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49ers rookie tight end Vance McDonald thrilled to have Vernon Davis as a teammate and mentor
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Vance McDonald has been fortunate to spend his rookie summer as the understudy to veteran San Francisco tight end Vernon Davis, who has been eager to take McDonald on as a little brother and teammate, to guide him through the rigors of training camp and the regular season.
McDonald is doing plenty of prep on his own, too. He regularly falls asleep with the 49ers' offensive playbook right within reach — a book he knew would be thick yet has surprised him with just how expansive it is.
"Let's just say I heard them say how big it was and I said, 'Ah, it can't be that bad,'" McDonald said, smiling. "And I just stared at it the first time and I was just like, 'Wow.' It's extremely extensive, but that's kind of what it takes to be successful, so that's what I've got to do to get it done."
The 49ers traded up with Green Bay to draft McDonald out of Rice with the 55th overall selection in the second round of April's draft, and he showed promise in his preseason debut. McDonald made four receptions for 66 yards, including a 21-yard gain, and was targeted eight times in San Francisco's 10-6 exhibition loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday night.
Offensive coordinator Greg Roman thought McDonald took a nice step in his first game, while also wishing he had converted a couple of the balls he missed — one an obvious drop.
"Liked the look in his eye before the game," Roman said.
Yet McDonald will sit out Friday's game at Kansas City nursing an undisclosed injury. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he likely would be sidelined between seven and 10 days without providing further details.
"He's working through a little something this week, better to be cautious," Harbaugh said Monday. "Everybody has high hopes and expectations for Vance. He's done a very good job."
It hasn't been easy getting used to the pace or workload, yet McDonald points to a moment during organized team activities when he received positive feedback from the coaches about the strides he had made being more aware of what was happening from snap to snap.
"They could see a point when it went from that, 'Oh, man,' first glance, hesitant, to just instinctive," McDonald said. "They could kind of see that switch flip on. I don't know exactly when that was, but I certainly feel now that it's a lot more natural going with the offense in terms of what your job is each play."
Davis has enjoyed doing a little bit of teaching and mentoring with McDonald, a physical specimen at 6-foot-4 and 267 pounds. And, going with Harbaugh's regular refrain of not making comparisons, Davis wants McDonald to develop his own style — defensive lineman Justin Smith is already impressed with McDonald's hands and how he "catches the ball away from his body, really good possession tight end."
Davis told McDonald he could become one of the most talented tight ends in the NFL, topping even Davis' accomplishments one day.
"He's just one of those guys when he walks in the room, he brightens the room up. That's what I love about him. He's a big dude, he's humble, he works. He wants to be the best tight end," Davis said. "You look at it, a guy like Vance might come in here and be like, 'Vernon Davis this, Vernon Davis that, he's fast, he's strong.' Everybody's different.
"Jason Witten is not as fast as me, but he's still one of the best tight ends out there. Tony Gonzalez is not as fast as me and he's still one of the best. Every one of us, we all have different tricks, and that's what I'm trying to get Vance to get, 'Vance, don't be discouraged by what I'm doing, do your own thing and be better, be great, because you could be better than me in different ways. Use your own craft and your own God-given ability and put it to work.'"
McDonald — from tiny Winnie, Texas — realizes just how tough a job he has following not only Davis but departed second tight end Delanie Walker, who had 21 catches for 344 yards and three touchdowns last season and is now with the Tennessee Titans.
"Watching film with Delanie, that's a lot to fill," McDonald said. "He was a deep threat, he could get it done interior inside, too. That's a big void that the second tight end guy has got to come in and fill. It's still just a day-by-day thing, you're taking techniques and doing everything the coaches tell you. I might not be as fast as Delanie was but I certainly hope to say that I can use technique to get open."
That has been an adjustment in itself from college football to the pros. Most notably the finesse and how players use their hands more and not just positioning with their bodies.
The transition has been daunting at times.
"You've got to be smooth and quick," McDonald said. "It's just a different game. It's all about adapting."
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org


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Hillary, Sir Edmund Percival
Hillary, Sir Edmund Percival, 1919–2008, New Zealand mountain climber and explorer. He went on many mountain-climbing expeditions before 1953, when he and Tenzing Norgay of Nepal were the first people to reach the summit of Mt. Everest. He was later knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1958, leading a five-person group by dog sled and snow tractor across 1,200 mi (1,931 km) of Antarctica to the South Pole, he became part of the first group since 1912 to reach the Pole by overland route. In 1960 he embarked on a search for the abominable snowman. A year later he suffered a mild cerebral stroke while climbing Mt. Makalu (27,790 ft; 8,470 m) in Nepal. He served as New Zealand's high commissioner (ambassador) to India, Bangladesh, and Nepal from 1985 to 1988. His works include High Adventure (1955), the story of his Everest climb, and No Latitude for Error (1961), which recounts the South Pole expedition.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2023, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: Sports: Biographies


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The Kips Bay Decorator Show House
A self-described "art-aholic," Richard Mishaan's space is an elegant showcase for a treasure trove of contemporary art. Two elaborate gilt mirrors flank the Fernando Botero Mona Lisa' above the mantelpiece.
Kemble has transformed the wood-paneled library into a decidedly more feminine and glamorous room, with a stunning verre églomisé ceiling by Miriam Ellner. A Lucite cocktail table and playful pink upholstery lighten the space.
From the glossy red door to the intimate built-in bench, McDonald's entryway sets the stage for the rest of the house. McDonald says London's private club Annabel's inspired the crimson corridor.
Decked in subtle neutral tones, Matthew Patrick Smyth's dining room was inspired by the room's existing hand-painted wallpaper, which was a gift to the owner of the house from the sister of Madame Mao.
Perched at the top of the showhouse, Ford's stereo lounge is paneled in distressed European oak from LV Wood Floors & Surfaces and wired with speakers that play music from the cocktail table's built-in turntable. An oversize Noguchi lantern hangs overhead.
Opposite Ford's "stereo lounge" is Stilin's equally lounge-able living room, which is centered on a steel ring cocktail table by Aurélien Gallet (another designer with work in the showhouse), which calls to mind the sculptures of Richard Serra. One of Damien Hirst's famed spin paintings hangs above the fireplace.
Robert Stillin and Gunn Landscape Architecture PLLC
Two terraces bookend the penthouse floor, both outfitted in a minimal style with geometric shrubbery, lounge beds, and grey-and-white stripe throw pillows. Two sheep sculptures by Claude Lalanne are a wink at the urban-pastoral spaces.
Painted with high-gloss blue-green trim, Lincoln's den is furnished with masculine pieces, Gracie wallpaper, and Fortuny fabrics, which he describes as the "classics."
Imagined as a child's bedroom, Heissman's noir boudoir is furnished with colorful, quirky textiles (including a vintage Lilly Pulitzer print on the wing chair) and surreal touches like a ceiling-height giraffe. Mirrored walls add depth to the small space and reflect the textured wallpaper.
Conceived as a "maiden's bedchamber," Nisbet embraced the room's existing woodwork and paneling, pairing it with bold pink-and-white upholstery from Chelsea Workroom on the walls. Above the bed is Gimme by Marilyn Minter.
A jewel box of a room, Ostrom's bedroom is decorated with accents of Tiffany-blue. The room features a hand-painted ceiling (not shown) by Dianne Warner, and the bed is draped in Osborne & Little fabrics.
Greener By Design's modern landscape incorporates large mirrors that give the illusion that the garden continues beyond its brick walls. Living wall panels of lettuce and herbs (seen on either side of the mirror above) are artwork for the garden, while the earth has been modeled into miniature hills.
Inside Kate Rheinstein Brodsky's Colorful Home
Feng Shui 101: How to Harmonize Your Bedroom
13 Ideas to Steal from the ELLE DECOR Penthouse
7 Bathroom Ideas to Boost Your Well-Being


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Posted by Editor on 09/13/01
Canada has won the Team Relay event at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Vail, Colorado, holding off a last lap surge by Australia and Spain. The Canadian team won in a time of one hour, 35 minutes and 13 seconds, 26 seconds ahead of Australia. Spain was third, 50 seconds behind Canada.
The Team Relay consists of national teams of 4 riders from 4 different categories. Canada's team was made up by Chrissy Redden (Campbellville, Ontario), Adam Coates (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan), Roland Green (Victoria, BC) and Ryder Hesjedal (Victoria, BC).
Canada took a strategy of sending off their fastest riders first to establish a gap and force other nations to chase. Hesjedal ended his lap of the 11.5 kilometre race course with a 37 second lead over the United States. Green extended this lead to two minutes and 13 seconds over Germany by the end his his lap, and Coates, a 17 year old junior rider attending his first World Championships, took the gap to four minutes and four seconds by the time he handed off to Redden for the final lap.
Redden was being chased by two of the top pro men in the world - Jose Antonio Hermida (Spain) and Cadel Evans (Australia) - who began the lap five and six minutes back respectively. Evans managed to close the gap to less than half a minute by the end, but the day belonged to Canada.
- We reported earlier that Caroline Alexander of Great Britain had been disqualified while in second for an illegal wheel change. The actual offence was incurred by the previous UK rider - Philip Spencer. His drivetrain broke down (rear cogset) and he took a wheel from a team mate on the course. Alexander had already started her lap when the officials found out and pulled her out of the race.
- Thomas Frischknecht (Switzerland) was vocal with his displeasure after the race concerning the refusal by World Cup title winner Barbara Blatter to participate in the Team Relay. He believes Switzerland would have been on the podium if Blatter had been on the Swiss squad, and said that she was being "elitist" in her refusal to ride.
Roland Green
"It was tight on the last lap. We were all just sitting and waiting to see where Chrissy was. But Chrissy really threw down and did a tremendous job to bring it home. Our strategy was to go out hard because we felt that it would put the other teams on the defensive and they might make mistakes. This shows that overall Canada has the top riders in each category."
Ryder Hesjedal
"We did what everyone knew we could do. After the mechanical probleams at last year's championships, and the bronze the year before, we were ready. I went first because I am comfortable with a fast start and Roland and I established a good gap with our 1-2 punch."
Adam Coates
"It feels great, this is the greatest thing ever. I went third, against the women on most of the other teams, so I was able to gain some ground. I wasn't feeling super on the first 10 minutes of my ride, but then I settled down and started to pick it up."
Chrissy Redden
"I started the lap with 5 minutes on (Jose Antonio Hermida (Spain) and Cadel Evans (Australia)), and I knew that I needed that much of a lead. i knew that they were bearing down on me, but I just tried to be really steady and smooth. I heard from (my coach) over the ear piece that I had about 1:16 before the last descent, but it wasn't until the final 100 metres when I looked over my shoulder and couldn't see anybody, that I knew we had it.. The whole team did really well. We had a strategy, but every second counted because of the riders I had to go against."
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Jacket - Women's Performance Ombre - Green
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First part of the LBA1 review in the Dutch gaming magazine Power Unlimited. The English translation follows.
Weird guys, those French people. They make a great game but give it a childish name and intro. But don't be mistaken: Little Big Adventure is really something and it could mean a new standard in adventure games.
The main character in this adventure is a person called Twinsen, he belongs to one of the four races that live on this game world. The boss of the planet is Dr. Funfrock, a grouchy dictator who is only afraid of the goddess Sendell. In a dream Twinsen gets a request from this goddess to free the planet. Funfrock discovers Twinsen had this dream and to be sure he locks the disobedient civilian in a sanitarium. The game starts.
Right from the start you can see why this game is so amazing. It's in the way you move Twinsen. There are four kinds of behaviours which you can activate by a single press on a button: normal, athletic, aggressive and discreet. With every behaviour belongs a couple of moves you can do by using the arrow keys in combination with the spacebar. This way you can make Twinsen jump by putting him in athletic mode, he can fight in the aggressive mode (you can choose between automatic or manual), to sneak you switch to discreet and you can just walk, talk and pick things up in normal mode. That may not sound very spectacular, but you would have to see Twinsen move to understand what I mean. He moves so real that I nearly made Twinsen rest after I had made him run for a while. The best comparison you can make is with Alone in the Dark combined with Flashback. Those who know these two knows should know enough.
Another thing which is great about this adventure is the great care of detail. There are pillows and blankets on the beds, there are books in libraries opened on tables, in the parks the grass has been mowed, and the flowers look fresh. It's all great eye candy. It's also great that the details aren't just drawings but real objects on which you can walk or which you can pick up to put in your inventory. Even the sounds are so detailed you can hear whether you are walking on stones or on grass. When you walk on the flowers they even start to make noise out of protest. Something which is not very realistic is that opponents who you have knocked down just disappear and that the civilians of this world have a very bad memory. Texts are just being repeated when you ask something again (they don't say things like: "I already told you that") and often you even get the same information you got before without asking. After beating up an innocent person you can just walk out of the room and get back in. It will be like nothing happened, the victim talks again and even objects you picked up are back so you can pick them up again. This last thing is probably a mistake of the creators, even though it is very helpful. You can always get maximum money, energy and magic by just walking in and out of the same room.
This translation has been provided by Assassin


text: Australian Defence Force members 2013-14 IntroductionWarning: This information may not apply to the current year. Check the content carefully to ensure it is applicable to your circumstances. End of attention This guide, Australian Defence Force members 2013-14, is a simple summary of Taxation Ruling TR 95/17 – Income tax: employee work-related deductions of employees of the Australian Defence Force. This Taxation Ruling provides information on tax deductions specifically for members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). This guide will help you work out what deductions you can claim. It: looks at the common expenses you might incur as an ADF member explains the claims you can and cannot make includes information about some changes to the tax laws that have occurred since the ruling was issued, for example, capital allowances. Use this guide with Individual tax return instructions to get your deduction claims right. Remember, when you sign your tax return, you are declaring that: everything you have told us is true, and you have or can get the written evidence you need to prove your claims. You are responsible for this proof even when you use a registered tax agent. Publications and services To find out how to get a publication referred to in this guide and for information about our other services, see More information. Last modified: 06 Jul 2015QC 39789


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Tribune Co.'s imminent emergence from an epic bankruptcy has fueled a flurry of speculation about the future of one of the country's largest diversified news media empires.
Weighing in on the matter Thursday was one of the world's richest men, Warren Buffett. The Oracle of Omaha, as he is known for his legendary financial prowess, expressed interest in one of Tribune"s newspapers. Which one?
You are reading it.
Asked if his company, Berkshire Hathaway of Omaha, Neb., might buy The Morning Call, Buffett responded: "Allentown is our kind of place."
Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-warren-buffett-allentown-morning-call-20121213,0,1492402,full.story


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The game is set in the future, when humanity, united in a Federation, begins to colonize subsequent planetary systems in search of natural resources and living space. Soon, the Federation's authorities, unprepared for the expansion, limit their actions to distributing the terraforming concessions among rivaling Exploring Corporations. Consecutive planets of the borderspace fall into the relentless rule of the mighty syndicates. The new worlds, devoid of the Federation's supervision, become a dreamland for criminal activity on a yet unseen scale.
The humanity inevitably drifts towards anarchy. The situation is made even worse by the increasing number of cases of successful attacks on high representatives of the Federation's authorities, by terrorists organisation members aided with a yet unknown stimulus. The synthetic enzymes based substance increases stamina, releases aggression and improves motorics. The results of the investigation indicate that the substance might have come from the laboratories of one of the terraforming corporations.
The gamer acts as an operative of future's special forces unit - SpecForce. Established to fight crisis situations that threaten the Federation's peace, equipped with the latest combat gear, the unit is the Federation's elite rapid reaction force.


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Study: Being a 'Healthy' Degree of Neurotic Lowers Risk of Chronic Disease
Good news for those with neurosis. Try not to overthink it.
PROBLEM: Common sense would have it that neurotic people -- anxious worriers, depressives, those who are quick to anger and to self-medicate -- might not be in the best of health. Especially not when compared to those who fall under the other "Big Five" personality dimensions: openness, extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness (you can take a test to find out what best describes you here). Of the five, it could logically be predicted that people with the highest degrees of neuroticism would also have the highest levels of inflammation, which is linked to heart disease, stroke, asthma, arthritis, diabetes, and some cancers.
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METHODOLOGY: Researchers at the University of Rochester are in the middle of a large project that looks at the way personality traits, by causing us to act in certain healthy or unhealthy ways, influence our biology, and thus become risk factors for future health problems. Their data is derived from a national sampling of 1,054 adults, whose disease-related biomarkers, physiological health, and personality traits were all evaluated. For the current study, the researchers used blood tests to assess the subjects' levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a biomarker for inflammation, over the course of five years.
RESULTS: Contrary to what the researchers predicted, neuroticism was associated with decreased levels of IL-6 -- and this association grew stronger when subjects also scored high for conscientiousness. The 441 subjects who scored moderate to high for both personality traits at once had lower levels of IL-6 than those who were high in only one or the other. They also tended to have lower BMIs and fewer diagnosed chronic health conditions. When the researchers adjusted for smoking and alcohol consumption, this association diminished, but remained significant.
CONCLUSION: When accompanied by high levels of conscientiousness, the researchers concluded, neuroticism may actually be associated with health benefits.
IMPLICATIONS: What emerges from the combination of these two personality traits that might contribute to greater health? Lead author Nicholas Turiano hypothesized, "These people are likely to weigh the consequences of their actions, and therefore their level of neuroticism coupled with conscientiousness probably stops them from engaging in risky behaviors." He also speculates that they translate their anxiety into hyper-vigilance about healthy living, and that they are quick to seek treatment when they detect health problems.
In other words, at the intersection of neuroticism and conscientiousness exists the "healthy neurotic" -- still anxious, but with enough self-discipline to control for associated bad behaviors like drinking, smoking, and overeating.
The full study, "Big 5 personality traits and interleukin-6: Evidence for 'healthy Neuroticism' in a US population sample" is published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity .


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Connect with top gaming leaders in Los Angeles at GamesBeat Summit 2023 this May 22-23. Register here.
Microsoft is giving a big boost to its Xbox Music business this fall, partly by expanding its digital music service to both Apple's iOS and Google's Android platform. The change is the first in a series of efforts to vault Microsoft's digital music business from a weak also-ran to a useful asset in its larger entertainment business.
The addition of an Xbox Music app on the other platforms shows that Microsoft isn't religious about extending its music business to its competitors' offerings. And it also shows that the company is pressing its push into the entertainment business on all fronts, even in areas where you could easily argue that it hasn't won.
Jerry Johnson, the general manager of Xbox Music, said in an interview with GamesBeat that the notion of making a Microsoft music service available on rival platforms fits with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer's recent reorganization under the theme of One Microsoft, where the emphasis is on breaking down barriers between businesses and successfully launching new versions of Windows and Xbox in the coming weeks.
"It's not religion. It's a strategy about how you make [something useful] available on some of these devices," he said. "We asked what can we do to make your music experience better."
GamesBeat Summit 2023
Join the GamesBeat community in Los Angeles this May 22-23. You'll hear from the brightest minds within the gaming industry to share their updates on the latest developments.
A few months ago, Microsoft reassessed its role in music. The Xbox Music group queried the corporation's divisions and found 17 different teams from three different divisions had worked on Microsoft's music products. But music was supposed to be a connector, a thread that runs through our lives and many of the company's businesses. It was being addressed piecemeal within the organization.
"There is no question there is a bigger investment in music," Johnson said. "The company is starting to get behind this. It is building momentum and will touch more groups across Microsoft. I'm excited about the opportunity. The company and its platforms are ideal for this, as Microsoft is 100 percent behind this and is doubling down on music."
With Xbox One, Microsoft is marketing not just a game console but a full-blown entertainment platform. Johnson believes that the future will reveal that entertainment will blur, where you won't be able to tell what is a game, what is an app, what is a song, or what is a video.
A long slog
It has been a long slog to catch up with Apple's iPod, iTunes, and core focus on music. Microsoft tried unsuccessfully for many years with its Zune music players and services. It finally retired that name and launched Xbox Music a year ago with the debut of the Windows 8 operating system.
Last year, the company launched a completely revamped digital music interface that matched the touch-oriented Metro of Windows 8, Windows Phone and the Xbox 360. Last year's update also paved the way for download to own, access service, and a rich radio service. You could manage and curate and control your collection under the brand statement, "All the music you want, any way you want it."
"As we looked back, there are a lot of things we learned from that experience," Johnson said. "What people want is everywhere they want it."
On Monday, Xbox Music on the web debuts for free users. It launched a month ago for paid subscribers to the Xbox Music Pass, but now this version will give listeners access to free music streaming on the web, on any web browser, (including Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, and Chrome), on a PC or a Mac. That means that all 30 million songs in Microsoft's library will be accessible for streaming in all 15 markets that are available. Also on Monday, Microsoft will release its Xbox Music apps for premium subscribers on iOS and Android.
By Oct. 17, when Microsoft launches its major update Windows 8.1 on the PC, Xbox Music will be available on that platform. The company will release Xbox Music on the Xbox One video game console on its launch day on Nov. 22. So by that time, Xbox Music will move from three clients to eight, including Windows 8, Windows Phone, the web, Xbox 360, iOS, Android, Windows 8.1, and Xbox One. All of those moves will help the service spread dramatically in the next couple of months, Johnson said.
"It's really opening up the ecosystem. One of the primary ways we acquire new subscribers for our $9.99 a month service is through your console," he said. "It's pretty much a given people will want that on their mobile devices, too. If they had a Windows Phone, they were set. But this is an opportunity to engage more people by meeting their needs on the mobile device that they prefer."
Once Microsoft engages with those consumers, there is a better chance they will choose a Microsoft devices, such as a Windows Phone, the next time they upgrade a smartphone.
New Xbox Music user interface features
Microsoft's postmortem on last year's service showed that it was encouraging consumers to build large collections of music on top of what they already owned, but the user interface was not good at managing those large collections. The user interface was pretty to look at, but now the team has added ways to help you find the song you want and start playing it more quickly. One of the jokes about last year's interface was that it took you six clicks to play a song. That suggested that the user interface was deep, something that you could drill down into. But with more things to click upon on the left, the user interface is now "flattened out," Johnson said.
The new Xbox Music has introduced a new navigation bar on the left that lists a bunch of ways to view your collection, explore, and discover new music, search for something you want, assemble a playlist quickly based on your tastes, or play existing playlists. Wherever you see content, whether it's in the Bing search app, you can simply click on a song and play it.
"We have a simpler grid control now," with more text as needed, Johnson said. "Now you can browse through 500 albums quickly and play a song instantly. You can scroll up and down your collection and go through thousands of songs."
Microsoft wants to drive people to build larger collections and discover more music. It believes that its business models and revenues will flow from better consumer engagement.


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We all know that there are LOTS of ways to buy Broadway tickets (and it's easy to be skeptical of the new kid on the block), but we recently tested out a new (to us and to Broadway) tickets website called ScoreBig that offers a bit of a different approach to the Broadway ticket-buying process.
It's almost like an online version of the TKTS booth, where discounted tickets are made available to people hoping to see a show for less. The twist with ScoreBig is that you have the opportunity to make an offer on tickets and get them for an even lower price. The other twist with ScoreBig is that the seat selection process is streamlined – instead of looking up actual open seats, ScoreBig outlines different seating areas with similar views and prices (in a theatre there may be 6 or 7 seating areas to choose from). The guarantee with the seats is that your tickets will "always be together – which means in a row, one next to the other, without any strangers seated in between".
So…how did ScoreBig do when we tested the system out? Pretty well overall!
The process on the website was easy – we found the show we wanted to see (in this case the hilarious A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder), picked a seating area we liked (and yes, our two seats ended up being right next to each other), and then started making offers. To really test the system, we started with some low-ball offers, and that's where the first complication popped up. You input the amount you're willing to spend per ticket, and ScoreBig instantly reviews to see if that will work – if your offer is rejected after three attempts, you've got to wait 24 hours before making another offer on tickets in that seating area. They're clear about the policy, so it's no surprise (and there's even a cool colored bar that instantly shows how likely your offer is to be accepted), it just means you'll want to make serious offers to save the most time.
Where we see this being especially useful is for people who have a specific amount of money set aside to see a Broadway show. There are no fees or extra charges with ScoreBig, so feel free to make an offer all the way up to the top of your budget. Having the option to make an offer lets you find your tickets fast and skip the search through all the different sections.
The only other complication we experienced with ScoreBig was the actual acquisition of the tickets. For us, there was an option to have the tickets waiting at Will Call or to download them for printing at home. We chose to download and didn't receive the link to do so until a couple days after purchase. We assume that logistics were being worked out and seats were being secured behind the scenes during those two days, but it made us a little nervous (because the performance date was coming up soon). In the end, we got the tickets just fine. Our recommendation is to give ScoreBig a try if you've got at least a few days or maybe even a week before your show…otherwise maybe visit the TKTS booth instead.
Based on our test experience, we would use ScoreBig again. Like we said before, it's kind of like buying TKTS discount tickets online (and avoiding that sometimes absurdly long line). It could be really helpful for people planning a trip to the city or looking for tickets on a specific date or just looking for the cheapest possible tickets! Give it a try yourself and let us know what you think. It's certainly easy to use and offers some cool advantages that you might not find from other Broadway ticket sellers.
The Broadway Musical Home received a discount coupon code for ScoreBig but was not paid to endorse ScoreBig services and/or offerings in any way.


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Big Brother is watching...our kids' test scores
reports on the effects of a new private intrusion into public education.
LAST WEEK, students across New York finished a set of tests taken over a two-week period designed to measure their proficiency at reading and math against new federal college readiness standards known as Common Core.
Some parents opted their children out of the exams in protest against what they described as the school system's over-emphasis on testing and its use of data as the principle indicator of their children's achievement.
Starting next year, those scores, along with students' personal information--race, economic background, report cards, discipline records and personal addresses--will be stored in a database designed by Wireless Generation, a subsidiary of media mogul Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.
That's right, Rupert Murdoch can read your child's report card anytime he likes, and he knows where your kid is sleeping. The database will be managed by inBloom Inc, a nonprofit outfit that, like Wireless Generation, is under the domain of billionaire Bill Gates--who, together with the Carnegie Corporation and other philanthropic organizations, set up the company via his Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
inBloom is receiving $50 million for their services from the New York Education Department through a contract awarded last fall. Data analyzing firms, educational software designers and other third-party venders, both for-profit and not-for-profit, will be granted access to student information.
New York is not alone in turning to student data tracking system to measure performance. Some 200,000 U.S. teachers use Wireless Generation software as part of a national trend in which education administrators are increasingly turning to data analysis to grasp why America's pupils are flunking when compared to the rest of the world.
"I am a deep believer in the power of data to drive our decisions," said U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan shortly after his appointment to the post in 2008. "Data gives us the roadmap to reform. It tells us where we are, where we need to go, and who is most at risk."
BUT THE consolidation of individual student information has been raising eyebrows--and sparking a backlash. The Electronic Privacy Information Center is suing Duncan's Education Department for amending privacy regulations in 2011 that allow student data to be accessed for non-educational objectives without informing parents--a violation, EPIC contends, of the Family Educational Rights Privacy and Privacy Act.
According to inBloom's privacy policy, the company is not responsible for security breaches; though it will "use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to ensure student records are kept private," inBloom "cannot guarantee the security of the information stored in inBloom or that the information will not be intercepted when it is being transmitted."
Last week, a group of New York parents sent a letter to the Board of Regents, which oversees the state's public schools, decrying the "plan to share highly confidential, personally identifiable student data" with inBloom. They expressed fear that the company intends to share their children's information "with for-profit vendors without parental notification or consent."
After parents in Louisiana raised similar concerns, plans to hand over student data to inBloom were put on hold two weeks ago. Contrary to statements from Louisiana Education Superintendent John White, the state has not cancelled its contract with the company, according to a spokesperson for inBloom.
The spokesperson also said it is up to inBloom's clients, not inBloom, to determine what data the company possesses and who is granted access. In Louisiana, that could include student social security numbers, which double as student ID digits in most districts.
Besides New York and Louisiana, inBloom has contracts with seven other states. All are part of the Shared Learning Collaborative, a pilot program set up by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to help implement Common Core standards through the tracking of student data. The Council of Chiefs, also a non-profit, is composed of the heads of America's state school systems who work together with corporations to collectively design education policy, in mold of the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC.
CCSSO's corporate partners include Microsoft, Apple, Wireless Generation and IBM, as well as Discovery Education, a spin-off of the television channel that gave us Amish Mafia. Then there are the big publishing houses: McGraw-Hill, Scholastic, and Pearson that design the standardized tests and produce the data which feeds inBloom, Wireless and others. Together, these tech, media and publishing corporations work with policymakers to integrate their products into curricula.
"I used to think there would be an uproar if I made this stuff public," said one programmer who designs student tracking systems, and who wished to remain anonymous in order to protect his job. "Then, I discovered that it's all already public. They're devising extra-governmental systems to handle student learning right before our eyes. The state is using its monopoly on education to benefit certain corporations."
Pearson, however, might have pushed its buddy-buddy relationship with education administrators a little too far. The publisher, which recently received a $32 million contract to design Common Core test prep materials for New York, is currently under investigation from the state Attorney General's office for using its nonprofit wing, the Pearson Foundation, to finance trips abroad taken by NYSED officials.
YET FOR the most part, by cloaking its aims in the guise of philanthropy the private sector has successfully nuzzled its way into the sphere of public education. And there are big bucks to be had.
"When it comes to K through 12 education," Rupert Murdoch put it upon acquiring Wireless Generation in 2010, "we see a $500 billion sector in the U.S. alone that is waiting desperately to be transformed by big breakthroughs that extend the reach of great teaching."
To help ensure that News Corp. gets its share of the education pie (translation: "to extend the reach of great teaching"), the media baron tagged an industry insider to do his bidding, taking on former New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein as an adviser.
"Government and for-profit education businesses are becoming ever more inextricably inter-connected," commented Michael McGill, superintendent for schools in Scarsdale, N.Y., upon learning of the state's plan to house his students info with the Murdoch/Gates start-ups. "This is a development that merits public concern and close public scrutiny."
What some critics find most troubling is not simply that corporate interests are collecting student personal information, but how that information is being used. As the anonymous programmer put it, "I don't think a lot these products are going to work. Teachers aren't going to like them, but that doesn't matter. These are essentially accountability systems."
Some school districts have released statistical teacher evaluations as a way of holding teachers' feet to the fire and to justify layoffs. In Los Angeles, one teacher committed suicide after the city paper published his score. In New York, Chicago, Philadelphia and elsewhere, standardized test results have been used to shutter schools and replace them with charters, sometimes sponsored by hedge funds.
There are other ways, of course, to improve schools, says the programmer. Rather than shutting them down, giving teachers a pink slip and hiring corporate data tracking firms, policy makers could invest in improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods surrounding schools. Also, "they could just hire more teachers." He insisted on anonymity for fear of retaliation from his employer, because such comments could cripple the programmer's entire profession, if heeded.
Increasingly, parents are refusing to feed the statistical machine. Over the last two weeks, several hundred in New York opted their children out of Common Core tests. In Chicago, parents also refused to allow their children to be tested. These boycotts were inspired by a school-wide refusal by teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle, Wash., to administer standardized exams to students.
"Arne Duncan has called education in America today 'the civil rights issue of our time,'" said Jesse Hagopian, a Garfield teacher who helped initiate the school-wide test refusal last fall. "And I agree with him. Only I think his methodology is flawed. Because I know what the actual civil rights movement was built on."
Just as a bus boycott helped launch the civil right's movement, Hagopian hopes that a test boycott will help launch a grassroots education reform movement.
"Parents, students and teachers need to band together," he says, "and boycott tests that are designed to rank and sort our children and label them failures rather than provide them educational equity. These tests can't measure leadership, civic courage, creativity, the things we're going to need to solve the problems in the world today like endless war, mass incarceration and climate change."
First published at Occupy.com.


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*Note* This game is no longer supported or available on mobile and touch devices due to policy updates required by those marketplaces being incompatible with the release version of Swipecart.
Swipecart™ is a physics based puzzle platformer that involves racing mine carts and collecting gems. The goal is to navigate through various obstacles to reach the exit of each track. It was inspired by games such as Happy Wheels, Trials, and the mine cart sections in Donkey Kong Country.
Each track starts with swiping your fingers or mouse to accelerate your cart. After the starting line you can no longer swipe, but must use the brakes and special abilities provided to a stop at the exit.
An online server is used to track high scores, host custom user created tracks, interact with other drivers, and sync between multiple devices. With dozens of official tracks and and endless supply of user created content, gaining fans and achieving victory in the Global Swipecart League has never been easier.
- Windows PC (Minimum requirement: Windows XP)
- HTML5 (Demo)
Create a driver profile and take the first step towards competing in the prestigious Global Swipecart Cup. As you compete across a variety of tracks each with their own obstacles and challenges, you will gain fans that boost your ranking and open up new possibilities.
Compete for the best times in order to gain gold medals on each track. Compare your times to those worldwide with the global leaderboards, as well as individually with your friends. Or beat your best times by racing against your own ghosts.
Use the Swipecart social network to add people to your friends list and directly compare stats and times with them. You can also use the in game mail system to send messages and trade gear. User created levels can also be easily shared with friends through the mail system.
Fans provide you with money, which you use to purchase gear to customize your driver. You also collect gem fragments as you navigate the rails, which combine into gems which can be sold or exchanged for services. Collecting all gem fragments on a track also rewards you with an extra gem, giving drivers a reason to strive for a perfect run.
Visit SwipeMart to browse the latest selection of helmets, carts, and wheels. With dozens of styles to choose from in a wide variety of colors and themes, you're free to ride in style. You can then swap out your gear in Larry's garage, where all your sets are stored.
With so many items to choose from, drivers are rewarded for finishing complete collections. Additional cosmetic items will be available to those who can finish up these sets. In addition, you don't have to dress just to impress yourself. Access your Racing License online, allowing you to share your stats and your style with the world.
Create your own custom tracks using the in game editor. Place track, obstacles, decorations and gem fragments with ease by snapping pieces together. Save and load your creations, and test them on the fly. Change the appearance and theme of your track or allow or deny certain abilities to change the difficulty.
Upload your finished tracks to the Swipecart servers for anyone to compete on. From there, share your tracks easily with the in game friends list and mail system, or share them on the internet through a link.
Play your driver profile across multiple devices. Play on multiple PCs, or move the action to your mobile or tablet and keep playing right where you left off. Play wherever you want with whatever you have in hand.