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Carroll Ballard has directed just six films, and four of them are masterpieces: The Black Stallion, Never Cry Wolf, Fly Away Home, and this one. I had hopes that a fifth one, adapted from The Master, an almost unknown novel by T. H. White, author of The Once and Future King, would be a fifth masterpiece. I worked with Carroll for about six months on writing the screenplay. Alas, nothing came of it.
If there has ever been a better movie about sailing, I've never heard of it. It begins with an exciting race between tiny, two-person boats. (I know there is a name for them, but there are so many classifications of racing boats with the rules constantly changing that I won't even try to get into that.) Matthew Modine and Jennifer Grey are aboard. We get right down into the heart of the action. Then we move onto the big boats, the America's Cup "yachts." (Again, the rules keep changing. The original racers were actual yachts, with living accommodations and full crews. These days they race catamarans that don't even seem to have below-decks spaces.) Cliff Robertson is the rich owner-sailor, and Modine is the tactician. It is a fictionalization of the 1983 race when the U.S. lost the cup for the first time, ending a 132-year streak, the longest winning streak in sports. And it's Modine's fault, for hitting the turn marker and thus having to go back around, just as happened in real life.
Some time later, after a period licking his wounds, he joins Grey and Stellan Skarsgård at an abandoned airfield in the desert to design and build another boat to challenge the Aussies in Freemantle. (Skarsgård is standing in for Burt Rutan, the famous aircraft designer who really did work on the boat.) They go Down Under and win the cup back.
So there's the plot. Nothing too unconventional, though there's nothing wrong with it. The real joys of this movie, as in all the other Ballard movies, is the photography. It must have been a real bitch to shoot. We are aboard the yachts as they slam through the waves, watching these crazy men as they climb up to the top of the mast, and hang their asses out over the side to get that one more ounce of counterbalance to the howling wind. I have never aspired to even get on a sailboat, much less be part of the crew, so it is really wonderful to be able to see how exhausting and exciting it all is without having to get wet.
Since you already know how it comes out, I can share one sequence that I thought was brilliant. There is celebratory pandemonium ashore as the boats are paraded through town, and on the water as they jockey for position at the start. The music is pounding, the cheers are deafening, editing is fast and furious as they start. And then we cut to … the two boats just sitting there, totally becalmed. Not a breath of wind! If de wind don' blow, de boats don' go. It is a hilarious moment, as they desperately look for the least ripple on the water. Of course, once the wind blows it is edge-of-your-seat drama again. I just love this movie.


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UN Politics: The Sweeter, the tougher
But what india got? Nothing solid but assurances that US will back india's quest for UNSC permanent seat and will use its leverage on pakistan to bring 26/11 responsibles to justice. Out of these two,UNSC is definately more important and interesting. 26/11 is gone and Ajmal kasab has already been through trial and the world knows that pakistan is now the epicentre of global terrorism and is unfortunately a soon-to-be failed state. While we keep the past in our head and learn from it,its also important to focus on future. India is back in UNSC after a very long time. The happy moment came after the embarrasing fiasco of 1996 where india was deliberately set up to lose (which i think is western countries punishment to india for being too close to communists). That was what i say " ab tera kya hoga kaliya?" situation.
But things have changed now. India is a growing economic and military giant and has shown it to the world that embargos, corruptions and forced isolation cannot stop this nation to claim it's rightful place. In recent elections India garnered something which can be a UN record. Normally a country needs 2/3 votes to be elected as a member of UN security council but India got the assent of 187 out of 192 possible voters. But as they say great power comes with great responsibilty. What can india expect out of this stint in security council? And how should india work?
Well, the expectation ball was rolled when prez Obama asked india's intervention in myanmar situation. Quite true! India is acting like a rock when it comes to myamnar crisis (today i heard that suu kyi is going to be released). Once in the security council, people will expect india to take steps regarding Iran, North Korea, Myanmar, Sudan, Palestine and global terrorism. Suddenly the responsibilities will expand. Western countries are already performing war games with indian forces to increase the interoperability. So the mentoring and grooming has already started for some time now. But in UN - it all about international politics and mature diplomacy. India may have to offend many friends like iran- so we will have to learn the fine art of negotitations.
Pakistan is already miffed with the US endorsement of india's bid for UNSC perma-member seat. Out of the five perma members, China can shoot down india's aspirations. Rest of the four countries US,UK France and Russia are already in sync with india.
Perma seat is still few years away but india has to prove a lot before reaching that level.
- Rakesh
1 comment:
- Manasa. K .Kumar said...
Well written article.
Yes, India has quite a lot to prove to her neighbors and the west..
We as a nation need to first fight corruption, that is present right from the grass root level to the highest of bureaucrats. The blame games that go on after a major scam has been unearthed has to stop, and politicians and bureaucrats really need to stand up and take responsibility, or we should not vote for them!
The option 49(O) of the Indian constitution which provides the option for citizens not to choose any candidate but still allows them to vote, must be included in the Electronic Voting Machines and reforms must be made by the Election Commission to fight corruption.
The future of India is in our hands, and not of the corrupt politicians, who we are feeding our taxes to.
- December 8, 2010 at 7:32 PM
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I love how art products are making their way into the crafting world. One such products are embossing pastes and gels (see my linked post about that here.) And lucky for us, companies like Faber Castell are actually improving them! Such is the case with Whipped Spackle Texture Medium from Design Memory Craft.
On the website, it's described simply,
Create shaped dimensions and textured surfaces with Whipped Spackle, a versatile medium that will work on any surface.
Feel like you'd need to know more before you buy some? Well, crafty friends, that's why I'm here! Let's take a closer look.
This is a creamy, lightweight embossing and texture medium that is, like the name implies, whipped up. You can see the tiny air bubbles in the medium with the naked eye. To the touch, it's like the goo that's inside a cream-filled doughnut. I'm happy to report that there is no real odor at all.
When spread with a palette knife or a credit card, it gives opaque coverage. It's a little hard to smooth out perfectly due to the air bubbles. And frankly, the texture is what you want. Think stucco for your craft projects!
I just started spreading some around with my palette knife. It's fun to create texture. Since this is a water-based product, you can expect a little warping or bowing of your paper surfaces. However, when it dries, it flattens right back out.
Speaking of texture, it has a fairly heavy body- this means that you can press something into it and it will hold that texture. I used some small bubble wrap in the sample above. It held the texture beautifully.
I used it with some brass stencils as an embossing paste. As you can see with the black paper, it stands out well and gives complete coverage. It does not change to clear when it dries! With the sample on the right, I tapped some Pearl-Ex powders into the wet Whipped Spackle and it "grabbed" the colors to tint the paste.
You can also use a wet medium to tint the Whipped Spackle, such as a spray ink. I sprayed this bubble-wrap printed sample (on burlap) with Plain Jane inks by Tattered Angels and it continued to hold it's texture.
And speaking of tinting, you can use a lot of different mediums on it when it's dry, too. In the top sample I used Distress Inks (copper) and Radiant Rains (purple). In the bottom sample I used some Surfacez solvent re-inkers and some Pinata alcohol inks.
You can even tint it before you use it! Here I added some Pearl-Ex color to the Whipped Spackle and folded it in. Since the Whipped Spackle has a fair amount of white pigment (titanium oxide, I wonder?) the sparkle of the Pearl-Ex didn't show up very well. But it proves the point that you can custom-tint it with mica powders.
Here I used the tinted Whipped Spackle on manilla tags. I created the texture with a credit-card edge. In the sample on the right, I over-sprayed it with a Plain Jane spray ink. I think it's a very interesting effect!
I even tried to embed a small polymer clay bit with it- and interestingly, it held fast when dry!
But honestly, that is the point of this product- to create texture and the feeling of layers.
Here is a journal page I've been working on. I stenciled a few birds using the tinted Whipped Spackle as an embossing paste, and I think it's a cool way to add that extra textural layer on top of the flay spray-inked stencil layer.
I also created this video so you could see it in action:
This is a new release so I don't have pricing information on it yet. But do you think you'd try it out? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
- Spooky Spider Halloween Bookmark Craft - October 24, 2018
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- Jane Davenport debuts at Creativation 2018 & Watercolor Card - February 13, 2018
- Creativation 2018: New Product Showcase - January 20, 2018


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than the average vampire;
than the average vampire;
than the average vampire;
yes, they are a lot darker
than the average vampire:
The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.
Even within the vampire brotherhood, Zsadist is feared. Still bearing the scars from a tortured past, he is renowned for his unquenchable fury. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion-until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.
As Primale of the Chosen, the fiercely loyal Phury has sacrificed himself for the good of his race. But his first mate, the Chosen Cormia, wants not only his body but his heart for herself. As tragedy looms over the Brotherhood's mansion, Phury must decide between duty and love.
Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.
Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...
But fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he's found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him.
To enter simply leave a comment on your favorite JR Ward
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On Thursday, December 10, 2015, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission (MGC) held a daylong forum to educate the MGC commissioners, staff and the public on Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) and to inform the policy paper the MGC is drafting for the Legislature and the Governor.
Industry experts provided an overview of DFS. Customer engagement and satisfaction drive the industry. DFS is unique and it does not lend itself to easy comparisons to other forms of gaming or entertainment. Regulation of DFS rather than legalization is the right approach to avoid running afoul of PASPA. Industry experts believe that DFS regulation should be proportional to the risk and should not be too onerous to avoid crippling the industry.
Representatives from the leading DFS operators, DraftKings and FanDuel, provided their perspectives on DFS operations. Each company stressed the need for transparency and consumer protection safeguards to guarantee a positive player experience. Both companies expressed support for the MA AG's regulations and didn't necessarily feel that additional regulation was necessary at this time. Both companies already use technology to ensure there is no underage play, no play outside authorized jurisdictions, and no multi-accounting. Both companies provide beginner-only contests, allow for various forms of self-exclusion, and track and store customer activity.
Industry experts identified emerging public policy issues, including the use of bots and scripts, disclosure of customers' skill levels, player funds protection, licensure of operators and vendors, responsible gaming, and customer complaints and recourse. All issues were discussed with an eye toward enhancing the customer's experience.
Representatives from the MA AG's Office, the American Gaming Association (AGA) and a former regulator discussed the MA AG's regulations and the applicability of existing regulatory frameworks to DFS. Through its regulations, the MA AG is seeking to establish an enforcement mechanism and to allow input from various stakeholders. Due to its unique nature, DFS requires a unique regulatory model that is different from brick and mortar casinos and other forms of gaming. DFS regulation requires more than just self-regulation, but probably doesn't require a dedicated regulator to police the industry. DFS operators are seeking predictability, consistency and commercial viability in any new regulations.
Industry experts discussed forward-looking approaches to regulating DFS and other emerging games. Former MGC Commissioner Jim McHugh outlined 5 regulatory interests to guide any new regulations: preventing criminal conduct, consumer protection, revenue generation, economic development, and mitigating adverse consequences. McHugh suggested that the Legislature provide a statutory scheme that would allow a governmental body to evaluate individual games.
- Uncertainty has stunted the growth of the industry.
- The industry is already doing great things on the consumer protection front.
- The industry welcomes regulations that are commercially viable and technologically feasible and would appreciate uniformity- the MGC thinks that is a perfectly reasonable starting point.
- DFS, like many other rapidly evolving industries, requires nimble regulators.
- DFS may be one of the only games that is looking to require the disclosure of skilled players.
- To avoid running afoul of PASPA, focus on consumer protection regulation and/or exemption from existing gambling prohibitions, rather than authorization and licensure.
- MA regulations will likely serve as a model for other states.


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The Challenge
Did you know that every Canadian produces about five tonnes
or more of greenhouse-gas emissions every year? If you
add them
all together, that's more than a quarter of Canada's
greenhouse gas emissions.
But what are greenhouse gases,
and what do they mean to us? And just what is the greenhouse effect? And if the
greenhouse effect causes the climate to change - well, what's
up with that?
SEEDS wants to show Canadian schools and organizations how
greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced by one tonne per
person per year.
How? Why? Let's go to step #1
What is the One-Tonne Challenge?
How do I take the challenge?
Climate Change! What's that all About?
Come on Board!
Racking up Results
Individual Online Form
Group Online Forms
Printable Forms
Click here to enter
teacher's resouces
© Copyright 2006 Seeds All rights reserved.


text:
The technology we use, and even rely on, in our everyday lives –computers, radios, video, cell phones – is enabled by signal processing. Learn More »
1. IEEE Signal Processing Magazine
2. Signal Processing Digital Library*
3. Inside Signal Processing Newsletter
4. SPS Resource Center
5. Career advancement & recognition
6. Discounts on conferences and publications
7. Professional networking
8. Communities for students, young professionals, and women
9. Volunteer opportunities
10. Coming soon! PDH/CEU credits
Click here to learn more.
The IEEE Signal Processing Society sponsors technical conferences, symposia and workshops dedicated to fostering networking opportunities with peers from around the world, and to exchange leading-edge, peer-reviewed scientific and technological knowledge. In addition to upcoming events below, visit the Call for Papers page for conference paper submission deadlines. If you are a student, you may be interested in attending one of the Society's Seasonal Schools in Signal Processing (S3P) Program. The Society's Distinguished Lecturer Program provides means for chapters to have access to individuals who are well known educators and authors in the fields of signal processing.
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text:
Belgium continued their perfect start to Euro 2020 by beating Finland 2-0 on Monday to finish top of Group B, leaving the Finns third and facing a nervous wait to see if they can sneak into the knockout stages.
A much-changed Belgium side dominated the game but only found a breakthrough in the 74th minute courtesy of an own goal from keeper Lukas Hradecky, who fumbled a Thomas Vermaelen header over the line after it had crashed off the woodwork.
- Hazard lively, but De Bruyne and Lukaku make the difference
- Euro 2020 on ESPN: Latest news, features, video
- Euro 2020 bracket and fixture schedule
Striker Romelu Lukaku clinched victory in the 83rd minute by swivelling to thump home a Kevin de Bruyne pass and score his third goal of the tournament.
Belgium, who became the third team after Italy and the Netherlands to win all three group games, will face one of the third-placed sides in Seville on June 27.
Denmark, second in Group B after their 4-1 win over Russia on Monday, will play Wales in Amsterdam on June 26.
Finland, who came third with three points, must wait until the end of the group stage to see if their adventure in a first ever major tournament will continue and they need a series of results to go their way if they are to make the last 16.
"It was a tough game today. We knew that Finland would play very compact and would be difficult to break down. But from the moment we scored, we knew they had to come out and it was more open," Belgium midfielder De Bruyne said.
Finland keeper Hradecky was proud of his side's showing in the three games but not confident about their prospects of going through.
"The third place doesn't comfort us at this moment," he said.
"We have come a long way together. The guys have blocked dozens, if not hundreds, of shots, and I've caught some. We win as a team and we lose as a team. The journey continues. We will be coming back. Finland belongs in the major tournaments."
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez made changes from the side that beat Denmark 2-1 but his was still a line-up bursting with world-class talent as Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne made their first starts of the tournament.
Teenager Jeremy Doku was their liveliest threat and created the only real moment of danger before halftime when he drifted in from the left wing and aimed a shot towards the bottom corner but Hradecky made a fine save.
Finland defended resolutely but did not have a real chance of their own until after the hour mark when Glen Kamara fired straight at Thibaut Courtois.
Hazard was denied by a big save from Hradecky as Belgium kept getting closer and they thought they had taken the lead when Lukaku controlled a threaded pass from De Bruyne and celebrated the goal before a lengthy VAR review ruled him fractionally offside.
Finland finally cracked under the pressure when Hradecky turned the ball over the line after Vermaelen's thumping header struck the post.
Lukaku then used a combination of skill and power to seal the victory and continue his prolific start to the tournament.


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Grace & Lace Everyday Sweater - Spicy Mustard FINAL SALE
Grace & Lace Everyday Sweater - Spicy Mustard FINAL SALE
The Everyday Sweater is ready to be your cold weather BFF! This sweater features a killer combo of silky, soft fabric and stretchy goodness to keep you cozy and warm all season long. The flattering neckline, slight tapering at the waist, and high-low hemline with side slits work together to complement your shape. This sweater does it all - layer underneath your Ultimate Denim Jacket or Moto Jacket, pair with a Pocket Poncho/Scarf, style with any of our denim jeggings, or add your favorite pair of Live In Leggings for the ultimate cozy look!
Sweater has semi fitted sleeves, fitted through shoulder and an easy fit through the body. Stay in your normal size. If you prefer a looser fit, size up.
Small = 4/6
Medium = 8/10
Large = 12/14


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New Balance Sonic 574
New Balance is overhauling the build process of the classic 574 with their new "Sonic" 574, which uses sonic welding that rids need for glue or sewing literally giving the shoe a seamless appearance. It also happens to be environmentally friendly reducing waste and the construction makes the shoe air and watertight as well. Link


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I don't know why the left keeps harping about how insurance is a "right" that should be free, especially when so many of them aren't paying for it anyway:
The Rev. Al Sharpton tried to move heaven and earth yesterday to keep his SUV from being towed at La Guardia Airport — but no amount of preaching could stop Port Authority cops from impounding the vehicle.
An officer rolled up on the 2008 Lincoln Navigator at around 2 p.m. outside the Delta and US Airways terminal as the MSNBC host's driver waited to pick him up in a clearly marked "no standing" zone, said PA Police spokesman Al Della Fave.
PAPD cop Oscar Ruiz asked the driver for his paperwork and quickly discovered that the SUV had a suspended registration "due to lack of insurance," the spokesman said.
At that point, Sharpton emerged from the terminal after a flight from Washington, DC, and raised holy hell over the situation.
"He begins yelling, saying the cop was just doing this because of who he was," a source said.
"Sharpton was adamant there was insurance," the source said. "He said he was on the phone with his lawyer, and he told the driver not to give the officer his keys."
But the driver ignored his boss and turned over the keys to the cop — who issued the vehicle three summonses for illegal parking, lack of insurance and suspended registration.
So it's confirmed… Al Sharpton is not buying auto insurance with the the money he saves not paying back taxes.
Sharpton wouldn't have these problems if the Republicans would stop eating all the damn blueberry pie:
(h/t Weasel Zippers)


text:
|Swomee-Swan hanging out in a Truffula tree, The Lorax (1971)
|Swomee-Swan swimming and possibly singing, The Lorax (1971)
|Exit flight of the Swomee-Swans from The Lorax (1971)
On February 14, 1972, the Swomee-Swans appeared in the CBS television animated musical production of The Lorax produced by DePatie-Freleng Enterprises (watch below).
In this production, the Swomee-Swans have changed appearance, and are now white with orange heads.
|White bodied Swomee-Swan, The Lorax television special (1972)
|White-bodied Swomee-Swan with the Lorax, The Lorax television special (1972)
|Departure of the Swomee-Swans, The Lorax television special (1972)
Forty years later, in the computer animated Lorax movie produced by Illumination Entertainment (watch trailer below), the Swomee-Swans have changed once more and are now yellowish-orange bodied with darker orange heads. Their odd plumed neck rings are now more conspicuous as well.
|Orange-bodied Swomee-Swans (with Barbaloots), The Lorax movie (2012)
|Dancing Swomee-Swan, The Lorax movie (2012)
|Swomee-Swans with Hummingfish, Barbaloots, and The Lorax, The Lorax movie (2012)


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Anyone that is taking a naturist sailing adventure will want to realize that they will be encountering locals almost everywhere that they go in the Caribbean. While some people would be content to ignore the locals, that would be the wrong thing to do.
Everyone on a naturist sailing adventure will want to embrace the locals, so that they can learn the most about where they are visiting. The reason for this is that every single local has a wealth of information about where to go, where to eat, and what to do in their region, and they will share that information with anyone who takes the time to ask.
Here are a few ways that people can mingle with the locals when they are on a naturist sailing adventure in the Caribbean:
Meet the People was founded in 1968 and people visiting the country can get matched to a local who shares the same interests. The locals then take their guests to places of interest as well as the market, church, and even a school.
The Bahamas
People to People has the same concept as Meet the People, and they connect visitors with a local as well. They provide this service for individuals as well as families, so it is possible that children can find a new friend.
In Cuba, visitors can choose to dine in a Cuban home to connect with the locals or they can stay in a Cuban bed and breakfast. This is a great way for visitors to try local foods and spend time with the people who live there.
Dominican Republic
One of the best places to meet the locals in the Dominican Republic is at one of the local baseball games. Baseball is quite popular in this country and there are not too many locals that will miss their favorite players go for the win.
These are just a few groups that help connect visitors with the locals in the Caribbean. Anyone who does not want to meet the locals in this way during their naturist sailing adventure, will want to try to meet them when they are out enjoying the nightlife. There are numerous bars and clubs where the locals hang out in every country in the Caribbean, so a person can simply head to one of those to speak to any locals that may be there at the same time.
Anyone who is going on a naturist sailing adventure will want to experience the best that the Caribbean has to offer and the only way to guarantee that they do is spend time with the locals and ask a lot of questions. The locals can help turn a regular naturist sailing into one for the record books that will be talked about for decades in the future.


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Have you had the chance to check out all of the items in our Purgatory store? There is something for everybody! You can check it all out here.
Our newest items in the store are our shoes and bracelets!
The shoes are slip-on canvas style, and there are several designs to choose from! To check out all of our designs, go to this link.
We have two different designs of bracelets. Our first design is a one charm bracelet, and our other is a cuff bracelet with several different designs. Our bracelet selection can be found here.
We are excited to continue rolling out more products in our store! If you have any suggestions on an item you would like to see, leave a comment below and we will do our best to make it happen!Tags: bracelets, jewelry, logo, Purgatory Golf Club, shoes


text:
На правах рекламы:
Источник информации:официальный сайт ВОИС
Для удобства навигации:Перейти в начало каталогаДела по доменам общего пользованияДела по национальным доменам
WIPO Arbitration
and Mediation Center
Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona ("La Caixa") v. Young N
Case No. D2006-0406
1. The Parties
The Complainant is Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona ("La Caixa"), Barcelona, Spain.
The Respondent is Young N, Woobang APT, Pohang GB, Republic of Korea.
2. The Domain Name and Registrar
The disputed domain name <lacaixaonline.com> is registered with eNom.
3. Procedural History
The Complaint was filed with the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (the "Center") on March 31, 2006. On April 3, 2006, the Center transmitted by email to eNom a request for registrar verification in connection with the domain name at issue. On April 4, 2006, eNom transmitted by email to the Center its verification response confirming that the Respondent is listed as the registrant and providing the contact details. The Center verified that the Complaint satisfied the formal requirements of the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy"), the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules"), and the WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Supplemental Rules").
In accordance with the Rules, paragraphs 2(a) and 4(a), the Center formally notified the Respondent of the Complaint, and the proceedings commenced on April 20, 2006. In accordance with the Rules, paragraph 5(a), the due date for Response was May 10, 2006. The Respondent did not submit any response. Accordingly, the Center notified the Respondent's default on May 16, 2006.
The Center appointed Emmanuelle Ragot as the sole
panelist in this matter on May 31, 2006. The Panel finds that it was properly
constituted. The Panel has submitted the Statement of Acceptance and Declaration
of Impartiality and Independence, as required by the Center to ensure compliance
with the Rules, paragraph 7.
4. Factual Background
The Complainant is La Caixa d'Estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona, a major bank widely known, whose main business is in the field of pensions, banking and financial services. The group is known under the trade name "LA CAIXA".
The Complainant has registered, since 1986, numerous trademarks containing as the essential part the term "la caixa" in classes 16, 35, 36, 38 in Spain, Andorra and Mexico.
The Complainant has also registered, since 1995, numerous domain names containing the term "la caixa" to present the company and offer its Internet services.
The domain name <lacaixaonline.com> was registered
on December 26, 2004.
5. Parties' Contentions
A. Complainant
The Complainant asserts that it owns numerous registered trademarks, and that it has registered numerous domain names that include the term "la caixa".
The Respondent has registered and used the disputed domain name which, according to the Complainant, is confusingly similar to the La Caixa group's trademarks.
The Complainant contends that the Respondent does not hold any registration for the trademark LA CAIXA or a similar mark. The Complainant also states that the Respondent does not hold any license or any other type of authorization given by the legitimate holders of said trademarks to use them.
The Complainant also alleges that the Respondent does not use the domain name <lacaixaonline.com> for a legitimate non-commercial or fair use. Rather, the Complainant contends that the Respondent registered the disputed domain name solely for the purpose of selling it, since selling domain names is the business of the Respondent.
Accordingly, the Complainant requests the Administrative Panel to issue a decision to transfer the domain name <lacaixanonline.com> to the Complainant.
B. Respondent
The Respondent did not reply to the Complainant's
6. Discussion and Findings
Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs the Panel to:
"decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted in accordance with the policy, these rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable".
Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy states that the Complainant must prove that each of the three following elements are present:
(i) that the domain name registered by the Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which the Complainant has rights; and
(ii) that the Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and
(iii) that the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.
A. Identical or Confusingly Similar
The term "la caixa" is the essential part of numerous trademarks of the Complainant which are registered in several countries.
The disputed domain name is a combination of "la caixa" and the word "online".
A previous Panel (cf. La Caixa d'estalvis i Pensions de Barcelona
v. N/A, WIPO Case No. D2005-0601)
has decided, in a similar dispute relating to the domain name <lacaixaonline.net>,
that the adjunction of the word "online" to the name "la caixa"
does not diminish the confusing similarity between the domain name and the trademark
since the word "online" is merely a descriptive term. The Panel
in that case concluded that the word "online" might even increase
the likelihood of confusion.
In the present case, the Panel does not hesitate to decide on the same basis that the disputed domain name is confusingly similar to the Complainant's trademark.
B. Rights or Legitimate Interests
Paragraph 4(c) of the Policy states that any of the following circumstances, in particular but without limitation, if found by the Panel to be proved based on its evaluation of all evidence presented, shall demonstrate the Respondent's rights or legitimate interests to the domain name for purposes of Paragraph 4(a)(ii):
"(i) before any notice to you of the dispute, your use of, or demonstrable preparations to use, the domain name or a name corresponding to the domain name in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services; or
(ii) you (as an individual, business, or other organization) have been commonly known by the domain name, even if you have acquired no trademark or service mark rights; or
(iii) you are making a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the domain name, without intent for commercial gain to misleadingly divert consumers or to tarnish the trademark or service mark at issue."
It is well established from previous UDRP decisions (cf Croatian Airlines
dd v. Modern Empires Internet Ltd WIPO
Case No. D2003-0455) that while the overall burden of proof rests with the
complainant, the burden of proof shifts to the respondent where the complainant
establishes a prima facie case showing the lack of rights and legitimate
interests of the respondent to the disputed domain name. If the respondent fails
to rebut the Complainant's case, a complaint is deemed to have satisfied
paragraph 4(a)(ii) of the Policy.
In the present case, the Complainant states that it has not licensed or otherwise authorized the Respondent to use its trademark. The Panel finds that the domain name is not used in connection with a bona fide offering of goods or services within the meaning of paragraph 4(c)(i) of the Policy. The Panel notes that currently the website at the disputed domain name displays a site in German with a disparate range of links including to a number of computer and electronic sites. Prior to this, the disputed domain name appeared to contain links in Spanish resolving to a domain selling service, <domainbar.com>. Furthermore, there is no evidence in the file showing any of the three circumstances under paragraph 4(c) of the Policy, or any other circumstance that would establish rights or legitimate interests of the Respondent.
The Respondent has not submitted any Response and thus failed to demonstrate that he has rights or legitimate interests in the domain name pursuant to paragraph 4(c)(i), 4(c)(ii) or 4(c)(iii) of the Policy.
The Panel finds that the second element of the Policy has been established.
C. Registered and Used in Bad Faith
Paragraph 4(b) of the Policy states that the following circumstances, in particular but without limitation, if found by the Panel to be present, shall be evidence of the registration and use of a domain name in bad faith:
"(i) circumstances indicating that you have registered or you have acquired the domain name primarily for the purpose of selling, renting, or otherwise transferring the domain name registration to the complainant who is the owner of the trademark or service mark or to a competitor of that complainant, for valuable consideration in excess of your documented out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name; or
(ii) you have registered the domain name in order to prevent the owner of the trademark or service mark from reflecting the mark in a corresponding domain name, provided that you have engaged in a pattern of such conduct; or
(iii) you have registered the domain name primarily for the purpose of disrupting the business of a competitor; or
(iv) by using the domain name, you have intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to your web site or other on-line location, by creating a likelihood of confusion with the complainant's mark as to the source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement of your web site or location or of a product or service on your web site or location."
In the case at hand, the domain name <lacaixaonline.com> has been registered by the Respondent despite the fact that "la caixa" is a known trademark for financial services. The domain name has been used to display a web site with links in Spanish and a message indicating that the domain name is for sale.
The Respondent thus most likely knew that the term "la caixa" had a particular meaning for Spanish-speaking people and might lead to confusion with the popular banking institution.
Furthermore, as the links provided on the web site do not have any particular value or interest for a visitor to the site (most likely seeking information on the Complainant's services), it seems that the main purpose of the web site is the sale of the disputed domain name to the Complainant or a competitor of the Complainant. This is further corroborated by the fact that after the Complainant contacted the Respondent, the latter offered to transfer the domain name to the Complainant for a sum of US$700, which is greater than his out-of-pocket costs directly related to the domain name.
It is clear that the Respondent aimed to profit from the selling of the disputed domain name to the legitimate holder of the trademark. Such intent is, furthermore, demonstrated by the fact that the web site was linked to "www.domainbar.com", a domain-selling service.
Finally, the Respondent appears to regularly register domain names incorporating
third parties' trademarks in order to sell them to the trademark holders.
See prior proceedings against the Respondent under the UDRP (i.e. ACCOR v.
Mr. Young Gyoon Nah, WIPO Case No. D2004-0681;
V&S Vin & Spirit v. Young Nah, WIPO
Case No. D2004-0961; Realum KG v. Young Nah, WIPO
Case No. D2005-0959; Hilton Group Plc v. Young Nah, WIPO
Case No. D2005-0184).
The Panel concludes that pursuant to the facts as outlined above, the bad faith
of the Respondent in the registration and use of the domain name has been established
by the Complainant.
7. Decision
For all the foregoing reasons, in accordance with paragraphs 4(i) of the Policy and 15 of the Rules, the Panel orders that the domain name, <lacaixaonline.com>, be transferred to the Complainant.
Emmanuelle Ragot
Sole Panelist
Dated: June 14, 2006
Источник информации: https://internet-law.ru/intlaw/udrp/2006/d2006-0406.html
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text:
Good day to everyone out there in greater internet-landia! I'm sitting here with my morning cup of Joe Joe's jamming java juice watching the most rambunctious rescue greyhound ever. Ozark is here busy contemplating the finer points of the mid-morning yawn and all it's attendant consequences. But enough about us here in the Southland's first live/work/play trailer park. Yeah, we are living the dream here…keeping up with the Smith's and Bubba. By the way, they just opened a new propane dealer yonder side of Lot 46. That's big news!
Living the dream in the Southland.
Who can believe the first sure sign of Spring has come and gone already: Pitchers and catchers have reported to their proper grapefruit/cactus league destinations, which can only mean the boys of Summer are gearing up for another actions packed major league baseball season. Around these parts, apparently, Winter seems to be in quite a hurry to join them. That is to say, we may have had the mildest Winter in the South I can remember for quite some time. (hope I didn't just arouse the dander of the March hare with that statement. Get it?…Dander…hare..now that's funny)
"Is it true, the robin heralds Springtime because that's just what he's bound to do?" lyrics from Another You by Pickxen
Although, perhaps a more sure sign of Spring's arrival is the Mardi Gras season (of which we find ourselves hip-deep in). Nothing quite says renewal like watching the krewe of Lafcadio parade down Chartres to Ursuline, up Royad St. then on down Bourbon St. to St. Ann. Fat Tuesday is February 26. Make it down to NOLA before that for the real fun!
We here in the trailer park are celebrating Spring by continuing to gig around the Southeast in support of 'Picks 'n Vittles". And since we have found ourselves with all sorts of extra time on our hands we are spending lots of quality time down at Blackberry Whine Studios laying a foundation of tracks for Pickxen's second album. Details…TBA.
So, keep your eyes peeled for us, Franklin, N.C., Johnston City, Tn., and all other points 'round the Southeast. We'll be heading your way later this year with the scattered and smothered and covered good news of the Southern song. Here's a little something to get you through Mardi Gras.


text:
All our shows are held at:
Barbara Taylor School of Dancing
C/O Ms Lisa Craig
All our classes are held at Memorial Hall, The Village, Haxby, York, YO32 3HT.
Lisa Craig
Tel: 01904 763982 or 07801423186
If you'd like to join one of our classes, please use our contact form we look forward to hearing from you soon.
New class of Commercial Jazz/Hip Hop
Mondays 6pm from age 5+
Musical theatre
10% discount for siblings and multiple classes.
You can find us on facebook click the link and like.
We now offer Ballet, Tap, Musical theatre, Street, Freestyle Jazz, hip hop and Adult tap.
Ballet and Tap Barbara Taylor's dance school has been established around the Haxby area for over 40 Years. We have classes for Children from 3 Years of age for Ballet and Tap with Claire Lumb and Ebony Graham.
Freestyle/Jazz classes from age 4. Learn fantastic new moves to a boogie beat, with lots of stimulating fun movements. Have a jazzy time with Ebony Graham you will love it!
Street Dance classes from 4 Years of age. Come and join this fun and energetic class. Learn new moves to the latest chart music, with Claire Lumb.
Musical theatre From 6 to 18 years. This is one of our newest classes starting 6th December 2017. Love to sing, dance and act?... then this is the class for you. Get your name down now teacher Claire Lumb.
We also have adult range of Tap whether you are a beginner or advanded tap at your own pace! with Claire Lumb.
For any further information please look on our class timetable for all our classes.
All our classes first lesson free, so why not come and give it a try?
If you like any of our classes or like what you see remember to like us on facebook.
We are a fully qualified Dance School and a full Member of the I.S.D.A. Barbara Taylor's dance school has been established for over 40 Years in the local area. We welcome any pupils from ages 3 to adult. We hold annual shows for charity, all the dance styles within the school make these shows a spectacular event and enjoyed by all. We have examinations per year, achieving medals and certificates.
We welcome all pupils and make dancing fun and exciting. All our staff within the school are qualified, DBS checked and the School is fully insured.
We make dance fun, energetic and a good form of exercise, building up confidence. Movement of the body to music or expression in mime. A type of art that we are fully qualified to teach!
Whether you want to learn ballet, Tap, Freestyle, Jazz, Street dancing, or our adult Tap. We can provide them all!
Come along to our classes your first class is always free.
10% for siblings and multiple classes.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Barbara Taylor's school of dancing.
Lisa Craig
24, Thornhills,
Phone: 01904 763982or 07801423186


text:
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text:
Glenn Greenwald has a very good post up today that recounts the travesy of the Jessica Lynch reporting done by Steno Sue Schmidt, the woman who also brought Whitewater to the front page of the Washington Post. It's unfathomable that she still has a job, but as Greenwald says, both she and the Post continue to defend the Lynch reporting to this day:
So The Washington Post thinks it did nothing seriously wrong here and, astonishingly, defends the behavior of "its sources" as admirable and honorable (just a little inaccurate due to that notorious "fog of war" that put imaginary bullet and stab wounds in Jessica Lynch as a result of a heroic and inspiring firefight that never happened).
And most of all, Schmidt and Loeb continue to protect the identity of their sources, and will until the day they die. The fact that their sources fed them lies in order to manipulate American public opinion about the war is irrelevant to them. Over and over and over, our most influential American media outlets publish false stories based on government "sources" who purposely lie to them, and they never report on the real story — who are the government sources lying to the American public while hiding behind shields of anonymity granted to them, and maintained by, our nation's "journalists"?
Most of our nation's journalists do not report on government conduct. They participate in it actively and consciously as government spokesmen. Judy Miller is the symbol of our political press, not its aberration.
If the Washington Post had a real ombudsman, it would probably be appropriate to contact them and ask them how, if their reporters continue to protect sources who lie to them so egregiously, they plan to keep from being used as a passel of tools to churn out lies to their readership? Sadly, as Teddy noted the other day, the Post has no such ombudsman. Maybe if the Post's media critic Howard Kurtz can stop drooling over Michelle Malkin and her litany of outright, unapologetic fabrications long enough to examine the problems with the reporting at his own paper, we might get some answers?
Yes, I know. All my dogs will have Nobel prizes before this happens.


text:
By Nancy Dahlberg / email@example.com
While venture capital investment cooled nationwide last year, investment in companies in the Sunshine State heated up, producing the best result since 2001.
Venture capitalists injected $1.12 billion into 71 deals in Florida in 2016, but most of that total went to Plantation-based "mixed reality" technology company Magic Leap, which raised $793.5 million in the first quarter, according to the MoneyTree Report from PricewaterhouseCoopers and CB Insights, which was released on Wednesday.
Florida's total would be the lowest total since 2011 without the mega-deal by Magic Leap. But with it, Florida companies raised 29 percent more venture capital than in 2015, according to the report, a 15-year high. Even so, Florida's venture capital take is less than 1 percent of the U.S. venture capital pie.
In the fourth quarter alone, $98.7 million flowed into the state, and South Florida companies received two-thirds of the state's total. Companies that received funding included: CareCloud of Miami, $31.5 million, Boatsetter of Aventura, $13 million, Batanga Media of Coral Gables, $9 million and $6 million; Carevive of Miami, $4.25 million; and ClassWallet of Miami, $1.1 million, according to MoneyTree.
JetSmarter, which reportedly raised $105 million in the fourth quarter, was not included in the MoneyTree report, possibly because the investment round has not closed.
Magic Leap and JetSmarter were the two largest raises from South Florida for the year, followed by Finova Financial's $52.5 million, Woundtech's $40 million and CareCloud's $31.5 million.
Nationally, investment in VC-backed companies ended the year on a weak note, as quarterly deals and dollars fell for the second-consecutive quarter, according to the MoneyTree Report. The U.S. full-year funding total of $58.6 billion represented a 20 percent drop from 2015, while the number of deals, 4,520, fell 16 percent, compared to the previous year. Globally, the trend was similar, with global deals and dollars declining 10 percent and 23 percent, respectively, in 2016, compared to full-year 2015.
Bolstered by the $1.2 billion raised by OneWeb, investors deployed $11.7 billion to U.S.-based VC-backed startup companies across 982 deals in the fourth quarter of 2016. That was down 17 percent in dollars and 14 percent in deals from the third quarter. Both quarterly figures were also down from the fourth quarter of 2015 and set the quarterly lows for 2016, which had already seen startup investment recede from the peaks of 2015. Deal activity, having fallen off consistently throughout the year, has now reached a multi-year low with the quarterly count failing to crack 1,000 deals for the first time since the fourth quarter of 2011.
"For those who predicted 2016 would be the popping of the venture bubble, it was not," said Anand Sanwal, co-founder and CEO of CB Insights. "Yes, it was a tougher year in terms of deal activity and funding, but versus 2014, which we can call a more normal period, 2016 compares quite favorably. In 2017, unicorns and mega-rounds could see some of the same headwinds as in 2016, but interestingly, the introduction of new big money investors from the likes of Asia and increasingly the Middle East may serve to offset that. An expected healthy IPO and M&A market should also serve to help the VC market as well."
All three of the major technology and startup hubs of Silicon Valley, New England (including Massachusetts), and New York Metro saw deal activity declining from the quarter prior. Silicon Valley-based companies saw the sharpest drop-off, with $3.9 billion invested across 310 deals, down 37 percent in dollars and 22 percent in deals from the third quarter of 2016.
MoneyTree Report results are available at www.pwcmoneytree.com. MoneyTree changed data providers and now uses CB Insights, a venture capital data analytics company, so some past data has been revised. CB Insights research can be found online here.


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text:
Knowing yourself and finding contentment and happiness in who that person is can be one of the biggest personal challenges we can conquer in this life. We are not born with buckets of self-confidence and self-assurance. The bulk of our first 20 to 30 years of our lives are often flooded with questions and mixed external messages about who we should be.
As a teenager and in my university years I was a bit of a social butterfly – never quite fitting in with a group. I was never 'cool' or popular. I was academic and worked hard. I was head of the Charities Committee. I was a music geek and was in every choir, orchestra and school show. I, luckily, wasn't tortured or bullied too much as I was a genuinely kind and friendly person and posed no threat to anyone. I had a few best friends from different groups – chosen for the quality of their friendship rather than the 'coolness' of their clothes. Yet, I was never sure of where my place was – not realising, of course, that high school is not the environment for true self-discovery!
I'm not quite sure when, but at some point over the past few years I stopped questioning so much and stepped away from absorbing all the external madness. I realised that it was only through looking inwards and looking at the person I truly am would I ever find peace.
I found that it is important to surround yourself with people who reflect rather than absorb – to foster friendships and relationships that uplift and reflect everything that is awesome about who you are and who you want to be. Step away from anyone who demands more of you than you can give or takes more from you than you want. You should not have to rip yourself into pieces to keep others whole.
I have learned not to be afraid of my imperfections, flaws, or scars – both physical and emotional. Broken crayons still colour and shattered glass lets more light in. To think that anyone is perfect and without flaws is wrong. Your scars are part of your story – never be ashamed of them.
I have learned the value of my actions and the importance of not bringing anyone else down or squashing anyone in my quest for my own self-confidence. My rule? Let all that you do be done in love. If it's done in anger, spitefulness, jealousy or hatred, it is not worth it. Creating drama will only cause yourself to feel guilt or shame. Why put yourself through that?
Some of the most wonderful people in the world are ones that don't fit into boxes. The misfits and the flawed geniuses are the people who have left a mark on the world. No one ever remembers the ones who blended into the background and became an echo. I remember reading a quote that said: Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire. I can think of no better way of being completely yourself than by doing exactly that.
As E.E.Cummings wrote:
"To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing it's best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you are ever going to fight. Never stop fighting."
It's taken me 31 years to realise and become happy with the person I am – I'm not about to start changing that person for anyone or anything.


text:
Subscribe to Sydney PC User Group Newsletter click here
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Sydney PC User Group Incorporated
Visitors are always welcome
1st Floor
Sydney Mechanics'
School of Arts
280 Pitt Street, Sydney
Sydney PCUG's Blog
Repairing the club's computer
The manner in which the club members went about repairing the club's computer can be seen in the SPCUG Blog above.
UPCOMING SIGs
19 - 24 November 2012
Exploring Windows 8
A quick-start guide can be seen here.
Robert Israel's latest links
can be seen here.
Hello and Welcome,
Next week it is the turn of the Programming and Web Design SIGs to meet at the club's meeting rooms. Details are below:
Tuesday 13 November - Programming - N. Hoffman - 5:30pm - 8:30pm
At the October meeting Alex led a discussion on logic analysers and oscilloscopes. The main difference is that an oscilloscope displays variations in voltage; an analyser only displays digital (on/off) waveforms. Logic analysers have more signal inputs than the two channels provided by most oscilloscopes, and can be very useful for debugging complex logic circuits. He described the Bitscope pocket analyser, an affordable high bandwidth PC-based unit that combines a dual channel digital storage oscilloscope and an 8 channel logic analyser. Also mentioned were the PicoScope, a compact USB plug-in device for a PC; the Network Bitscope BS445N, a high performance 12 channel oscilloscope and data acquisition system; the Saleae Logic analyser, a powerful logic analyser in a tiny package; the Rigol DS1000 series digital oscilloscopes; and the Bus Pirate, a low-cost troubleshooting tool that communicates between a PC and embedded devices.
Alex also showed pictures of a UV lightbox he built for making PCBs. He used 4 tubes of 6 watts from RS, and electronic ballasts from Compaq.
Stuart showed us an article he wrote "Math Routines using dsPIC Features", published in Circuit Cellar magazine October 2012. This magazine is a source of embedded electronics engineering information for designers and developers, and is downloadable by subscription.
We again linked by Skype to Martin in Jakarta, so he was able to watch the screen and hear the discussions. We are getting better at this.
Members of the group will demonstrate some new microprocessor applications and programming examples at Tuesday's meeting. Visitors are always welcome.
Neville Hoffman
Saturday 17 November - Web Design - R. Hume - 1:30pm - 4:30pm
At last month's meeting the group installed XAMMP on the desktop of a member's computer before they moved on to finish the repair work on the club's computer.
At this month's meeting the group hopes to update their website as the club's computer problems have hindered this task during the last three months. They also intend to include new links on the website to some free Web design programs such as Allycode.
It is also expected that they will follow up the earlier demonstration of Joomla! by loading XAMMP on the club's computer so they can broaden their website design scope to include MySQL data bases and content management systems like Joomla!
John Mathews
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I was lucky enough to spend spring break at my mom's house visiting, and while my boys and their dad went skiing, us girls had sewing time! My sister came to visit, too, so it was extra special. Usually the three of us just quilt together "virtually" via text messages and phone calls.
I spent part of our time together working on the X and + blocks for next Aviatrix medallion quilt border and got 16 of my blocks sewn. I decided on a pretty limited (for me) color palette for this border.
I have said before how much I like medallion quilts because each new border is like a new project, perfect for short attention spans and big imaginations! Now, I have seen lots of quilts made with these x and + blocks, but I have never made this block myself. I can now see why this is such a popular pattern! The blocks are pretty easy to sew and they pack such a great impact. They are fun laid out with the center of my Aviatrix and will eventually become the next border, but look how cute they look all by themselves.
Playing around with these blocks shows how versatile they can be…so many ways to rearrange the colors and values to bring out secondary patterns. My blocks will alternated pink and green going around the medallion quilt, but I also really like how these pink ones look side by side…would be so fun to do with different color pluses (instead of all blue), or scrappy low volume prints in place of all the cream background and gray squares.
Lots of ideas! I need to make eight more blocks to finish my border, hopefully get there soon. If you are interested, the Aviatrix Medallion pattern is by Elizabeth Hartman and you can buy it Here.
just a FYI: I will be posting the April book club blocks next week, followed by the Super Simple Sampler block tutorials. Life is busy! so it will be a week late this month.
Linking up with Lee for WIP Wednesday


text:
- Home
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A beautifully produced, but softer honed limestone tile from Turkey. Ideal for low use areas like bathrooms
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Sizes:406mm x 406mm x 12mm
Sizes:610mm x 406mm x 12mm
Sizes:610mm x 610mm x 15mm


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text:
subroutine ssygst (ITYPE, UPLO, N, A, LDA, B, LDB, INFO)
subroutine ssygst (integer ITYPE, character UPLO, integer N, real, dimension( lda, * ) A, integer LDA, real, dimension( ldb, * ) B, integer LDB, integer INFO)
SSYGST reduces a real symmetric-definite generalized eigenproblem
to standard form.
If ITYPE = 1, the problem is A*x = lambda*B*x,
and A is overwritten by inv(U**T)*A*inv(U) or inv(L)*A*inv(L**T)
If ITYPE = 2 or 3, the problem is A*B*x = lambda*x or
B*A*x = lambda*x, and A is overwritten by U*A*U**T or L**T*A*L.
B must have been previously factorized as U**T*U or L*L**T by SPOTRF.
ITYPE is INTEGER
= 1: compute inv(U**T)*A*inv(U) or inv(L)*A*inv(L**T);
= 2 or 3: compute U*A*U**T or L**T*A*L.
UPLO is CHARACTER*1
= 'U': Upper triangle of A is stored and B is factored as
= 'L': Lower triangle of A is stored and B is factored as
N is INTEGER
The order of the matrices A and B. N >= 0.
A is REAL array, dimension (LDA,N)
On entry, the symmetric matrix A. If UPLO = 'U', the leading
N-by-N upper triangular part of A contains the upper
triangular part of the matrix A, and the strictly lower
triangular part of A is not referenced. If UPLO = 'L', the
leading N-by-N lower triangular part of A contains the lower
triangular part of the matrix A, and the strictly upper
triangular part of A is not referenced.
On exit, if INFO = 0, the transformed matrix, stored in the
same format as A.
LDA is INTEGER
The leading dimension of the array A. LDA >= max(1,N).
B is REAL array, dimension (LDB,N)
The triangular factor from the Cholesky factorization of B,
as returned by SPOTRF.
LDB is INTEGER
The leading dimension of the array B. LDB >= max(1,N).
INFO is INTEGER
= 0: successful exit
< 0: if INFO = -i, the i-th argument had an illegal value
Univ. of Tennessee
Univ. of California Berkeley
Univ. of Colorado Denver
NAG Ltd.
December 2016
Definition at line 129 of file ssygst.f.
Generated automatically by Doxygen for LAPACK from the source code.


text: Ketch-Up Dubai, located at Bluewaters Island (Dubai Eye) is a casual concept restaurant & lounge where guests will always receive amazing product quality at very attractive prices. Whether it is their food, atmosphere, interior, furniture, tableware, products, drinks and/or our overall presentation, guest will find that the team put their heart and soul into every single detail. Ketch-Up restaurants are for young, talented, modern and dynamic people. Here you can arrange a business meeting, have fun with friends in a noisy company, gather your family for lunch. The atmosphere of Ketch-Up bar entwines both the intimate character of a cocktail bar with the refinement and elegance.


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Pedro Feliciano said last week that he was leaning toward surgery on a torn shoulder capsule, but after meeting with Dr. James Andrews the Yankees reliever has decided to delay a decision for at least six weeks.
Dr. Andrews advised against going under the knife, instead recommending a strength and conditioning program for the injured shoulder, but season-ending surgery remains a possibility and he's a long shot to contribute anything to the Yankees this season either way.
General manager Brian Cashman previously criticized the Mets for "abusing" Feliciano with heavy workloads, but the shoulder injury was suffered during spring training.


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ESP or extrasensory perception are now famous that you can also find these as games for kids. On the contrary, they are once considered taboo or even somewhat dark. The beginning and science of extrasensory perception has been concealed. So let's reveal and explain more on what is ESP. It is the gift or ability to get information by means of the five senses such as taste, sight, touch, smell, and hearing. As well as the other senses that is known to science are balance and proprioception. What are different types of ESP and its several explanations?
It is important to get into all the different ideas and challenges first associated with ESP before trying to enter the deeper meaning of it. The concept of ESP started way back before popular culture turned it into a cultural phenomenon of sorts. In fact, during the past cultures like ancient China and Egypt, people was simply expected to communicate mentally with others as they could even talk to dead gods and other supernatural spirits. Plenty of accounts from both ancient and recent days have described incidents of extrasensory perception despite of speculations and pure superstition. ESP has been even use as for divination such as on giving psychic advice.
So the question is: Do ESP exists? Is it possible for people to have ESP? Several experiments have been run by many paranormal scientists to test the veracity of alleged psychic abilities. Those experiments have come out shocking and amazing results as it seems that ESP may be more likely than anyone previously thought. In fact, there were paranormal studies stating that alleged psychics seem able to predict the contents of sealed envelopes and accurately draw images similar to those of people drawing the same image from a remote area.
It was believed that parapsychology has grown both in venerability and believer population. It is actually a discipline seeking to investigate the existence, causes and conditions of psychic abilities such as astrology, regression and reincarnation memories, retro-cognitions and the likes. In fact, several universities around the world now offer parapsychology programs.
Most commonly reported extrasensory happenings such as clairvoyance, telepathy and precognition were believed to be relevant to ESP. Clairvoyance are often called as a second sight or a sixth sense. In this happening, the person can see events that happen in a certain location other than his/her present one without having any previous knowledge of the event. A person with clairvoyance ability can sense if there is something wrong with a family member or a friend and she/he can find if any of these people are in trouble. Clairvoyant individual may also know if their house is being robbed while they are away. Telepathy, on the other hand is defined as a mental communication between two or more people. Lastly, precognition is known as fortune telling or foresight. It is the ability to predict future events. It is the practice than by psychic on line giving free psychic readings online.


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Leadership Development
Win-Win Negotiation
The "art of the deal" is a learnable and essential skill for any individual or team tasked with negotiating "big deals," as well as day-to-day contracts, licensing arrangements, vendor agreements, and the like.
A manufacturer of electronic components
One manufacturer of electronic components sought to break the cycle of its contentious, acrimonious, "win-lose" negotiating sessions with a major supplier. Both sides' focus on "CYA" had led to broken promises, product-delivery delays, and lack of transparency.
One week before the next negotiation session with the supplier, the company's director of OD asked Guttman to facilitate a strategy and skill-development briefing for its negotiating team. On the table: a $350 million contract. Aim: transfer negotiation skills and processes to the team, set a negotiation strategy and tactics, and specify the behaviors and outcomes needed to avoid the "same old/same old" results.
The Guttman consultant began by interviewing players on the company team to conduct a situation appraisal: What were the pinch points in past negotiations? Where did discussions break down? What types of issues are "up" this time around? Next, he met with the team probe its goals and objectives, needs and wants—and those of the supplier's team. He encouraged team members to try to get "inside" the heads of those on the other side of the table: What preparations were they making? What did they want from the negotiation? What corporate objectives did they want to achieve? What personalities and behaviors would the company team have to deal with?
The next step in the Guttman process was helping the team take a deep dive into tactics. How were issues going to be negotiated: one by one or as part of a package? What about timing: When were they going to make an offer or counter offer? What were the countervailing pressures—on their team and the supplier's—for a deal? What kinds of information would likely help move issues to resolution? Which were the power relationships?
As a result of the preparation, team members gained deep understanding of the negotiating process, especially the need to set a clear end game and understand the objectives and constraints of the other side, along with power relationships, pressures, timing, and information requirements. During the actual negotiations, the team felt it could be more flexible and creative because it had a clear handle on the other side's needs. The three negotiating sessions went off smoothly. Both sides walked away satisfied and fully committed. Each team was a winner.


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Background: A walking cadence of ≥100 steps/min corresponds to minimally moderate intensity, absolutely defined as ≥3 metabolic equivalents (METs). This threshold has primarily been calibrated during treadmill walking. There is a need to determine the classification accuracy of this cadence threshold to predict intensity during overground walking. Methods: In this laboratory-based cross-sectional investigation, participants (N = 75, 49.3% women, age 21–40 y) performed a single 5-minute overground (hallway) walking trial at a self-selected preferred pace. Steps accumulated during each trial were hand tallied and converted to cadence (steps/min). Oxygen uptake was measured using indirect calorimetry and converted to METs. The classification accuracy (sensitivity, specificity, overall accuracy, and positive predictive value) of ≥100 steps/min to predict ≥3 METs was calculated. Results: A cadence threshold of ≥100 steps/min yielded an overall accuracy (combined sensitivity and specificity) of 73.3% for predicting minimally moderate intensity. Moreover, for individuals walking at a cadence ≥100 steps/min, the probability (positive predictive value) of achieving minimally moderate intensity was 80.3%. Conclusions: Although primarily developed using treadmill-based protocols, a cadence threshold of ≥100 steps/min for young adults appears to be a valid heuristic value (evidence-based, rounded, practical) associated with minimally moderate intensity during overground walking performed at a self-selected preferred pace.
Aguiar is with the Department of Kinesiology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL. Gould is with the Department of Kinesiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA. Ducharme is with the Department of Kinesiology, California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA. Moore was with the University of Massachusetts Physical Activity and Health Lab, Amherst, MA. McCullough is with the Department of Music and Dance, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA. Tudor-Locke is with the College of Health and Human Services, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC.


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The spine is made up of 33 vertebral bones stacked on top of each other. The vertebrae of the spine are not uniform; rather, the shape of each vertebra changes slightly, one by one, from the top to the bottom. The vertebrae meet at varying angles, so the spine has natural curves.
Vertebrae are separated by vertebral discs, which provide cushion and reduce friction. The bones are connected by muscle and ligaments but the main stabilizing structures are the disc and the 2 facet joints (right and left). The spine's vertebrae, facet joints, vertebral discs, and surrounding soft tissue (e.g. muscles and ligaments) are highly interdependent.
The disc-facet complexes are the "joints" or mobile segments of the spine. Mobile segments are at risk for degeneration and may be a source of pain.
Spine Alignment and Degeneration
How the spine is aligned and how weight is distributed along the spine can affect the development of osteoarthritis, for example:
- Poor posture, such as hunching the neck and upper back, puts facet joints into unnatural angles and strains muscles and other soft tissue. Chronic poor posture increases the likelihood of osteoarthritic joint degeneration as well as other degenerative changes in the spine.
- When a vertebral disc deteriorates, the nearby facet joints may be forced to bear twice as much weight as normal.1-3 In turn, the facet joints may be more prone to more wear and tear, resulting in osteoarthritis.
Because of the interdependence of all spinal structures, it is common for one degenerative spinal condition, such as arthritis, to be accompanied by other degenerative changes in the spine.
For example, a patient with painful symptoms from osteoarthritis may also present with radiculopathy or leg pain from lumbar degenerated discs and spinal stenosis.
See How Osteoarthritis Can Lead to Spinal Stenosis
Certain Facet Joints Are More Prone to Osteoarthritis
Doctors have found that certain segments of the back are more prone to osteoarthritis:
- In the lower back, osteoarthritis is most common between the L4-L5 vertebrae, followed by L5-S1.
- In the cervical spine, osteoarthritis seems to be most common between the C4-C7 vertebral segments.
Segments in the middle of the back, called the thoracic spine, have less motion, because of the rib cage, and are thus not prone to developing osteoarthritis, though it is possible.
Early Treatment Can Reduce Pain
Chronic neck or back pain should not be ignored. Pain and other symptoms may worsen without treatment. Patients who understand the symptoms and causes of spinal osteoarthritis, get an accurate diagnosis, and follow an appropriate treatment program, can encourage healthy joint function and minimize the progression of symptoms.
As a general rule, the earlier a patient receives treatment, the less likely he or she will experience complications down the road.
Read more about Arthritis Treatment Options
- 1.Dunlop, R.B., Adams, M.A. & Hutton, W.C. Disc space narrowing and the lumbar facet joints. J. Bone Joint Surg. Br. 66, 706-710 (1984).
- 2.Adams, M.A. & Hutton, W.C. The mechanical function of the lumbar apophyseal joints. Spine (Philia Pa 1976) 8. 327-330 (1983).
- 3.Gellhorn AC, Katz JN, Suri P. Osteoarthritis of the spine: the facet joints. Nat Rev Rheumatol. 2012 Nov 13. doi: 10.1038/nrrheum.2012.199. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 23147891.


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Whatever happened to Cleveland bus driver Artis Hughes? This was the 22 year veteran who delivered an upper cut to an unruly female passenger named Shidea Lane?
Well, that driver was fired from his job and charged with assault last November. Initially nothing happened to him, but after the video was posted and went viral, The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) said his actions were not in accordance to the company's policies and pulled the plug. The passenger who he hit was charged with disorderly conduct.
Hughes although never suspended or charged with assaulting a passenger before the infamous uppercut incident, had been written up for driving with headphones, talking too much to passengers and hitting his right mirror in a minor accident..Those trangressions didn't help his case.
According to the Beachwood Patch, as of two days ago (Jan 9th 2013) the local transit union is fighting to get Hughe's job back..
Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268 President William Nix said that the members approved the measure to seek arbitration unanimously.
According to the union contract, this arbitration will be binding — so the third party's decision will stand.
"We would love for him to get his job back," said Nix. "He should be made whole."
He added that Hughes' firing sent a bad message and was followed by other assaults on bus drivers. "Anyone who wants to get away with something, you can just go out and attack a bus driver and you won't get caught and you won't get arrested."
What's interesting about the entire saga is that everyone was up in arms justifying the driver's actions.. Everyone was talking tough about what they would've and wouldn't have done if they was driving the bus..Everyone was talking a good game.. blah, blah, blah…They even held a press conference talking about the help that would be needed..
As we predicted after the dust settled, most people have gone silent and are nowhere to be seen. For all the tough talk, very few have taken time to look out for the unemployed driver..This should be a lesson to all.. keep your hands to yourself or risk suffering the consequences and while the crowd may cheer you on, that's all they'll do.. When the crap hits the fan, you'll be on your own.. Lets hope for the driver's sake the union can get his job back.. Also there have been several other incidents of drivers being assaulted by unruly passengers since Hughes was fired..


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News & Events
2021 Summer Camp Program Schedules
January 30, 2021
2020 Summer Camp Schedule is now up and open for sign-up.
Join us at any time!
All camp programs will still follow COVID-19 health requirements to maintain a healthy environment for everyone!
*Due to COVID-19 restrictions, free shuttle bus is suspended for this years' camp programs.
2021 Spring Schedule
January 28, 2021
2020 Spring programs schedule now available for sign up!
See programs page for more detail.
Happy Holidays from HTTC!
December 25, 2020
Congratulations to all and great job guys!
Thanks all for your support this year!
Let's make 2021 a better year!
Coach Hong
Past USTA Champion
HTTC Holiday Hours
December 12, 2020
HTTC will be closed for holidays on December 25 & January 1st.
All other days will operate on regular hours.
If your lesson falls on these 2 days, please make sure to schedule your make-up lesson with us before hand.
Fall/Winter Session 2, join us at any time!
December 30, 2020
Our fall/Winter Session program is still open for registration. Please join us at anytime.
See program page for more details.
HTTC Trainee Yang ZhaoXuan Wins 2018 Dubai Tennis Championships Women's Doubles.
February 27, 2018
HTTC Trainee Yang ZhaoXuan Wins 2018 Dubai Tennis Championships Women's Doubles.
February 27, 2018
Saturday at the 2018 Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships HTTC Trainee Yang Zhaoxuan and Chan Hao-Ching beat Hsieh Su-Wei and Peng Shuai 4-6 6-2 10-6.
Yang has been full-time training with coach Hong at HTTC since last year to prepare for major WTA tournaments such as the US Open and Australian Open this year.
Now we are very proud to see her achievement, coach Hong will be her coach exclusively and she will be continuing her full-time training at HTTC, to compete in all major professional WTA tournaments in and out of the U.S.
Congratulations to Yang Zhaoxuan!
来自中国的杨钊煊,刚刚在2018年WTA顶级赛迪拜赛获得女双冠军。她在Hong Tennis由倪长宏教练亲自训练指导下参加了前不久的US Open和澳网比赛,今后倪教练会继续担任他的主教练并一直在HTTC全职训练,参加各地一系列的WTA职业比赛,望提高个人单打成绩。
多年来Hong Tennis 在大华府地区一直以低调严谨,认真负责为原则,凭借几十年积累下来的专业经验,根据青少年选手特别是华裔青少年选手的特性,有针对性地从事着规范的网球基础训练。只有打下良好的基本功,才能有提升至高水平的空间。各地高水平专业运动员始终不断地前来求教于倪教练。我们也会坚持初心,做网球的推广人。
2018 Summer Camp Schedule ready for REGISTER NOW!!
February 07, 2018
2018 Summer Camp programs are now ready and open for register!
Hurry and go check out our fun Programs!!
With FREE bus pick up at Travilah Square.
February 07, 2018
2018 Spring programs schedule now available for sign up!
See programs page for more detail.
HTTC/WCFC K-12 After School Program.
December 31, 2018
HTTC is proud to work with WCFC (Washington Cathay Future Center) to provide special after school program for K-12 children.
Introducing tennis to young players at an early age has always been our goal in tennis education.
HTTC: A pathway to your dream college!
February 05, 2018
We are here to provide a pathway for talented and highly motivated young players to to gain acceptance to top colleges and universities nationwide.
Many student graduated from HTTC has earned scholarship or facilitated acceptance at a Division III or Ivy League college or university and/or have pursued careers in professional tennis.
*Find out more on HTTC Alumni page!
Introducing tennis to young players at an early age has always been our goal in tennis education.


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Two bullets for Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen
The 33 strong fleet at the 2010 Dragon Edinburgh Cup, supported by Aberdeen Asset Management and hosted by the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, Cowes, put on a fabulous show in stunning conditions as they completed the first two of their six race series for the British Open Dragon Championship. With hot sunshine, a good south westerly breeze of 10-17 knots and what Andrew 'Noddy' Norden, bowman for reigning Dragon World Champion Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, described as "without doubt the strongest Edinburgh Cup fleet I've ever seen", it was unquestionably some of the best racing the Solent has witnessed in a long time.
It was cut and thrust at every single mark rounding but, although he had to fight very hard for it, ultimately it was five time Dragon Gold Cup and European Champion Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen, sailing GBR745 Danish Blue with Theis Palm and Andrew Norden, who rose to the top of the heap to claim the winner's laurels in both races. Hoj-Jensen's biggest challenger all day was Norway's Klaus Diederichs, sailing NOR282 Fever with Andy Beadsworth and Simon Fry, who lie second overall, four points behind Hoj-Jensen thanks to a second in race one and a fourth in race two.
British Olympians Lawrie Smith and Ossie Stewart, sailing this week with 505 World Champion Bill Masterman aboard GBR751 Alfie, proved that they still have what it takes and now lie in third place overall on 10 points with an eighth in race one and an impressive and hard won second in race two. Russia's Olga White, sailing RUS69 Murka 7 with Martin Leifelt and Vladimir Krutskikh, made sure the boys didn't have it all their own way and her 4, 7 score line puts her into fourth overall, one point behind Smith and two points ahead of fifth placed Jamie Lea, sailing GBR723 Gorgeous Worgeous with owner Quentin Strauss and Lars Wegener.
In the Corinthian Division for the all-amateur crews the Solent's Eric Williams, sailing GBR682 Ecstatic with Rory Paton and Joanna Richardson, is leading overall from Solent Fleet Captain Richard Cullen aboard GBR669 Supremacy, crewed by Alex Dobson and Matthew Hill, with Falmouth's Chris Hunt, crewed by Mark Dailey and Simon James sailing GBR741 Flawless, third.
One team who's day looked pretty good until they got ashore and checked the results was that of French National Champion Louis Urvois, sailing FRA365 Ar Prim with Gwen Chapalain and Jean S Ponce. Always a consistent performer Louis got his regatta off to a good start with a sixth in race one. In race two he looked great off the line and at the weather mark he led the fleet from Simon Brien, sailing IRL212 Kin with Stephen Milne and David Gomes; Owen Pay, sailing GBR653 Nijord with Dave Ross and John Mortimer; and Klaus Diederichs. Although Hoj-Jensen managed to sneak past him on the first run Urvois held off the rest of the fleet despite many challenges and crossed the finish line in second place to an ominous silence. Back ashore the results confirmed that they had been OCS so instead of lying in fifth place they now find themselves down in 20th and very much looking forward to the discard coming into play in after race four.
The Dragon fleet attracts lots of family sailors, many of who sail together such as husband and wife Graham and Julia Bailey and Mike and Monique Hayles and father and daughter Chris and Selina Dicker. Today's great family story however, was about rivalry not teamwork. Dave Ross, one of the top Solent Dragon crews, is sailing with Owen Pay aboard Nijord and his wife Sarah, a relative newcomer to the fleet, is crewing for Australian Olympian and America's Cup veteran Gordon Ingate aboard Whimsey. Until recently Dave has been pretty confident of having the upper hand when it comes to Dragon sailing, but today the tables were turned and Dave looked just a little bit dismayed to find himself chasing the missus round the course in the second race. Perhaps fortunately for marital harmony tonight Nijord lies in 16th overall and Whimsey lies in 19th, but with just six points separating them Dave and the Nijord crew will need to look to their laurels if they want to keep the upper hand.
Although the racing was thrilling to watch the day wasn't without its dramas. Prior to the start of Race 2 PRO Robert Lamb had warned the competitors that, in order to compensate for a strengthening tide, he intended to considerably increase the length of the spreader leg to ensure that the run would be square. With a beat of almost two miles it is difficult to see the windward mark from the start line and it wasn't until the boats were some way up the beat that many of them got a visual fix on it. Unfortunately for a number of boats on the left side of the course it turned out that their fix on was the spreader mark and the windward mark was in fact some 400m to the right. As a result they over stood and found them selves broad reaching in, loosing considerable ground in the process.
Not everyone made the same mistake and Hoj-Jensen was one of those who definitely knew where he was going, however, as he approached the port lay line he was pinned to leeward of Mike Hayles, sailing GBR717 Nereid with Monique Hayles and Richard Bailey. His attempts to persuade Hayles that they should tack sadly fell on deaf ears and so Hoj-Jensen was eventually forced to bear away to create space so that he could tack behind him. After racing Hayles must have been ruing his decision to ignore the advice as it he'd only tacked as Hoj-Jensen suggested he would very likely have been first round the windward mark.
With the forecast offering more sunshine and good winds, this time from the south, we look all set for another great day of racing tomorrow. The regatta continues until Saturday with a total of six races scheduled. In addition Friday afternoon will see the lunatics taking over the asylum in the Edinburgh Cup Crews Race, a traditional highlight of the regatta.
Overall Top Five After Two Races
1. GBR745 - Danish Blue - Poul Richard Hoj-Jensen
2. NOR272 - Fever - Klaus Diederichs
3. GBR751 - Alfie - Lawrie Smith
4. RUS69 - Murka 7 - Olga White
5. GBR723 - Gorgeous Worgeous - Jamie Lea
Full results here