text: Vietnam loosens reigns on businesses By Truong Son – Manh Quan, Thanh Nien News HANOI - Tuesday, November 11, 2014 18:39 Email Print People file for business licenses at the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Investment and Planning. Photo: Diep Duc Minh RELATED NEWS Vietnam government welcomes freeing up of business registration Vietnam simplifying Business Law to attract investment Vietnam's legislators have narrowed the list of investments banned in the country, freeing up businesses to pursue opportunities outside the scope of their past experience. The amended Business Law allows businesses to engage in any practice that is not specifically illegal, instead of limiting them to the scope of commercial activity listed in their business license. The list of illegal business activities was narrowed from 51 to 6--namely, the trade in prostitution, narcotics, rare minerals, wildlife, endangered plants, human beings and human reproductive materials. Nguyen Dinh Cung, head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, which drafted the bill for the Ministry of Investment and Planning, said the new law aims to offer businesses greater flexibility. Since 2005, firms operating in Vietnam have had to apply for specific licenses -- making engaging in businesses outside the scope of one's license a criminal offense. "Some companies saw new business opportunities, but had to wait to amend their registration. However, by the time that process was over, the opportunity had sometimes passed," Cung said. Bui Quang Vinh, Minister of Investment and Planning, said the new law represents a bold new direction. Vinh said it gives businesses as many options as they want, as long as they stay away from the the six prohibited activities. Under the old law, a company would have to go through a raft of administrative procedures every time it wanted to move into a new field of business. Also, the old law listed permitted specific kinds of business but couldn't specifically list all of them, given the ever-changing nature of the global economy. Those who attempted to register for a business that was not specifically allowed by the law were subjected to an arbitrary decision-making process, Vinh said. Officials were also able to cause businesses trouble in more opaque ways, he said. Councilor Tran Du Lich of Ho Chi Minh City suggested that many foreign countries force banks to offer supportive loans to start-up businesses. "In other countries, banks are forced to support beginners in a business as a kind of investment, but we have not paid attention to this," Lich said. More : Vietnam business registration investment


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Tullinoid Wind Farm
Client: Fermanagh Wind Energy
Location: Tullinoid, County Fermanagh
Planning application: January 2013
Description: Planning & EIA. Leading the integrated design and EIA teams to prepare a detailed feasibility study, comprehensive planning application and robust Environmental Impact Assessment for a 9.2Mw wind farm, comprising 4 no.136m high 2.3MW turbines. Our in-house Windfarmer software was used to support the EIA process.
Images courtesy of Carl Bayliss Associates

subset: commoncrawl


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Sarah Millican on the terror of Live at the Apollo and trying not to fall over on stage
Everyone told the comedian her third time at the Apollo would be as easy as riding a bike. The problem was, she can't ride a bike...
You'd expect the third time you do Live at the Apollo to be easier, easier peasier, a doddle. Like riding a bike. Except I can't ride a bike so that analogy has always been lost on me.
"Oh, it's like riding a bike." What? Something I've never been able to do. Something I never learnt as my mam is disabled, my dad worked shifts and the man round the corner who offered to take me out was on the list my mam gave me of people I wasn't allowed to walk home from school with. That list basically said: "EVERYONE, even the man round the corner who you know."
"Oh, don't worry about doing the Apollo. It'll be like riding a bike." What? I will fall off and hurt myself, won't I? Turns out that is a genuine worry. When you're watching at home and see the comedian walk out all confident under the fast-moving glittery Apollo sign amidst a Bonnie Tyler's worth of dry ice, you have no idea what's going through our heads.
I can't speak for all comics, obviously. I'm sure some of them are super confident and come strut- ting out thinking: "This is going to be great". I, on the other hand, have one thought – DON'T FALL OFF THE STAGE.
You hear your name, get the word from the stage manager while standing in an area backstage marked off with tape as a safety box (the only place something won't clank on your head), and out you walk, waving, smiling but not being able to see a bloody thing – and realising that at some point, the stage ends and the albeit soft and squashy audience begins.
More like this
On the way back in, at the end of the show, you turn and do a wave so as not to crack your head on the Apollo sign. counted it out in rehearsal, maybe this is what being nearly 40 means. Ten steps. Any more and I'm doing an involuntary stage dive.
The building itself is iconic. And intimidating, but I kept telling myself that I've played here before, I've done two of these and many shows on my own. I paced backstage, had 74 last sees and stood in the safety box, licking my lips and going through my set.
I came out, DIDN'T fall off the stage, and had a wonderful time. The audience was on great form and I was ok, too. I introduced two of my favourite people, Joe Lycett and Russell Kane, who both had a grand time. Such lovely, funny comics.
We had a lot of fun posing for the pre-show photos. Will they go with there of us side by side,m or the one with two of us back to back? In that shot, we looked like a band in the X Factor over-25s category. I hope you enjoy the show and indeed the series. It was a fantastic experience. Again. Maybe the next time I need to do something scary, someone will say: "It's just like doing Live at the Apollo," and I will worry less.
Live at the Apollo is on tonight (Wednesday 19 November) at 10.35 on BBC1


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So what have we learned? The GOP presidential contest of 2012 is over. Mitt Romney will be the Republican nominee. What do we know now that we didn't know in 2011, when the campaign began? Or what do we know that we already knew, but now we've been reminded?
We learned that primogeniture is still a force in the GOP. The next king is the firstborn son of the current king. In political terms, the guy who came in second in the last presidential cycle stands most likely to be crowned and anointed in the current one. Republicans, for all their drama, still tend toward the orderly and still credit experience.
Running for president is serious business. You need money, fund-raising networks, organization, a campaign. You have to get on the ballot in Virginia, you have to field full slates. Mitt Romney learned all this in 2008. He was the only non-newbie in 2012.
Rick Perry, Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann did not fully comprehend what goes into the process. Newt Gingrich didn't care.
We learned the system is newly open to vanity productions — Messrs. Cain and Gingrich, Donald Trump. We learned super PACs allow freelancers, and freelancers feel no loyalty to the party brand. They'll say anything, the larger impact isn't their problem. They are there to sell books, to further their personal project. We will see more of this, on both sides. It will not leave the process ennobled.
We learned that proportional representation is a bad idea when you're up against a sitting president. It drags the system out, robs state victories of meaning, makes everything more common and dreary, and leaves serious candidates open to ceaseless attacks from all quarters. Mr. Romney's negatives are up, not down, as the contest ends.
The Republican Party is a conservative party. All its front-runners held conservative views on taxing, spending, regulation, the power of the state. There is no national GOP market for liberal or liberalish Republicans. There is little market for national candidates who don't adopt the tropes, simulate the resentments, or feel some of the anguish of the base. Mr. Gingrich worked the resentments — at one point he made fun of Mr. Romney for using the word "resolute" because it's fancy and not plain like all us regular folk. (At other times he bragged of authoring 24 books. He was hard to keep up with.) Rick Santorum captured some of the anguish, both culturally and economically. Jon Huntsman was hobbled because he didn't seem to identify on any level with Republicans on the ground, or particularly like them. Voters don't take to you when they know you don't take to them.
Affection matters.
We learned that rescue fantasies were fantasies. Mitch Daniels, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush stayed out. The people who said, "Don't look for salvation from the sidelines," were correct. Newton's third law of political physics: People running for president tend to run for president, people not running tend not to run. Believe them when they tell you for the third time that they won't.
Evangelicals are an ever-dominant part of the base, but they don't march in lockstep. Like all huge blocs they encompass all levels of affluence, education, attainment and aspiration. But one thing was clear this year: The old evangelical reserve, or animosity, toward Catholics is dead. It was the Mormon who carried the Catholic vote. The Catholic Mr. Santorum drew evangelical Protestants. America is great in part because it's always scrambling its categories and changing its clichés.
We learned Mitt Romney is not a greatly improved candidate from four years ago. He has endurance and discipline: He wants this thing. The reason why is still not fully clear. His political instincts and sense of subject matter are not much better than they were in 2008. The awkwardness continues. A major if largely unspoken Republican criticism of Mr. Romney is exactly like a major if largely unspoken Democratic criticism of President Obama: He'll meet with you, he's polite and appropriate, but he gives no sign afterward that he heard you, that he absorbed or pondered what you said. Nor is his campaign greatly improved. It gets the job done but it is stolid, unimaginative, small-bore. There's a managerial tightness. People are afraid to make decisions, and pass the buck upward. A major surrogate calls the campaign "the Romney labyrinth."
Mr. Romney has a woman problem? "Romney was saved by women, and they buried Newt," notes former George H.W. Bush aide Lloyd Green, who studies voting tables. After Mr. Gingrich won his blowout in South Carolina, women went for Mr. Romney in Florida by 24 points. He won men by only five. In Ohio, women voted 40% for Romney to 37% for Mr. Santorum, who won men by one point. In Michigan, Romney won women again.
What is the biggest gift Romney has been given this year by the Democratic party? Hilary Rosen's ill thought, ill-spoken, snotty remark that Ann Romney "never worked a day in her life."
Ann Romney raised five children with a husband who sometimes traveled. A mother of five will be suffering from exhaustion, not laziness, and certainly not a lack of engagement in the realities and stresses of life. Where do the Democrats get these spokesmen who are so unsympathetic, so narrow in their vision and understanding of women's lives? What are they launching, a war on women?
Finally, in foreign affairs the Republican candidates staked out dangerous ground. They want to show they're strong on defense. Fine, we should have a strong defense, the best in the world. But that is different from having an aggressive foreign policy stance, and every one of the GOP candidates, with the exceptions of Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman, was aggressive. This is how their debates sounded: We should bomb Iran Thursday. No, stupid, we should bomb Iran on Wednesday. How could you be so foolish? You know we do all our bombings on Monday.
They are allowing the GOP to be painted as the war party. They are ceding all nonwar ground to the president, who can come forward as the sober, constrained, nonbellicose contender. Do they want that? Are they under the impression America is hungry for another war? Really? After the past 11 years?
The GOP used to be derided by Democrats as the John Wayne party: it loved shoot-'em-ups. Actually, John Wayne didn't ride into town itching for a fight, and he didn't ride in shooting off his mouth, either. He was laconic, observant. He rode in hoping for peace, but if something broke out he was ready. He had a gun, it was loaded, and he knew how to use it if he had to.
But he didn't want to have to. Which was part of his character's power. The GOP should go back to being John Wayne.


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The use of affinity tags has become a very useful tool when it comes to expressing proteins recombinantly , greatly facilitating their purification and detection, increasing performance and solubility on certain occasions, and even favoring the correct folding of protein in some cases.
However, in certain cases this fusion tail can interfere with the structure and / or function of the protein, when for example:
- It alters the conformation of the protein.
- It interferes with the application of the protein.
- It hinders the crystallization of the protein.
In these cases, cleavage of the fusion tail is necessary once the protein has been purified, and that is why today we bring you a protease guide for the elimination of fusion protein tags that allow obtaining pure tail-free proteins.
Protease Guide For Tag Removal
Using proteases for tag removal involves 4 basic steps:
1.- Insert the specific cleavage site of the selected protease between the tag and the sequence of the protein of interest. It is very important to ensure in this step that the sequence that defines the protease cleavage site is not repeated throughout the sequence of the protein of interest, to avoid unwanted secondary cleavages.
2.- Express and purify the recombinant protein.
3.- Add the selected protease.
4.- Separate the pure protein without the tag by chromatography.
Below you can find a list with the proteases for the removal of frequently used tags :
- Cleavage recognition sequence: Glu-Asn-Leu-Tyr-Phe-Gln-Gly
- Cutting site: before Glycine
- Molecular weight: 27kDa
- Other considerations: Among the proteases for tag removal, this is the most commonly used.
- Cleavage recognition sequence: Leu-Phe-Gln-Gly-Pro
- Cutting site: between Glutamine and Glycine
- Molecular weight: 22kDa
- Other considerations: You can also use its variant attached to GST (PreScission protease).
- Cleavage recognition sequence: Leu-Val-Pro-Arg-Gly-Ser
- Cutting site: between Arginine and Glycine
- Molecular weight: 37kDa
- Other considerations: it is made up of a light and a heavy chain, joined together by disulfide bridges, therefore being sensitive to reducing agents.
- Cleavage recognition sequence: Ile- (Glu or Asp) -Gly-Arg
- Cutting site: after Arginine (does not cut in case the next amino acid is Arginine or Proline)
- Molecular weight: 59kDa
- Other considerations: it consists of two chains linked by disulfide bridges, being sensitive to reducing agents. It also binds to Ca2 + ions so it should not be used in the presence of chelating agents such as EDTA.
- Cleavage recognition sequence: Asp-Asp-Asp-Asp-Lys
- Cutting site: after Lysine Arginine (does not cut in case the next amino acid is a Proline)
- Molecular weight: 31kDa
- Other considerations: Its activity is dependent on calcium.
Tips For The Correct Use Of Proteases For Tag Removal
- Do not exceed the recommended protease concentration, as this could cause proteolysis at secondary sites.
- Optimize temperature and incubation times
- Calcium-dependent proteases should not be used with proteins in phosphate buffer (buffer frequently used for purification of proteins with Histidine glue) as insoluble calcium phosphate could form.


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EBV or Epstein-Barr virus is an extremely common virus that 95% of adults have without knowing it. Once you have EBV, it results in a lifelong infection that has little to no symptoms. Most contract EBV as infants and have very little, if any illness, but if a person catches EBV as an adolescent, 50% of the time it results in "Mono" or infectious mononucleosis. The lifelong infection of EBV is usually benign but later in life it has been linked to Burkitt's or Hodgkin's lymphoma or nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
In order for EBV to exist in our body, it has to evade our immune system. Researchers have recently found one of the ways that EBV does this. Scientists at the British Columbia Children's Hospital have discovered that EBV can make itself invisible by turning off certain proteins and hiding from key parts of our immune system. With this new understanding of EBV, there may be hope of a vaccine that would decrease the likelihood of certain cancers and mononucleosis.
Original article in Blood


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Interventional Pulmonology
The Interventional Pulmonology (IP) Section offers procedural expertise and utilizes state-of-the-art technologies including Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) and Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy (ENB) to provide advanced diagnostic and therapeutic options for a variety of pulmonary and pleural disorders. Interventional Pulmonologists provide advanced bronchoscopic procedural expertise that is crucial to the diagnosis and treatment of several cancer and non-cancer related conditions affecting the lungs and chest.
Sleep Disorders Center at Fox Chase/ Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus
The Sleep Disorders Center at Fox Chase / Jeanes Campus provides a broad range of services for patients with sleep disorders and insomnia (with a special focus on the complex interaction of sleep disorders and cancer). The Sleep Center is accredited by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and is equipped to perform both overnight and home sleep studies to evaluate for sleep apnea, insomnias and a variety of other sleep related disorders.


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Welcome to the Livestream for the Cure landing page!
If you've made your way here via www.livestreamforthecure.com, then we're still getting set up for the next event! Closer to the event, that URL will direct to either our page at the Cancer Research Institute or to a donation page. Please bookmark that URL and be sure to visit it during future events for more information!
Livestream for the Cure 4
The 4th Annual Livestream for the Cure (or the Livestream 4 the Cure?) has been scheduled for FORTY-EIGHT HOURS from May 28th thru the 31st, with a small four hour kick-off event scheduled for the evening before to do final tests (and hopefully wrangle in some amazing guests). This year we'll be pushing to raise $10,000 for the Cancer Research Institute, and if all of that gets doubled, we stand a very good chance of raising over $20,000 for cancer research. Hitting last year's goal on day TWO meant that, unfortunately, donations slowed to a trickle for the entirety of day three, so if we happen to hit our goal before the end this year, we'll be raising the bar by $1,000 every time we hit it and offering additional prizes for people won donate to these flex goals!
As in years past, the event will be LIVE on Twitch, so be sure to head to http://twitch.tv/epicfilmguys and give us a follow! We'll be going live with streams and other events where we'll be mentioning L4TC all the way up until the event begins the evening of May 27th.
Schedule (all times EST):
Kick-off Event:
May 27th: 6:00 – 10:00 PM EST
Main Event:
May 28th: 10:00 AM – Midnight EST
May 29th: 10:00 AM – Midnight EST
May 30th: 10:00 AM – Midnight EST
May 31st: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST
Event Information:
Contact me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/livestream4cure.
Follow the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/2240877922679032/.
What is the Livestream for the Cure?
Every May, the Epic Film Guys put on a charity podcasting event to raise money for the Cancer Research Institute, a wonderful organization researching Immunotherapy to provide us with a future immune to cancer. Cancer has affected us deeply here on the Epic Film Guys and we know many of our friends, family, and fellow podcasters have also been deeply affected by it as well. Therefore, we have made it our mission to put on this truly epic event every year, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Cancer Research Institute to fund their efforts to cure cancer. Dozens of other podcasters join us for games, fun discussions, and other random segments over the course of the event to drive donations to help us reach our goal.
Past Events
2017: The original Livestream for the Cure took place May 20th from Noon to Midnight EST. Our goal for the first event was $2,500. Between pre-show donations and what we raised on the air, we ended up raising $1,180. CRI matched donations made in the month of May, which put our total at around $2250 or so. We received a few post-show donations and a couple people had made donations directly to the CRI, so all told we did end up just over $2,500. We had no idea what would come of the event, and though we were very proud of what we achieved, it was a bit of a gut punch to have fallen so short of the goal we set that year without the CRI's help. The video of the event is no longer available online, but you can hear portions of it in audio form here, here, and here.
2018: Livestream for the Cure 2.0 took place from May 18-20th over thirty hours, from 6:00 PM on the 18th to 6:00 PM on the 20th. We set a goal of $5,000 for this event, in spite of falling short the previous year, and we were determined to hit the goal. All told, including pre-show donations and what we raised on the air, we are proud to have smashed our goal and raised $5,528. CRI will once again match most of these donations, which means we'll end up having raised nearly $11,000 for cancer research! Audio from the event will be going up throughout the second half of 2018 on Mondays on the Epic Film Guys feed, and you can see the entire event here, here, here, here, and here.
We also dedicated the final two hours of the 2018 stream to Perry and Lindsay Johnson. They are great friends of the show and had planned to be part of the event (they even bought the first merchandise from the show!), and a couple weeks before Perry was diagnosed with Stage IV stomach and esophageal cancer. They still joined us for the final 90 minutes, and we raised an additional $780 to help them with their medical and living costs in this difficult time. Perry unfortunately passed away at the beginning of January 2019 from complications from his cancer, and he will truly be missed.
2019: The 3rd Annual Livestream for the Cure was held from May 17th – 19th over 40 hours with a goal of $7,500. As you can see by the landing page linked here, we smashed that goal, and we did it on DAY TWO! The total raised is also mostly doubled by the Cancer Research Institute, putting us somewhere in the realm of $15,000 raised for cancer research. The event closed out with Lindsay Johnson, who joined us to talk about Perry and the last months with him as his prognosis constantly changed. It was incredibly brave of her to join us to tell her story, and the entire event was dedicated to his memory after his valiant fight with cancer.
Audio from the 2019 event days one and three will find its way onto our normal or our patreon feed throughout the beginning of 2020, but sadly the audio from day two was lost.
The Future
The Livestream for the Cure will return each and every May as we continue to grow the event and work even harder to raise even more money for cancer research. Again, please bookmark www.livestreamforthecure.com and subscribe to our podcast at www.epicfilmguys.com! Announcements for each year's event start around the end of the year, with an updated page over at the Cancer Research Institute coming in January or so.
What does the future hold? Who knows! We smashed our goal in 2018 and in 2019, so we have to go even bigger and even better. One day, I'd love to be able to have a whole crew of people on-site rotating in and out as host to stay live for several consecutive days to raise money, but we haven't quite made it that far yet. More information and announcements on this year's Livestream for the Cure will be coming in the near future, so make sure you follow us on Twitter and follow the Facebook event page for news!
Thank you all so much for supporting the event, and thank you to all of the amazing people and podcast partners who set aside their time and who played our audio promos or discussed the event. You are all amazing, and we love you so much more than you could ever know!!!
Epic Film Guy Nick


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Screening in London on the 18th & 20th March as part of the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, this feature tells the story of Shin Dong-Huyk, born into a North Korean prison camp as the son of political prisoners.
Using animated sequences which are not perhaps the most elegant, the film nonetheless take us into a brutal and challenging world, both inside and outside the camp.
Festival info here: http://ff.hrw.org/film/camp-14-total-control-zone?city=4
Read more and watch the trailer on the film's website here: http://www.camp14-film.com/CAMP_14_ENGL/Home.html


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Like the old grey mare, cellphones and PDAs aren't what they used to be. They've merged into interesting hybrids known as smart phones.
A smart phone offers telephony, but it also has all sorts of additional goodies designed to displace other devices from its owner's pocket. It may provide Web
surfing, or e-mail, or games, or an MP3 player, and of course, it really needs a Personal Information Manager, or PIM. It may be shaped like a telephone, or like a PDA, or it may be somewhere in between.
Whatever they look like, they run on a cellular network.
Phones, however, are not just phones in the cellular world. There are two competing communication technologies in use, and some device manufacturers only support one of the two.
In one corner sits the predominant technology in North America, CDMA/1X. It is offered by Bell Mobility and Telus Mobility. In the other corner, GSM/GPRS, the defacto standard everywhere else in the world, is offered by Rogers Wireless and Fido (now owned by Rogers).
We collected some current smart phones to see how they perform. Unless otherwise noted, prices are carrier list, without a service contract.
RIM Blackberry 7100r
The 7100r is RESEARCH IN MOTION'S foray into the true telephony market. Unlike its other phone-enabled BlackBerrys, the device is shaped more like a phone than a PDA, and has what is at first glance only a standard telephone keypad. Look again and you'll see an extra column of keys down each side. Look closer yet and you'll see that, unlike a phone keypad, the letters on the keys are laid out like those on a regular QWERTY keyboard, but two per key (with a couple of exceptions). When you thumb type, the software guesses what you meant and gives you choices of letter combinations. For example, if you want the word ""here"" you'd hit 5111. The device shows ""here,"" ""gree,"" ""herr,"" ""gerr,"" with ""here"" selected as the most likely choice. Roll the thumbwheel to change selections, hit the space bar, and the word you chose remains.
I can see your sneers now. I felt the same way when I first saw it, but it actually works pretty well. The trick is to type the whole word before looking at the display.
It weighs in at 120 grams, making it the lightest of our collection.
Palmone Treo 600
PalmOne's acquisition of Handspring, and the return of its founders, has brought telephony expertise back in-house and made PalmOne a real contender. The Treo 600 is a compact device with a tiny QWERTY keyboard that has an embedded telephone keypad. The speakerphone performs adequately, and is activated by simply tapping the appropriate spot on the screen during a call. There's a mute button on the top of the Treo that instantly stifles all sounds from it: alarms, rings and system sounds.
Stylus-centric Palm users may be slightly confused by the touchscreen, which allows some, but not all of the familiar functions. For example, to get back to the main Palm screen, you have to press the ""Home"" key on the keyboard; the icon one would usually tap onscreen is missing.
Battery life is rated at 240 minutes talk or 240 hours standby.
Samsung i700
The i700 is a full-fledged PocketPC with telephony capabilities. At 196 grams, and measuring 13.2 x 7.1 x 2 cm, it is the biggest and heftiest of our units. It also boasts the biggest screen.
These amenities mean, unfortunately, it also has the worst battery life. It is rated at four hours talk or 96 hours standby, but it came up short — every two or three days it grumbled at me about needing a recharge.
This unit is more PDA than phone when you first look at it. But press a button on the front and a full phone keypad appears on the screen. All entry is via touchscreen and soft keys.
There's a speakerphone (I found it rather faint), a camera (the lens rotates to a safe position when not in use), and an MP3 player as well as the usual PocketPC applications. Additional storage is by means of a secure digital card.
Sony ericsson p910a
Sony Ericsson abandoned the Palm OS for Symbian in this compact, elegant little device that comes with a custom case and special screen-cleaning cloth. The second BlueTooth-enabled phone in our roundup (it also supports infrared), it has all sorts of ways to acquire data. There's a full telephone keypad for when it's playing telephone. Flip that keypad down, and on the reverse there's a tiny QWERTY keyboard. There's a soft keyboard available in some applications, and it also boasts handwriting recognition.
Opening the flip engages the very good speakerphone when you're doing telephony, or displays a huge list of applications, including controls for the camera, MP3 player and PIM, otherwise.
A jog wheel on the left lets you scroll through lists; pressing it launches the selected application.
Kyocera 7135
The 7135 may be a bit long in the tooth (we first looked at it in 2003), but it still acquits itself quite well. Its form factor is that of a hefty flip phone, tipping the scales at about six and a half ounces.
Under the hood, it's a Palm handheld whose screen doubles as the phone's display. On the bottom half of the flip, the Graffiti area sits above standard Palm controls and a full telephone keypad. An SD slot allows for additional storage, and an MP3 player gives you an excuse to use it.
The speakerphone function works well. A tiny LCD screen on top of the unit shows critical information like the state of the battery, the time, signal strength and ringer status.
Battery life is not bad. It's rated at 3.5 hours talk or 160 hours standby. Using the PDA and only activating the phone when required prolongs life significantly.
Nokia 6620
Nokia's new offering is a relatively light (124 grams), Symbian-powered camera phone with good-sized, bright screen and a little joystick to move you among functions. If you only look at the main display, you would think it just had a calendar and camera, but pressing a button on the front reveals a wealth of applications, including Real Player, Contacts, messaging, and a herd of extras like Quicksheet, Quickword and Quickpoint, a voice recorder, MP3 player, and a converter that can handle weights and measures or currency.
It is also a capable speakerphone, and supports BlueTooth and infrared connectivity to other devices. Hidden inside, under the battery, snuggles an SD card to provide storage for pictures or music or whatever. Battery life is rated at four hours talk or 192 hours standby. Camera use takes a bite out of that time, but nonetheless it did a bit better than rated in testing.
Get smart with cellular
One delightful consequence of the pervasiveness of this technology is the drop in prices. For example, two years ago, the Kyocera sold for $699 with a two-year contract. Now it costs $499 with no contract.
That's not to say smartphones are cheap, but when you add up the cost of a phone and a PDA, they're at least competitive.
However, the choice of the ideal smartphone isn't entirely one of price or technology. Because each cellular carrier only offers a limited selection of devices, you may have to compromise. If, for example, you're tied to Rogers or Bell or Telus in a multi-year cellular contract, you either have to pay a substantial cancellation fee or pick a smartphone that said carrier supports.
Despite the scores, the devices aren't as different as they appear. Samsung aside (it's really a PDA with incidental phone capabilities), each is a functional cellphone and PDA.
The more compact size of the new units alleviates the complaint of many users of early models that they felt as though they were holding a calculator to their ear when they were on the phone.
My only quibble with the Kyocera is its size and weight. At 7.1 cm wide and 186 grams, it would strain most pockets.
The Nokia is outrageously reasonably priced (although the price assumes a three-year carrier contract) and has plenty of good functions. Because of its minimalist design, however, it was not something you could use without cracking the manual.
The Treo is a lovely little beast, but I found its teeny, dome-shaped keys difficult to type on quickly. I especially like the mute button, which makes silencing it in public venues quick and easy, and battery life was Palm-standard wonderful.
Sony Ericsson has a winner with the P910a, although the jog wheel was a bit awkward. The double-sided keyboard is an intriguing idea. Time will tell how durable the flip will be.
But the BlackBerry 7100r is the device that kept sneaking back into my purse. Its lightweight, seamless e-mail and capable telephony to me overshadowed the lack of some of the toys like MP3 players and cameras. Its battery consistently outperformed the rated values, and it recharged quickly.


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Sony Alpha NEX-5R Review
Sony NEX-5R review
By: Mike Topham, What Digital Camera (Oct 19, 2012)
Though the NEX-5R is a completely new Sony CSC it must be said that it doesn't offer a vast amount more than what we've seen before in the NEX-5N. It handles very similarly in the hand and other than providing the options to transfer images directly to your smart phone or tablet, the menu system and navigation is much the same. The minor tweaks to the body have improved operation slightly and...
Sony NEX-5N review
By: Mike Lowe, What Digital Camera (Oct 31, 2011)
Sony's not flinching against the flurry of new Compact System Cameras hitting the market. With smaller-sensor, smaller designs making up the majority of the competition, the NEX-5N's impressive image quality can happily boast to have among the best image quality going. To take the already impressive NEX-5 and better it is a job well done. For moving image fanatics, too, the NEX-5N provides more...
Sony NEX-5 review
By: Mike Lowe, What Digital Camera (Jun 9, 2010)
Although compact-like in appearance, don't let the exterior fool you - the Sony NEX-5 produces class-leading images that outshine some stiff competition in the Micro System Cameras sector. Many will love its pick-up-and-shoot ease of use, though it's not without its errors - the lack of buttons for control and amount of menu digging required to adjust options may frustrate more advanced users....
|Please. Don't Shoot! by Stevie Boy Blue
from People Photography - Any Year
|Sunny Side Up by Stevie Boy Blue
from Blue and yellow
|P1001293_DxO-2 by OK Farmer
from Cumulonimbus (Storm Cloud)
|Portable Fan by Arrows20
from Fans


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Need an air conditioning unit installed in Indian Creek? Don't hesitate to give us a call, we have the resources to respond to all job orders very quickly. Our team of 150 employees are eager to help you with the air conditioning solution that is a perfect match for your real estate. We will listen to your specific requirements, and select the air conditioning system that makes the most sense. We take pride in having a great reputation in Indian Creek and would like to build on that even further. So you can trust us to provide an industry-leading service for your project.
Contact us to schedule an appointment if you are in need of a new AC unit.


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The "Leader of the Free World," the Commander in Chief, the "Most Important Man (so far) on Earth": is that all there is to being President?
And what happened in Colorado that's got everyone, especially Donald Trump, so angry? It's time to take a deeper look at the "democratic" process by which we choose candidates for the presidential election.
If you have any questions or comments, leave them on the episode page, send us a message on Twitter, or send us an e-mail.
Mentioned in the Episode
The Gist w/ Mike Pesca – Episode #473 – Good discussion of delegates vs. states / Language warning
Common Sense w/ Dan Carlin – Episode #304 "Speed Dating for Delegates" – Great explanation of Colorado's shenanigans
Denver Post – "Colorado Republicans cancel presidential vote at 2016 caucus" (Posted: August 25, 2015/Updated April 11, 2016)
ISideWith.com – A decent survey of your political leanings, comparing your leanings with with those of presidential candidates and political parties
The Hill – "GOP official: The party chooses the nominee, not the voters" (Posted: March 16, 2016)
Real Clear Politics – "Former CO GOP Chair: Message We're Sending Is 'Your Vote Doesn't Matter And Your Voice Doesn't Count'" (Posted: April 11, 2016)
Podcast: Play in new window | Download


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U.S. Drone Base on Australia's Cocos Islands?
Australia recently announced that it might allow the United States to establish an airbase on its remote Indian-Ocean Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Such a base would be used primarily for a fleet of surveillance drones, but it has been suggested that it could potentially serve as a partial replacement for the massive U.S. military complex on the island of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Archipelago, which is leased from the United Kingdom. Australia and the United States have recently heightened their military cooperation. The U.S. is establishing a contingent of Marines in the northern Australian city of Darwin, and negotiations are underway to station U.S. aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines in the Western Australian capital of Perth. Most observers link the enhancement of military ties between Australia and the U.S. to the rapid growth of the Chinese military.
The plans for the drone base have generated opposition in Australia. Shortly after the announcement was made, Australian Defense Minister Stephen Smith insisted that the proposal was merely a "long-term prospect." Australian opposition leaders, however, stated that they have a "very positive" attitude about the proposed base. Australian military experts caution that major investments would be necessary before the Cocos Islands could be transformed into a drone base: "The harbour is really a lagoon while the island lacks significant infrastructure such as a shopping centre and the limited supply of freshwater significantly affects the numbers of people the islands can sustain."
The Indonesian government has formally objected to the proposal, stating that it "threatens Indonesian sovereignty and security."
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With the outbreak of our exclusive spyshots of new Force Trax Gurkha, there is definitely a wave of excitement among all the off-roading enthusiasts.
We did not leave it to those spypics only; instead we have been trying to dig as deep as we can. We followed it up with a few more spottings of the test Gurkha from Pune which also included exclusive interior pics. The biggest question mark revolving around the possibility was the engine?
Many people asked us whether the new Gurkha would carry the BS4 2.2L FMTECH engine from Force One which would make it a stonker of an SUV to drive around or it would be the same BS3 again! Many a guys, we are sure, held onto their Mahindra Thar bookings for this very reason!
On Saturday, we promised while publishing spy video of red colored test mule of 2013 Force Trax Gurkha that we would be revealing the truth and here we are talking about it.
We spotted this Matt Black colored Gurkha mule, followed it up and tried to ask the driver whether this SUV is carrying a BS3 or BS4 engine for which he said, he was unsure. But look at the following pic and there is a clear BHARAT STAGE III sticker at the front windshield.
Yes, the new Gurkha would NOT have the 2.2L Force One diesel engine, instead it would be a BS3 engine. We know, we are spoiling the party but we had to share this with you.
Now, that we have stuck off the BS4 angle, the question is, which BS3 then? The new Trax Gurkha is expected to carry the 2.6L diesel engine from Traveller which would belt out power output of around 80 PS and torque of 210-220 Nm. Force would launch the new Trax Gurkha in a couple of months if things do not get delayed further.
Before the new Gurkha, Force would launch two new variants of Force One SUV – entry level Force One and 4X4 Force One.
Earn Hot Cash by sharing spy pics. Know More
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Is there anyone tired of their tanned skin with scars wrinkles and lines on their face? Or is there anyone who is looking to get their lips uplift and looking to get back the volume of their skin? If yes then all you need is to buy aquashine br as it is the best solution and long-lasting solution for scars marks wrinkles and folds.
I remember when I was young I was cycling and I fall from the bicycle and had a deep wound on my chin at that time the wound was not considered and noticed as the doctor told me that after a week or more than that when we will remove the stitches so the mark will be there and will last not more than 2-3 weeks or in short he told me that the mark will be there for a month and then it will disappear on its own. But it didn't vanish instead it got more visible. At that time I dint worried about it as I was a child but when I grew up and went to high school it was a weak point for me as people used to make fun of me just because of that mark. Because of that mark, my pictures also used to get ruined and I really wanted to get rid of it.
I wanted to get rid of it for which I started to look for its solutions on Google. On Google, I ended up with many dermal Fillers and many famous dermatologists. Then I searched for a dermatologist near my place and I called him for an appointment. When I went to him so he told me that it will be removed very easily and also told me that it is not a big deal and was trying to convince me to get dermal filler he was suggesting me when I got it injected in my skin to instead of improving the skin my skin started to get worse. When I went back to him so he started to make lame excuses and was trying to blame me and he also tried his level best by saying that I had direct contact with the sun to the skin and also said that I might have applied some cream and something else then he told me to wait for a week and look for results but it got worse as my nose got super weird.
Then I went back to him and there he asked me to get another injection injected so I clearly disagreed and asked him to leave me on my own and I told him that I will consult another dermatologist. Then I went to a different dermatologist and there he told me that this was a side effect of the wrong product used on me then he applied some cream and also asked me to apply it for a week and then visit him back I did the same then he asked me to search for Aquashine BTX Dermal Filler. When I searched so it was the best dermal filler and many models and famous actors and actresses had also used it, then he told me that he will inject it in my skin. When he injected so he told me to take special care of it like not go out in sun with an uncovered face and also keep rubbing Icepack or rinse the face with cold water to get the best results. After a month when I went back to school so no one was recognizing me as I had changed and all the tanned skin and the injury mark on my skin were removed.


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About Utah Lodging
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SERVICESUtah Lodging offers property management and absentee services for second home owners in Eden, Huntsville & Liberty. We are committed to our homeowners and their needs and tailor our contractual agreements to balance the owners needs and those of the guests for those properties offering nightly rentals. We offer affordable, competent, reliable services designed to make owning a second home here in paradise a pleasurable experience. Your life will be simpler and your property well tended.
- Advertising with major publications and website portals designed to maximize rental income source. This information is tracked and monitored so we can constantly tweak our program based on sources of results.
- An online bookings calendar including reservations taken by owners, which is maintained by our staff
- Full service staffing for rental check-in and check-out
- Provide special equipment such as crib, high chair, inflatable beds
- Maintain owner accounting and splits with full reports of rentals monthly
- Maintenance of the property
- Cleaning services
- Pre check-in, check-out, inventory, and periodic security walk-throughs
- Monthly analysis of rentals including guests comments
- Clear credit cards and checks (these fees are removed before the split 5%)
- Guest Service Guide in each unit updated annually
- Work with other property owners to combine properties and price for group business such as professional meetings, family reunions and FAM tours
ABSENTEE OWNER MANAGEMENT SERVICESThese services are designed for the owner who does not intend to rent their property nightly, but who wants a local service to handle ongoing maintenance concerns. With Utah Lodging, owners can rest assured that a professional set of eyes are guarding their property in their absence. Our services include, but are not limited to:
Hot tub maintenance: Our contractors adjust chemicals on a weekly basis, maintain seasonally desired temperatures, change filters, and flush/drain the system in spring and fall.
Monthly Maintenance: Utah Lodgings maintenance and housekeeping staff are bonded and insured. Our monthly maintenance program includes the following services:
Weekly home inspection, checking the following systems -
- Run water in all sinks and showers
- Flush toilets,
- Check heating/cooling system efficiency and desired temperature and time/date settings (critical if there is a power outage),
- Check eaves and window wells for ice buildup,
- Clear driveways and walkways prior to owner or guest arrival.
- Clear driveways and walkways for emergency access (snow removed if more than 4 accumulates).
- Temperature adjusted, lights turned on and fireplace lit in time for owner or guest arrival
- If you desire to leave a vehicle, we will periodically start the vehicle, drive it if requested, and deliver it to your provider for detailing and maintenance services. We can also arrange for airport pick-up/drop-off.
- We can arrange for pre-occupancy grocery and liquor shopping and home preparation.
- We can arrange to have your home decorated for the seasonally holiday (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukah, Birthdays, Reunions, etc.)
- We can arrange to have your gear tuned prior to arrival (skis, snowboards, bikes, golf clubs, boats, etc.)
- We can arrange to have lift tickets left in home, guide service arranged, catering, etc.
- We can meet delivery personnel, repair and service providers at your home.
- Having a party or a corporate meeting? We can assist with the menu items, arrange for catering, hire private chef, grocery shop, decorating, bartending and clean-up services.
- Our offices at Utah Lodging are available for you to conduct business in a quiet atmosphere should you need to use printers, copiers, staff assistance, fax machines, or hold a meeting in our conference area. We can UPS and FedEx items for you, receive packages for you in our offices and deliver them to your home.
- Other services as requested and agreed in writing.
So, spend your time recreating and relaxing instead of worrying about your property or facilitating services.
Contact Utah Lodging today and we will design a personalized service program that fits your absentee owner needs.
Call: 1-877-77-LODGING (1-877-775-6344) to speak to a property management professional.


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Design Job at Huff Post. Fee: $0
The AOL owned Huffington Post is at it again. It's not enough that it pays bloggers nothing – while raking in crazy ad revenue. All writers get is the kudos of working on the web's cutting edge. Well, 2008's cutting edge. Now The Huffington Post wants designers to work for free too.
Today it put out a call to Photoshop warriors to rustle up a new icon for Huffington's politics section. The winner will see their work used on the site, with a lovely credit.
And that's all.
The terms are even worse than Huff Po's bloggers get – because at least they have some guarantee of publication. The majority of the poor saps entering this "contest" won't even get that. Their efforts will simply be discarded, like so much virtual landfill.
I tweeted a link to www.antispec.com earlier, a site that campaigns against unpaid work in the creative industries.
One reply suggested that the Huff Po were sorta, kinda on to something. That contests like this are a great way to engage and interact with your audience. Now, I'm all for user generated content and involving readership in a conversation. I really am. But all you need to do is read the comments in the contest announcement to see that this is not the kind of engagement that reaps the right rewards or that builds positive branding.


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Works and Exhibitions
Lectures and Workshops
Books about the artist
What's new?
Mobile: +961 3 717703
> facebook: www.facebook.com/ricardombarkhoart/
> Represented by Mark Hachem Gallery
> Ricardo Mbarkho on ResearchGate
Keywords: Digital. Recycling. Communication. Politic. Relation. Art history. Religion.
Ricardo Mbarkho uses the computer as a tool to convert texts into images. By this process, the text's binary codes, which are the digits that computers use to stock information, generate a unique corresponding image. Therefore, these digital images become a visual equivalent of the initial texts. With this technique, Ricardo is investigating multiple questions related to language, communication, cultural industries, history of art as well as visual representation.
Click to see the images
Exhibited at:
Related TV interviews:
Related press articles (selection till 2011):
Keywords: Digital. Mass connections. Politic. Game. Notes.
"Grading the Lebanese Constitution" is a web based project where people can make anonymous grading for any and every article of the actual Lebanese Constitution. An Overall Average Grade is constantly displayed and updated. This grading centered project with its mass evaluation process implies different ways of reading the numbers and graphs of all the statistical results. It's a work that deals with data interpretation to offer multiple levels of meaning relative to our relation to power.
Website address: http://www.ricardombarkho.com/dastooronline/
Keywords: Video. Politic. Religion. Mobility.
This video questions the mobility of the Arameans in the Lebanese social context; this is through the example of a woman who has undergone one of the explosions in Beirut. Are the Arameans who hold their language and their religion pursued again by terrorism in Lebanon?
The video on YouTube:
Screened at:
2008-01-15 to
Mots clés : Invisual. Post-immaterial. Document. Catalog page.
Présentation :
For his participation at the Biennale de Paris 2004, Ricardo Mbarkho conceived a page into the biennial catalog that says: "The deadline to present a project for the Biennale De Paris 2004 is here and I still don't have the slightest idea what I am going to do to participate. I have a project of which I am still ignorant. I am ignorant of its nature, its form, its content, its intention, its meaning, its value, its category, its model, its material, its texture, its medium, its connections, its colors, its public, its criticism, its context, its way, its manner, its trend, its time period, its title, its history, its geography, its esthetic... I don't know what to present, what to show, what to formulate, what to fabricate, what to create, what to exhibit, what to say, what to do, what to be... All I know is that my participation is my willingness to participate; the rest escapes me."
Exhibited at:
Keywords: Digital. Relation. Communication. Meetings.
A number shows how many people have already visited the site since its creation. This indicator is followed by a description text I put in many languages. The visitors can refresh the site to see the number of visitors in each instant.
Website address: http://www.ricardombarkho.com/visitors
Exhibited at:
2010-10-01 to
A number shows how many people are connected to the site at the same moment. This indicator is followed by a description text I put in many languages. The visitors can refresh the site to see the number of connected persons in each instant.
Website address: http://www.ricardombarkho.com/connected
Exhibited at:
Keywords: Video. Relation. Communication. Seperation.
More than normal (Plus que normal) shows a three couples story that ends by a separation. There is almost no dialogue and no action, at a time when an unstable equilibrium leads to a tense atmosphere. Keywords for this video would be: Desire, charm, wish, love, fear, hopes, anger and separation.
The video on YouTube:
Keywords: Internet. Discussion List. Communication. Meetings. Politic. Religion. Peace process.
From November 8, 1999 to June 6, 2001, everyone who wishes to contact and to converse with Lebanese was invited by Ricardo Mbarak, to enroll in the discussion list: LebaneseGroup.
> Internet, support of communication for a concrete actual work.
In November 1999, he creates a discussion list on the Internet, LebaneseGroup Discussion List. The work it's the creation of a context auspicious to the exchanges. The work it's the dialogue capable to have concrete implications in the reality. Today, this project is frozen and the discussions are suspended.
> Members
Among people invited to join the list, Lebanese academics: American university in Beirut, University Notre Dame, Lebanese University, University of Balamand, University Haygazian but also all people interested in the actual news of the Lebanese in Lebanon and around the world (Australians, Canadians, French, Greeks, Israelis, Palestinians, Moroccans, Polish, …).
> Topics
Main topics of discussion: the socio-politics and the actuality of the day. On this space that is Internet, every member of the network has the possibility to express himself freely beyond the circumstances determined by a geographical territory.
Exhibited at :
Mars 2000. In the frame of the Internet Fiesta 2000 at:
2007-12-06 to
Keywords: Celebration. Relation. Communication. Meetings. Invisual.
In April 2001, an email about a Tabbouleh Day is sent by Ricardo Mbarkho to a large number of people who forwarded it to their address books as well. It is about a new celebration day each first Saturday of July: The Lebanese National Tabbouleh Day. Year after year, this event is now practiced by a big part of the Lebanese (and their friends) in Lebanon and abroad.
Website address: http://www.nationaltabboulehday.com
Art process:
My artistic practice is fully integrated in its social context because it is the reflection of a war-ridden country called Lebanon. The war in Lebanon has taken its toll on our lifestyle, therefore, I wanted to raise awareness to the importance of life manifested and focused years ago through my project: The Lebanese National Tabbouleh Day. It is a Holiday that I have created to gather all the Lebanese people (and friends) around a traditional dish, which is: Tabbouleh; in order to show and strengthen our attachment to life. It is an opportunity for all of us, citizens of the world. This day comes yearly, on the 1st Saturday of July. How do we celebrate this day? The idea is not necessarily to be around the biggest dish of Tabbouleh and eat it, but to be together at this specific day at the same time anywhere on earth (in Lebanon or abroad) to celebrate life. We encourage all the Lebanese (and friends) to consider the 1st day of July a holiday where all family and friends meet to honor our survival which became a valuable quality through many years of struggling. Keep in mind that the purpose of this event is to raise awareness around the value of life as is, regardless of our origins, family, personal or social conditions.
Ricardo Mbarkho
Keywords: Invisual. Post-immaterial.
Alexandre Gurita and Ricardo Mbarkho posted emails that inform the receivers that they exhibit whatever is exhibited by itself, from 8 to 20 of February 2001.
Keywords: Humain links. Attitude. Relation. Communication. Meetings. Invisual.
Since 1999, Ricardo Mbarkho spreads the contact information of many people who accept to be contacted by anyone informed about their availability. "Each one has from art what art has from itself » is the title of this art activity.
1999-12-02 to
Keywords: Humain links. Relation. Communication. Meetings. Invisual.
This work questions the social accessibility, relations, and communication. Ricardo Mbarkho organized a "Week-end Pierre-Yves Fave Portes Ouvertes" from Friday June 4, 1999, 4 pm, to Saturday June 5, 1999, noon. And from Saturday June 5, 1999, 8 pm, to Monday June 7, 1999, 10 am. The invitation paper was simply mentioning: "You are invited to visit Pierre-Yves in his home". Address: 46 bis, Rue Jean Moulin. 93260 Les Lilas - France. Opening: Friday June 4, 1999, 4 pm.
Documentations exhibited at:
2009-06-06 to
Keywords: Video. Relation. Communication. Meetings.
A trip from Paris to Juvisy is the context of this video. The images that move horizontally with the train movements put us in the beginning of the film in a Parisian landscape. This landscape becomes a portrait after an accident that occurs during the travel and a "smooth" plot catch the spectators for 52 min to discover the climax at the end of the trail, at the end of the "unachieved" trip.
The video at cultureunplugged.com:
The video on YouTube:
2010-10-01 to


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I was very sorry to hear of the concerns of the staff of West London Action for Children following the change of name of the national charity NCH to Action for Children (F&H Chronicle, September 18).
I would like to assure the staff of West London Action for Children that their organisation is recognised very clearly in Hammersmith and Fulham for the excellent work that they undertake and the valuable support that they provide to some of the borough's more vulnerable children and families.
The council is pleased to support West London Action for Children through our grant programmes and I can reassure them that there will be no risk of confusion on our part as to which organisation is helping our children and parents to become happy and confident and participate in the community. I wish them well in their dealings with the Charity Commission in ensuring that their identity is not lost.
Cllr Antony Lillis Cabinet Member for Community and Children's Services


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Articles about Education:
2. Widening income disparities
The difference between rich and poor is becoming more extreme, and as income ineqality widens the wealth gap in major nations, education, health and social mobility are all threatened. Read more »
3. Persistent structural unemployment
Unemployment is threatening our social fabric and creating unrest. What can governments and businesses do to ensure career opportunities for young people? Read more »
Networked thinking
Today's decision-makers need to adopt a systems-wide view to gain a deeper understanding of the connections between issues. This infographic explores the deep interconnections between global trends and issues, and how the Global Agenda Councils work together to tackle them. Read more »


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Quite often when I hear of prophets and pastors calling for a fast, they give the people a range of fasting options, like the total abstention from food and drink (except water) or what is often called "the Daniel fast." The Daniel fast is usually defined as eating only vegetables and drinking liquids.
The basis for the Daniel fast is found in the Old Testament Bible book of Daniel, chapter 1, verses 8-16.
Daniel was among the captives taken from Jerusalem to Babylon. The king of Babylon, Belshazzar, had Daniel and three other young men from the tribe of Judah put into a three-year training program so that they might serve in the king's court. As part of the program, the king provided the initiates with his edible delicacies, including his wine. Daniel objected to eating and drinking these things because these foods were ritually unclean according to Jewish dietary laws. Instead of eating and drinking the king's ritually unclean delicacies, Daniel chose to limit his diet to vegetables and water.
Daniel was able to persuade the king's attendant to provide him with his special [...]


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Isaiah 48 Redemption For His People.
Israel is addressed as the LORD's covenant people who swear by his name "but not in truth or in righteousness" (v. 1). They claim to be citizens of the holy city, but gave no evidence of said holiness (v. 2). The LORD had declared to them his word which gave them an infallible understanding of creation and history (v. 3). Nevertheless, their history proved to be one of obstinacy (v. 4). Declaring, through predictive prophecy, what would come to pass in the future, was intended to keep Israel from thinking that whatever they might have achieved was not because of their idols, but solely due to the sovereign will of the LORD (v. 5). It is the LORD who reveals hidden things-this they should have confessed and declared the word given (v. 6). Instead they claimed that they knew what would come about even as the LORD (v. 7). In other words, they didn't need to hear from him to know what would come to pass.
Their thinking was that of those who act treacherously in the covenant relationship (v. 8). It was only through the LORD's mercy that he chose not to cut them off, an expression used for being excommunicated out of the covenant community and being forever subject to its curses (v. 9). For their idolatry or spiritual adultery, the LORD would afflict them for His name's sake (vv. 10-11). He issued a call to his called, for them to recognize him as the Lord of history-the first and the last, the one who set his plans in motion before he created all things. He had a plan in mind before his work began (vv. 12-13). He would return judgment on Babylon for showing no mercy on his nation (vv. 14-15). If they would listen, they would acknowledge that he has been their Redeemer, the 'I am' who also taught them how to profit, leading them in the way they should go (vv. 16-17).
If only they had kept his commandments they would have peace that would flow like a river, and their righteousness would be as the waves of the sea (v. 18). They would have also fulfilled the original dominion mandate to be fruitful and multiply, a mandate which was renewed with every administration of the covenant which followed (v. 19). Now was the time for them to repent and put their faith in the LORD, to leave Babylon with singing, in anticipation of re-entering the promised land-all this because first and foremost he was their Redeemer-it would not come about through their own work or effort (v. 20). This Redeemer was the Rock from which the water of salvation flowed, the promised Messiah (Cf. Ex. 17:6; Nu. 20:10-11; I Cor. 10:4). History, under the LORD's sovereign control, also gave evidence that, "There is no peace for the wicked" (v. 22).


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A fire broke out in Pikni forest, in Pegeia, Paphos district.
Assisting the fire department were the forestry department, the game service, as well as local residents, who have been further assisted by two Kamov 32 helicopters.
Excursionists who were in the wider forest area informed the authorities, which were immediately mobilised.
At this point, efforts are focused on the complete control of the large blaze.
Authorities are to investigate the incident, in order to determine the fire cause.


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Arctic Parka Jacket Black
This black parka by Woolrich is made of a water-repulsive fabric. This item features a hooded collar, a covered zip with buttons, handwarmer pockets on the chest, flap pockets on the lower front and ribbed cuffs.
- Fabric: 60% Cotton / 40% Polyamide
- Lining: 100% Polyamide
- Fill: 80% Duck Down / 20% Feather
Azzurro Kids ships worldwide with UPS.
Remind that we do not deliver to P.O. boxes.
Shipping within 1-3 working days.
The Netherlands and Belgium € 6,95
Europe € 15
Worldwide € 30
*Shipping costs do not include duties and taxes.
Your returned item, must arrive at Azzurro Kids from no later than 14 days after your delivery date.
Please return your purchase with the original packaging in store or send it to the following address:
Attn. Azzurro Kids Returns
Van Baerlestraat 6
1071 AW Amsterdam
The Netherlands
When we receive your return in good conditions, we will make sure to reimburse the amount to you as soon as possible.
– Items must be returned unworn, undamaged and unused, with all tags attached and the original packaging included.
– Footwear and accessories must be returned with the original branded box and dust bags, where provided and placed inside a protective outer box for shipping.


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Christopher Waltz plays Bond's latest villain in 'Spectre,' that's a bingo!
We just got our first look at the trailer for the new James Bond flick SPECTRE, and at first glance it checks all of the boxes expected from a Bond feature: explosions, the beautiful widow of an infamous criminal, secret meetings... But there's a flame car?! And the mastermind behind SPECTRE is Christopher Waltz?!
Spectre will be out in theaters in the UK on October 26, and in the US on November 6, 2015.
Cover: YouTube
facts about Bond:
It's been over 40 years since we last saw SPECTRE in a Bond film. The last time the shadowy organization made an appearance was in 1971's Diamonds are Forever.
This latest installment of the Bond franchise, the 25th btw, is chockfull of Easter eggs, all nods to previous Bond films. There's the Day of the Dead sequence (Thunderball), a train sequence (From Russia with Love) Bond going rogue with help from Q (License to Kill), Waltz's character, Franz Oberhauser's Dr. No inspired Nehru jacket and more.


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BOURNEMOUTH — Chelsea will not be stopped.
The Blues went to Bournemouth and won 3-1 on Saturday, regaining their seven-point lead atop the Premier League table after Tottenham had momentarily cut it to four.
[ VIDEO: Premier League highlights ]
Antonio Conte's men dealt with the pressure piled on them by Spurs and breezed past (in the end) a stylish yet leaky Bournemouth side to stay on track for the PL title with seven games to go.
Here's what we learned from a sun-drenched evening down on the South Coast.
Eden Hazard scored a sublime goal to put Chelsea 2-0 up at the Vitaliy Stadium. N'Golo Kante snapped into tackles and even had his first-ever Premier League assist. Thibaut Courtois made a stunning save early on to deny David Luiz scoring a horrendous own goal.
All of the stars who needed to step up for Chelsea did.
Bournemouth didn't play badly, far from it. They created chances with Benik Afobe's shot hitting the inside of the post and coming out, plus Jack Wilshere (more on him further down) seeing plenty of the ball and creating problems for Chelsea.
Had Luiz's nervous clearance just a minute into the game flown in, Chelsea would've been in for an uncomfortable encounter.
With the seven-point gap to second-place Tottenham regained for now, throughout the encounter on the south coast of England Chelsea's fans sung"Tottenham Hotspur, we're waiting for you!"
Spurs are waiting for a Chelsea slip up but it appears the Blues will keep doing just enough to grind out wins. The magic number of wins now stands at five and it seems like Chelsea cannot be stopped. If Spurs beat West Brom next Saturday in the early game and Chelsea slip up at Manchester United next Sunday then the title race could be back on. For now, it seems over.
Diego Costa had one of those days against Bournemouth. He's having them a lot lately.
Chelsea's Spanish striker has now scored just four goals in his last 13 appearances for the Blues and his slack hold up play, failure to take chances and constant tumbles seem to be infuriating Conte.
It's true that Costa's sublime turn set up Chelsea's opener as he sliced his shot and it deflected off Adam Smith and in. But apart from that, a few decent bits of hold up play were the only noticeable contributions he made. Costa missed a sitter in the 55th minute as Alonso's perfect cross from the left flank found him at the near post but he completely missed his kick. His manager stood on the sidelines holding his head in disbelief. He's been doing that a lot lately.
With Hazard having four of Chelsea's last seven goals in the PL, he's carrying this team offensively. Costa isn't contributing much and seems low on confidence following the saga which rumbled on at the end of January amid reports of a back injury, training ground bust up and a big-money move to China.
It sounds slightly harsh to say after Costa has scored 49 goals in 81 PL games for Chelsea over the past three seasons, but perhaps Conte will perhaps be eager to move him on this summer if the likes of Alexis Sanchez, Antoine Griezmann and Alvaro Morata do become available.
Bournemouth always try to play through midfield, no matter the opposition or the obstacles before them. In midfield they have a player capable of controlling the tempo of any game on the planet: Jack Wilshere.
This was perhaps one of Wilshere's best games in a Bournemouth shirt as he is now back in the starting lineup consistently and is at the hub of the Cherries midfield.
With his future still uncertain about next season — he'll likely return to his parent club Arsenal but Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe wants him to stay permanently — Wilshere at least seems to be back to his best.
Flashes of brilliance throughout this game reminded us of the quality the England international possesses.
In the first half his sublime ball through to Ryan Fraser was followed up by a flicked ball with the outside of his right boot to play in Josh King for a breakaway. In the second half Wilshere clipped a ball down the line from an impossible body angle which picked out Afobe. He has the deft touches to confuse the most talented defenders and is able to caress the ball with ease, yet he does take chances in dangerous areas sometimes but is ironing out those mistakes.
Now, as has always been the case, he just needs to do it consistently and stay injury free. The next seven games will be huge for Wilshere if he can get back into the England squad this summer and then set himself up for a big season with Arsenal, Bournemouth or whoever in 2017-18.
At the age of 25 we have to stop talking about Wilshere's potential. His class is undoubted. We just need to see it more.


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Go Back To: Volleyball Defense Strategies
What do you think "rattles" a strong offensive team the most?
If you answered a "strong defense" you would be right! Nothing shakes up a power-house team more than playing a strong defensive team. Being able to dig all those killer spikes just by being in the right position can really wear a powerful team down — both physically and mentally!
Positioning is KEY in the sport of volleyball. If you are in the wrong position you can't play good defense — plain and simple! Not only that, but you will mess up your teamates if you are in the wrong playing position. Know where you need to be at all times!
Playing a "Deep 6 Perimeter Defense" is when the team's Middle Back player in position 6 by service order stays wayyyy deep.
Perimeter defense means exactly that — the team is playing defense from the "perimeter" of the court. What this means is that everything inside or in front of them is "in", and everything outside or behind them is "out". Pretty straight forward really.
The diagram below shows the base defensive positions for a Deep 6 Defense. Your team should be in these positions prior to the ball being set by your opponent.
Position 6 should be on or outside of the base line. Position 6 is responsible for getting any hits or dinks to the back corners.
It is always easier to move forward facing the net to get a ball or dive than it is to move backwards to pass a ball forward - remember this! Also, position 6 needs to be ready and able to pick up "tools" of the blocker's hands.
The defense move into the positions outline in the diagram below as the play develops. Passers need to have their feet planted and weight shifted forward on their toes before the attack hit is received.
Diggers should NOT stand behind the block because if you can't see the ball it can't be driven hard at you, with the only exception being deep 6.
Position 1 (Setter): When position 1 sees the set going to the outside hitter, 1 should run from the base position straight back to the sideline about 18ft from the net. The player should then put their right foot on the sideline and angle themselves towards the target position (where the setter sets from).
All defensive players should stop moving and have their feet set before the hitter contacts the ball.
Players should be on their toes with their weight forward watching the approach of the hitter, and the hitting shoulder of the hitter. If player 1 sees the hitter slowing down his hand, player 1 should break forward and pick up any "dinks" coming over the net. Or if there is a hard driven line shot this player will have to dig it.
Position 2: This right side blocker sets up a block as fast as they can. This is so that it is easy for the middle blocker to close the block. It is very important to set the block correctly. You should focus on penetrating over the net and pushing your hands towards their deep 6 player in an effort to prevents tools.
Position 3: The middle blocker should attempt to close up right beside the outside blocker. It is important not to drift sideways when jumping to avoid confusing your diggers - not to mention not wanting to break your teammates' ankles!
First responsibility is to 'seal' the block. The spot between you and the outside blocker. Your second responsibility is got get as much penetration as possible, pushing towards their middle back player. The more penetration, the more court you will block.
Position 4: The off side blocker should drop back to the 10ft lin. Note that it is important to not reach over your right shoulder to dig. The player behind you has everything to your right. This player needs to get the hits right to them, as well as, any dinks and deflections off the block.
Position 5: This player is the main angle digger. This player should try to dig the ball to the 10ft line to avoid an overpass kill for the other team.
Position 6: This is the hardest position to play correctly. Unless the block is not sealed this player should stay way deep and position themselves in line with the hitter's strongest hit. This will usually be in line with the angle at which to the hitter approached the ball. This player will pick up hits off the top of the block and any dinks to the corners.
If there is a hole in the block position 6 must move quickly into the court about 18 feet from the hitter in the hole so you can see the ball.
** The defense diagram below outlines what you should do when your Middle Blocker is late.
In the next scenario if an outside set dies inside a lot of times you'll see a block set up like this next diagram.
So you see illustrated above that the outside blocker has failed to adjust and move the block left to account for the ball. Yes, the attacker won't be able to hit line, BUT if he decides to be aggressive he may be able to kill a powerful angle shot because the blockers have not adjusted.
So if you look again at the diagram above, the setter will be behind the block if he plays a deep line shot. The setter should move down the line until he can see the ball around the block. This may mean that the setter remains inside the 10 foot line. Here the setter can pick up any short tips.
So you have to remember the digger needs to see the ball. If you can't see the ball you won't be able to dig any hard driven shots.
Also, the digger needs to play the perimeter of the court and stay on the line. They need to HOLD THE LINE even when coming up to defend any dink shots or tips.
Now let's look at the next diagram below which is a more effective and strong block.
This scenario shows that the outside blocker has adjusted their block according to the failed set that dies inside. Now the block takes up almost 90% of all possible hard driven shots.
Volleyball Court Central > Volleyball Defense > Volleyball Defense Diagrams


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The world's famous company Motorola is well expected to release its eight new android cell phones even before the year 2010 and unveil its own Android 3.0 tablet which is gingerbread in the month of January 2011 during the well reputed CES show. Out of these eight Android phones released by the Motorola, three will surely go to the Verizon, two of the eight to AT&T and the rest of the eight phones released by the Motorola will move on to China. For the above mentioned five mobile phones going to Verizon and AT&T, the Motorola's phone would be on the basis of Android 2.2 platform.
One of the analyst Trip Chowdary of the Global Equities Research which is cited industry contacts stated that a new Android Phone would be proudly released from the company Motorola and may best come as early as October 6th during the conference of CTIA. The same person Chowdary has written a note to the proper clients of Motorola that the contacts can also expect to see another phone probably on the T-mobile from the Motorola. The T-mobile is already carrying the Motorola's charm and the Smartphone of Cliq. For the country of China, the Motorola's strategy is very slightly varying from the strategies of the United States and in China; the Motorola has its own built Android market which has better mobile applications specifically tailored for the Chinese consumers.
In addition to the above, the specialized analyst Chowdary contacts said that the Motorola will very much likely release or launch a brand new Google Android 3.0 which is based on the Tablet at the CES conference or Show in Las Vegas. The mentioned tablet is supposed and expected to run a 1.5 GHz ARM and based processor and will precisely have a very strong capabilities of multimedia. The Co-CEO of the Motorola, Sanjay Jha also said in an investor conference that the Motorola is well planning to jump in to the market of the Tablet in a week earlier. In a precise speech to the investors, Sanjay Jha announced that the Motorola genuinely aims to the best release of a tablet and would be best competitive in the marketplace. Seeing the wall street Journal report, Sanjay Jha better hopes that Motorola can make the best tablet available by the early days of next year and in addition to these reports, according to the CNET report claims, the Motorola's tablet would be called as The Everest.
In spite of the refraining details explicitly, Mr. Sanjay Jha hinted precisely that the company Motorola's tablet could be best based on the Google Android 3.0 which has been given with the code name "GingerBread".
The competitors of the market are best taking a wide different approach. The Dell's new 5" streak tablet is totally based on the Android 1.6 and the Samsung Galaxy will be precisely run on the Android 2.2 and is best expected to be released later in this running year itself. The company reveals that the device can be best upgraded to the new Android 3.0 when the operating system is released.


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Fresh fish causes confusion
NORWAY - Many consumers think it's difficult to judge the quality of fresh fish. According to a study by Fiskeriforskning, consumers often don't know what characteristics they should look for to assess how fresh the fish is.
In the test, 45 consumers assessed tray-packed fillet products of salmon and cod, they way they're found in the grocery shops. The assessments were done six times, from when the fish was two days old until it was 14 days old. For the assessments, the plastic film over the fish was removed such that the participants could also smell the fillets.
Very different perceptions
Fiskeriforskning's study shows that the consumers had very different perceptions about the quality. Some judged the products as inedible when they were only two days old.
For most people in Norway, it's not possible to buy such fresh fish. The test also showed that other consumers assessed the same fish as very good even after 12 days' storage.
Difficult area
The results show that the average assessment corresponds well with the results from the technical measurements. But the strongly contradictory assessments show that fresh fish is a difficult area for many.
"The experiences from the test show that many consumers don't know what kind of criteria they should use to assess the quality of a fish fillet", says Senior Scientist Margrethe Esaiassen who, together with Scientists Sjurdur Joensen and Jens stli, is responsible for the test.
Should be flawless
Earlier research shows that consumers who don't know how they should assess a product's quality bring in other conditions of the product when they assess it.
"When the consumers are unsure, they can base their choices on conditions that really have nothing to do with freshness", stli points out.
For example, the fish pieces in the packages can be of different size and there may be colour shades between the pieces. The consumers can also vote down the product because it has blood stains, bone remnants or scales from the fish.
"Precisely because the consumers are unsure, it becomes essential that the product stands out as flawless. It can be decisive for whether they buy fish or choose other foods", says Margrethe Esaiassen.
TheFishSite News Desk


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Hey guys n dolls!
I've been gone for a couple of weeks and missed my blog but for good reason! Now 8 countries later, I have lots and lots of experiences to share with you all over the next few weeks. I'm SO excited. You won't believe where I've been, from Ice Bars in Amsterdam to Ice Palaces at the Jungfrau- switzerland at the very Top of Europe!!! My journey began in London where I attended my Mommy's big birthday party (Happy birthday Mom!) … Pic of me all glammed-up below 🙂
Watch this space 😉
51.711591 -0.050452


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What you need to know about getting a bail bond in San Antonio
If you have made it to this website you are undoubtedly looking for help concerning the bail bond process in San Antonio, Texas. Trying to figure out the procedure for getting someone out of Bexar County jail can sometimes be confusing and frustrating. There is no reason to let your loved one sit in jail, when bail in San Antonio is now affordable and easy for anyone.
After your loved one has been arrested, they will be taken before a magistrate judge and a bail amount will be set. This is the first step in the process. This amount determines what everything will end up costing you. If the bail bond amount is too high and you can't afford it, there can be a motion to reduce the bond to ask the judge to it.
From time to time there are individuals for which no bail bond amount has been set. This again requires a motion to be filed to ask the judge to set a reasonable bail bond amount.