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As an alpinist, Oregon-born Steve House has achieved a number of stunning ascents across the world. In 2004, he marked the second ascent of K7 West in the Karakoram via a new route, established a new winter line on Canada's Mt. Alberta in winter conditions and his most noteworthy climb is the central pillar of the Rupal Face on Pakistan's Nanga Parbat, which earned him the Piolet D'Or alpine award.
But as an author, coach and climbing mentor, House is revolutionizing how climbers train and how they are taught. With coach Scott Johnston, he's published Training for the New Alpinism: A Manual for the Climber as Athlete, which combines training theories and scientific knowledge to build the ultimate program for climbers and mountaineers. He is also the founder of Alpine Mentors, a program which aims to develop the next generation of great alpinists with a structured program of coaches and athletes. I joined House to talk about the development of his methods, the misunderstandings of strength training and how his own mentorship as a young climber living in Slovenia spurred the creation of his program.
THE CLYMB: You once mentioned that the Rupal Face was the culmination of years of a psychological and physical journey. Did your training change from your 2004 attempt to your 2005 summit?
STEVE HOUSE: It actually didn't; it was basically the same. I started working with Scott Johnston, the co-author of the book that we did together. It took a couple of years, but in 2004 I was able to climb the route on North Twin, then soloed K7 and then from that expedition we went through to Nanga Parbat, which we didn't summit for various reasons. Then coming back the next year, in 2005, it was basically your classic cycle: came back from the expedition, had a month off, rested and ate hamburgers and ice cream and then got back to it, putting the work in for the fall, and showing ready and fit in August and September 2005.
THE CLYMB: During this expedition, did you come up with the idea that instead of maintaining a fitness level, that you reach your peak fitness just as you're heading out for the trip?
SH: No, that was known about for a long time. That's the foundation for endurance training such as running and other sports. It's well known that you can't maintain a high level, and that's also why sports like track and field have seasons because the athletes can't keep a competitive level for more than that. I had understood it for a long time but hadn't implemented it in terms of climbing before. I hadn't had a coach before that could help me do that and I didn't have the knowledge myself. I really started to train smartly around 2000–2001 … I hired a Nordic ski coach that helped me think logically, like, "Okay, I have the technical part figured out and I need help with the aerobic part so I arrive at the technical part fresh and capable." That didn't work out with her because she didn't understand the sport of climbing. I brought that process to Scott Johnston who is a long time climber and a world-class coach. He had a unique skill set that allowed us to put it all together.
2005 was the third year that I'd been trying this peaking strategy. I had previously tried it in 2003 on an expedition to Masherbrum, which we didn't succeed; then in 2004, I tried to peak for K7 and the North Twin trip with a specific period. I aimed for the K7 and Nanga Parbat period in July and August, which was the peak period for that year, and again in 2005, 2006 and 2007. 2008 was an earlier peak for a spring trip to Makalu. It depends on when the expedition is. In Nepal it's before or after monsoon season so I'm training for the spring or fall.
THE CLYMB: What differences did you see in traditional alpine training at the time that you felt required redefining?
SH: I think we're trying to make people shift their viewpoint on climbing to include the possibility that it be treated like sport. It's not enough to climb when you feel like it, and while people have gotten far that way, it doesn't get you to the top-level in any discipline. It's a matter of making room in people's minds that it could possibly be done that way. A lot of people who have mountaineering objectives, full-time jobs and families say "I want to be ready for my Mt. Rainier climb in June, but I have kids and I work 40-hours a week, and how do I want to most effectively prepare given time is a valuable and limited commodity?" So it also addresses that audience as well, the one that doesn't have the freedom to go mountaineering five days a week.
THE CLYMB: Do you believe that alpinists should be striving for a balance between aerobic and gym training, or favoring one over the other?
SH: Strength training is an important part of any kind of endurance training program. The focus is that in our strength training prescriptions, we want people to understand that the purpose of strength training is designed to have a positive impact on their climbing. It doesn't matter how much weight someone can move around in the gym. The gym is not our sport. We're climbers. Climbing is our sport. The gym is a very specific and positive tool when done correctly, but there's a lot of not totally understood information about strength training in general.
THE CLYMB: Could you elaborate on some of those misunderstandings?
SH: Strength training is pretty well understood, but some experts want to cloud the waters so they look more important. It's actually fairly simple: you can take the basic, fundamental principles, one of those principles being you can start with a general strength approach. All sports do this whether it's gymnastics, running or alpine ski racing. You need to spend a couple of months hitting all the muscle groups evenly with roughly a protocol of 10 repetitions of a given exercise, and you build up over those 8 weeks, progressing to three or four exercises gradually over a couple of months.
What people need to understand is the correct timeframe for training is not weeks, but it's months or years. A lot of people will say they've been training for two weeks, but that's not training. Training happens when you're doing cumulative, gradual, progressive exercise over many, many months. That is how you get really fit. For strength training, it depends on the athletic background, and it can take as little as 4–6 weeks or as much as 8–12 weeks to get that general foundation going. Then it switches to what is called a 'max-strength protocol,' where we reduce the number of exercises to the most functional, the ones that are most common for climbers and alpinists like pull-ups, squats or one-legged box step-ups, and then you switch to a repetition protocol that develops your maximum strength in an effective way.
It depends on people who either need to increase their muscle mass, like teenagers, or people who need to reduce their muscle mass because they're too bulky and the strength-to-weight ratio is important in climbing. They may be super-strong but they have too much muscle mass. Especially if you're talking about an aerobic activity like alpine climbing, and you have too much upper body muscle mass you have to carry around. I think the basic principles can be simplified; they don't need to be made overly complicated. They can be very effective and the key is applying them consistently with the modulation of the appropriate workout and rest periods.
THE CLYMB: What is your definition of the word 'mentorship' and how did your mentorship define you when you were living in Slovenia?
SH: Mentorship is about teaching good judgement. I don't want to teach someone where I have to tell them how to swing an ice axe correctly for example, not in the context of Alpine Mentors. What I want to do is connect mentors with climbers who have the technical skill and foundation, and know how to climb safely in terms of placing gear and ropework. We're more working on what route to do when, when to turn around, when is it safe and when is it dangerous. I think that's what for me, back in Slovenia, I had modeled for me very well … I didn't know it at the time, but when I left Slovenia and came back to the States, I started going alpine climbing here. I had this picture of what that sort of mental decision making process looks like. It helps to keep me alive, make good decisions and develop as a climber.
THE CLYMB: For aspiring climbers who aren't eligible for a program like Alpine Mentors, what are some ways of finding their own role models?
SH: We just created a program for those people and it's called Alpine Mentors Unofficial. It's a closed Facebook group so you have to ask to join. It's not for beginners, but our team looks at the profiles and at what they're doing or climbing, and if they look like beginners, they won't be admitted. But if they are admitted to the Facebook page, there's an assumption of risk and acknowledgement of how the system works. Then people can either offer mentorship or search for a mentor. People can provide their location and meet mentors for as a little as an afternoon or as long as a lifetime.
THE CLYMB: How do you differentiate mentorship from 'hand holding' to letting someone develop their own intuition?
SH: Developing someone's intuition is what we're all about. Intuition is a tricky thing to define because it's very amorphous, but getting people to a point where they can look at their mountain and see the same thing I see is pretty cool. They see the route, they see the condition, they know where to go, they see the danger without really thinking about it. That's what intuition is: it's judgment without conscious thought.
My adage is 'the burnt hand teaches best.' My role as a mentor is to let them climb and make decisions, then step in when things start to go wrong or become excessively hazardous. If they say 'Hey, what do you think?' I say 'Here's what I see. I see XYZ, It's 1 o'clock, the rocks are falling and the sun is hitting that face, so maybe it's time to get out of here.' We're not guiding because we're not making the decisions, the climbers make those themselves.
THE CLYMB: On the Alpine Mentors website you mention a book Boys Adrift as an inspiration. What do you consider to be a coming of age ritual for developing climbers?
SH: With Alpine Mentors, we have a graduation ceremony in which we tell stories about what we did together and I acknowledge what they've learned and what they've done. Then they become mentors themselves and teach other people what they've learned.
THE CLYMB: In your climbing career, what do you believe you're still learning?
SH: I'm still learning so many things. One of the greatest things about technique sports like climbing, Nordic skiing, or even tennis is you have the potential to keep getting better as you get older. As a climber, it's interesting to me that, though I'm 45 years old, and maybe not as strong as I used to be, I still get better fundamentally and technically. I still take ski lessons every year and become a better skier every year. When you do it for 30 years like I have, the subtleties are notable when you're tracking your improvements. That's the great thing about climbing: it's ageless.


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Just 16% believe Hunt should stay in his job
Only a tiny minority of voters agree with David Cameron's handling of the Jeremy Hunt row, a new survey has revealed.
A ComRes poll for ITV found just 16% of the public believe it is right for the media secretary to stay in his post, while 49% believe he should quit.
Three out of five voters wanted an independent probe into whether Mr Hunt's office passed information to James Murdoch's office during News Corp's bid for BSKyB.
The news comes after Mr Cameron went full-out in his defence of the media secretary during a tumultuous session in the Commons.
Visibly angry, the prime minister insisted yesterday that Mr Hunt had not broken the ministerial code and refused to launch an independent inquiry.
Nick Clegg, who has sometimes appeared reticent and uncomfortable when the prime minister was defending the media secretary, struck a different note this morning when he said he was not "hung up" on whether Mr Hunt faced Leveson or an independent inquiry.

subset: commoncrawl


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Our goal is to make your website faster by optimizing your images, thus improving its overall speed and bandwidth footprint.
Let us explain that:
Most of our present Internet space is made of pictures, drawings or other form of visual media. While it's true that an image is worth 1000 words, it usually takes much more space to be stored and bandwidth to be sent over, than the text referred in the famous saying. Sometimes much more.
A lot of the content of successful websites is user-contributed and most of the users are non-technical. And that's OK. Where would the Web be if one would need to know C++ in order to post from his phone a picture with him on a safari ride in the jungle? Or even just to have to rescale & compress the image before doing that?
While a successful site needs to make the process of content generating as straightforward as possible, it also must pay attention to the size of the image, in order to let the pages load fast for best user experience. Images generated by various devices, such as a digital camera, or a design application are seldom optimized for size. For example, a picture taken by your new smartphone could easily go over 4MB and a decent web page should not weigh more than 3MB. How many pictures like that one can you fit in?
That's where we come in. Using our proprietary image analyzing software, together with open source encoding software tweaked to perform the best compression, we are able to reduce image sizes by as much as 90%.
We started out bold and ready to change the world - our first slogan said: "Make the Web smaller". And we developed an online service for that, releasing it to the public in July 2014. It sported a straightforward API, a processing queue management system and several servers ready to work hard to crunch millions of images.
While creating an API to optimize the Web was a noble endeavor, we soon realized that this was not a very actionable call to our potential customers, who needed to have their sites' images optimized with as little hassle as possible. And coding calls to an API, even as straightforward as ours, wasn't just that.
Minding the gap, we changed our battle cry to "Speed up your website" and started to find ways for our API to reach users' needs. The first way was a WordPress plugin that we developed: the ShortPixel Image Optimization plugin, which is using our API and the power of our server cloud to optimize WordPress sites' images.
We rolled out our first public beta version of ShortPixel Image Optimization plugin in November 2014 and that's how our image optimization service took off. We owe a big "thank you" to many of our customers for their early days feed-back which ranged from an iconic "Your f***ing plugin broke my site!" to precise needs or heart-warming "Fantastic Plugin!" feed-back messages. All this brought us a tremendous help in shaping up our service to fit your needs, and still does, as every opinion or request you guys send us counts. Occasionally it takes time until it hits the prime-time but for sure it's not ignored.
We also developed an online demo with the purpose of allowing you to check your webpages for unoptimized images and see how much you would gain using our service.
In April 2015 we rolled out our first paying version of the service. We started to have more and more customers through our ShortPixel Image Optimization plugin, so we had to scale on new and more powerful servers to cope with so many specific situations from customers with different custom installs of Wordpress, different plugins or custom code. We decided to offer the same premium support to all of our customers, regardless if they were paying customers or using our free service.
In 2016 we developed a Client Library for PHP and in 2017 we also rolled out a generic PHP tool for optimizing site images, the ShortPixel Website Optimizer, so now any website can benefit from our image compression technology. We also made a Command Line Interface through which our services can be accessed with a scheduler job in order to monitor image folders for changes without the need of any Administrator interaction. You can check all these out on our Tools page.
In 2018 we started a new service, the ShortPixel Adaptive Images. Building on the successful image optimization, started offering a new service that aims to provide images at pixel size as close as possible to the one that is needed in each page while also improving the delivery of them via a CDN. Read more details on ShortPixel Adaptive Iamges' landing page.
More than six years later and more than 1.8 billion images optimized for more than 230K customers of which more than 200.000 plugin users, we are glad to have started this jurney, and we're still proudly doing it. On our support channel we have so far received more than 20K support messages and we made sure each customer was promptly helped. 24/7/365.
Our service is based on a SAAS model offering image compression through our API that you can access either directly or through various tools that we developed especially for this purpose.
Behind the API, our service is structured in several layers, as follows:
First and most important, we intend to keep the same attention to you, our customers and the feed-back you send us, and let ourselves be driven by your needs. We are also committed to investing a constant effort in improving the performance of the optimization algorithms we're using, in order to be able to offer you the best compression/quality rate you can get.
Last but not least, we intend to keep our service easy to use yet flexible and to add more and more ways of using it, for your convenience and for your Happy Optimizing!
Alex created ShortPixel's performant compression API. His mission is to calibrate all our clients' image compression needs. Self improver, cook.
Simon is in charge with the technology stack, development process and code quality. Loves mountain sports, bass guitar and sailing.
Andrei is in charge with ideas, partnerships and actions that can sustain ShortPIxel's growth. Our blog content is also his favorite topic.
ShortPixel is owned and operated by:
2 Transilvaniei st., Apt. 19, Bucharest 1, Romania
Reg No: J40/6096/2014
We are located in Romania, a nice little country in Eastern Europe featuring lovely mountains, traditional rural communities and lively cities. And, of course, the home of Dracula. We all have extensive international experience, our executive team has been working for more than 10 years for US, German and French companies. Therefore, we can combine the cost savings of operating from our location with the experience of working in an international environment.
If you need to contact us, the fastest way is to use our contact form.
Install our new Android app to optimize the photos on your mobile device and save a lot of space.


text: Kalok Seafood Restaurant or formally known as Gala is a chinese restaurant located in Richmond. It has plenty of seating area and cheap dim sum, come before 11am for an extra 5% discount making it one of my family's favorite dim sum spots. It is a pretty typical chinese restaurant and can get fairly busy during peak hours however they have plenty of seating and lots of parking that makes it easy to get here. Overall it's decent food and it's cheap and easy to get to so worth taking a look at if you are in the area and wanting some dim sum.


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Loopmasters has released Hip Hop Instrumentals, a laid back selection of replica vintage Breaks, Beats, Basses and lush Musical Elements from the studio of London's Chemo.
Chemo began as a Producer and DJ for south London group 'Frontline' along with MC's Syanyde and LeEo. Alongside rapper Conflix he created the Character Assassins series of mix tapes which were notable for featuring 'Assassin Sessions' which were recordings made in one take to simulate the live Cypher element of Hip-Hop events.
"I wanted to create a pack of drums, melodies and other textures with an organic feel. Suited perfectly for dusty, golden age Hip-Hop, but also for more experimental Trip-Hop / Downbeat production. I try to maintain an analog warmth and grit with my productions and anyone who, like me, is mesmerized by the crackle of a vinyl, should find this kit most satisfying!"
Weighing in at 1GB, Hip Hop Instrumentals includes 276 24Bit samples, with 172 lops between 84 – 126 Bpm, and 104 one Shot Samples. Also included are 9 ready to play patches for Kontakt, Halion, EXS, SFZ and Reason NNXT compatible soft samplers. Apple Loops, Reason Refill and Ableton Live versions are available to purchase separately.
Hip Hop Instrumentals is available to purchase for £24.95 GBP.
More information: Loopmasters / Hip Hop Instrumentals


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|Asian Slaw with Spicy Thai Vinaigrette
Yesterday I told you I had a difficult choice to make for 1 cuisine and make 3 dishes. And I had to go back to the old childhood way of choosing my cuisine… do inni mine mini mo!!
Asian Slaw with Spicy Thai Vinaigrette
|Asian Slaw with Spicy Thai Vinaigrette
- 3 cups cabbage, shredded
- 2 cups carrots, shredded
- ½ cup green onion, sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- Salt
- 1 tsp kali mirch /pepper
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice (to taste)
- 3 tblspn chilli -garlic sauce
- 1 ½ tsp honey
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tblspn basil, chopped
- 1 tblspn mint leaves, chopped
- 1 tblspn dhania/ coriander leaves, chopped
- 1/4 tsp kali mirch/ pepper corns powdered
- 1 1/2 tsps til/ sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 tsp ground dhania/ coriander powder
- Salt
- 1 tblspn sesame oil (I did not use)
- 1/2 cup peanut oil (I used rice bran oil)
- Whisk the ingredients for the vinaigrette except oils in a large bowl.
- Slowly drizzle the oil while whisking.
- Adjust seasoning with more salt and lime juice if needed (I needed sugar).
- Now toss the vegetables in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the Thai vinaigrette to taste and toss to mix.
- Serve chilled.
|Asian Slaw with Spicy Thai Vinaigrette


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Vail Daily column: Stimulus kicks in
My View
"I don't want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems, but today does mark the beginning of the end," declared Barack Obama after the 2008 presidential election.
Evidently, many Americans disagree. They overlook economic progress since 2008. In a recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll, results show the president's job approval rating at 41 percent, a new low. "Roughly one-quarter of the respondents think the economy will improve over the next year, while 57 percent believe the U.S. is still in a recession, despite years of modest economic growth and robust stock-market gains" (The Wall Street Journal, March 12).
Many conservative critics argued the 2009 stimulus Recovery Act lacked fiscal common sense. They predicted mortgage rates zooming to 18 percent, as occurred during Jimmy Carter's presidency.
Moreover, 24-hour talk radio critics blasted the president for his alleged nonsense. With national debt spinning out of control in 2008, why increase with stimulus spending? Why flood the economy with government-printed money? Doesn't it stand to reason that, when in debt, we belt-tighten and sequester funds, rather than spend more?
Such critics acted like Joseph's ornery biblical brothers. The more Obama spun the stimulus "dream," the more critics panned him, as did Joseph's siblings who "when he told his dream to his brothers, only hated him the more" (Genesis 37:5).
Recession Confession
Five years after President Obama's confession that the Recovery Act would endure a hard slog before citizens saw positive results, the U.S. economy gained traction. Growth was first reported in the summer of 2009. Next, jobs increased in the spring 2010, though full-time employment still went missing in action. The stimulus package fixed 42,000 miles of roads. It gave tax cuts to 160 million workers. New home sales surged. Cars made in Detroit put the Big Three auto-makers on firm financial footing and saved suppliers from folding. Without the government's bailout for Chrysler and GM, the Rust Belt would have caved into a financial black hole. Now a 4-year-old bullish stock market shatters records.
Uncle Sam is collecting handsomely on housing loans. "The payment," reports The Wall Street Journal, "following a hugely profitable year, will increase the total dividends that Fannie and its smaller rival Freddie Mac have paid the government to around $192.5 billion. This amount exceeds the $187.5 billion in bailout money the U.S. Treasury lent them in 2009.
"The two companies, which were taken over by the government in 2008, became one of the most expensive legacies of the financial crisis. But they have returned profitability over the past two years as home prices have rebounded sharply" ("Fannie's Bailout Milestone: Taxpayers Made Whole," Feb. 22-23).
Ask citizens if the Recovery Act worked. Most shrug shoulders or say "no." That's because the stimulus is counter-intuitive; initially, it makes little sense. Moreover, media neglect to give Obama credit for deficit reductions.
President Obama followed George W. Bush whose promises sounded logical, especially after 9/11 when the nation wanted to hear no-nonsense anti-terrorist talk. Americans were assured of "mission accomplished" in Iraq. Then, Katrina roused her fury, and we heard "heck of a job." Next, the housing bubble burst, which took down Wall Street banks that were "too big to fail." Free-market advocates cringed at having to rescue banks with TARP, allowing the government to exert partial control of Wall Street. These puzzling securities produced phony paper profits, which led to massive fraud.
In response, some Americans endorsed Obama's stimulus package. They gambled on what their brains denied — increased debt, coupled with increased spending, would allow the U.S. to escape the economic tailspin. It did!
Mismanaged Circus
Does history repeat itself? In 1911, Ida Tarbell — then dean of investigative reporters — questioned Republicans who defended a tariff bill. It benefited the few but robbed the masses. Tarbell wrote a series of muck-racking articles exposing the greedy GOP. This revealed how "the same old circus, the same old gilded chariots, the same old clowns" had managed to pull the wool over Americans eyes.
In 2008, the U.S. elected a new president. President Obama inherited a mismanaged circus and cleaned it up. Now, the economy generates revenue to pay bills, lowers national debt and structures financial dividends.
The Rev. Dr. Jack R. Van Ens is a Presbyterian minister who heads Creative Growth Ministries (www.thelivinghistory.com), which enhances Christian worship through storytelling and dramatic presentations aimed at making God's history come alive.


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Alan Whiting
The late Alan Whiting was a derivatives executive.
He served as the non-executive chairman of NYSE Liffe, having succeeded Hugh Freedberg, who was the NYSE Liffe CEO from 1999 to 2009 and chairman from 2009 to 2012.[1]
In 2017, Whiting was posthumously named to the FIA Futures Hall of Fame.[2]
After university, Whiting worked for the University of East Anglia, the Treasury, the Department of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Technology, the European Free Trade Association (Geneva) and the Confederation of British Industry. He re-entered the Civil Service in 1974 as an economic adviser at the Department of Trade and Industry, eventually becoming chief economist and director of finance. In 1992, Whiting joined HM Treasury as under secretary and head of financial regulation. In that role, he oversaw structure, legislation and oversight of banking, mutuals and financial services regulation. He was also a member of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) Technical Committee and represent the UK for the G7 work on financial regulation. Whiting was a member of the European Union's Banking Advisory and the High Level Securities Regulators Committees. He played a key role in developing financial regulation reform in the United Kingdom as a whole, and in creating the Financial Services Authority.
In 1997, Whiting joined the London Metal Exchange as executive director of regulation and compliance. He served in this role for seven years, and was heavily involved in international regulation of commodity markets and the commodity derivatives business. He founded his own company, Merlan Financial, in 2004 and was appointed to the LIFFE board in 2006. He also hold non-executive directorships on The Mortgage Code Compliance Board, The Banking Code Standards Board, the Lending Standards Board,[3] the Debt Advice Gateway Trust, NYMEX Europe Ltd and CME/ NYMEX London Ltd. Whiting is the chairman of The Gibraltar Financial Services Commission.[4]
Whiting was also a managing director of Merlan Financial.[5]
Whiting passed away in June of 2015 from cancer.[6]
@JohnLothian Twitter Feed
We visit more than 100 websites daily for financial news (Would YOU do that?). Read the John Lothian Newsletter.


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Fresh Start Clinic - Heathbridge Practice
Fresh Start Clinics provide a clinically safe home alcohol detoxification programme for people suffering from mild to moderate alcohol dependency. They offer specialist treatment and care near to where you live.
You can expect to be given medication to manage your withdrawal symptoms and to prevent relapse, and support from a nurse who specialises in alcohol dependency. You will remain registered with your current GP.
Fresh Start Clinics cannot treat you if you have complex needs, including:
- poor physical health (e.g. heart failure, breathing problems, liver failure);
- epilepsy;
- heroin, cocaine or benzodiazepine dependency;
- severe mental health problems; and
- a history of alcohol withdrawal seizures or delirium tremens.
You can go to a Fresh Start Clinic if you live in the borough of Wandsworth. Referrals are accepted from:
- yourself (call in the afternoon to book an appointment);
- GPs;
- Pharmacists;
- A&E staff; and
- Foundation 66 Battersea Alcohol Service.
Visit the website for more information.
Who to contact
- Telephone
- 0844 477 1877
- Website
- www.heathbridgepractice.co.uk
Where to go
- Name
- Heathbridge Practice
- Address
125, Upper Richmond Road
- Postcode
- Get directions
Time / Date Details
- When is it on
- Monday to Friday: 8.15am - 1pm and 2pm - 6pm
- Details
- Free
- Age Ranges
- From 18 years
Last updated: 25 Mar 2019
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Here they are… the parts of my first 3D printed tanktainer.
I got a little carried away and painted the tank and tank ends before remembering to take photographs.
Read on for a review of this model.
Surface Quality
When I had these models printed I chose to use the material known as smoothest fine detail plastic. As you can see, using this option produced a very smooth finish on the tank surface. I was actually surprised how smooth.
Macro photography is very harsh. When viewed with the naked eye the tank appears much smoother. Yes, you can see a few lines on the tank but this is because I did nothing but wash the tank before painting to test the quality of the print. With my next model I'll spend some time smoothing the surface even further.
The tank end-pieces also came out quite well. There are a few more surface marks on these pieces which I think will be unavoidable no matter how the pieces are orientated during printing but once they've been painted the print marks are more or less invisible from the distances they'll be viewed from on most layouts.
However, this did give me an idea for future tanktainers. I'm going to produce both full models but also tanktainers as kits that can use a piece of scale size tube for the tank. This will avoid the need to sand and polish between fine details on the tank and also lower the cost of printing slightly.
Tabs & Slots
It's very easy to lose track of quite how small the details you are creating actually are when you are working in a CAD program. You can enlarge your creation without any limitations and focus on details you'd probably never even be able see in real-life. For this reason I think my idea to have the tanktainer frame slot together using tabs and slots, which seemed reasonable when looking at the model in FreeCAD was a little optimistic.
Although the printed tanktainer did slot together using the tabs they were too small to do this reliably. They will need to be redesigned and made larger on future prints.
I also found that the slot I'd cut in the frame to orientate the tank correctly made the end frame very delicate. This snapped when the parts were pushed together.
I'll have to be more careful about positioning of tabs and slots and leaving enough clearance for parts to slide together in future models.
Cost Of Printing
The cost of printing was fairly high but this was largely down to how I created the model. I've since found it is much more economical to create a single model that incorporates both frame and tank connected by sprues rather than using individual frame and tank models I created originally.
It's also worth trying to design models with the smallest footprint possible. The more space in the 3D printer your model uses the higher the cost! Future models will be much more efficiently arranged to minimise their footprints.
Remember To Check and Double Check Your Models Before Uploading
Simple advice that applies to most walks of life that I wish I'd followed. When I uploaded my first 3D print to the Shapeways website I accidentally uploaded a model with a solid tank. I'd somehow meshed a version of the tank that hadn't been hollowed out yet. Taking the time to check my model before uploading would have saved me a few pounds.
Overall I'd call this test print a success and I'm already working on new and revised models. I'll post more soon.


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BU Partners in Tuition Waiver Program
June 26, 2013
BRANDON, MB – Children raised in Manitoba's child welfare system now have increased opportunities for post-secondary education through the recently announced Tuition Waiver Program partnership involving Brandon University (BU), Assiniboine Community College (ACC) and the four Child and Family Services Authorities of Manitoba.
"We are very excited and cannot thank BU and ACC enough for becoming part of this wonderful initiative," said Dave McGregor, Chief Executive Officer of Child and Family Services of Western Manitoba (CFS Western). "This partnership can help change the outcomes for youth in care by removing barriers and creating opportunities for these young people to access a post-secondary education."
There are more than 9,500 children and youth in care in Manitoba with the majority being First Nations and Métis. Fewer than 5% are estimated to pursue post-secondary education because of a lack of finances, housing and support. Transitioning from youth in care to young adult is another potential barrier.
"Brandon University is pleased to be a partner is this very important initiative," said BU President and Vice-Chancellor Deborah Poff. "University education is not only good in itself but it is also a mechanism for social and economic mobility. We welcome these students and will do our utmost to support them in their studies and future goals."
Mark Frison, ACC President, said, "We strongly believe in this initiative and are proud to partner with Child and Family Services in order to further develop this program throughout the Westman area. We're proud to help open our doors to these students to further their post-secondary education as our mission is to transform lives and strengthen Manitoba through applied education and research."
|For more information, please contact:
Dr. Deborah Poff
President and Vice-Chancellor
Glen Kirby
Communications Officer


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731510802 Stone Island Ripstop Smock Overshirt in Green (V0059). Long sleeved smock overhead overshirt in ripstop cotton. Quarter-neck YKK zipper to close. Wear collar up or down. Three pockets to front - one horizontal chest zipper with two slanted zipper close pockets. Patch logo to arm. Press-stud cuffs. Pullcord to hem. 100% cotton. SPA Article Number is 731510802.
Size XL measures 26 inches across chest, pit to pit is 27 inches and 30.75 inches from top to bottom.
PLEASE NOTE : As with all Smock style items, they are very big fitting so please compare measurements above with an item you currently own for a better idea of sizing/fit.Please compare measurements above with a similar item you own for a better idea of sizing/fit.
Should you require any additional information or photographs please e-mail us now at email@example.com
Please be aware that all Credit and Debit Card payments through PAYPAL, KLARNA and WIX withhold a fee for refunds. For any item returned this will be deducted by PAYPAL or KLARNA (3%) and by WIX (2.1%) from your refund. Exchanges, or payments by Bank Transfer, will not incur this charge.


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by Tim Crouch, Senior Manager of Marketing & Audience Engagement
We've put together a playlist of (most) of the music you'll hear at Intimate German Baroque (Jan 19 – 22, 2017), featuring English baritone Peter Harvey and Jeanne Lamon, violin. It's a great way to get into the spirit of the concert before you hear it live on stage. Since we are not including a recording of Böddecker's Sonata sopra La Monica, you'll have to come to the concert to hear it. Enjoy!
The first piece on the program and on the playlist is H.I. F. von Biber's Fidicinium sacro-profanum no. 1 in B Minor (Nuremberg, c.1683). We included L'Armonia Sonora's recording.
The next track on the playlist is Dietrich Buxtehude's Cantata "Mein Herz ist bereit" (Lübeck, c.1680), featuring our guest artist, Peter Harvey, and the Purcell Quartet.
Then we visit J.S. Bach's mentor and cousin Johann Christoph Bach and his Lamento "Wie bist du denn, O Gott?" (Eisenach, late 17th century). The version we selected for the playlist is by The English Baroque Soloists with conductor John Elliot Gardiner.
We revisit Biber and his Sonata no. 3 in F Major for violin & continuo (Nuremberg, 1681). This version is performed by Romanesca (Andrew Manze, baroque violin; Nigel North, lute and theorbo; Johnn Toll, organ).
The final piece on the playlist is Johann Sebastian Bach's Cantata 82 "Ich habe genug" (Leipzig, 1727) with baritone Peter Harvey, and John Eliot Gardiner and The English Baroque Soloists.
You can find this playlist on our YouTube channel at youtube.com/tafelmusik1979.
Join us for Intimate German Baroque at Trinity-St. Paul's Centre from January 19-22, 2017. Concert information and tickets are information is available here.


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Alberta Tory leadership candidate Ric McIver says a home for people with mental and physical disabilities will not be closed if he becomes premier, CKGY reports.
McIver says he would keep a promise the government originally made to keep the Michener Centre in Red Deer open for current residents, but not accept anyone new.
The province announced last year that it was closing most of the facility and moving residents into the community.
The decision by former premier Alison Redford's government has drawn a lot of criticism and prompted a judicial review.
McIver also says he would ensure legal aid for those who are on the province's income support program, known as AISH, because many of them currently don't qualify.
Progressive Conservative party members vote for a new leader next month.
McIver, who made his social policy announcements at Michener Centre on Thursday, said he recently toured the facility and met with residents.
"They certainly seem to be settled and comfortable where they are, and I don't think that government should unnecessarily take them out of their comfort and the care that they have known, in many cases, their whole life," he said.
"Until I took the time to come down and have a look for myself, I frankly wasn't fully enough aware of the circumstances and the residents."
Dianne Esslinger's brother Larry, who is 52, has been living at Michener Centre since he was a toddler.
"Some people have lived her for five, six, seven, even eight decades, so to move them at this point in their life doesn't seem to make a lot of sense," she said.
A judicial review of the government's plan to move residents is to be held in November.


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Sunday, 9 August 2015
Long Beach Peninsula Edible Garden Tour
The annual edible garden tour, presented by the Long Beach Grange, is a benefit for local food banks.
"A young food forest on about ½ acre, with some big changes underway this season"
Homewood lives up to its name with such a feeling of hominess. The house was designed to have windows on two sides of every room and has an entire wall of books, something I always like to see. Lisa, the owner of this garden, is the organizer of the Edible Tour. She and her late spouse designed and built the house together. She is a fiber artist as well as a food forest gardener, and her creations can be found at the Bay Avenue Gallery. While some of her creations are elegant fashion accessories like her beaded purses, you can see that others are inspired by her kitchen garden.
So what is a food forest? "A food forest is a gardening technique or land management system, which mimics a woodland ecosystem by substituting edible trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals. Fruit and nut trees make up the upper level, while berry shrubs, edible perennials and annuals make up the lower levels."
Lisa's garden lives up to the description, with food at all levels of the garden.
Lisa told us that she had at last successfully managed to make a deer-proof fence all around the perimeter of the property. The smaller cages are to protect fruit from the birds; otherwise, there would be none left for Lisa of the special delicacies like blueberries.
I first took the path around the south side of the garden.
The sunny center of the garden on the south side of the house is given to kitchen garden rows.
Lisa made numbered edging for the garden beds and told us that she is planning to do so for other beds, with tree names set into the concrete.
I am sure that earlier in the year there were edible peas, as well. By the almost mid-August date of this tour, the early season crops are done, especially in this hot dry year when the season for most flowers and fruits is earlier than usual.
We walked between the house and garage to see the north side of the garden.
We returned to the deck on the south side of the house and sat with Lisa for awhile as the tour drew to a close.
At five o'clock, the official end of tour time, we departed and saw Lisa taking in the tour sign.
That's the end of our local garden tour season! There will be one more tour, the Cannon Beach Cottage Tour, in mid-September. Meanwhile, it's back to focusing on work and my own garden.


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If you are a new pet parent, or your pets are lucky enough to have never experienced a flea problem, you may not know how to tell if your dog or cat has fleas. A single adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day! As fleas continue to multiply, what started as just a small flea problem can result in a flea infestation throughout your home. The sooner you treat fleas on your dog or cat, the quicker you will eradicate the problem, so it is important to recognize the signs of fleas as early as possible.
Fleas are terribly itchy and uncomfortable, so one of the first signs that your pet has fleas is frequent scratching, biting at his coat, or in cats, excessive grooming. The excessive scratching, licking and grooming may result in hair loss or hot spots.
Another sign to look for is "flea dirt," which is actually the flea's waste product after digesting a meal of blood from your pet. Flea dirt looks like spots of black pepper, and you may see it on your pet, on your pet's bedding and other places he frequents. To confirm the black specks are actually flea dirt, place some on a wet paper towel; flea dirt will change to a rusty-reddish color, because the flea dirt is made of digested blood. If you see flea dirt on or around your pet, you can be sure your pet has fleas.
You may also observe actual fleas on your pet. Fleas can jump and move very quickly, so they can be difficult to spot. Part your pet's fur to inspect for fleas. Fleas are small, dark brown in color, and only about 1/8" long, with a hard, flat body.
Flea eggs are even smaller, but you still may be able to spot them on your pet, too. Flea eggs are approximately 1/64th inch in size, white, and oval in shape. Flea eggs resemble very small grains of salt. Flea larvae are about ¼" and look like tiny worms.
Only about 5% of the flea life cycle is spent as an adult flea on your pet; the remainder of the flea life-cycle (flea eggs, larvae and pupae) is spent in your home, in your carpeting and on your pet's bedding. Fleas can easily be carried into your home on your shoes and clothing, so even indoor-only cats are not immune. If you suspect your pet has fleas, treat your dog or cat immediately with a flea preventative. To break the flea life cycle, you must also treat your home and yard, or the new fleas will continue to hatch and jump back onto your pet.
Early treatment is crucial in preventing a few fleas from becoming an infestation that is more difficult to completely eradicate.


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Contact: Melanie Conklin, 608-260-2409
MADISON, WI – Gov. Walker's mismanaged Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. (WEDC) is scheduled for a closed-door meeting this morning to discuss the biggest taxpayer giveaway to a foreign corporation in U.S. history. Gov. Walker approved the $3 billion deal last month which exempts Foxconn from complying with state environmental regulations, a company with a history of making empty promises and jobs that never materialize.
"There should be nothing secretive about a deal that requires us to shell out billions of dollars from taxpayers that the state could take decades — if ever — to recoup," said Martha Laning, Chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin. "It should concern all of us who care about our state and want to grow jobs that the public is being kept in the dark about how its money is being spent. What is Governor Walker hiding?"
Laning noted that taxpayers will not see a return on the Foxconn investment for another 25 years and quite possibly much longer.
"Taxpayers deserve to be respected with a transparent process in spending $3 billion of our money," Laning added. "We also deserve to be allowed to consider other ways that $3 billion could be spent that might create more jobs all across the state if given to Wisconsin companies.
"This is a corporate giveaway of taxpayer dollars on a scale we've never seen before. Instead of subsidizing a foreign corporation that has failed many times in the past to follow through on its job promises and has treated employees terribly. Imagine what we could do with $3 billion for Wisconsin's jobs, economy, roads, broadband, public schools and infrastructure. Yet Governor Walker has chosen to give a tax break to a company with an extremely bad track record on jobs and follow-through.
"In respect, transparency and democratic governing, Wisconsinites deserve better."


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Oct 25, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's East West Properties Plc, plans to build more hotels chairman Nahil Wijesuriya has told shareholders, with the first hotel to be managed by US based Marriot group as already announced. East West is building a 200 room hotel in Weligama Bay between Gall and Matar on Sri Lanka's southern coast which is expected to be managed by Marriot International for 25 years.
Wijesuriya told shareholders in the annual report that another company East West Hotel Developers (Pvt) Ltd has been set up "a number of hotels at key locations in Sri Lanka."
Another company, East West Leisure (Pvt) Ltd had been incorporated to provide adventure tours to younger travellers and to "promote off-the-beaten track areas in Sri Lanka.
Most business groups in Sri Lanka have been jumping on the tourism bandwagon after a 3-year civil war ended.
Foreign investments, especially from India are coming into mixed developments involving apartments and shopping complexes in addition to hotel rooms, particularly to key locations in Sri Lanka's capital.


text: The Christian faith receives plenty of challenges: How can you believe in a God when there's so much suffering in the world? Hasn't science disproved God? Isn't God a kill joy? We believe, however, that it all stands up when you take a closer look. At The Road, we've put Christianity under the microscope and begun to explore the facts about Jesus and the evidence surrounding all that he said and did. Pick a topic below and dive in to make up your own mind about this man Jesus.


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Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday night, Nisar blasted the occupiers saying that it was not a protest, but a gathering is being held outside the Parliament. He said that some 'seniors' have come from Karachi and if things didn't settle down, then the D-Chowk will be cleared within an hour tomorrow.
The minister said that the government did not want to take action in the dark of night, however, tomorrow the D-Chowk will finally be vacated.
He urged media to be present at the time of a clearance operation at D-Chowk, so that no one could put a blame on the government, assuring that none of the security personnel will be armed.
"Punjab government was satisfied that the masses will gather to attend the chehlum of Mumtaz Qadri and will disperse peacefully after prayers," he noted. "The government allowed them to hold gathering on this very assurance."
املاک کو نقصان پہنچانے والوں کو چن چن کر گرفتارکیا جائیگا : چو…
املاک کو نقصان پہنچانے والوں کو چن چن کر گرفتارکیا جائیگا : چوہدری نثار
Posted by ARY News on Tuesday, March 29, 2016
"But, a few elements did not keep their word and tried to play politics on the pretext of chehlum," he lamented.
He also claimed to have admonished the administration for letting the masses 'humiliate the writ of the government'.
Earlier, the administration gave a two-hour deadline to protesters for clearing the D-Chowk, warning that the use of force will become inevitable if they did not adhere to the instructions.
In a written order, the administration asked the pro-Mumtaz Qadri demonstrators, who have been holding a protest sit-in outside the Parliament House for two day, to vacate the venue or it will become inevitable for the authorities to use force them out.
Nearly 7000 personnel of the police, Frontier Corps (FC) and Punjab constabulary in riot gear have readied to deal with any kind of situation.
On the other hand, leaders at the sit-in have announced through loudspeakers that they are prepared and will respond fully to any action.
According to details, the important decision was taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the meeting he chaired today. The operation will take place tonight and it has been decided that law enforcement personnel will expel protesters by dispersing them from D-Chowk. Police and Rangers personnel have also been alerted and deployed at the Red Zone.
Mumtaz Qadri loyalists have been staging a sit-in protest at the Red Zone. Activists of religious parties have surrounded and besieged the parliament and presented a charter of demands before the government. Today is the third day of the protest, which began on Sunday when violent activists clashed with police to reach the parliament.


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Sometimes, Gary's Job Board heads to r/Trucking to obtain a pulse of the trucking industry at a given time. We stumbled upon an interesting conversation that truckers were having about their best and worst experiences at a load or drop off point and wanted to share with you some of the top responses.
To read all of the comments for yourself, head to Reddit.
"Never really had a worst stop but my best was definitely when I picked up
paint somewhere in Ohio and the security guard was doing family guy
impressions through the intercom. He was so dead on with them I seriously thought it was Seth filming
for some prank show. He was arguing with himself as Peter and Joe as to
which dock I should go to and stuff like that. Hadn't laughed that
hard on the job in a while."
"The worst for me was in Jersey City. The guy yelled at me because I
mentioned the word "detention" after he told me it would be a few hours
because they ran out of propane for the forklifts. He just flipped out
and started swearing and talking about how he made millions of dollars
not doing that and it was bad karma. Other divers had cost him thousands
by showing up late and on and on he went."
"Best would be my current gig. Dedicated lane with drop and hook on both
ends. If I'm not eating or sleeping, I'm driving the truck. Long runs,
home on weekends and sometimes one night through the week because of the
way the lane plays out."
"Worst pickup was at United Salt in Carlsbad, NM. Bastards took fourteen hours to load six flatbeds. It was like they dropped the bags anon the deck and were counting individual grains. The best? United Salt outta Carlsbad, NM. Fourteen hours of detention. Mmmmmmm."
"I had the Walmart DC in New Caney, TX take 8 hours to take 3 pallets of my truck. Longest time in a dock was in Murfreesboro, TN. There was a warehouse
there that took 9.5 hours to get me loaded. They got pissy with me when
I told them I would have to sign there for another half hour so my
clock would reset."
was the Budweiser plant in Houston. 100+ degrees, always smells like
sewage, had to move a trailer dropped in front of mine, only one scale
open, had to be reloaded twice. Took me at least 8 hours. It was a short
run to Baton Rouge... Best: any place that gets me in and out quickly."


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A few brief personal updates:
First, I heard back from the vet yesterday: Mouse's last bloodwork all came back normal, so we have ourselves a healthy cat. The elevated white blood cell count was presumably entirely from her infected tooth and gums, which the tooth removal and antibiotics took care of, and the liver enzyme count from her anorexia which is taking care of itself nicely now that it doesn't hurt to eat anymore. She's one happy cat now.
And yesterday I got my registration package from school! Here's what my first two weeks back look like (PDF) before classes start in September. From what I can tell from the documents, beginning in September I will be taking:
- MBA 5300, Data Analysis
- MBA 5330, Organizational Behavior and Human Resources Management
- MBA 5340, Financial Accounting Information and Decisions
- MBA 5210, Business/Government Relations
- MBA 5270, Information and Communication Technologies for Managers
and maybe an elective. I bet you all consider those riveting.
Some other interesting upcoming school bits: I'll have to decide whether or not I want to get involved with the MBA Students' Association, which holds its elections for executive in late August — since everyone is only there for one year, the executive is all "first-year" students. I also need to decide whether or not to get involved in case competitions, whose tryouts are in the beginning of September. Either of those would be a great experience and a great resume-booster, but I don't want to spread myself too thin.
And finally a followup to my post about business cards: I asked Ask Metafilter for some advice on printing the other day, and someone there took it upon themselves to set up Illustrator files for me and tell me exactly what to get quotes on at print shops. Ask Metafilter is usually pretty great, but that was far more than I expected. Thanks, Matt!
(Matt is also responsible for Be Safe And Smart On Metafilter, which might be a little in-jokey but is still hilarious. The man has far too much free time.)


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When these guys were finally getting what they wanted when it came to scoring a hottie for the night, they thought that they would be doing the fucking. But instead, the tables are turned on them at Strapon Discounts, where every guy gets his butt cheeks spread for a big rubber cock! Some are even dressed like women to complete the sissification as they're powerfully fucked by these chicks.
These are the kind of stories that no one would believe, and that these guys don't want anyone to know about. But now everyone's going to find out that they're sissies once they see these poor guys get spread open for a chick's strapon dildo at Strapon Tales! They even make them dress up like women, lift their skirts and plow their butts until they feel like he's had enough of a deep rubber dicking.


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The Top 10 Songs of 1977 in the UK
The UK's Top 10 Best Selling Songs of 1977
The UK's Top 10 best selling songs of 1977 certainly made for strange companions considering the music that was on offer during this particular year.
You probably could not create a list of ten songs as diverse as those that captured the attention of the record buying public during 1977. Who would have thought that Elvis Presley, Brotherhood of Man and Hot Chocolate could end up appearing on the same countdown? But, that is exactly what happened.
Note that these songs have not been picked as my favourites of this year, but to show which records sold the most during 1977.
Paul McCartney & Wings: Mull of Kintyre
Accumulating a staggering nine weeks at Number 1, Paul McCartney and Wings' Mull of Kintyre has since sold enough copies to rank as the UK's best selling (non-charity) single of all time.
It benefitted from its December release date, as the disc found its way into many people's Christmas stockings in 1977, but was sufficiently popular to stick around at the top of the British charts until the end of January, 1978.
However, despite selling two million records in the UK and riding high on music charts around the world, American buyers were not so impressed. Instead its flipside, Girls' School, garnered more popularity, but still only managed a lowly placing on the Top 40 there.
David Soul: Don't Give Up On Us
Better known at the time as Ken Hutchinson in the American cop television series Starsky and Hutch, David Soul took advantage of his popularity and recorded a few songs which saw him enjoying success in both the British and American music charts.
Don't Give Up On Us was the first of these, which spent four weeks at Number 1 in the UK at the beginning of 1977 and a single week atop the Billboard Hot 100 a couple of months later.
While he never again appeared in the US Top 40, he would return to the upper reaches of the British chart on several more occasions.
Julie Covington: Don't Cry For Me, Argentina
Another song that has sold over a million copies in the UK is this Julie Covington classic taken from the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice stage musical, Evita.
Although later associated with Elaine Paige in the UK and Patti LuPone in the US, it was Covington who first played the role of Eva Perón on the original album release of Evita. She later declined to reprise the part on the London stage.
Apart from Don't Cry For Me, Argentina, Julie Covington would also see UK chart action with Alice Cooper's Only Women Bleed and with the song OK? as part of the Rock Follies troupe.
Leo Sayer: When I Need You
Following five UK Top 10 hits, three of which peaked at Number 2, Leo Sayer finally managed to capture the Number 1 spot.
He did it for three weeks in February and March, 1977 with this ballad, When I Need You.
In the States, he had already achieved a Number 1 with You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and this one became his second in consecutive releases.
David Soul: Silver Lady
Having already spent four weeks at Number 1 with Don't Give Up On Us, David Soul returned to the top of the British chart in the Autumn of 1977 with Silver Lady.
Spending three weeks at Number 1, it was the actor's final chart topper but saw him achieve two of the Top 10 best sellers of the year.
However, It fared less well in the US, where it peaked outside the Top 50.
ABBA: Knowing Me, Knowing You
It would be a surprise if ABBA did not appear in the year-end chart at this point.
The group was one of the most popular in the UK during this part of the decade and Knowing Me, Knowing You was proof that they were able to easily sustain their popularity.
In fact, the song began another run of consecutive UK Number 1 hits for the band, with The Name of the Game and Take a Chance on Me following it to the top of the charts.
Donna Summer: I Feel Love
One of the most influential disco tracks ever landed in the Top 10 songs of 1977 at Number 7, having spent four weeks as the nation's Number 1: I Feel Love by Donna Summer.
It was one of the first commercially successful records to feature a backing track of entirely electronic music and has been cited as the song that shaped the evolution of the techno music movement.
Commercially, it has now sold over a million copies in the UK, featured in global music charts and returned Donna Summer to the Top 10 in America for the first time in two years.
Elvis Presley: Way Down
Way Down was Elvis Presley's final single release before his death on August 16, 1977 and, at any other time, would probably have come and gone without much fuss.
As it was, the single raced into the British charts, claiming the Number 1 spot at the beginning of September and remained there for five weeks.
Hot Chocolate: So You Win Again
Although Hot Chocolate had been scoring Top 40 hits in the UK since 1970, it was not until the release of So You Win Again that they managed to enjoy a Number 1 song.
Unfortunately, history shows that it would also prove to be their only one to do so.
Brotherhood of Man: Angelo
Scoring their second of three Number 1 songs was probably one of the most irritating hits of 1977, Angelo by the Brotherhood of Man.
Their first chart topper had been Save Your Kisses For Me, and they followed in the footsteps of their Eurovision-winning compatriots ABBA with this track that bears more than a passing resemblance to the Swede's Fernando.
Nevertheless, Angelo impressed enough listeners across Europe to place it in various national charts.
The 1977 Poll
Meanwhile, in the United States...
1. Rod Stewart
Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)
2. Andy Gibb
I Just Want to be Your Everything
3. The Emotions
Best of My Love
4. Barbra Streisand
Love Theme From 'A Star is Born'
5. Hot
Angel in Your Arms
6. Kenny Nolan
I Like Dreamin'
7. Thelma Houston
Don't Leave Me This Way
8. Rita Coolidge
Higher and Higher
9. Alan O'Day
Undercover Angel
10. Mary MacGregor
Torn Between Two Lovers
Major Grammy Winners of 1977
Record of the Year:
- Hotel California - The Eagles
Album of the Year:
- Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Song of the Year (tie):
- Love Theme From 'A Star Is Born'
- You Light Up My Life
Best New Artist of the Year:
- Debby Boone
© 2007 Richard
What Are Your Memories of 1977?
Malu Couttolenc on February 08, 2012:
Wowww I remember all these songs. I liked David Soul`s songs, I forgot about those. Abba`s music was and still is fun. All these songs brought awesome memories back :)
jetliu123 on September 08, 2011:
very nostalgic and great music
outsource123 on January 30, 2011:
All are outstanding songs. Great Lens!!
clouda9 lm on January 19, 2011:
My Angel Blessing today is SWAH :)
Holley Web on September 13, 2009:
What great music! I had forgotten how much I loved Way Down by Elvis. Love this lens!
clouda9 lm on August 04, 2008:
Ahh, memories of my youth! Thanks for taking me back to a very good time in my life...graduation and moving on with my life!


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Fall leaves are beginning to fall… and Department of Public Works employees will be picking them up. Beginning October 5, 2015 and running through November 20, 2015 (or the first major snowfall), City workers will be out vacuuming leaves from City streets.
Residents are asked to rake leaves to the edge of the road and to wet them down to prevent the leaves from blowing away. City workers will make one complete sweep through town before returning to the starting point.


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Strange smells in unexpected places? Facials that are nowhere near your face? No subject is off limits as The Doctors reveal surprising solutions to your most outrageous questions.
Bliss Happens
Health and beauty expert Kym Douglas, author of Bliss Happens, shares her secrets for experiencing total bliss, anywhere at anytime!
Bliss Happens was published by Bird Street Books, The Doctors' Executive Producer Jay McGraw's publishing company, and some of the show producers assisted in the research of its content.
From Kym's point of view, "BLISS" is defined as Beauty, Living, Inexpensive, Simplicity, Solutions. The book provides a simple, six-week plan with a step-by-step daily guide that can help you achieve a happier and healthier life. It also features a quiz to determine your current "bliss factor" and helps you increase that number by at least 10 points by the end of the six-week period.
"Bliss happens, and you can make it happen and you can draw it to you," Kym says. "You can do it by the colors you wear, by the foods you eat, by the thoughts you think and by the affirmations that you make."
Add bliss to your daily routine with these tips! From revitalizing your locks and organizing your wardrobe to improving your commute, decreasing stress and boosting beauty sleep, see some of Kym's blissfully simple solutions.
Desk Derriere?
Research conducted by Tel Aviv University showed that people who lead sedentary lifestyles developed thick layers of fat deep inside muscle tissue of the buttocks. The study's participants had their buttocks scanned, which showed shrinkage and breakdown of muscle tissue and a buildup of fat from inactivity.
"Fat cells that you have down there, by the pressure effect, will get bigger, elongate and will collect extra fat," plastic surgeon Dr. Andrew Ordon explains.
Women are more prone to store fat on their bottom due to an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which dictates where fat settles in the body. If you tend to sit for a large portion of the day, whether at work or at home, The Doctors recommend getting up frequently to exercise muscles of the gluteus by walking or performing squats.
Fanny Facial
Donna says her husband Jamie has lost a lot of weight, but there's a certain area that's falling behind the rest of his physique... his behind! "I just want it to sparkle a little bit," Donna says.
"You can't forget about the tush!" Kym says. "It's really important to pamper the skin on your butt!"
Watch as Kym instructs Donna on how to perform a food-based fanny facial on Jamie to beautify his butt! | Get the recipe!
Lychee Lightening Facial
Do age spots give away your age? Kym demonstrates how to make a vitamin C and copper-packed facial that will protect skin from sun damage, free radicals and lighten age spots over time. | Get the recipe!
Kym's "Kym" Brulee
Looking for a guilt-free indulgence? Kym shows you how to make a healthier version of a delectable French dessert at home!
Get the recipe!
Kym's Bliss Caddy
From making housework fun to a refreshing morning beverage and more, see what other blissful tricks Kym has up her sleeve!
Get the recipe to Kym's Rise 'N Shine Minty Lime Drink!
Kym's Bliss-tini
See a healthier way to wind down after a long and tiring day with Kym's Pineapple Mint Bliss-tini!
Get the recipe!
The Price of Popularity
A new study published in Journal of Adolescent Health found that popular high school students were more likely to engage in harmful activities, such as smoking, drinking, sex and drugs. Could your teen be at risk?
The Doctors and Kym, who has a teenage son, weigh in on the disturbing and worrisome findings. Plus, hear The Doctors recount their own experiences with peer pressure during their high school years.
"We find that teenagers tend to drink and try drugs and smoke not because they have emotional problems," pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears says. "It's really just because they want to fit in and be cool."
"I find it so interesting that it's the popular [students] because I would've thought that it might be more of the quieter, wallflower ones that are depressed, so they turn to drugs and alcohol," Kym says.
"If a high school [student] between 9th and 10th grade starts to smoke, pretty soon they're going to have friends that start to smoke, and then suddenly their peer group is smoking," Dr. Sears adds. "That's a bad combination because that's the recipe for a lifelong smoker."
Kym explains how her son became interested in sports at a young age. "I do think that if you find a passion for your child, [then] that can gear them a little more away," Kym adds. "[But] they're still going to come to that fork in the road."
What's that Smell?
"Most of the bad smells you get coming off your body [are] due to one thing – bacteria," E.R. physician Dr. Travis Stork says.
See what certain foot scents, such as rotten eggs, stinky cheese and ammonia can indicate.
Unpleasantly pungent smells, such as sour grapes and rancid meat, can also waft from a cut or wound.
Learn why.
Learn how a buildup of bacteria can produce a smelly scalp. Plus, Kym shows a home remedy for combating bad breath.
The Doctors and USA Weekend
The Doctors have an exciting partnership with USA Weekend magazine as the exclusive medical contributors to its weekly HealthSmart column!
• Check out USA Weekend for more information.
• See which local newspapers feature USA Weekend.
Why Doctors Perform Cough Tests
Ever wonder why your doctor says, "Turn your head and cough" during a routine physical exam?
"When you're coughing, you're increasing your intra abdominal pressure," Dr. Travis says. "Your doctor is looking for an inguinal hernia."
Dr. Travis explains how the spermatic cord and testicles descend through the inguinal canal and into the scrotum of a male fetus. In some cases, however, the inguinal ring, or entrance into the inguinal canal, does not close after birth. This condition can cause a weakness in the abdominal wall, which can result in an inguinal hernia.
An inguinal hernia occurs when soft tissue, such as fat or part of the small intestine, protrudes through a weak spot or tear in the lower abdominal wall. Inguinal hernias are more common in men, but can also affect women, usually as a result of pregnancy or family history. In addition, premature infants are also at higher risk for developing an inguinal hernia due to less time for the inguinal canal to close while in utero.
Mucus in Stool?
An anonymous viewer asks:
What does it mean if I sometimes have a jellylike, mucus substance in my stool?
"Your intestines are lined with a mucus-like substance," Dr. Travis explains. "So, just a little bit, if you notice it, not to worry; however, if you're noticing a lot of mucus, that's not really normal. It could be a sign of either an infection or something more serious like inflammatory bowel disease."
Dr. Sears adds that if parents ever see a red, jelly-like substance in their baby's stool, it can be a medical emergency and they should call the doctor immediately.
More Blissful Tips
See how to make your bathroom more blissful.
• Get the recipe to Kym's Effervescent Nail- Whitening Treatment!
Sciatic Heel Pain
"In my profession, I'm constantly wearing heels," audience member Cher says. "Recently, I've been experiencing a lot of foot pain, specifically in my heel, and it radiates up the back of my leg and throughout my leg, at times."
Dr. Travis explains how the sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, and can tie together pains from the feet, legs, hips, buttocks and lower back.
"At every level of your spinal column, you have what are called nerve roots, and in your lower back, these nerve roots combine to form the sciatic nerve," Dr. Travis says. "If one of these nerve roots is impinged, say with a slipped disc or a herniated disc, it's going to create a lot of pain, maybe not where it's occurring but where that nerve root goes.
"You can actually experience pain all the way down your leg and even feel some numbness because of what's going on in your lower back, because that's where the nerve starts."
Dr. Travis demonstrates a simple stretch that can help alleviate heel pain.
• How wearing high heels can cause foot pain.
"Bliss Happens" is published by The Doctors' Executive Producer Jay McGraw through his publishing company, Bird Street Books, and distributed by Jay McGraw's online bookstore, TheBookNook.com
For more information about the products mentioned on this show, please go to Related Resources
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What's new in malware? Learn the latest threats.
Between the second quarter of 2017, Cofense Intelligence completed analyses of 616 sets of phishing emails delivering over fourteen thousand unique malware samples supported by nearly ten thousand online resources. These reports profiled indicators of compromise, phishing email tactics, malware capabilities and techniques used across the threat landscape.
Significant topics the report explores:
- An evolving threat landscape and public discourse.
- Exploiting software versus exploiting humans.
- Popular commodity malware helps to further close attacker capability gap.
- Global perspectives and international topics.
Download your complimentary copy by filling out this form.


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OH WOW! Thanks so much! Doing the Happy Dance! Email has been sent and I look forward to hearing back. What a fabulous way to start my day!
Winner's Post – Colour Inspiration Challenge !
Thank you so much to everyone who joined in with our Colour Inspiration Challenge, we had lots of fantastic entries !!
So, the lucky winner of our $50 voucher to spend in the Simon Says Stamp Store is…..
Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:
10 - Darlene Pavlick
Timestamp: 2015-10-21 13:36:28 UTC
Many congratulations ! Could you please email us at the address in the sidebar so we can explain how you claim your prize !
Jo and the Simon Says Stamp Wednesday Challenge DT x
Congrats to my friend – Happy Dance for sure – enjoy!


text: Just wanted to share some helpful skin tips with everyone. I've always had an issue with acne, even as an adult. I thought I'd be over this phase, and luckily, the last couple of years I've found methods of clearing up my skin! I've tried each of these methods, and I can vouch that they work! Hope they come in handy. 💚


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The brochure entitled Give a Thought to the Lunenburg Bicentennial 1753-1953, included a program of events, an article 'The Past as a Challenge for the Future' by the Hon. Robert H. Winter, and another, 'Triumph on Canvass,' about the local artist Earl Bailly.
Date: 1953
Reference: Nova Scotia Archives Library VF vol. 135 no. 28
Nova Scotia Archives — https://archives.novascotia.ca/lunenburg/archives/
Crown copyright © 2022, Province of Nova Scotia.


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This two-day interactive Agile training class is a perfect fit if you are looking to understand Agile methodology and need a solid foundation to build upon. Whether you are a project manager, in charge of keeping development projects on track, or a software developer, new to the agile environment, this course will help. We will explain the theory and concepts behind the Agile approach and go over the specific practices used in Agile Scrum projects.
To register email us at email@example.com
Training Dates and Times:
September 18 & 19, 2018
October 16 & 17, 2018
January 15 & 16, 2019
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
Cummings Aerospace 308 Voyager Way Ste 102
Huntsville, AL 35806
Training available at customer site by request
$595 per person; early bird discount price $495 per person if paid in-full 1 month prior to class.
Sara Deaton ASQ Certified, Software Quality Engineer, ASQ Process Analyst, CMMI Associate (for CMMI v1.3 and 2.0), Certified Scrum Master
Ms. Deaton has over 30 years' software development and software quality assurance experience on Department of Defense (DoD) Programs. She has led the development and implementation of Agile Scrum processes, as well as established the corporate Quality Management System (QMS) in compliance with CMMI for Development v1.3 (using Agile Scrum), AS9100 Rev D and ISO 9001:2015. Ms. Deaton holds a BS degree in Applied Mathematics and an MS in Operations Research.
Recent papers/publications include:
- Satisfying Formal Design Documentation Using Scrum & CMMI (2018) - CMMI Adoption with Multi-Model Integration (2017)


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STARmeterSEE RANK
Down 4,759 this week
Anand Bakshi (I) (1930–2002)
Anand Bakshi was one of the greatest and popular lyricists of his time. He was the only lyricist, besides his associate Majrooh Sultanpuri, who enjoyed such a long and illustrious career in Bollywood lyricism and was still going strong after more than 40 years. Like Sultanpuri, Bakshi wrote simple poetry that could be understood by all, and he was... See full bio »
Born:in Rawalpindi, Punjab, British India
Died:(age 71) in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India


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Monday, May 2, 2011
Aritz Aduriz out, Kevin Gameiro in - Valencia CF
Various reports from Spain and France suggest that Aduriz lack of playing time is due to the fact he will be sold this summer and the cash gathered from his sale would be used to purchase Gameiro. Lorient wanted 12 million euros for the player, while Valencia was offering only 8 million, but since he would have only 1 more season left this summer and Llorient can loose him next summer for free, its said they are going to listen to offers lower than 12 million euros.
As far as where would Aduriz go, there are reports suggesting he will move to Athletico Bilbao or transfer in England where with his stature he would fit perfectly.


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Haab's Restaurant is an Ypsilanti establishment, having been around since 1934 (with roots traced all the way back to the 1870's, per their website!), and I had the pleasure of dining there for the first time this past Friday evening.
A Groupon deal brought me in, but I'll be back with or without a coupon. Especially to check out happy hour!
In the bar area, Haab's has some pretty killer happy hour specials, including $2-3 drinks and appetizers. Since we were there for dinner, we did not sit in the bar area, so I paid a couple bucks extra for my beer at regular price. In terms of beer, Haab's offers about a dozen different bottled beers, and about five beers on draft, and I ordered one of the latter, which was the Saugatuck Singapore IPA, which I liked very much.
After ordering, we received a loaf of warm poppy seed bread with butter.
Our Groupon deal included one appetizer and any two entrees. The huz was rooting for the chicken wings as the app, but we compromised and tried out the fried mushrooms. HOLY HUGENESS. These beer-battered and deep fried mushrooms were the size of my balled-up fist! I liked the thick crispy batter, and meaty mushrooms inside. I think I would have actually preferred slightly smaller mushrooms, because the mushrooms were still a tad firm in the middle and I prefer a cooked mushroom to be a bit more tender. Still, the size of these mushrooms made for a rather novel experience and they were tasty. A horseradish-y marinara (cocktail sauce) was served with the 'shrooms.
Each of our entrees was accompanied by two sides of our choice. I started with salad (crisp and fresh)…
..and he started with Seafood Chowder. (Didn't get a chance to try this).
To fully take advantage our our deal, we tried some of the pricier items on the menu (~$20 regularly), but Haab's also offers many other entrees in the $11-14 range, and also sandwiches and burgers in the $8 area.
For my entrée, I ordered the center-cut filet mignon, with shoestring fries. My bacon-wrapped filet was topped with yet another big ol' 'shroom!
This was a tasty cut of meat. Most of the steak was cooked to my desired degree of doneness (medium), but there was one side section that was less-evenly cooked, and a tad overcooked. The steak could have benefitted from a heavier hand of salt and pepper. Still quite good though! The fries tasted of freshly-cut potatoes (yum!), which I loved, and were cut very thinly. They were tasty, but just a touch on the greasy side, at least at the bottom of the basket.
Here comes the beef!:
Naturally, the huz went for an even larger cut of beef, by ordering the 14 ounce New York Cut Strip Steak. I had a bite and it was AWESOME! The seasoning was perfect on this steak. I need lots of salt on my steak, what can I say… He enjoyed crispy beer-battered onion rings on the side.
We had zero room for dessert after this yummy meal, which is a rarity. The vibe at Haab's was very home-y and warm (think of your grandma's house..), a great gathering place for families. All the food that we ordered tasted homemade, hot, and fresh, which was great. I would say some of the food was a little overly greasy, and could have used a bit more seasoning, but no fatal errors here.
Our service was also excellent. The hostess was very friendly and welcoming, had our reservation, and touched based our Groupon deal before seating us. Our server was very attentive (but not overbearing), and did an excellent job waiting our table, promptly refilling drinks, quickly clearing away dishes, properly pacing the meal, and delivered boxes for leftovers when needed.
We had an enjoyable meal in Ypsi – as always!


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Printed EDC resources
The Library has a substantial European Documentation Centre, which serves the University and other Higher Education users in the area. It is split into three areas:
- EDC journals - a discrete collection, with study space, located near the East staircase on Level 5.
- EDC books - integrated with the main bookstock, but all shelfmarks begin 337.
- EDC statistics - integrated with the statistics collection on the West side of Level 5.
EU Information online
- Europa This is the main EU site. Using the menus it is possible to browse to the right subject areas and find your way to the key documents in any particular area. You may find it simpler to search across the website by using Search Europa.
- Council of the European Union
- European Parliament
- European Commission
- Economic and Social Committee
- Committee of the Regions
- General Report (on the Activities of the European Union)
- Official Documents (including Green and White papers, many full-text)
- EUR-Lex (current EU legislation, many full-text)
- Rapid (daily press releases from EU institutions)
- UK Representation (of the European Commission)
- Eurostat (statistics)
- Eclas (European Commission library database)
- Exeter EDC Information (courtesy of Patrick Overy - EDC Librarian, University of Exeter)
- European Information Association
Help with finding EU information
For help using the print and online collections, please contact the EDC Librarians, Emma Stuart Edwards and Katrin Roberts: firstname.lastname@example.com
School and enquiries from Further Education college staff and students should contact the European Resource Centre, Gloucester on 01452 427204
Small and Medium Enterprises should telephone the EIC (European Infomation Centre) in Bristol Chamber of Commerce on 0117 9737373.


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Million-dollar 'lifeline': Boeing helps tackle childhood hunger
August 14, 2014 in Our Community
It was a special day of pre-season training at the Seattle Seahawks practice facility in Renton, Wash. Among the fans watching the Super Bowl champions run drills were dozens of wide-eyed children from the Boys and Girls Clubs.
"This is so much fun," said 10-year-old Johnny Tran, a Boys & Girls Clubs member. "I can't believe we're so close to the players."
Tran and more than 60 other children attended the practice courtesy of a partnership between The Boeing Company and the Seahawks organization. It was a day for the children to meet players and take part in a football fitness clinic. The focus was to inspire them to be healthy in the activities they do and with the food they eat. At the event, Boeing gave a big boost to that effort, announcing a $1 million donation to Food Lifeline, an organization that aims to stop hunger by redirecting "good food from manufacturers, farmers, grocery stores and restaurants that might otherwise go to waste," according to their website.
"We have the opportunity now to feed kids in communities all across western Washington - in all of the places that Boeing employees work and live," said Linda Nageotte, president and CEO of Food Lifeline.
The donation from Boeing will help expand Food Lifeline's Kids Cafe meals program in Washington state, which partners with Boys & Girls Clubs and other organizations to bring healthy food to after school and summer meal programs in high-need communities. The funding will allow Food Lifeline to scale the Kid's Cafe program from serving 200 children to more than 1,000 kids over five years.
"This program is essential for kids and for their families because it provides them with the right kind of nourishment that they need to carry on and lead a healthy life," said Ray Conner, president and CEO of Commercial Airplanes. "It sets them up for the future. The Boeing Company is committed to supporting that."
By John Flick


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Vildmarkens Hjärta is located in Gallo which is a small village in Jämtland, Sweden. Our goal is to breed a healthy dog after breed standard. Before Dogo Canario we have had German Shepherd and English Mastiff for many years.
About the breed
Dogo canario is a breed which has its origin on the islands of Teneriffa och Gran Canaria. The population grew exponentially during the 1600- and 1700 which is evident in historical documents from the time. These texts describes the purpose of the breed. They were livestock guardian dogs and guard dogs.
The breed is a livestock guardian dog and guard dog. It's primarily a pet dog in Sweden but are not an ideal breed for inexperienced owners due to its specific qualities.
It's not possible to judge the general healthcondition of the breed in Sweden because of the low numbers of individuals.
Characteristics / Mentality
The breed is excellent for performing guard duties and have traditionally been used to drive cattle. Dogo Canario has an even temperament and is very self-confident. Its faithful to its owner but suspicious against strangers. The strong guardian instinct and independence makes the breed most suited with a responsibel owner with knowledge and previous experience with dogs.
Size and general appearance
Wither for males 60-66cm (+/-2cm) and females 56-62cm (+/-2cm). Weight for dogs minimum 50kg and bithces minimum 40kg. The color is spotted or fawn. The fur is short and rough.
Fur quality
The fur is easy to take care of and requires minimal grooming.
The breed is not suitable for first-time owners and requires an experienced owner.
Source: skk.se


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Anatomy of a Foreclosure (Pasadena Weekly)
…last week, around her tenth anniversary there and after several years of seeking loan modifications from Wells Fargo Home Mortgage – which absorbed World Savings' assets when it acquired Wachovia Bank in 2008 – Rhue was kicked out of her home.
Shortly after 7 a.m. last Thursday, Rhue, who still suffers the effects of a brain injury incurred in a car accident in 1983, was awakened by loud knocking. Steadying herself on her cane, she was confronted at the front door by as many as six Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies, who were there to effect an eviction ordered by the Orange County investors, operating under the name of Laurel Trust, to whom Wells Fargo had sold the property last August. "I never thought this could happen," Rhue told the Pasadena Weekly later that day.
Atlanta family, battling foreclosure, evicted at gunpoint (People's World)
A Georgia family of four generations was evicted at gunpoint by more than a dozen DeKalb County sheriff's officers in the middle of the night on May 2.
Frazer and her lawyer had been fighting against foreclosure in federal court and working with the lenders. Members of Occupy Atlanta had come to her aid. Frazer said she did not expect the eviction because the case is pending in federal court "and also the opposing or foreclosing attorney was in a negotiation process with my attorney."
Feds crack down on foreclosure auction scams (USA Today)
At the height of the financial crisis, bargain hunters would gather each week on county courthouse steps to bid on foreclosed properties throughout Northern and Central California. The inventory lists were long, especially in hard-hit areas such as Sacramento and Stockton. But the auctions were generally short affairs – often because real estate speculators were illegally fixing the bidding process.
Open Letter to Kamala Harris (Occupy Fights Foreclosures)
Dear Attorney General Kamala Harris,
Your state's homeowners, who know first-hand the vast injustice of the mortgage / foreclosure crisis, are here today, the two-year anniversary of your Mortgage Fraud Strike Force, to demand that the Strike Force live up to its name and prosecute and bring to trial the big banks for their mortgage crimes.
Behind the Rise in House Prices, Wall Street Buyers (New York Times)
Large investment firms have spent billions of dollars over the last year buying homes in some of the nation's most depressed markets. The influx has been so great, and the resulting price gains so big, that ordinary buyers are feeling squeezed out. Some are already wondering if prices will slump anew if the big money stops flowing…
Wall Street played a central role in the last housing boom by supplying easy – and, in retrospect, risky – mortgage financing. Now, investment companies like the Blackstone Group have swooped in, buying thousands of houses in the same areas where the financial crisis hit hardest…
Joe Cusumano, a real estate agent in Riverside County, Calif., said that in recent months 90 percent of his business had been for companies like Invitation Homes, a Blackstone subsidiary. Home values in Riverside County have risen by 15 percent in the last year, according to CoreLogic… big investors are using agents like Mr. Cusumano to stake a claim to entire neighborhoods.


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(L2E is our new Letter to the Editor feature. We invite our readers to share their views about political matters and events. Please use the Contact Us email form to submit your L2E.)
Recently I was asked why I don't go all in with support for the Republican Party and their candidates because this is the party which more closely defines my values and that the TEA Party is not helping the cause. They stated that the "purpose of political parties is to win elections. Unless a political party can attract voters, it can not win. In a multi-racial, and often bi-lingual society, winning usually requires some give and take. Otherwise, it isn't a choice for governing, but for war". This assumes I support either of the established parties. I don't, however, I truly believed that Mitt Romney was the right man for the Presidency at the right time in our history so I supported him and voted for him. In 2008, I had no interest in seeing either of the established party candidates sitting in the WH so I didn't vote for either, opting instead for Ralph Nader who actually put up a platform I could support.
There does come a time when one has to stand up and be counted for their beliefs. Standing up for a candidate just because he is the lesser of two evils is the reason why our two party political system is destroying the country, IMO. The generational trend of having the government offer subsidies to the citizens in the form of entitlement programs and corporate donors in the form of tax benefits and huge government contracts has created a nation of dependency and it occurs through the acts of both established parties.
Ted Cruz stood up for principle. The ObamaCare program is a travesty and he was right to stand up against it. Was it the best way to proceed, I believe that it wasn't because it was an attempt to combine the cost of ObamaCare with the overall budget and the looming debt limit. There were better ways to address the budgetary issues and not give Obama the upper hand, but at the time, Senator Cruz didn't know just how bad the ObamaCare rollout would be, so he was acting in good faith.
So now let's address the issue of the TEA Party and it's growing pains. Certainly there are mistakes being made, some of which have been outlined. Having a group of idealistic citizens go up against the entrenched parties will always be met with resistance and having those citizens be marginalized is par for the course, in the short term. But I do believe that as the old saying goes, all politics is local and I honestly believe the majority of the citizens when it gets down to the local grassroots level, agree with Senator Cruz and the TEA Party platform. I see it every day in the local coffee shops,in the beer halls and at the local barber shops. I see it with the college students I speak with when I return to my college campus for seminars and business support gatherings. I witness it when I attend small business development conferences and conventions. Certainly there are naysayers, but when specifics are discussed, the majority agree with what the TEA Party represents.
Additionally, there is one more element which comes into play and is a real threat to the established parties. This new element is the instantaneous communication afforded by access to the internet. 10 years ago, we could not use the FaceBook or the blogosphere to discuss our discontent, we could not Tweet the whereabouts of a TEA Party meeting in our local communities, we could not mount an instant effort to advise our "representatives" of the fact that we do not support a bill they are willing to vote in favor of and most importantly, we could not immediately let them know that we were watching when they voted for that bill anyway and that as a result, we will be looking for someone else to support.
As we have seen over the past 3 national election cycles, the TEA Party candidates, although working through the Republican Party, are gaining ground and the quality of the candidates seeking office is showing dramatic improvement while the quality of the upcoming Democratic and incumbent Republican candidates remains incredibly self absorbed and dismal. We as a nation need more of the self reliant American spirit to reach the surface and the TEA Party members bring the true ideals of the American spirit to the office. It may take some more time and it won't happen without additional scars and/or lost elections, but I do believe the TEA Party will become the dominant political party in our nation or the nation as we knew it will not survive.
Roger Pol
(Lifelong entrepreneur who has developed numerous real estate projects in Virginia, Washington D.C., North Carolina, and Tennessee. He is the founder of the World Distance Learning Institute, an international post-secondary education access point, and the founder and CEO of the Ownership Recovery Company of America.)


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The June 2 Metro article "A paper mill goes silent" on the closing of the Verso mill in Luke, Md., was a gut-wrenching read.It described the human toll of the mill's closure, but it missed a vital part of the story: the significant blow to the health, resiliency and productivity of working forests in the area.
For more than 130 years, the Verso mill drove demand for wood from a more than 90-mile radius of working forests in Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Now, local forest landowners will face tough decisions about whether to invest in their forests without the local markets to ensure an economic return. Many forest owners may forgo forest health investments, including treatments to prevent insect infestation and disease, thinning and replanting trees after harvest.
Source: The Washington Post
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