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Household Coal in Southport
Looking for the best quality coal for burning at home in Southport - Merseyside?
Firstly you must check whether Southport is in a smoke control area. A useful link to the Defra website is here. If you are then you certainly need a smokeless fuel and it will say so in the product title. Any "mixed" product is unlikely to be smokeless.
Whilst you are ideally looking for maximum heat output and a moderate level of ash waste, further consideration is needed for type of applicance you have such as: Open Fire, Multi Fuel Fire, Having a Back Boiler, even a coal fired Aga.
We have analysed and selected various types of coal that are available online for purchase, many with next day delivery options.
Coal is available typically in 10kg or 20kg bags but buying in bulk if you have the room can greatly reduce the price.
Kindling in Southport
Whilst we recommend quality kiln dried kindling there are other alternatives such as: tightly rolled up newspaper, tree bark, pine cones, firelighters – preferably eco friendly ones.
Coal Bunkers
If you have the room for a coal bunker at home in Southport then buying in bulk will save £££'s.
Coal Fire Accessories
Shovels, pokers, accessory sets, tongues, bellows and many more.
Replacement Stove Glass
You might expect to find fire stove glass locally but the reality is there are over 2,000 different shapes of glass, many rectanglular, many shaped. These need to precision cut on a laser bed.
Visit www.directstoveglass.co.uk where you will find over 1,300 preset glass sizes by stove manufacturer and model.
If you don't know the model then all that is needed is the measurements X x Y in mm if rectangular, or ig shaped a template sent to us as per instructions on the Contact Us page.
All glass cut is sent out for next day delivery by courier.
Wood & Multi Fuel Stoves
Visit www.stovesavings.co.uk for a range of low cost but quality stoves for the home. Most products Defra approved and most are multi-fuel.


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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Engineering students will display their solutions to industry-posed problems at the Student Design Project Showcase at 1 p.m. on Dec. 12 at the Bryce Jordan Center on the University Park campus of Penn State.
The event is free and open to the public.
The showcase is the culmination of a semester-long effort by engineering students to design prototypes and remedies to real-world challenges posed by industry clients.
Seniors in biological engineering, chemical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, engineering design, engineering science and mechanics, industrial engineering, materials science and mechanical engineering are participating in the showcase as part of the capstone design project.
This semester's capstone assignments are sponsored by a variety of local and national firms and government agencies, including 3M, Air Products, Bell Helicopter, Boeing, the Central Pennsylvania Spinal Cord Injury Support Group, General Motors, Philips Ultrasound, Raytheon BBN Technologies, Shell, U.S. Steel, the U.S. Navy, Volvo Group and Xerox.
The event will feature efforts by first-year students in EDSGN 100 Introduction to Engineering Design, who were tasked by Alcoa to identify opportunities across campus to take advantage of aluminum's intrinsic properties for the purpose of increasing the efficiency or sustainability of products and product systems on campus.
Also on display will be the final design projects for students in EDSGN 130 Architectural Graphics and CAD. The students were charged with identifying the best location for a transportation rail hub on camps and designing a train station on the site.
Judges at the showcase will award accolades for top projects and best posters. Visitors may choose projects for a people's choice award.

subset: commoncrawl


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in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth 26 Juni 2010 two team from qualification south korea and uruguay match in round of 16
one from asia versus american island korea gve memory semi final in world cup 2002 and component tem full team and experiane in qualification get m\wn from uruguay
but uruguay is team with caracter and always in world cup i thing si dificult to loses team uruguays
world cup champion
Entri Populer
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prediction and analisisy south korea vs uruguayTuesday, June 22, 2010
in Nelson Mandela Bay/Port Elizabeth 26 Juni 2010 two team from qualification south korea and uruguay match in round of 16
Label: south korea, uruguay
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Background note: Gabon.
Area: 267,667 sq. km. (103,347 sq. mi.); about the size of Colorado.
Cities: Capital--Libreville (pop. 673,995). Other cities--Port-Gentil (150,000), Franceville (31,183). Terrain: Narrow coastal plain; hilly, heavily forested interior (about 80% forested); some savanna regions in east and south.
Climate: Hot and humid all year with two rainy and two dry seasons.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Gabonese (sing. and pl.).
Population (2010 est.): 1,545,255.
Annual population growth rate (2010 est.): 2.025%.
Ethnic groups: Fang (largest), Myene, Bapounou, Eshira, Bandjabi, Bakota, Nzebi, Bateke/Obamba.
Religions: Christian (55%-75%), Muslim (5%-10%), animist less than 1%.
Languages: French (official), Fang, Myene, Bateke, Bapounou/Eschira, Bandjabi.
Education: Years compulsory--to age 16. Attendance--94%. Literacy--86%.
Health: Infant mortality rate--55/1,000. Life expectancy--60 yrs.
Work force (600,000 est.): Agriculture--52%; industry and commerce--16%; services and government--33%.
Type: Republic.
Independence: August 17, 1960.
Constitution: February 21, 1961 (revised April 15, 1975; rewritten March 26, 1991; revised July 29, 2003).
Branches: Executive--president (head of state); prime minister (head of government) and appointed Council of Ministers. Legislative--bicameral legislature (National Assembly and Senate). Judicial--Supreme Court and Constitutional Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 9 provinces, 36 prefectures, and 8 subprefectures.
Political parties: Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG) holds the largest number of seats in the National Assembly; l'Union Nationale (UN); Union du Peuple Gabonais (UPG); Rassemblement du Peuple Gabonais (RPG).
Suffrage: Universal, direct.
Central government budget (2010 est.): Receipts--$2.7 billion; expenses--$2.4 billion; defense (2007)--3.5% of government budget.
Real GDP (2010 est.): $14 billion.
Annual real growth rate (2010 est.): 5.4%.
Per capita income (2010 est.): $8,600.
Avg. inflation rate (2010 est.): 5%.
Natural resources: Petroleum, timber, manganese, uranium, gold.
Agriculture and forestry (4% of GDP): Products--manioc, rubber, sugar, and pineapples. Cultivated land--approximately 1%.
Industry (64% of GDP): Types--petroleum related, wood processing, food and beverage processing.
Services (32% of GDP): Types--government services, tourism.
Trade (2007): $8.499 billion. Exports--61% of GDP (f.o.b.): petroleum, wood, manganese. Major markets--U.S. 16.6%, China 15.9%, EU 13.7%, France 4.3%. Imports--30% of GDP (f.o.b.): construction equipment, machinery, food, automobiles, manufactured goods. Major suppliers--EU 56.9%, France 32.2%, U.S. 7.9%, China 7.0%, Belgium 5.0%. Current account balance with U.S. (2009)--$1.060 billion.
Gabon is one of the least densely inhabited countries in Africa, with a population that is estimated at 1,545,255.
Almost all Gabonese are of Bantu origin. Gabon has at least 40 ethnic groups, with separate languages and cultures. The largest ethnicity is the Fang (about 30%). Other ethnic groups include the Nzebi, Myene, Bandjabi, Eshira, Bapounou, Bateke/Obamba, and Bakota.
Ethnic group boundaries are less sharply drawn in Gabon than elsewhere in Africa. Most ethnicities are spread throughout Gabon, leading to constant contact and interaction among the groups. Intermarriage between the ethnicities is quite common, helping reduce ethnic tensions. French, the official language, is a unifying force. The Democratic Party of Gabon (PDG)'s historical dominance also has served to unite various ethnicities and local interests into a larger whole.
More than 10,000 native French live in Gabon, including an estimated 2,000 dual nationals. France dominates foreign cultural and commercial influences.
Over the last 7 centuries, Bantu ethnic groups arrived in the area from several directions to escape enemies or find new land. In the process they displaced other groups in the region, among them the pygmies who now inhabit the jungle in the country's far east. Gabon's first European visitors were Portuguese traders who arrived in the 15th century. They named the area after the Portuguese word "gabao," a coat with sleeves and hood resembling the shape of the Komo River estuary. Dutch, British, and French traders followed the Portuguese in the 16th century, and the coast became a center of the slave trade. In a bid to beat the other European powers, France began to formalize its status in Gabon by signing treaties with Gabonese coastal chiefs in 1839 and 1841.
Libreville, the capital, grew out of a series of small settlements along the Komo River estuary. The first settlement was started in 1842 by American missionaries from New England who established a Presbyterian mission on a hilltop overlooking the estuary. The mission, called Baraka, is now located in the section of Libreville called Glass. In 1849, the population along the Komo River estuary swelled when the French captured an illegal slave ship and released the passengers at the mouth of the Komo River. The slaves named their settlement Libreville--"free town."
The interior remained relatively unexplored by outsiders until the mid-19th century. An American, Paul du Chaillu, was among the first foreigners to explore the interior of the region in the 1850s. Between 1862 and 1887, French explorers penetrated the dense jungles of what would become Gabon. The most famous, Savorgnan de Brazza, used local Bantu bearers and guides in his search for the headwaters of the Congo River.
Capitalizing on treaties signed with indigenous chiefs earlier in the century, France occupied Gabon in 1885 during the European scramble for Africa. However, it did not begin to administer it until 1903. In 1910, Gabon became one of the four territories of French Equatorial Africa, a federation that survived until 1959. The territories became independent in 1960--forming the independent nations of the Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), and Gabon.
At the time of Gabon's independence in 1960, two principal political parties existed: the Bloc Democratique Gabonais (BDG), led by Leon M'Ba, and the Union Democratique et Sociale Gabonaise (UDSG), led by J.H. Aubame. In the first post- independence election, held under a parliamentary system, neither party was able to win a majority. The BDG obtained support from three of the four independent legislative deputies, and M'Ba was named Prime Minister. Soon after this the two parties agreed that Gabon did not have enough people to support a two-party system, and the two party leaders agreed on a single list of candidates, starting with the 1961 presidential election. In that election, held under the new presidential system, M'Ba became President and Aubame became Foreign Minister.
This one-party system appeared to work until February 1963. Then, the larger BDG element forced the UDSG members to choose between a merger of the parties or resignation. The UDSG cabinet ministers resigned, and M'Ba called an election for February 1964 and at the same time reduced the number of National Assembly deputies from 67 to 47. The UDSG failed to muster a list of candidates able to meet the requirements of the electoral decrees. When the BDG appeared likely to win the election by default, the Gabonese military toppled M'Ba in a bloodless coup on February 18, 1964. French troops re-established his government the next day. Elections were held in April 1964 with many opposition participants. BDG- supported candidates won 31 seats and the opposition 16. Late in 1966, the constitution was revised to provide for automatic succession of the vice president should the president die in office. In March 1967, Leon M'Ba and Omar Bongo (then Albert Bongo) were elected President and Vice President. M'Ba died later that year, and Omar Bongo became President.
In March 1968, Bongo declared Gabon a one-party state by dissolving the BDG and establishing a new party--the Parti Democratique Gabonais (PDG). He invited all Gabonese, regardless of previous political affiliation, to participate. Bongo sought to forge a single national movement in support of the government's development policies, using the PDG as a tool to submerge the regional and tribal rivalries that had divided Gabonese politics in the past. Bongo was elected President in February 1975; in April 1975, the position of vice president was abolished and replaced by the position of prime minister, who had no right to automatic succession. Bongo was re-elected President in both December 1979 and November 1986 to 7-year terms.
Economic discontent and a desire for political liberalization provoked violent demonstrations and strikes by students and workers in early 1990. In response to grievances by workers, Bongo negotiated with them on a sector-by-sector basis, making significant wage concessions. In addition, he promised to open up the PDG and to organize a national political conference in March-April 1990 to discuss Gabon's future political system. The PDG and 74 political organizations attended the conference. Participants essentially divided into two loose coalitions, the ruling PDG and its allies, and the United Front of Opposition Associations and Parties, consisting of the breakaway Morena Fundamental and the Gabonese Progress Party.
The April 1990 conference approved sweeping political reforms, including creation of a national Senate, decentralization of the budgetary process, freedom of assembly and press, and cancellation of an exit visa requirement. In an attempt to guide the political system's transformation to multiparty democracy, Bongo resigned as PDG chairman and created a transitional government headed by a new Prime Minister, Casimir Oye-Mba. The Gabonese Social Democratic Grouping (RSDG), as the resulting government was called, was smaller than the previous government and included representatives from several opposition parties in its cabinet. The RSDG drafted a provisional constitution in May 1990 that provided a basic bill of rights and an independent judiciary but retained strong executive powers for the president. After further review by a constitutional committee and the National Assembly, this document came into force in March 1991.
Opposition to the PDG continued after the April 1990 conference, however, and in September 1990, two coup d'etat attempts were uncovered and aborted. Despite anti-government demonstrations after the untimely death of an opposition leader, the first multiparty National Assembly elections in almost 30 years took place in September-October 1990, with the PDG garnering a large majority.
Following President Omar Bongo's re-election in December 1993 with 51% of the vote, opposition candidates refused to validate the election results. Serious civil disturbances led to an agreement between the government and opposition factions to work toward a political settlement. These talks led to the Paris Accords in November 1994, under which several opposition figures were included in a government of national unity. This arrangement soon broke down, however, and the 1996 and 1997 legislative and municipal elections provided the background for renewed partisan politics. The PDG won a landslide victory in the legislative election, but several major cities, including Libreville, elected opposition mayors during the 1997 local election.
Facing a divided opposition, President Omar Bongo coasted to easy re-election in December 1998, with large majorities of the vote. While Bongo's major opponents rejected the outcome as fraudulent, some international observers characterized the results as representative despite many perceived irregularities, and there were none of the civil disturbances that followed the 1993 election. Peaceful though flawed legislative elections held in 2001-2002, which were boycotted by a number of smaller opposition parties and were widely criticized for their administrative weaknesses, produced a National Assembly almost completely dominated by the PDG and allied independents. In November 2005, President Omar Bongo was elected for his sixth term. He won re-election easily, but opponents claim that the balloting process was marred by irregularities. There were some instances of violence following the announcement of Omar Bongo's win, but Gabon generally remained peaceful.
National Assembly elections were held again in December 2006. Several seats contested because of voting irregularities were overturned by the Constitutional Court, but the subsequent run-off elections in early 2007 again yielded a PDG- controlled National Assembly.
On June 8, 2009, President Omar Bongo died of cardiac arrest at a Spanish hospital in Barcelona, ushering in a new era in Gabonese politics. In accordance with the amended constitution, Rose Francine Rogombe, the President of the Senate, became Interim President on June 10, 2009. The first contested elections in Gabon's history that did not include Omar Bongo as a candidate were held on August 30, 2009 with 18 candidates for president. The lead-up to the elections saw some isolated protests, but no significant disturbances. Omar Bongo's son, ruling party leader Ali Bongo Ondimba, was formally declared the winner after a 3-week review by the Constitutional Court; his inauguration took place on October 16, 2009.
The court's review had been prompted by claims of fraud by the many opposition candidates, with the initial announcement of election results sparking unprecedented violent protests in Port-Gentil, the country's second-largest city and a long-time bastion of opposition to PDG rule. The citizens of Port-Gentil took to the streets, and numerous shops and residences were burned, including the French Consulate and a local prison. Officially, only four deaths occurred during the riots, but opposition and local leaders claim many more. Gendarmes and the military were deployed to Port-Gentil to support the beleaguered police, and a curfew was in effect for more than 3 months.
A partial legislative by-election was held in June 2010. A newly created coalition of parties, the Union Nationale (UN), participated for the first time. The UN is composed largely of PDG defectors who left the party after Omar Bongo's death. Of the five hotly contested seats, the PDG won three and the UN won two; both sides claimed victory.
Gabon is a republic with a presidential form of government under the 1961 constitution (revised in 1975, rewritten in 1991, and revised in 2003). The president is elected by universal suffrage for a 7-year term; a 2003 constitutional amendment removed presidential term limits and facilitated a presidency for life. The president can appoint and dismiss the prime minister, the cabinet, and judges of the independent Supreme Court. The president also has other strong powers, such as authority to dissolve the National Assembly, declare a state of siege, delay legislation, and conduct referenda.
The country has a bicameral legislature with a National Assembly and Senate. The National Assembly has 120 deputies who are popularly elected for a 5-year term. The Senate is composed of 102 members who are elected by municipal councils and regional assemblies and serve for 6 years. The Senate was created in the 1990-1991 constitutional re-write, although it was not brought into being until after the 1997 local elections. The President of the Senate is next in succession to the President.
In 1990 the government made major changes to Gabon's political system. A transitional constitution was drafted in May 1990 as an outgrowth of the national political conference in March-April and later revised by a constitutional committee. Among its provisions were a Western-style bill of rights, creation of a National Council of Democracy to oversee the guarantee of those rights, a governmental advisory board on economic and social issues, and an independent judiciary. After approval by the National Assembly, the PDG Central Committee, and the President, the Assembly unanimously adopted the constitution in March 1991. Multiparty legislative elections were held in 1990-91, despite the fact that opposition parties had not been declared formally legal. In spite of this, the elections produced the first representative, multiparty National Assembly. In January 1991, the Assembly passed by unanimous vote a law governing the legalization of opposition parties.
After President Omar Bongo was re-elected in a disputed presidential election in 1993 with 51% of votes cast, social and political disturbances led to the 1994 Paris Conference and Accords, which provided a framework for the next elections. Local and legislative elections were delayed until 1996-97. In 1997, constitutional amendments put forward years earlier were adopted to create the Senate and the position of vice president, as well as to extend the president's term to 7 years.
In October 2009, newly-elected President Ali Bongo Ondimba began efforts to streamline the government. He eliminated 17 minister-level positions. He also abolished the vice president position and reorganized the portfolios of numerous ministries, bureaus, and directorates with the intention of reducing corruption and government bloat. In November 2009, President Bongo Ondimba announced a new vision for the modernization of Gabon, called "Gabon Emergent." This program contains three pillars: Green Gabon, Service Gabon, and Industrial Gabon. The goals of Gabon Emergent are to diversify the economy so that Gabon becomes less reliant on petroleum, to eliminate corruption, and to modernize the workforce. Under this program, exports of raw timber have been banned, a government-wide census was held, the work day has been changed to eliminate a long midday break, and a national oil company was created.
For administrative purposes, Gabon is divided into 9 provinces, which are further divided into 36 prefectures and 8 separate subprefectures. The president appoints the provincial governors, the prefects, and the subprefects.
Principal Government Officials
President of the Republic--Ali Bongo Ondimba
Prime Minister, Head of Government--Paul Biyoghe Mba
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation--Paul Toungui
Minister of Defense--Angelique Ngoma
Minister of the Economy, Trade, Industry and Tourism--Magloire Ngambia
Minister of the Budget, Public Account, Civil Service, in Charge of the State Reform--Blaise Louembe
Minister of the Interior, Public Security, Immigration and Decentralization--Jean Francois Ndoungou
Ambassador to the United States--Carlos Boungou
Ambassador to the United Nations--Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet
Gabon maintains an embassy in the United States at 1630 Connecticut Ave NW, Suite 700, Washington, DC, 20009 (tel. 202- 797-1000).
Gabon's economy is dominated by oil. Oil revenues comprise roughly 46% of the government's budget, 43% of gross domestic product (GDP), and 81% of exports. Oil production is now declining rapidly from its high point of 370,000 barrels per day in 1997. Some estimates suggest that Gabonese oil will be expended by 2025. In spite of the decreasing oil revenues, planning is only now beginning for an after-oil scenario.
Gabonese public expenditures from the years of significant oil revenues were not spent efficiently. Overspending on the Transgabonais railroad, the oil price shock of 1986, the CFA franc devaluation of 1994, and low oil prices in the late 1990s caused serious debt problems that still plague the country.
Gabon earned a poor reputation with the Paris Club and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over the management of its debt and revenues. Successive IMF missions have criticized the government for overspending on off-budget items (in good years and bad), over-borrowing from the Central Bank, and slipping on the schedule for privatization and administrative reform. However, in September 2005, Gabon successfully concluded a 15-month Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF. Another 3-year Stand-By Arrangement with the IMF was approved in May 2007. Because of the financial crisis and social developments surrounding the death of President Omar Bongo and the elections, Gabon was unable to meet its economic goals under the Stand-By Arrangement in 2009. Negotiations with the IMF are ongoing.
Gabon's oil revenues have given it a strong per capita GDP of $8,600, extremely high for the region. On the other hand, a skewed income distribution and poor social indicators misrepresent the situation if only GDP is taken into account. The richest 20% of the population receive over 90% of the income while about a third of all Gabonese live in poverty.
The economy is highly dependent on extraction of abundant primary materials. Prior to the discovery of oil, logging was the pillar of the Gabonese economy. Today, logging and manganese mining are the other major income generators. Recent explorations point to the presence of the world's largest unexploited iron ore deposit. For many living in the countryside without access to employment in extractive industries, remittances from family members in urban areas or subsistence activities provide income.
Many foreign and local observers have consistently lamented the lack of diversity in the Gabonese economy. Various factors have so far stymied additional industries--a small market of about 1 million people, dependence on French imports, inability to capitalize on regional markets, lack of entrepreneurial zeal among the Gabonese, and the fairly regular stream of oil "rent". Further investment in agricultural or tourism sectors is complicated by poor infrastructure. The small processing and service sectors that do exist are largely dominated by a few prominent local investors.
At World Bank and IMF insistence, the government embarked in the 1990s on a program of privatization of its state-owned companies and administrative reform, including reducing public sector employment and salary growth, but progress has been slow. The new government has voiced a commitment to work toward an economic transformation of the country but faces significant challenges to realize this goal.
Gabon has a small, professional military of about 8,000 personnel, divided into army, navy, air force, gendarmerie, and national police. Gabonese forces are oriented to the defense of the country and have not been trained for an offensive role. A well-trained, well-equipped 1,500-member Presidential Guard provides security for the president. French troops also remain stationed in the country.
Since independence, Gabon has followed a nonaligned policy, advocating dialogue in international affairs and recognizing each side of divided countries. In inter-African affairs, Gabon espouses development by evolution rather than revolution and favors regulated free enterprise as the system most likely to promote rapid economic growth.
Gabon played an important leadership role in the stability of Central Africa through involvement in mediation efforts in Chad, the Central African Republic, Angola, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (D.R.C.), and Burundi. In December 1999, through the mediation efforts of President Bongo, a peace accord was signed in the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville) between the government and most leaders of an armed rebellion. President Bongo was also involved in the continuing D.R.C. peace process, and played a role in mediating the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. Gabonese armed forces were also an integral part of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) mission to the Central African Republic.
Gabon is a member of the United Nations (UN) and some of its specialized and related agencies, as well as of the World Bank; the IMF; the African Union (AU); the Central African Customs Union/Central African Economic and Monetary Community (UDEAC/CEMAC); EU/ACP association under the Lome Convention; the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA); the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC); the Nonaligned Movement; and the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS/CEEAC), among others. In 1995, Gabon withdrew from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). Gabon was elected to a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for January 2010 through December 2011 and held the rotating presidency in March 2010.
Relations between the United States and Gabon are excellent. In 1987, President Bongo made an official visit to Washington, DC. In September 2002, Secretary of State Colin Powell made a brief but historic visit to Gabon to highlight environmental protection and conservation in the Central Africa region. This was followed by a visit to the White House by President Bongo in May 2004. On March 8, 2010 President Bongo Ondimba met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington, DC.
The United States imports a considerable percentage of Gabonese crude oil and manganese and exports heavy construction equipment, aircraft, and machinery to Gabon. Through a modest International Military Education and Training program, the United States provides military training to members of the Gabonese armed forces each year. In May 2009, the USS Nashville conducted a mission to help train Gabonese naval officers in maritime security, with a robust bilateral training schedule planned for 2010. Other bilateral assistance includes the funding of small grants for qualified democracy and human rights, self-help, and cultural preservation projects. U.S. private capital has been attracted to Gabon since before its independence.
Principal U.S. Officials
Ambassador--Eric Benjaminson
Deputy Chief of Mission--Kathleen FitzGibbon
Management Officer--Judith Johnson
Public Affairs/Economic/Commercial Officer--Dolores Canavan
Political Officer--Christopher Gunning
Defense Attache--Jack Aalborg
Consular Officer--Amanda Tyson
Regional Security Officer--Tom Eckert
The U.S. Embassy is located on the Blvd. de la Mer, B.P. 4000, Libreville, Gabon (tel: 241-762-003/004; fax: 241-745- 507).
The U.S. Department of State's Consular Information Program advises Americans traveling and residing abroad through Country Specific Information, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings. Country Specific Information exists for all countries and includes information on entry and exit requirements, currency regulations, health conditions, safety and security, crime, political disturbances, and the addresses of the U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Travel Alerts are issued to disseminate information quickly about terrorist threats and other relatively short-term conditions overseas that pose significant risks to the security of American travelers. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department recommends that Americans avoid travel to a certain country because the situation is dangerous or unstable.
For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs Internet web site at http://www.travel.state.gov/, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, and Travel Warnings can be found. Consular Affairs Publications, which contain information on obtaining passports and planning a safe trip abroad, are also available at http://www.travel.state.gov/. For additional information on international travel, see http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Travel/International.shtml.
The Department of State encourages all U.S. citizens traveling or residing abroad to register via the State Department's travel registration website or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. Registration will make your presence and whereabouts known in case it is necessary to contact you in an emergency and will enable you to receive up-to-date information on security conditions.
Emergency information concerning Americans traveling abroad may be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S. and Canada or the regular toll line 1-202-501-4444 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada.
The National Passport Information Center (NPIC) is the U.S. Department of State's single, centralized public contact center for U.S. passport information. Telephone: 1-877-4-USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778); TDD/TTY: 1-888-874-7793. Passport information is available 24 hours, 7 days a week. You may speak with a representative Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays.
Travelers can check the latest health information with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia. A hotline at 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) and a web site at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/trav el/default.aspx give the most recent health advisories, immunization recommendations or requirements, and advice on food and drinking water safety for regions and countries. The CDC publication "Health Information for International Travel" can be found at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/contentYellowBook.aspx.
Further Electronic Information
Department of State Web Site. Available on the Internet at http://www.state.gov/, the Department of State web site provides timely, global access to official U.S. foreign policy information, including Background Notes and daily press briefings along with the directory of key officers of Foreign Service posts and more. The Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC) provides security information and regional news that impact U.S. companies working abroad through its website http://www.osac.gov/
Export.gov provides a portal to all export-related assistance and market information offered by the federal government and provides trade leads, free export counseling, help with the export process, and more.
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Mustang MonthlyParts
Barillaro Speed Emporium Muscle Z-Bar Kit - How To Install A Muscle Z-Bar
Barillaro Speed Emporium Has Introduced A Strong And Durable Clutch Linkage To Replace The Flimsy Factory Equalizer Bar
How we feel about our classic Mustangs gets complicated because we're intoxicated by their good looks and fun-to-drive characteristics. Yet there are elements that can make them darned frustrating to live with. Window and door mechanisms are challenging because you never know when they're going to act up. Jittery voltage regulators make the ammeter dance around like a nervous neurotic. Undersized radiators frequently leave us hot under the collar. And then there's the flimsy clutch linkage that tends to fold over when using a high-performance pressure plate and clutch. Even with the stock clutch, the linkage delivers more than its share of grief.
The vintage Mustang's stock clutch linkage isn't a bad design. In fact, it isn't much different than most from the era. When properly installed and adjusted, it works quite well. But when we ask the stock equalizer bar (also known as a Z-bar) and its linkage to handle the added pressure of a high-performance clutch setup, it can bend or break-or both. This is where the Muscle Z-Bar from Barillaro Speed Emporium makes a nice, drop-in replacement for the stock equalizer bar even if you're running a stock light-pressure clutch.
We've enlisted the help of Mustangs Etc. to guide us through the process of Muscle Z-Bar installation and clutch adjustment.


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I know you are not going to believe this, but HONEST, I am not writing this blog to get my stats up. I rarely even check on them anymore. In fact, I was shocked to realize today, since I rarely get comments, that I have a following. "You do love me." Well, like at any rate.
So, when I mention Viggo Mortensen, please believe me, that I am not mentioning Viggo Mortensen to ratchet up ratings.
Viggo Mortensen is again in the news with his role in The Road (2009) and was referred to as being "complicated" in an article I read recently, and I apologize that I cannot find it to link here. It seemed to me that the author had no understanding of the person he is. Not that I would know what kind of person he is, having only read about a gazillion interviews of his, but never having met him.
But, I am thinking that he is actually a very simple person and not complicated at all.
Perhaps I can relate, as I have multiple artistic interests also and feel as though we have a lot in common. We both love the outdoors. He speaks approximately five languages fluently and I can speak, let's see, exactly one. I was learning Amslan at one time and I have taken a Spanish class four times (obviously, not successfully). But, I think our joint passion for Dark Chocolate counts.
It seems that he is an honorable, honest person. I feel it is more complicated to be dishonorable and a liar as you have to keep all those lies straight. Although, the liars I know are not very good at it. And, you know who you are!!!
I think, as an artistic person, he is also simply entertained. Getting in his truck and taking off on a discovery road trip, spending hours sketching, photographing, spending your time as someone else, being honest are all, in my mind, simple enjoyable things.
Now, the guys who have to have their heads full of ringing cell phones, and Wall Street numbers, and never sitting still for one minute to be in their own head—those are the guys who are complicated.


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A woman, whom the medical journal Current Biology simply calls SM, has a rare from of brain damage, and literally can not feel fear. But researchers sure had a good time trying to scare her!
According to a post on ScienceBlogs, a team from the University of Iowa took SM to an exotic pet store, to see how she'd behave around snakes and tarantulas. She poked and touched them all, and had to be stopped so she wouldn't be bitten. Next they took her to a Halloween haunted house, where she "walk[ed] into dark corners and hallways without hesitation." When people dressed as monsters/ghosts/murderers jumped out and tried to scare the group,
SM laughed and smiled at them, and even scared one by poking it in the head because she was curious about how it felt. She rated her fear level at 0 throughout, saying instead that she found it exciting.
The researchers also showed SM scenes from scary movies — The Ring, The Blair Witch Project, The Shining — in an effort to frighten her. "She told the researchers that she found them exciting, and even asked for the title of one of the movies so she could rent and watch it. "
On some level, SM's disorder sounds beneficial — can you imagine the things you might accomplish if you weren't scared or intimidated? The things you'd try, the people you'd talk to, the dreams you'd chase? Fear can prevent us from quitting a job we hate, making the first move in a relationship situation, and from speaking up for what we want.
Of course, there's a downside: SM's disorder has caused her to make "risky financial decisions." And she's gone through some frightening experiences: When she was 30, she had a knife held to her throat by a drug addict while she walked through a park at night; she's been held at gun point, was nearly killed in an act of domestic violence, "and has been the victim of numerous crimes in the poverty-stricken area in which she lives." Since she's unable to determine what is a threat, she doesn't avoid potentially harmful situations, like most of us do. Still, there's something alluring about being able to laugh in the face of danger — and being able to poke monsters in the head.
The Woman Who Knows No Fear [ScienceBlogs]


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- Title
- Preparing for success
- Creator
- Wikander, Lolita; Lyons, Judith
- Date
- 2019
- Type
- Text; Book chapter
- Identifier
- http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/166994
- Identifier
- vital:13554
- Identifier
- Abstract
- In this chapter, you will learn how to plan your study around your existing commitments. You will be encouraged to build on your stengths and improve in areas that may hold you back. You will learn how to find time to study and be kind to your future self. This chapter gives you an idea of the different kinds of academic support you may be able to access and provides some hints for using the online study environment to your advantage. Critical reflection in self-directed learning will assist you to develop strategies for lifelong learning. Learning in the university context is self-directed, and the skills developed and employed in your nursing education will ensure you have mastered the graduate attributes needed to continue learning while you practise a s a nurse. Self-directed learning means being active and constructive in your learning process. This entails being clear on what your learning goals are and making a choice about how you will achieve your learning goals. It also involves deciding what strategies you will adopt in your own learning, together with what the teachers require you to do for successful completion of your courses. The section on relection and self-directed learning provides you with strategies for deep learning, which is learning for understanding as opposed to surface learning like cramming to pass tests. If you employ deep learning strategies, this learning will form the basis of your knowledge and skills, and you will be able to build on and apply it in new contexts. You are a partner in the learning endeavours. You will discover that you learn not only from your lecturers, but also from your peers and networks. You will be provided with hints for making both formal and informal peer support and group work function effectively for you. Finally, you will be given suggestions for using social media to help feel connected while simmultaneously avoiding common pitfalls in your journey to become the best nurse you can.
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- Relation
- The road to nursing Chapter 4 p. 48-60
- Rights
- Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019
- Subject
- Nursing; Study and teaching; Vocational guidence; Australia
- Reviewed
- Hits: 721
- Visitors: 557
- Downloads: 1


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Terry Bisson's stories have always been off-kilter (surely you've read "They're Made Of Meat"?) but he's gotten weirder and more anarchic lately. Case in point: "The Cockroach Hat," which would be stream of consciousness if streams ran upstream.
We heard Bisson read this story at Wiscon, and something about his mischievous grin and friendly drawl might almost be enough to convince you that the tangle of contradictions and implausibilities was making some kind of sense. It's only when you read it on the page that you fully appreciate how much violence Bisson is doing to the delicate bone structure of the short story in this vaguely Kafka-inspired tale. [Tor.com]


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Take look at this website for detailed info re: cultivation of chestnut trees. The article includes site selection, planting instructions for direct seeding or starting seedlings in pots, maintenance of your orchard, deer control strategies, pest and pathogen info, fertilization and watering requirements. They also list some other websites for further information.
Here's a You Tube video. It covers food value, timber value, feed value for livestock, medicinal uses.
Categories: Urban and Suburban Gardens, Food Forests, Commercial Farming, Home Page Highlight, Small Family Farm Projects, Family Urban/Suburban Gardens, Food Forests, Large Farm/Ranch Projects, Spokane Food Sustainability Projects, Community Food Forest Projects, Plant and Tree Profiles, Trees, Websites
Friends of Polly Judd Park (1802 W 14th St, Spokane) are moving ahead to install a combination community garden and food forest. This biochar workshop is in support of that intent. Build a fire and they will come.
Categories: Events, Past, Local Projects, Spokane Food Sustainability Projects, Community Food Gardens, Community Food Forest Projects, Education Resources, Live Events
Tags: Food Forest, biochar
The Inland NW Food Forest Council is working with the City of Spokane Parks and Recreation Department to develop a food forest plant list. I post the most current version as an Excel spreadsheet on Dropbox. To view the file CLICK HERE.
Dropbox is a great file sharing tool. If you install Dropbox using the following link both you and I will receive an extra 0.5GB cloud storage. INSTALL DROPBOX.
Categories: Spokane Food Sustainability Projects, Community Food Forest Projects, Citizens Advisory Committee Tree List
Categories: Home Page Highlight, Upcoming, Spokane Food Sustainability Projects, Community Food Forest Projects
Tags: Food Forest
On Wednesday, September 4th, people who have been interested in Food forests within the Spokane area meet for a 4 hour tour of the following parks to see if they would be good candidates.
Attended by: Phiil Small, Ed Bryant, Garth Davis, Kate Burke, Cindy Deffe', Ben Peterson, Tim Kohlhauff, Marilyn Lloyd, Michael Hagar, Cara Hagar, ........ (Who have I missed?).
Candidate Parks... Froggy Pond, Grant Park, Polly Judd Park, Peaceful Valley and Arboritum.
Categories: Food Forests, Spokane Food Sustainability Projects, Community Food Forest Projects, Proposed Food Forest Sites
If you have any questions, comments or problems please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Chaiyaphum, ThailandKevin (เควิน) Khaosan
Though not as rich in attractions as its neighbouring provinces, barely heard of and even less touristed Chaiyaphum makes the ideal base for nearby stunning national parks, and has a few worthy spots of its own too. CHRIS WOTTON gets under the skin of this undiscovered slice of Isaan.
Never heard of Chaiyaphum? That's little surprise, as few people have. Tucked up in Thailand's north-eastern Isaan region and bordered by Khorat and Khon Kaen, this largely untouristed province barely registers a foreign face. Still very Thai in appearance and character, the main industries here are rice and sugar production, while the province is also renowned as a silk centre. The capital city of an otherwise largely rural province shows the signs of some limited urban development, but venture here and you will still discover somewhere pleasingly quiet and low-key, the perfect antidote to the Bangkok lifestyle.
The primary attractions here, the Jao Pho Praya Lae monument and Prang Ku, are largely unimpressive and at most worth a passing glance. In fact, you will probably pass the former several times before even realising what it is. Jao Pho Phraya Lae was the eighteenth century Lao ruler of Chaiyaphum, and this statue in his name is the centrepiece of a roundabout in the centre of town on Bannakan Road. He switched sides to fight with Bangkok when Vientiane declared war on Siam at the start of the 1800s.
Jao Pho Phraya Lae lost his life in the ensuing battles, but was kept in high esteem in Chaiyaphum and today has two annual festivals celebrated in his name in January and May.
The Khmer Prang Ku further along Bannakan Road past the entrance to Siam River Resort, meanwhile, is really equally disappointing as a sight. Poorly preserved and not much to look at at all, in its heyday it was a temple on the route that connected Angkor Wat with the (far more impressive and better restored) Prasat Muang Singh just outside of Kanchanaburi.
Today, if nothing else it serves as a reminder of just how small Chaiyaphum proper really is – particularly at night, by the time you've walked just a short way east to this site, you feel like you're well out of the city and into Isaan village life.
Tat Ton National Park makes for far more of a reason to visit Chaiyaphum. Twenty-three kilometres away and easily reached by 30 baht public songthaew share taxi from a stand at the north end of the city on Non Muang Road, it boasts amongst other sights an impressive waterfall that stretches to 50m wide in the rainy season – take care as it is easy to sip by the water's edge. Group tours aside, you are likely to be almost alone in the park, and pretty much certainly the only foreigner. The 100 baht entrance fee gets you access to the whole park, which also includes the smaller Tat Fah waterfall.
The park as a whole is the perfect spot for a dose of back-to-nature relaxation sure to enliven the senses, and if you want to drag it out a little longer there are bungalows to rent too. The return journey to Chaiyaphum is a bit more of a pain than getting there, since songthaews don't take this route after the morning - but you can hitch a ride back to Chaiyaphum quite easily. If all else fails, walk some way along the road you came down, make yourself look tired and wait for a few women to start shouting, asking if you need a lift back to Chaiyaphum (for a price). They came to our rescue, so they're bound to for you as well.
Back in Chaiyaphum proper, picnics are the order of the day at a secluded, peaceful spot at the side of a small lake in the streets behind the Tesco Lotus supermarket on Sanambin Road. Roll up on a bike or on foot, having stopped at food stalls on the lanes nearby for giant Isaan-sized grilled chicken skewers and fresh pineapple with dried chilli and sugar, and soak up the goodness of some fresh Chaiyaphum air from the shade of the many trees lining the lake. As is the beauty with so much in this city, aside from the odd local fisherman you will likely have the place to yourself.
GET THERE: Buses run by at least three different companies connect Chaiyaphum with Bangkok's northern Morchit bus terminal in about six hours. On the return leg, the three companies unhelpfully all have their own departure terminals dotted around town, but there are also local bus connections to Khon Kaen and Khorat, both linked to Bangkok by trains and planes.
WHERE TO STAY: Most western tourists stay at the five-star Siam River Resort, towards the far end of Bannakan Road, where 990 Baht will bag you a plush room with balcony and breakfast, and access to the pool. There's free wi-fi and bike hire and staff are excellent. The Deeprom Hotel is also worth a look, with its pleasing pastel exterior, though staff speak little English. Expect to pay 800 Baht for a double air-con room.
MOVING ON: Khon Kaen is two and a half hours away by local bus – great for foodies, it also boasts the Bueng Kaen Nakhon lake which makes for a great walking spot. Buses to Khorat take two hours.
CHRIS WOTTON is a twenty-something crazy about Thailand. After a first visit in 2008, he fell in love with the country and has since travelled its length and breadth, searching out local life – and local food! – while writing and researching for SE Asia travel guides and magazines. When not discovering and writing about Thailand, Chris studies French and German in his native UK, and runs an online shop selling authentic Japanese and Thai cooking ingredients.


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Cherish Reception Card
Wedding Reception Invitations
Cherish Reception Card, Item# RN5023CC
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Cherish Reception Card, Item# RN5023CC
Note: Sparkles are simulated and will not light up.
Cherish Reply Card
$2.14 - $3.39
This reception card features luxurious card stock with metallic and shimmer paper options available. Your custom information is imprinted with raised lettering (thermography). Choose from multiple card colors!
Note: Envelopes are not included with this item (but are optionally available).
You will be able to select the typestyle and ink colors to use for your personalized text during the design process. Start by clicking on the green 'Personalize and Continue' button. We recommend using the default typestyle and ink colors.
|Item Components:
|Flat Card
|Card Dimensions:
|4 7/8" x 3 3/8" (W x H)
|Printing Process:
|Thermography Printing
|Paper Weight:
|100 lb. Cardstock
|Typestyle Shown:
|Trajan and Great Vibes
|Matching Ink Color:
|No Envelopes Included.


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The Hand Heart Pocket Benevolent Fund charity was founded in January of 2014 according to records from the ACNC. The offices for Hand Heart Pocket Benevolent Fund are based in Po Box 1202, Fortitude Valley, QLD, 4006, Australia .
It is technically classified as a Medium sized charity and currently has 12 responsible persons registered. The charity has a reported fiscal year end of 30-Jun. During its last filling, it did not appear to operate in any other countries.
It doesn't appear to have any other operating names. For your reference, the charity is registered with ABN 89391525691.
It aims to support a number of causes, such as, Social Welfare and Community.
Hand Heart Pocket Benevolent Fund is not DGR (deductible gift recipient) enabled, meaning gifts or donations to Hand Heart Pocket Benevolent Fund are not tax deductable, according to the Australian Business Register.


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AMD's TressFX hair tech shown in new Tomb Raider gameplay video
Tomb Raider is the first game to benefit from AMD's TressFX hair tech. The company has put together a Tomb Raider gameplay clip with the option turned on, showing Lara's dark locks swinging as she battles through the start of the game.
TressFX headlines
AMD's TressFX Hair tech unveiled: Tomb Raider used as demo
AMD has unveiled its TressFX hair rendering technology by sing Lara Croft's filthy mane in Tomb Raider as an example of how it works.
AMD teases new rendering tech
AMD has begun teasing what seems to be a new rendering technology called TressFX, which will be revealed on February 26. The name and the splash art suggest something to do with hair, but AMD is calling it "a new frontier of realism in PC gaming" so it's likely to be something with broader application. […]


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
As a practice, relationship marketing differs from other forms of marketing in that it recognizes the long term value of customer relationships and extends communication beyond intrusive advertising and sales promotional messages - Wikipedia
Some will maintain that new cars are not a commodity. I respect that opinion in that manufacturers must sell the benefit of a product versus their competitor's product. In my mind, I assign this responsibility primarily to the manufacturer.
For dealers, I respectfully beg to differ. By the time a customer arrives at a dealer's website, they are generally sure about what brand of vehicle they desire. A dealer's main competitor is a same-brand dealer. This is especially true in over-saturated urban markets such as my own in the Chicago area.
When a customer has decided on your brand, they are no longer searching for a vehicle; they are searching for a dealer. They may believe they are searching for price, but when competition drives the price to the bottom, as it has in Chicagoland, the competition becomes personal. Who is the better dealer to do business with?
Relationship marketing is mostly retention-based marketing. However this is deceptive in itself because in creating loyal customers through trust and transparency, we create advocates. Advocates create new business on your behalf through referrals.
Referrals used to happen privately among friends. Today it happens publicly among Social Media "friends" and acquaintances and their exponentially larger lists of friends and acquaintances.
Social Media is not a tool for transactional marketing where you ply consumers with ads to get them in the door. It is primarily a relationship tool for encouraging trust and friendship. People buy from people they like. That is not a new concept.
I submit that you can hire a Social Media company to supply the meat of a relationship, but dealers or dealership personnel must supply the flavor and the gravy personally. Relationships cannot be outsourced. You must participate!
The definition of relationship is: a connection, association, or involvement. Dealership personnel MUST build that connection and be personally involved in it's continuation up to and through the next transaction.
Customer reviews are merely a reflection and verbalization of that relationship. Recent manufacturer requirements that dealers hire a "Reputation Management" company are simply misplaced priorities. If outside companies offer a dealer tools to track and measure their online reputation, that is for the good of all. But dealers cannot and should not put their reputations into other's hands.
Your reputation is yours alone to earn and be proud of or regret and try to hide.
The Internet and technology has given us unprecedented tools to communicate with, interact with, and build relationships with our customers.
Word-of-Mouth marketing has been given new life and new meaning. Live with it, submerse yourself in it, and make hay. If not, you're running out of time!
Time to get personal!
Written by Tom Gorham
Editor, From The Trenches
Views: 609
Tom Wiegand, I agree. I watch as customers consistently speak of two or three people in our dealership in their reviews. They often mention the salesperson, sales manager and finance manager all in one review. They are impressed at how those two or three people worked together to give them a great value and great experience. Thank you for your comment!
Ralph, I would appreciate it greatly. Thank you!
Great post Tom Gorham! Great comments too! You can't expect "Reputation Management" to fill "Relationship Marketing" shoes. Not to plug my book, yet the best relationships that prove to provide the best reputations are done within teams in synergy, not one on one. Teams of 2 or more that build ongoing relationships have the best reputations, proving to build a better reputation for the business.
Tom Gorham - I have it on one of my storage drives... I will track it down and upload it so you can use it.
Ralph, when was that written? Is it possible to get a copy?
There's been some mention of passion in these comments. It made me want to add to a phrase in my article.
"Word-of-Mouth marketing has been given new life and new meaning. Live with it, submerse yourself in it, and make hay."
I would like to add "have fun and enjoy". For what some mistake as passion is simply enjoyment of what we do and the relationships we form.
Tom Hawkins, the real irony is that the gross on repeat and referral business is always better than a fresh up, and the amount of effort it takes to sell a repeat customer is usually less, a lot more salesperson friendly and more personally rewarding. As a salesperson who far preferred repeat and referral business, I still am dumbfounded by sales professionals who do not act as if they do.
Thanks, Ralph...which is exactly why I need at least one more salesperson. My guys have enough business so the long-termers get enough new floor traffic and they don't/won't take the time to maintain the relationships. They have their top 1/3 that love them and always come back. But they don't have or take the time to nurture the middle 1/3 to create the same loyalty that the top 1/3 give them without much effort. Salespeople have basically two primary activities. What are they doing to sell a car today and what are they doing to sell a car tomorrow. I need to get my guys to work!
Tom and Tom, I wanted to thare the irony (or synchronicity depending on perspective), of an image sent to me today by a Ford Dealer in New Mexico... It was the cover to a training manual I helped author more than 10 years ago titled "Relationship Management Systems" and was a training book we used back then to implement BDC's in dealerships. Relationship based selling was, is and will most likely remain the most profitable and customer friendly sales strategy of them all. I have met many people who tell me they buy all their vehicles from a certain salesperson because they always feel like they get a good deal, trust that person and really have no desire to deal with a stranger when spending as much money as a car or truck costs.
The challenge with relationship based selling is that you must start today to reap the benefits in about a year, and the peak of effectiveness will only be achieved about 3 years into the process. I am the personal embodiment of relationship based sales; that image that was texted to me by the New Mexico dealer was because he recently bought another Ford dealership and despite the numerous sales trainers, consultants and BDC installation specialists that have since contacted him, he wants me to come out to his store on a paid consulting basis. Why? because of the relationship we have that has evolved over the past 11 years... Not very different than the people who do not want to buy a new or used vehicle from a sales professional they have never dealt with before. This desire on the part of buyers is partially driven by the reduction in risk... The car sales professional we know is most likely a better bet than the one we don't!
"While the SM company can provide daily communications and ideas for your social media, you can inject that unique character into it without massive amounts of time involved."
You stated what I was trying to say perfectly!!
© 2020 Created by Ralph Paglia. Powered by


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The mech combat genre is one that's died off in recent years. Indie shooter Hawken is hoping to change that, and for something being developed by "a small independent game studio" looks absolutely amazing.
Set in what looks like an Asian megacity of the future, Hawken is a first-person, multiplayer mech combat game that will hopefully be released on 360, PS3 and PC (though it could be any combination of them!). It's planned as a downloadable game, and has been built using Epic's Unreal Engine.
There's no word on a release date. Which is a shame, because boy, this looks great. You can see some screenshots at the game's site below.


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Florida Snakes Identification
This simplified key is an aid to the identification of the snakes of Florida for use by laymen with no technical training in herpetology. To use it you only have to observe the color and characteristics of the scales on the back and on the belly of the snake.
Glass lizards (genus Ophisaurus), have no legs and are often confused with snakes, so before using this Key make sure the reptile you have is a snake. Snakes have no eyelids and are unable to close their eyes, clear scales cover and protect their eyes. Snakes also have no external ears, so if the reptile you are identifying has eyelids that can be closed or has ear-openings on the side of the head, it is a lizard and not a snake.
How to Use this Key:
- Start with the first question. Decide whether the statment in the first box or the the second box best describes the characteristics of the snake you are trying to identify. (There are links to examples of these traits if you need help.)
- Click on the "Yes" button in the box that best matches your snake. Your choice will lead you to the next appropriate pair of questions.
- Work through the questions, each time choosing the characteristic that best matches your snake from the two choices. This will lead you to the final choice which identifies the snake.
Are you ready to begin?
The key is so simplified that occasionally it will lead you to an incorrect identification. To check the accuracy, click on the name and compare your snake with the photographs and description. Each account compares that species to the other snakes with which it is most often confused, so with a click or two you can check those species and confirm the identity of your snake.
Full description of Color Patterns and Scale Structures


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14th Dec 1835 | 215 Enslaved | £3904 17s 8d
Parliamentary Papers p. 22.
1787 - 1835
Daughter of "free Mulatto" lodging-house-keeper Jane Charlotte Beckford (c. 1759-1825); possibly the daughter of George Ffrench, Clerk to the Jamaica Assembly. Spinster; independently wealthy slave-owner.
Visit the people of interest section
One of over 300 drawings of landscapes and enslaved people in Jamaica by William Berryman, 1808-1815.
Visit the document of interest section
© Copyright Legacies of British Slave-ownership - UCL Department of History 2020
CITING THIS RECORD:'Jamaica Clarendon 351 (Denbigh)', Legacies of British Slave-ownership database, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/claim/view/14074 [accessed 1st December 2020].


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January's arguments: In Plain English
Many of you have written to me to express your views about my last Plain English post, which covered this month"™s opinions, not to mention the Ninth Circuit reversal rate. If you think you"™re passionate, you should watch an oral argument sometime (you can stand in line at the Court "" just get there really early for the "big" cases); advocates before the Court are especially passionate about their causes, and even the Justices can sometimes get a bit testy when it comes to arguments or decisions with which they disagree.
A case in point: The Court"™s decision last week to deny cert. in Alderman v. United States gave rise to a vociferous dissent from Justices Scalia and Thomas, who believed that the Court should have heard the case. At issue in the Ninth Circuit case was a federal law that prohibited convicted felons from owning body armor. But at the heart of the case was the Commerce Clause, a constitutional provision known and feared by every first-year law student. Essentially, the Commerce Clause is an extremely broad source of power for Congress; as the Court has interpreted it, Congress can regulate any activity that involves interstate commerce. (Okay, all you Constitutional Law junkies out there, yes, that"™s a simplification, but that"™s the meat of it, anyway.) For many years, Congress treated the Commerce Clause as a free for all, regulating anything and everything in the name of commerce. Several years back, however, in a case that any first-year law student will also know (the mighty United States v. Lopez), the Court put the brakes on the Commerce power, holding that Congress can only regulate when there really is a relationship between the regulated activity and interstate commerce, not a manufactured or tangential one.
Court watchers largely viewed Alderman as a logical follow-up to Lopez and the case that followed it, United States v. Morrison. So many "" Justices Scalia and Thomas among them – were surprised when the Court denied cert. But, you might comment, the Court does not hear most of the cases it"™s asked to hear "" in fact, it only grants about one percent of the cert. petitions it receives each year "" so what"™s the big deal? That is usually the way the Justices look at the denials of cert. petitions, too. Because it is not at all unusual for the Court to deny cert "" and perhaps because the Justices"™ usual practice is to display respect for their colleagues "" dissents from denial of cert. have traditionally been quite unusual, a sign that a Justice felt so strongly about a case that she could not wait for the issue to reach the Court again in another case. This Term, however, we"™ve seen quite a few such dissents from the denial of cert., most notably from Justice Sotomayor. Will the trend continue? Court watchers will certainly be interested to see.
On to the notable arguments from this month. Let"™s start with a case that might seem a little dull to most, but has one exciting element: Vickie Lynn Marshall, better known to most of us as Anna Nicole Smith. Yes, it"™s true, she"™s dead, but the controversy about her late husband"™s estate churns on. As Lyle describes quite cannily here, Stern v. Marshall is an ongoing legal soap opera "" after all, how many Playboy models can say that they"™ve had a case before the Supreme Court not once, but twice? (The first case involving Smith"™s tycoon husband"™s estate reached the Court in 2006, garnering much media attention; although the detail did not make the news, Court insiders disclosed that the reality TV star asked to bring her small dog to court with her (a request that was presumably denied).) This iteration of the case takes on bankruptcy issues related to the disposition of the many millions of dollars involved and will decide how exactly to interpret a major federal bankruptcy statute.
And you thought the Supreme Court could never be exciting.
Not exciting enough for you? Well, then maybe state secrets will grab you. In Boeing v. United States, the Court considered the doctrine for the first time in decades, reviewing how and when the government can stop litigation because it would reveal a classified government information. In this case, the Navy contracted with two private companies to build a bomber aircraft, but then it declared that they were in default. When the two companies sued, however, they could not make their case because the government claimed that state secrets were involved. Now, you might ask, doesn"™t it make sense that the government should be able to withhold this information in the interest of national security? But, the companies countered, the government started this dispute by demanding money from them when it accused them of defaulting. When they sought to defend themselves and demand more money, the government would not give them the documents they needed to defend themselves. Will the Court agree with the companies that the government"™s rule is "pretty convenient" for it (as Chief Justice Roberts put it) and a "tails you win, heads you win" way of interpreting the law (Justice Kagan). We"™ll see who actually wins within the next few months.
Criminal law and procedure always make up a large portion of the Court"™s docket, whether the issues stem from the Constitution (such as in cases involving the exclusionary rule, or the rule that evidence resulting from illegal searches and seizures is usually inadmissible in court) or from federal statutes (such as those defining and prescribing punishment for crimes). Last week, the Court heard argument in two such cases, Kentucky v. King and Sykes v. United States.
Let"™s start with Kentucky v. King, a case about warrantless searches. Usually, the Fourth Amendment requires the police to have a warrant before they can enter and search a home or other place where someone has a "reasonable expectation of privacy." To get a warrant, the police must give a judge good reason to believe that a crime has been (or is being) committed, a legal concept called "probable cause." There are various exceptions to the warrant requirement, but the Court in King is considering the "exigent circumstances" rule, which allows the police to enter a home if they reasonably believe that an emergency "" like an imminent danger to someone's life or property "" exists. But if police conduct creates the emergency, are they still entitled to enter a home without a warrant? Or, as Justice Kagan seemed to suggest during the argument, would such a rule essentially allow the police to enter a residence at will whenever they reasonably believed that drugs were being used?
In this case, after chasing a suspected drug dealer into an apartment, the police smelled marijuana behind an apartment door. Because they did not know whether the fleeing suspect was in that apartment or the one across the hall, the police knocked on the door and announced themselves. When they heard movement inside the apartment, they believed that the occupants might be destroying evidence, and so they entered the apartment without first getting a warrant. The apartment turned out to belong to Hollis King, and the suspect was not inside. However, they found King and drugs in the apartment and arrested him. King challenged the admission of the evidence, claiming that the exigent circumstances rule did not apply because the police themselves created the emergency with their knock. At oral argument, this point was debated for most of the allotted hour; while some Justices seemed content to allow the police to enter in any emergency, even if they themselves created it, others "" like Kagan and Sotomayor "" seemed genuinely troubled by the idea of giving police so much power and called on the Court to look to precedent which prohibited such warrantless searches.
In Sykes v. United States, on the other hand, the criminal defendant was responsible for creating something of an emergency circumstance "" or at least a highly dangerous one "" when he fled from the police in his car, leading to a high-speed chase. At issue in the case was a federal statute, the Armed Career Criminal Act ("ACCA"); under this statute, if Marcus Sykes"™s previous three convictions were for "violent" felonies, he would receive an enhanced sentence for illegal weapon possession. Sykes argued that fleeing from the police after the police ordered him to stop was not such a felony because it was not "purposeful, violent, and aggressive," as required by a previous Court holding.
The case brings up several interesting questions, many of which explored by the advocates and the Justices during the argument: Can running away be said to be "aggressive"? (Chief Justice Roberts). Does prompting a high-speed chase result in a serious risk of injury? (Assistant to the Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall). And what does the term "violent felony" encompass, anyway? Such a statutory interpretation exercise, in which the Court must define an ambiguous statutory term, is common fare for the Court.
Because the Court is a court of general jurisdiction (meaning that it reviews cases about many legal topics, unlike a tax court or bankruptcy court, for example), it hears many different types of cases involving federal and constitutional law "" as evidenced by the argument in FCC v. AT&T this week. Many Court watchers view this case as a logical follow-up to the provocative Citizens United decision of last Term; it, too, involves the rights of corporations, this time to privacy normally afforded human beings. AT&T has argued that, under its right to privacy, the federal government should not release the communication giant"™s confidential documents. But, as Bob Barnes noted here, the Justices didn"™t seem to be buying the argument that corporations had privacy rights.
So what is it like to be an advocate with an uphill battle in persuading the Justices? For an attorney who argues regularly before the Court, part of the fun is in convincing the Nine that her case holds water. Still, even the best advocate loses at least occasionally; Georgetown law professor Richard Lazarus is fond of one particular story about how his law school friend "" none other than Chief Justice Roberts, once one of the most highly respected members of the Supreme Court bar "" had to tell his client that they had lost their case by a vote of nine to zero. How could that happen? asked the client. How could we lose nine-nothing? Well, the future Chief Justice replied, there are only nine of them.
Last but not least, in Montana v. Wyoming, the Court heard arguments in its only original case of the Term. Although the Court usually has appellate jurisdiction to hear cases "" that is, it reviews cases coming from state or federal appellate courts "" it has original jurisdiction (which means that it serves as the case of first and only resort) in cases in which a state is suing a state, as well as in rare cases involving foreign dignitaries. Once again, Lyle hit the nail on the head when he commented that this river compact case is murky in its depths; while the Justices seemed to enjoy debating which state had first dibs on the water in the Yellowstone River, the issues of fair river water use left most of us feeling somewhat, well, underwater. We"™ll see how the opinions flow "" dry, rapid, or calm "" by the end of June.
Recommended Citation: Lisa Tucker, January's arguments: In Plain English, SCOTUSblog (Jan. 22, 2011, 9:08 PM), https://www.scotusblog.com/2011/01/januarys-arguments-in-plain-english/


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Ep 165- Golden State Warriors 2018 NBA Preview #1
It's finally here. Our 2018 season previews had a more predictable ending than 'The Passion of the Christ.' The Warriors seem about as untouchable as the Roman Empire, except for KD who we discovered is a tad sensitive. How do we approach roasting one of the greatest basketball teams ever assembled? Just like Draymond Green. Close your eyes and swing for the nuts! Please rate and review us on iTunes. Reach out on Twitter: @brickhousepod
Ep 211- Overreactions and New Podcast Pitches
In the spirit of experimentation and shameless pandering, we attempt to attract new listeners by incorporating relationship advice and dog metaphors into the show. After three nights of games we're ready to fire up our hottest overreactions to what we saw. Could the Suns be the next NBA dynasty? Is Boban Wilt Chamberlain with free throw making ability? In our latest segment "Shoe News!" we discuss Montrezl Harrell's plan to release the coolest sneakers of all time as well as the steep price discount on Lonzo's new Big Baller Brand sneakers. Plus, we do a dramatic reenactment of every Jimmy Butler interview in the past week.
Ep 210- The NBA Title Contender Team Previews
Previews for the top five teams in the NBA fighting to be this year's runner-up to the Warriors. This episode we ask executive-level questions like: If Danny Ainge had traded four draft picks for Justise Winslow would we still think he's a good GM? Would Sam Hinkie ever consider a return to the Rockets front office? And what's Bryan Colangelo up to these days? The Thunder will use this season to find the best fit for Paul George and the Raptors will try to convince Kawhi Toronto's just like LA, but better. We reveal the "Secret MVP" for each team and talk the failed Jimmy Butler trade and the Suns firing Ryan McDonough in our Diss of the Week.
Ep 209- The Fun Watch Team Previews
The Lakers and the Wizards will both be fun to watch this year but for entirely different reasons. Find out who should hire Nikola Jokic as their celebrity endorser and what the rules to a Dwight Howard gameshow would be. Will Tom Thibodeau's head explode on the sideline this year? Which GM will be the first one fired for not drafting Luka Doncic? We discuss potential plots of Space Jam 2 and predict which Lakers teammates will have the most volatile relationship. Plus the most attractive people to ever rock a unibrow and an extremely stupid quote from Paul Pierce.
Ep 208- The Wannabe Contender Team Previews
These are the teams that are one player away if that player were LeBron James. Coincidentally a few of them come from the whitest cities with NBA teams. Unfortunately none of them have a history of attracting free agents. We preview and answer burning questions about the Jazz, Pacers, Blazers, Grizzlies, Bucks and Spurs. Where will Chandler Parsons be in the next ten years? Is Kris Middleton a max player? Could Lonnie Walker be an all-time funny NBA player? Diss of the week submissions about Kawhi Leonard's laugh and Brett Kavanaugh's basketball coaching career.
Ep 207- Jimmy Butler Drama and the Dry Heave Team Previews
When Jimmy Butler forces a late off-season trade that means the NBA is back! This historic occasion may be the first time a player has ever actually tried to be traded to the Clippers. After months of searching, the 76ers found their new GM right under their noses. We discuss how the Elton Brand hiring came to be. The dry heave team previews are the teams too good for a top draft pick but not good enough to make the playoffs. Their the NBA's version of purgatory or, to mix metaphors, a vomit that never comes. Tune in for our season previews of the Clippers, Heat, Pistons, Knicks, Hornets and Magic and stay for the NBA's scheduled tunnel fight rematch between Chris Paul and Blake Griffin.
Ep 206- The So Bad They're Good Team Previews
Just because these teams have a hard time winning games doesn't mean they're not entertaining. We break down the six worst teams in the NBA and tell you their biggest moves of the offseason, how they might surprise us, and what still makes them exciting. In the case of the Sacramento Kings, unintentional comedy counts too. We ask some burning questions like: Which team has the worst starting five? Are the Cavs Klutch Sports contracts completely untradable? What life lessons can young guys learn from a vet like Vince Carter? And will Matt and Bob own Puma basketball shoes before next year's Finals? Plus Diss of the Week submissions from Ben Simmons and Kobe Bryant.
Ep 205- NBA Over/Unders w Pro Gambler Bjorn Part 2
In this episode we look at NBA MVP odds and compare player's chances to Oscar favorites and over-priced phone apps. Then we tackle win totals for the the NBA's superior conference. Will the Rockets really be ten games worse with Carmelo Anthony? Can the Lakers get a top-four seed in the West? And who's the more hipster team this year; the Jazz or the Nuggets? Bjorn is back to give more of his top picks and, spoiler, it doesn't look great for Clippers fans. Tweet to Bjorn @bjornallday
Ep 204- NBA Over/Unders w Pro Gambler Bjorn Part 1
Professional gambler Bjorn Peterson breaks down the eastern conference win totals and gives us his pro tips. We talk legalized gambling, and how sports books can ban the best players from wagering. Bjorn shares his experience of getting cut off from making WNBA bets at one Las Vegas casino. Did you know the Miami Heat have the league's highest payroll at $152 million and their win line is set at only 41.5? We search hard for value in the depleted East so you don't have to. At the end we share our favorite "To Be Continued" TV episodes from growing up.
Ep 203- The NBA All-Comedy Teams
NBA players are competitive not only on the court but in our Twitter feeds as well. This episode we honor the most entertaining, funny and petty players from the past season. Nerlens Noel may not have gotten the contract he wanted but he did take advantage of the free media room hot dogs. Find out where all your favorite jokesters fall from JR Smith to Joel Embiid. Fire up your burner account to tell us where we messed up @brickhousepod. Plus Diss of the Week submissions from Matt Barnes, CJ McCollum and Ice Cube.


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Check out these cheerful candy-colored buildings! Murals are a fantastic way to sugar-coat concrete and brighten up otherwise drab buildings. Artists Haas and Hahn have adorned several concrete landscapes in Brazil with their colorful paintings, and now they've taken on the transformation of a blighted favela neighborhood. The area, Santa Marta, is one of Brazil's notorious favelas, or shantytowns. They call this urban explosion of color Favela Painting, and it has become a local source of pride.
There are hundreds of favelas in Brazil, a casualty of the country's extreme economic inequality. Favelas aren't built to any kind of code or safety standards — they're simply a means for the poorest populations to house themselves. To cover the blighted buildings in swaths of color, Favela Painting employs local residents, training them in professional painting techniques and safety. The powerful stripes cover only a portion of the larger hillside neighborhood; the artists hope to continue the artwork over the entire favela. Remarkably, the whole thing is funded by individual and private donations — as if the candy stripes weren't enough to make you smile already.
+ Favela Painting
Via The Coolist