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Ya like my new header collage photo ABOVE?
Seems so much lighter and fresher…
Remember - I'm experiencing a bad case of spring fever up here in the tundra so gotta do what I can to lighten things up.
Due to the lack of ACTUAL REAL LIVE sunlight.
You bloggers who have gardens sprouting and crocuses blooming have me so stinkin jealous!
photos bhg
Chat soon -


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Guentzel shares perspective on Fan Cave life
Twins representative sits down to chat about unique experience in New York
Twins: You're several months removed now from your MLB Fan Cave experience in New York. What moment still sticks out to you as the most memorable from your time there?
Guentzel: I have to say, the first week of the season was probably the most memorable, just because we were settling into our new lives in New York City and getting situated into our roles as Cave Dwellers. Our first "task" was watching the Athletics take on the Mariners in Japan, which meant we had to be up and ready to watch baseball at 5 a.m. Walking to the MLB Fan Cave that morning from our apartments, it all finally felt real.
Besides the Opening Series in Japan, we rang the bell at the NASDAQ, hosted ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" and MLB Network's "Intentional Talk" at the Fan Cave. We also helped Al Leiter, Sean Casey and Kevin Millar light up the Empire State Building for Opening Day and watched the Marlins open up their new stadium while Far East Movement performed in our "living room." Needless to say, it was the most ridiculous week of my life, and I was so happy that I had decided to apply for the MLB Fan Cave.
Besides that first week, getting to go to the All-Star Game in Kansas City was incredibly special for me, because I got to share the whole experience with my father. He's the reason I love baseball so much, and it made the whole experience worth it just to see the look on his face when he walked into Kauffman Stadium.
Twins: What was it like watching Joe Mauer wash a Twins fan's hair?
Guentzel: Watching Joe Mauer wash a fan's hair was probably one of the silliest things I have ever been a part of. We were really short on time for shooting, so we had to get everything right the first time. Luckily, Joe was a pro, although I don't think he has plans to quit his day job any time soon.
Twins: How well did you get along with your fellow "Cave Dwellers"? And did the fact that almost all of you had different teams you were representing ever create any friction?
Guentzel: Nine big personalities in one space can get to be a little much at times, but I really liked the other Cave Dwellers. We all have very different personalities, interests and career goals, so it was very rare to be stepping on anyone's toes, so to speak. The best was when our teams played one another, because it created some great energy in the Fan Cave! They are definitely some people that I will keep in touch with and cheer on for years to come. I genuinely want nothing but the best for all of them!
Twins: How was the food in the Fan Cave?
Guentzel: We were responsible for getting our own food, but in New York City, that is not a problem. Every place delivers, and most of us took full advantage of that. Major League Baseball did cater a lot of food for events, so we were very well taken care of. And then during breaks or between games, the Cave Dwellers always tried to go out and grab food together. There were a few restaurants in the neighborhood where we became regulars!
Twins: What celebrity (athlete or otherwise) made the most positive impression on you and why?
Guentzel: This is the toughest question to answer, because there were so many really great people coming in and out of the Fan Cave on a daily basis. Charlie Sheen definitely threw me for a loop. He has a very public past, but he was so down to earth and charismatic during his visit with former MLB player Todd Zeile. We all just had a blast talking baseball with them, and then both of them stopped by our set at the All-Star Game, so we got to have a nice little reunion.
Twins: Was there any part to life in the Fan Cave that you absolutely did not expect going in?
Guentzel: As silly as it sounds, I did not even think about the West Coast games when I applied for the Fan Cave. So that first month was a huge adjustment for me! Those games didn't even start until 10 p.m. on the East Coast, meaning our nights didn't end until 2 -- sometimes 3 -- in the morning.
Twins: What would be the biggest piece of advice you would give to a future "Cave Dweller"?
Guentzel: Be yourself. It is really easy to become overwhelmed by all of the stuff going on, but just roll with it and stay true to who you are. And have fun. It's a contest, yes. But the second you start worrying about getting sent home, you immediately start losing out on the experience. Also, get sleep whenever you can. Those late nights will catch up with you!
Twins: If you had to it all over again, would you?
Guentzel: Absolutely! Obviously now that the Fan Cave is over, I can look back and think about things I would have done differently. But it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and is already setting me up for my next adventure. Plus there was nothing better than representing the team and fans that I love. That made the whole thing worth it.
The MLB Fan Cave is coming back in 2013, and it will be bigger and better than ever. Season three will feature more MLB stars, more celebrities, more concerts, more stunts, more pranks and more exclusive access for fans. If you think you have what it takes to represent the Twins in the Fan Cave, apply here.

subset: commoncrawl


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SRD:Wind Fan
From D&D Wiki
|This material is published under the OGL
Wind Fan: A wind fan appears to be nothing more than a wood and papyrus or cloth instrument with which to create a cooling breeze. By uttering the command word, its possessor causes the fan to generate air movement duplicating a gust of wind spell. The fan can be used once per day with no risk. If it is used more frequently, there is a 20% cumulative chance per usage during that day that the device tears into useless, nonmagical tatters.
Faint evocation; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, gust of wind; Price 5,500 gp.
Back to Main Page → 3.5e Open Game Content → System Reference Document → Magic Items


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Earlier today, however, its users seem unhappy with their data speeds being throttled to 1.5Mbps without warning. A user, named jeffham, received an email from Karma letting him know why browsing speeds have been reduced. The email reads:
We launched Neverstop two months ago and the usage has blown our minds.Other users have pitched in and called Karma Mobility "ignorant" for not expecting high usage on an unlimited plan. But going back to the time when they first launched, Karma was very clear in not calling Neverstop an "unlimited" plan so they could be transparent about what they were offering. While Neverstop speeds aren't unlimited, the quantity is. So really, $50 a month gets their users no caps on the amount of data used at 5Mbps.
We couldn't be more excited about your appetite to be online while on the go. But we were surprised to learn*how many of you are also using it heavily at home. We've seen lots of you binge watch Netflix in HD all day, back up your hard drives over the internet, and even connect your Xboxes through ingenious means. It's a glimpse of how the internet should be, and we love it… but it's putting a strain on the service and it's not what the product is meant for today.
So, to make sure that Neverstop continues to work seamlessly for as many people as possible, we have to make some changes to the service. We began running tests to optimize the service, including lowering speeds. Our engineers are working hard to find the right balance of always accessible worry-free internet, at a fair price, so you'll likely see speeds change over the next few days while we try to fine-tune that balance.
We will continue to get you online so you can do what's most important to you when on-the-go: things like email, streaming, and browsing. But, we need to reduce the extreme usage cases. If you find that Neverstop doesn't fit your needs, use our mobile apps to switch to*Refuel, or headhere*for a refund.
As we figure this out, we want to take into account what is most important to you as a Neverstop customer. To get your input, we put together a survey so you can help us improve Neverstop.
Ultimately our goal is that you never have to worry about getting online whether you're at the office, home or the spaces in between. That's Neverstop's future. Today, we will make Neverstop the right solution for your on-the-go needs.
Perhaps Karma wasn't expecting their users to heavily use Neverstop while they are home. Or perhaps they weren't very clear about their intention of offering the plan for those who are on the go with minimal browsing and just accessing things when needed. If so, they should have been clear that their Neverstop plan was not ready for such heavy use. Nevertheless, the company is offering options for unhappy users to either switch to Refuel or get a refund for the plan.
As mentioned on the email, Karma is working at how to make Neverstop plan work best for its users and how the plan can be used the way it was originally intended to be. The company hasn't specified when they will be ready to return to 5Mbps data speed but they do promise they will get their users online. They just can't promise it to load as fast as before.
Source: HowardForums


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By Mark Licht and Terry Basol, Field Agronomists and Andy Lenssen, Department of Agronomy
Areas of Iowa and other Corn Belt states were very dry during soybean harvest in 2011. Subsequently much of the soybean harvest occurred at lower than normal grain moisture levels, including soybeans grown for seed. We have heard reports from farmers, Extension and industry personnel that some fields were harvested with seed moisture as low as 7 percent. Handling seed with low moisture must be done very carefully to prevent damage to seed coats. This includes seed movement during harvest, seed cleaning, seed treatment and delivery to planters.
Careful handling
At this time it is not possible to prevent damage done during harvest, and typically farmers, elevator operators and seed dealers handle seed as carefully as possible to prevent postharvest damage. Careful movement of seed includes avoiding use of steel screw augers, slower than normal flow rates whether with air, conveyer belt or brush augers, and keeping seed drops as short as possible to prevent damaging soybean seed coats. When handling individual bags of soybeans, simply dropping them onto one another off the back of a truck may damage soybean seed coats. This is even more of a concern this spring given the very dry soybean seed from the fall of the 2011 harvest. Seed with damaged coats rarely contribute to stands.
Farmers should carefully read tags or papers obtained with each seed lot purchased. Information on Certified Seed tags or Quality Assurance papers will include germination percentage. It is important that farmers use the Pure Live Seed percentage when determining the desired seeding rate. But remember, the germination on tags or papers was the germination when the seed left the point of purchase. Soybean seed often is moved at least two times prior to planting, and each movement can result in decreased germination. However, germination percentage does not always tell the entire story on vigor of seed, particularly for soybean seed.
Seed Germination Tests
The Iowa State University Seed Testing Laboratory offers several tests that can provide additional, useful information for farmers. These include Sand Germination (7-10 days duration), Cold Germination (Iowa Test, 12-14 days duration), and Accelerated Aging (about 10 days duration). Results from these tests can help determine seeding rates required for each specific seed lot, a particularly important consideration for early planting soybean. Additional information on seed testing by the ISU Seed Testing Laboratory is available at: http://www.seeds.iastate.edu/seedtest/
A quick home test, called Chlorox Soak Test, can provide useful germination determination. Information on the "Chlorox Soak Test" was provided to us by Dr. Brent Turnipseed, Professor and Manager of the South Dakota State University Seed Testing Lab. Briefly, the test requires:
- Mix three fluid ounces of chlorox in one gallon of water.
- Count out one or more 100-seed lots, depending on accuracy desired.
- Remove all "splits" or obviously broken seed, and place each 100 seeds in a separate tray.
- Pour a sufficient amount of chlorox-water solution over the seed so all are covered.
- After 10-15 minutes, pour off the chlorox-water from each tray and spread out the seed on a paper towel so they may be counted.
- Count the number of swollen seeds in each 100-seed lot. Swollen seed are damaged seed, and likely will not contribute to stands.
Swollen seed typically should not exceed 10 percent, or 10 of the 100 seed in each lot. This test can be used when harvesting seed to confirm combine operation is not damaging seed, or any other time seed are handled at seed plants or farmsteads prior to planting.
This year it will be extremely important to consider pure live seed and seed germination when determining seeding rates. Keep in mind research studies have documented that about 100,000 soybean plants per acre at harvest will provide optimal yield in most Iowa environments. Planting sufficient seed to obtain a suitable stand is important, but planting excessive amounts of seed reduces profitability of soybean production. Knowing the germination percentage of each seed lot is important in developing the most profitable planting rates by Iowa farmers.
Mark Licht is an ISU Extension field agronomist serving Central Iowa. He can be reached at email@example.com or 515-382-6551. Terry Basol is an ISU Extension field agronomist serving Northeastern Iowa. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com or 641-435-4864. Andy Lenssen is the ISU Extension soybean systems agronomist. He can be reached at email@example.com or 515-294-1060.
Links to this article are strongly encouraged, and this article may be republished without further permission if published as written and if credit is given to the author, Integrated Crop Management News, and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. If this article is to be used in any other manner, permission from the author is required. This article was originally published on March 31, 2012. The information contained within may not be the most current and accurate depending on when it is accessed.


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Commercial, Products, Services
By By Andrew Drwiega, Military Editor | January 1, 2012
Send Feedback
The improving financial position of U.S. rescue hoist and winch specialist Breeze Eastern was one of the reasons that the company decided to hold its first user conference in five years during the fall. Hailed by President and CEO Mike Harlan as an indication that the company is moving ahead positively in both product development and customer service, the Breeze Eastern User Conference took place September 14-15 in Newark, N.J.
This belief was seemingly borne out a month later when Breeze Eastern's second quarter 2011 and first half 2012 sales were announced at the end of October 2011—the company's debt had been reduced by $4.9 million over the year to stand at $10.7 million. The inherited debt, said Harlan, had once stood at more than $60 million. Backed by the board, Harlan, who joined the company in 2009, has led Breeze Eastern forward in its bid to strengthen its financial position with an improving balance sheet.
Sales for the first six months of 2012 were $36.1 million (a record figure for the period), up 14 percent on the previous first half in 2011. This also followed a record sales figure of $17.9 million for the second quarter of 2011, a rise of 18 percent over $15.1 million for the period. According to Harlan, Breeze Eastern invested $5.5 million to move the company into its new facilities at Whippany, N.J. from its old base in Union. This had been completed in August 2010.
"There is a new mindset at our company now," said Harlan. "We are taking a fresh look at all aspects of our business with more focus on customer centricity." He said that the company's 50 years in the industry had resulted in reliable products that were used in over 50 nations, including Russia and China.
Harlan also understands that the company needs to improve its turnaround time in getting products back to customers, and the new facility gives the company that opportunity, he says. "We want to improve process—to get faster. Past performance has not been consistent."
There are numerous areas that the company needs to address, including ensuring that operators have the opportunity to engage in quality hoist training and that technical questions that are generated by customers operating 'in the field' are responded to quickly. Other issues being addressed include more localized spares around the world, the need to support service centers and especially the need to keep customers current in terms of technology and service provision.
Money is also being invested in new development. Breeze Eastern is close to developing a new DC rescue hoist, which will be the first in a new line of digital hoists. Harlan called it "a new 'smart hoist' family for better availability and cost."
Future business includes the development of a cargo winch for Sikorsky's CH-53K, and away from rotorcraft Breeze has completed development of a cargo winch for the C-27J JCA with in-house production. Harlan also mentioned a prototype weapons handling system for the Predator-C program. Existing programs include hoists for the USMC and Air Force Bell Boeing V-22 Ospreys.
Senior vice president of customer connection, Gary Olsen, helped to bring together a collection of hoist and winch operators for both closed-door discussions and the two-day open user conference.
The main conference was introduced by keynote speaker John Piasecki of Piasecki Aircraft Corp., who discussed the drive that his company had inherited from his father, Frank Piasecki, one of the pioneers of the global helicopter industry and designer of the H-21 tandem rotor helicopter (flying banana), the forerunner of the CH-47.
The operator community was represented by members from numerous hoist/winch including: the U.S. Coast Guard, the 160th Regiment (SOAR), Erickson Air-Crane, the Israeli Air Force and the New York State Police, although numerous other international operators were present who did not make presentations.
While operator perspectives proved interesting, the main line of the conference was to give Breeze management the opportunity to get their collective 'we've changed' message out.
In detailing more on Breeze Eastern programs, Andy Midkiff, vice president of production engineering and program management said that the new CH-53K cargo winch would take a 4,000-lb load, and would feature 90 feet of cable. The flight test of the hardware was scheduled for the third quarter of CY2012 with production hopefully beginning in the fourth quart of 2015. The Alenia C27J cargo winch system would be capable of a 2,200-lb load and would have 98 feet of cable.
Roger Hahneman, senior vice president of operations, stated that the company had previously gotten into a 'backlog hole' and that it got caught out and left wanting when there was a surge of product being returned for maintenance issues: "[We have] 15-20 units coming in that we aren't expecting." He said communication was being improved internally and externally to identify: a) when is a unit coming in, b) what condition is it in, and c), what materials will it need. He added that the company had invested in more inventory ($357,000 now on hand) as well as new cell layouts for each type of unit.
There was also a drive to increase test capacity for hoists by up to 50 percent and introduce a barcode scanning system. The main ambition was to generate faster turn-around times. The current target is 60 days although the eventual aim is to reduce that figure to 45 days for every customer by April 1, 2012—a significant reduction on the 100 days or longer that customers had experienced.
Delegates received a tour of the Whippany facility on the last day of the conference to see how the company is putting its plans into action.


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Past Triple Crown of Surfing ChampionsOct 10, 2015
History in the Making
2015: Gabriel Medina, Brazil
2014 WSL World Champion Gabriel Medina added another feather to his cap by claiming the 2015 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. He came with mission to win the title and realised that dream by defeating three time world champion Mick Fanning (AUS) in the Billabong Pipe Masters Semifinals.
Dream Comes True
2014: Julian Wilson, Australia
Australian Julian Wilson clinched his maiden Vans Triple Crown with an historic battle in the final against world champion-elect Gabriel Medina. Wilson posted a near-perfect 19.63 out of 20, versus Medina's 19.2 points to take the win. He also reached the final of the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, placing second behind Maui's Dusty Payne. A solid 13th place at Sunset rounded out a Triple Crown season that will be a longstanding highlight of Julian's career.
Pipeline's Surfing Son
2011 & 2013: John John Florence, Hawaii
John John Florence, 22, has been raised on the 7 mile miracle of Hawaii's North Shore since birth and was destined to become a Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champion. In 2005, at the age of 13, he became the youngest surfer to ever compete in the Triple Crown. Just 6 years later, in 2011, he became the youngest surfer to ever win it. A final against lifelong hero Kelly Slater at the Pipe Masters last year, coupled with a semi-final finish at Sunset, gave him his second Vans Triple Crown title, which he will be back to defend this winter. No question: John is the man to beat in 2014.
Dream Run
2012: Sebastian Zietz, Hawaii
Kauai's Sebastian "Seabass" Zietz had nothing less than a dream run in the 2013 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. After an average year on the WQS, the Hawaiian surfer saw everything come together, as he finished 1st in the Reef Hawaiian Pro, 2nd place in the Vans World Cup of Surfing and 5th in the Billabong Pipe Masters. That combination granted him the coveted Triple Crown title and a spot on this year's ASP World Championship Tour. Not too shabby.
Smooth Operator
2008, 2009, 2010: Joel Parkinson, Australia
Joel "Parko" Parkinson won his second consecutive Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title last year in the midst of one of the heaviest ASP World Championship duels. Although he narrowly lost the world title to Mick Fanning at the Billabong Pipe Masters, Parkinson still managed to win the $50,000 Triple threat bonus and the 2009 Triple Crown title. His consistency and smooth approach at all three venues of the Triple Crown is legendary. In 2008, Parko didn't win any of the Triple Crown events, but his performance at Pipeline that year was inspiring. At the 2008 Billabong Pipe Masters, Parkinson earned a perfect heat, garnering two 10-point rides from mind-blowing Backdoor barrels. Parko is the second surfer in modern history to receive a 20 out a possible 20 points in a man-on-man heat. The only other surfer to accomplish this feat is Kelly Slater.
Darkhorse No More
2007: Bede Durbidge, Australia
Bede Durbidge is proof that a Triple Crown Championship will change your public perception forever. In the early part of 2007, Durbidge was known as dark horse competitor to the media, critics and fellow competitors. To those not so in the surfing know, he was known as "who?" After winning the 25th Annual Triple Crown of Surfing, Bede is no longer a spoiler. Now, he's a contender in all conditions. Durbidge's runner-up finish at the Reef Hawaiian Pro proved he could handle himself in big, chunky surf. And his Billabong Pipe Masters win in uncharacteristic beach-break conditions demonstrated his small wave versatility.
Irons' Mettle
2002, 2003, 2005, 2006: Andy Irons, Hawaii
Kauaian Andy Irons was born and raised to dominate the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. AI tops the list of most Triple Crown prize money won cumulatively with $271,725, and has the single season prize money record with $59,000, which he won in 2006. Irons tied with Sunny Garcia for most Triple Crown event wins, seven total (four at Pipe, one at Sunset and two at Haleiwa). Furthermore, Andy and Derek Ho are the only two surfers to win at all three venues of the Triple Crown. In addition, Andy's battles with Slater at the Pipe Masters are epic, legendary duels that give us chicken skin whenever mentioned.
Big Island's Big Timer
2001: Myles Padaca, Hawaii
In 2001, Myles Padaca helped put Hawaii Island on the map by winning the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing. During that winter season Padaca's competitive surfing was hotter than Madame Pele's kiss. The regular foot made the finals of the Hawaiian Pro at Haleiwa, then followed it up with a win at Sunset. Before the 2001 Pipe Masters could finish, Padaca was already awarded the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Championship. Nowadays, there is a huge crop of talented groms coming out of the Big Island, all wanting to follow in Padaca's footsteps as a Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Champion.
The Greatest Surfer of All Time
1995 & 1998: Kelly Slater, USA
Nine ASP World Championships. Five Pipe Masters victories. Two Triple Crown of Surfing titles. A win at The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau. There's not a lot that Kelly Slater hasn't done on the North Shore. Yet, the man who led the Momentum
Generation has never won a Triple Crown event at Haleiwa or Sunset Beach. This fact may be irrelevant, though, when you consider that Slater has won more Pipe Masters titles than any other surfer. In addition, Kelly was the first surfer to pull off the ASP World Tour hat trick by winning the ASP World Championship, Triple Crown of Surfing Championship and the Pipe Masters in one fell swoop. Kelly's ongoing duel with Andy Irons since returning to the World Tour have been the greatest rivalry surfing has ever known. And, when Slater and Irons paddle battle one another at Pipe, the rest of us watch intently.
Don't Stop Believing
1997: Mike Rommelse, Australia
Michael Rommelse spent a decade on the ASP World Tour, but up until 1997 he had never won a major event. Everything changed for him at Sunset Beach that year when he won the World Cup of Surfing. From there, Mike rode the momentum and finished 9th at the Pipe Masters. With his 5th place at Haleiwa earlier that winter, he accumulated enough points to solidify the 1997 Men's Triple Crown of Surfing title, allowing him to retire from the tour on a high note and permanently etch his name in the hallowed walls of Triple Crown history.
Claiming It
1996: Kaipo Jaquias, Hawaii
In 1996, at the Hawaiian Pro held at Haleiwa, Kaua'i's Kaipo Jaquias claimed he was after the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing title. After winning at Haleiwa and placing well at Sunset and Pipe, Jaquias' claim became a reality for the history books. In the process, Kaipo became the first surfer from a neighbor island to win the Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, setting a precedence for Kauaian Andy Irons to follow.
The Triple Crown of Surfing Owner
1992, 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2004: Sunny Garcia, Hawaii
Sunny Garcia has won more Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Championships than any other surfer. Furthermore, the Hawaiian Lion was the first person to win three consecutive Triple Crown titles. Although the 2000 World Champion has appeared in final heats at every Triple Crown venue, and has won multiple times at Haleiwa and Sunset, he has yet to win the Billabong Pipe Masters. Sunny came close to winning at Pipe in 1992, but was sent to the hospital twice that event. On the first trip he was treated for a torn muscle in his left forearm after a bad wipeout in his quarterfinal heat. He made it back to the beach in time to advance out of the semis and into the final. Half way into the final, he hit the reef head first and was rushed to hospital again for a concussion. Sunny would finish runner up at the Pipe Masters after Kelly Slater found his way into a small barrel in the last two minutes of the final.
Oh, Snap!
1991: Tom Carroll, Australia
As a two-time ASP World Tour Champion, Tom Carroll became the second Australian to win the Triple Crown of Surfing Championship in 1991. That same year, Tom completed "The Snap Heard Around The World" at the Pipe Masters. While most goofy foots stylishly pulled into the barrel at Pipe, Carroll took a different approach by performing a giant snapping top turn under the hook of a double-overhead Pipeline beast. Since then, no other surfer or single maneuver has stuck out like Tom Carroll's snap.
King "Kong" of Sunset
1987 & 1989: Gary Elkerton, Australia
Gary Elkerton grew up surfing in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia. A flamboyant and colorful "Aussie" known for his fearless and aggressive surfing, Elekerton earned the nickname "Kong." In 1987, the regular foot won back-to-back at the Hard Rock Café World Cup and Billabong Pro, both held at Sunset Beach. His performance on Sunset's demanding, shifty peaks is legendary. Furthermore, Elkerton set the standard for aspiring Aussie professionals as the first Down Under dude to win the illustrious Triple Crown title.
First Hawaiian Surfing Champ
1984, 1986, 1988, 1990: Derek Ho, Hawaii
Derek Ho, Michael's younger brother, was Hawaii's first ASP World Champion. In 1993 he claimed the Pipe Masters and ASP World Championship at the same time. Yet Derek's most memorable moment at Pipe occurred in 1986, when he pulled into an eight-second tube that spit twice on him. He set the bar for extraordinary Pipe surfing. If you ask young Hawaiian pro surfers how they want to win the Billabong Pipe Masters and Vans Triple Crown of surfing they'll say: "Like Uncle Derek did in '86."
Broken Arm and All
1983 & 1985: Michael Ho, Hawaii
When Hawaii's Michael Ho won the newly created Vans Triple Crown title for the first time 26 years ago, he was already famous. Michael has surfed around the globe and is known for his fearless approach to big surf. In fact, he won the Pipe Masters with a broken arm one year. Now a veteran surfer, Ho continues to impress the younger generation with his big wave skills. In 1997, at age 40, Ho again made it into the Pipe Masters finals, placing second to Johnny Boy Gomes. To this day, whenever Pipeline is going off, Michael Ho is still on it.
|Gabriel Medina
|Julian Wilson
|John John Florence
|Sebastien Zietz
|John John Florence
|Joel Parkinson
|Joel Parkinson
|Joel Parkinson
|Bede Durbidge
|Andy Irons
|Andy Irons
|Sunny Garcia
|Andy Irons
|Andy Irons
|Myles Padaca
|Sunny Garcia
|Sunny Garcia
|Kelly Slater
|Michael Rommelse
|Kaipo Jaquias
|Kelly Slater
|Sunny Garcia
|Sunny Garcia
|Sunny Garcia
|Tom Carroll
|Derek Ho
|Gary Elkerton
|Derek Ho
|Gary Elkerton
|Derek Ho
|Michael Ho
|Derek Ho
|Michael Ho


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Thanks for all the diverse and interesting insights on teaching kids about money, I learned quite a few things myself. As I was trying to think back and remember what I personally learned – or wish I learned – about money in 6th grade, a couple of amusing stories came to mind. They may not be all that helpful to young folks (quite possibly the opposite), but I'll share them anyway since I am curious to see if others had similar experiences.
Flips and Underage Gambling
The allure of gambling knows no age limit. For those that haven't heard of it – I have no idea how widespread it was – "Flips" is a simple game where first one person flips a coin, and then the second participant flips another coin of the same type. If the coins match, either both heads or both tails, then the 2nd person wins both coins. If the 2nd coin does not match, the 1st person wins both coins. Quarters seemed to be the coin of choice. For a while I was regularly losing or winning a few dollars each day playing Flips, which was a lot of money to me at the time.
The main idea was for the 2nd person to be able to control Heads or Tails, with each us having a secret flipping "method" much like craps players have when throwing dice. As the game got more and more popular, people would start to create their own cheats. One kid brought a double-sided quarter with heads on both sides to school. He was promptly beat up and the quarter was stolen, never to be found again. After that, we started to check coins. 🙂 In addition, the more adventurous kids would even play with dollar bills, and people quickly found that folding the bills a certain way would help the bill land on a certain side. Lots of new ground rules were made up on the fly.
Lessons learned? During a particularly bad losing streak, I was unable to eat lunch for a couple days. I stopped playing cold turkey. What did I learn? Gambling is a rush, but that's not always a good thing. Someone else is always trying to gain an edge, fair or unfair. Don't bet what you can't afford to lose.
Pre-teen Candy Mogul
My second memory was of a 12-year old entrepreneur. Chip was a kind of a big kid, he looked like he had been held back a grade once and could have easily been the school bully. Instead, he sold us candy. I remember in particular he sold Charms Blow-Pops for 25¢ each and Crybaby Extra-Sour Gum and Atomic Fireballs at 10¢ each. I was a regular customer, as was most of our school. His backpack was 80% candy and 20% books.
I remember thinking he was pretty smart back then, but as an adult I am even more impressed.
- He had a monopoly. Who else could sell candy directly to kids at school? Competition is also rare when you weigh 20lbs more than everyone else. Besides, it was against the rules, and I was too scared to try and pull something like that off.
- Smart pricing. He chose simple pricing, and at about the same price as 7-11 convenience stores. He even gave discounts for bulk purchases – instead of 10¢ each, you could get 3 for 25¢. Instead of 25¢ each, you could get 5 for $1. Even us slower folks could figure out that was a better deal.
- Smart buying. I even recall running into him at Sam's Club buying candy. I would guess that's as close to wholesale as you can get as a 6th grader. This also meant that his parents were in on the scheme, or even encouraged it?! Ethicists would go nuts.
Running rough numbers in my head, I would say he maintained a 100%
profit margin markup on all his candy. That gum couldn't have cost more than 5 cents apiece. He probably made around $10-$20 a day in net profit, tax free! Sure, this was probably illegal in various ways – no business license, on school grounds, too young, non-existent tax reporting – but I like to imagine Chip as the CEO of some huge multi-national corporation now.
Is it bad that both of these stories involve illicit activities?


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Discuss in Forums {mos_smf_discuss:Wilson}
By Brian Wilson, CCNA, CCSE, CCAI, MCP, Network+, Security+, JNCIA
Recently while traveling I noticed a hot spot and wanted to surf the internet. Once I connected to the AP I had seen that they wanted to charge me $8 per day to surf the internet. I thought that was just too much money for a quick internet connection, and my layover between flights was about 3 hours. I decided to see what I could access while connected to there AP.
Disclaimer: This paper and the topics covered in the paper are just for educational purposes and should not be tried on a network without the permission from the owner of the network you plan on testing. I hold no responsibility for any actions or damage that might accrue if you try anything explained in this paper. "Do not do this at home kids" hacking/cracking/pen testing might be harmful to your health.
Well I got to their splash screen, and it would allow me to surf on that page and the local ISP's home page (the local ISP was their sponsor). Any other sites would not work and forced my browser back to the slash screen that was insistant that I pay them the eight dollars. With my experience in setting up content portals on APs, I noticed this portal acted a lot like Monowall (http://www.m0n0.ch/). Since I know how the security features in Monowall worked (using MAC addresses to block content), I wondered if I could get past the portal's firewall without paying the service fee. I wanted to do this just to see if it could be done and to gage the security of this network. Well first thing I did was scan the subnet I was on to see what I could access. For the scanning software I used Cain & Able (http://www.oxid.it/), and I also used SoftPerfect's Network Scanner (http://www.softperfect.com/). The reason I used Cain & able was because it provided an easy to use interface. I also wanted to see if the hosts on the subnet with me were visible, and if they could be pinged.
Cain & Able Sniffers menu.
SoftPerfect Network Scanner
Once I received the results of the scanned subnet, I could see all of the other computers along side of me. I noted that the content filter/firewall claimed all of the unused IPs, but I was able to see the difference from the firewall's MAC address and the other PCs' MAC addresses. I then tried a ping test, and I got responses to my pings. I was able to verify the hosts were active, and, with a little sniffing, I could see who was pulling traffic outside of the firewalls restrictions. So thus far I have found that the firewall was not letting me out of the network freely, but I was able to play inside of the LAN subnet without interaction. I am able to scan and sniff the local subnet, and the firewall is not blocking me from the other hosts on the subnet. Now it is time to see if spoofing my MAC address with another paid PC would let me out to surf. I used EtherChange (www.ntsecurity.nu/toolbox) to clone my MAC address to match one of the other PCs I noticed pulling lots of traffic.
EtherChange by www.NTSecurity.NU
Low and behold this was the key to getting past the content filter firewall, and I am able to surf the internet without the firewall's blocks. I now checked with my sniffer to make sure I did not stop the internet connection from the nice PC that loaned me it's MAC address. Good news was that the firewall let us both surf the internet with different IPs and the same MAC address. I conclude that this content filter was only blocking users by MAC address, and once you paid the fee and had your MAC address added to it's white list, any PC with that MAC was also free to surf the internet. This kind of MAC
security is the same that many home APs use to mislead customers into thinking that they are secure.
I see this as a real flaw, and it is not a real security feature as anyone that has basic skills can get around it. With this being the security on that network, I only hope the Airport uses better security on their internal network. I am now ready to test the next AP that blocks my internet to see how it implements security. Please note I did pay for service after testing the AP, and I was not cracking anything. Some day soon people will understand the need of real network security, and the internet will be a safer place. Remember that tricking a paid service for free service is stealing, and there are consequences. So be ready to pay the price if you get caught. I do not recommend trying anything that I have explained here without the specific permission of the owner of that network.
Brian Wilson (email@example.com) has over 12 years experience in IT starting with a tour in the United States Army. He has worked in and out of the US Government in many different organizations and technical roles including a stint as a Cisco Certified Instructor. Currently he works for one of the largest US broadband providers (ISP) as a Senior Data/Voice Engineer supporting over 3 million High Speed Internet/ VoIP subscribers. He has attained a number of industry credentials covering many aspects of IT including CCNA, CCSE, CCAI, MCP, JNCIA, Network+, Security+, and many DoD Certifications. He also uses his knowledge of IT to benefit a number of charitable organizations. Clearly Brian's knowledge and interests are wide, and his affinity for philanthropy will be the overiding theme of his vast set of articles and videos.


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{Pin this}
Just a little maple syrup sweetens this delicious custard. It has the creamiest texture with coconut milk which can help boost energy if those levels are depleted after the holidays. We enjoyed this for Christmas dinner but it would be perfect for New Year's Eve or any holiday.
Also because this does not contain eggs, no need to bake. After heating a few of the ingredients on the stove, blend everything together in a Vita Mix or with immersion blender and let set at room temperature until cool then refridgerate until time to serve.This can be made a day ahead for even easier entertaining.
This recipe is also very versatile. For a unique flavor, try adding peppermint extract, cinnamon and chili for Mexi-twist, powdered ginger, or rosemary for a gourmet taste. This recipe can be changed in so many ways. I'd love to hear what you try!
Creamy Vegan Chocolate Custard
1 can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any other unsweetened milk of choice)
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (dairy-free if sensitive)
3/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tb maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp course sea salt plus extra for topping if preferred
2 tsp agar agar powder
1/3 cup cashews (this can be omitted if you need nut-free, just add another 1/2 tsp of agar agar powder)
1. Heat milks, chocolate chips and agar agar powder until it starts to boil. Let simmer for a minute or two until chocolate chips are mostly melted.
2. Add everything to a blender and blend until completely incorporated. Pour into a large dish or several individual ramekins. Let sit at room temperature until cool then refridgerate until time to serve.
Serve with orange or mandarin slices and coffee, hot mint tea, or crystallized ginger.
{Pin this}
Question of the Day: What is your favorite flavor of chocolate bar?
I love sea salt and almond chocolate bars or a spicy chocolate bar with chili. My favorite all time chocolate bar is pink sea salt and goji berries but I don't think they sell it anymore.


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Veteran passionately defends Second Amendment at Chicago anti-gun forum
Steve Watson
Jan 23, 2013
A pro-gun control meeting held by New Trier Democrats in Glenview, Chicago, turned into a raucous exchange Sunday when most of the audience members took offense to comparisons of gun enthusiasts to Nazis.
The event was labeled as a forum on "Guns and Public Safety" and a "space for real conversation," however, it quickly became clear that the organisers were vehemently in favour of strict gun control measures, and very much against the protection of Second Amendment rights.
Audience members felt they were being subjected to one sided presentations and slideshows, and attempted to question the speakers at the event, only to be repeatedly told they could not speak and should reserve their questions and comments for the Q&A at the end.
Speakers included Mark Walsh, campaign director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence; Lee Goodman, of the Stop Concealed Carry Coalition; and Northfield residents Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins of the Million Moms March and her husband, author and gun control advocate Bill Jenkins.
It was emphatically obvious that the event represented an all out assault on Second Amendment advocates, and over two thirds of the 160 strong crowd began to shout down the speakers in protest.
At one point, as reported by the Wilmette Sun Times, speaker Bill Jenkins referred to manufacturers of guns and ammunition as "A desperate group of people that are really in financial trouble."
Things got really heated, however, when Jenkins displayed a photograph of a Nazi rally on a screen with the caption, "this is what a gun show looks like". Following that he displayed a picture of a chihuahua with the words "this is what I think the NRA really is".
The verbal exchanges between organisers, speakers and audience members went back and forth, and became even more heated when Lee Goodman of the Stop Concealed Carry Coalition responded to a question about the intentions of the Founders when they included the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights. Goodman stated that "it didn't matter," and said "all that matters is whether or not it's relevant today."
That comment was enough for one member of the audience, also a combat veteran, who stood up and passionately defended the Bill of Rights and the Second Amendment:
"I've sat here [inaudible] and I'd like to agree with the professor. Everyone standing in this room right now, especially the veterans in the room right now, know, that we are all Americans. The problem with this country right now is it's us and it's f***ing them. We need to stop this crap."
"I went to war for your ability to have the First Amendment, to say what you stood up there and said today, to write what you want to write in your newspaper, and have whatever opinion you want to have." the man stated.
"You can practice whatever religious freedoms you want. I would like you to answer the question, since you just said that one of the rights that I went to war over to defend, that is inalienable, to every American citizen. If this discussion was going on, about your First Amendment rights, would you still have the same opinion that we don't need that any more either?" he asked Goodman.
Goodman argued that his comments had been misunderstood and stated "When they consider any part of the Constitution, any law, they're going to say, 'what does it mean today?'"
To which the veteran shot back "The threat of tyranny, today, is no less than at the turn of the century in 1900, in 1800, or in 1700!"
The crowd then erupted into applause. Watch the video:
After the event was over, organiser and speaker Mark Walsh attempted to downplay the backlash, describing the crowd's reaction as "pretty tame".
Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones' Infowars.com, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham, and a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Literature and Creative Writing from Nottingham Trent University.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!


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Bonifacio Global City High Street South OFFICE SPACE UNITS For SALE SOON
According to the property market research giant - Jones Lang Lasalle* Leechiu, the Philippine property market shall have an OFFICE SUPPLY DEFICIT by 2015. Thus ALVEO now presents you Office Spaces For sale at High Street South!
The building location is primed at 26th corner 9th at Bonifacio Global City, Taguig - The most modern premier financial district of the Philippines. It is also located within High Street South - the cultural district of BGC.
The building footprint is around 7,000 SQM, where the the podium of the building shall rise. On the Podium, stands the Twin Boxy and Glassy office buildings, one being taller than the other.
The first two floors shall be commercial units for lease by Ayala Malls, then the four consecutive floors shall house the parking allotments. The office space units will start at the Podium with 22-levels of 95 to 250 SQM mixed units in a floor.
Combining units are permitted. The parking allocation is one appurtenant parking slot per 70 SQM of office space.
The high-speed elevators are zoned, much like how you experience elevator zoning at Ayala Tower One with low-zone and high-zone.
The tenant mix is preferred to be low-density corporate offices.
Property management will be under the expertise of Ayala Property Management Corp.
The turnover is 2017.
We are now accepting Letters of Intent for submission to ALVEO for the Priority Selling Event.


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Drinking can cost a lot. Think about how much you spend per week and per year on alcohol.
One drink means one 12-ounce bottle of beer. It means one 12-ounce wine cooler. It means one 5-ounce glass of wine. It means one 1.5 ounces of 80-proof spirits.
Drinking costs you per week. It costs per year.
A daily drink may lower the risk for heart attack and stroke in some people. But the American Heart Association advises you not to start drinking if you don't already drink alcohol. This is because it's not possible to predict which people will have problems with alcoholism. Keep your alcohol use at a moderate level. This means no more than 2 drinks per day for men and no more than 1 drink a day for women.
About 17 million Americans have an alcohol problem. Drinking too much can greatly harm your health.
Heavy drinking may raise the risk for some cancers. Heavy drinking may also cause high blood pressure, heart disease, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, immune system problems, brain damage, and hepatitis. Drinking while pregnant can harm your unborn child. Some of these problems develop over time.
Heavy drinking can lead to problems with the nervous system. It can also cause mental health problems.
Drinking raises the risk for car crashes. It causes accidents in the home. Drinking can also lead to public disorder, family abuse, and economic or social problems. People who have been drinking are more likely to commit violent crimes and suicide.
Drinking can lead to problems on the job such as missing work and poor quality of work. Drinking problems cost the U.S. about $250 billion per year. Most of the cost (about 72%) results from loss of work productivity.
This information should not replace a doctor's care. Always talk with your doctor for advice concerning your health.


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Was filming at Fujisawa high school this time last Friday for a segment on a TV show which I'm producing called Culture:Japan. Will be first aired on Tokyo MX TV June 12th from 21:00 – 21:30 and then all over Asia on the Animax Network.
You've seen what high schools look like in 2D anime and I have always wanted to show you what it looks like in 3D real life. The great folks at Fujisawa High School let us go to film their classes, sporting activities and most importantly the Keion-bu [軽音部] (after school music activities) which was just like the anime – live action K-ON!
The whole experience at Fujisawa was fascinating – I kept pointing at things saying "its just like anime!"
The visit to Fujisawa really made me want to go back to school ^^; I sat in a few of the lessons and wish I could have participated as a student instead. In many of the lessons, I saw the teachers encouraging the students to participate in discussion and interact with each other. From what I observed, the students are extremely diligent, creative and enjoy working in groups.
We were assigned 3 students from the keion-bu who we followed around for the day.
This is one of our assigned students – snap taken after we interrogated her locker – watch the show to see whats on the top shelf inside!
We also got to look around the embroidery class too. Regret selling my Postbed machine as I need it back again.
Some of the classes such as embroidery and cooking require a change of shoes.
Just like anime! *points*
In the grounds marking the landing spot before the Imperial Shuttle arrives.
Baseball storage.
Saw many examples of teamwork being exercised through the baseball activities. While filming on the pitch I kept thinking about the anime series Touch.
Other sporting activities in the field included sprinting and football.
Uploaded the wallpaper for this to Flickr.
Forgot to ask about the cloth on the drums – to muffle the sound?
These students just recently joined Fujisawa – 1st year students.
Didn't have anything like after school club activities back in the UK during my time – when it hit 15:30, folks either went home to watch cartoons or hang around at the arcades.
What did/do you do after schooling?
With the keion 3rd year students who are about to do some practicing.
The after school activities (Bukatsu) [部活] are non compulsory (for most schools) but most of the students attend and practice. If I was a student now I'd probably go for computing, badminton or piano.
Are after school club activities existent in your kingdom? If so what do they offer and what did you take?
I was highly impressed at how diligent the students were at what they were studying and am slightly confused why some foreigners in Japan refuse to let their children go to a Japanese school. I even know folks who left Japan after they had kids because they didn't like the thought of their children going through Japanese education. How would you rate the quality of school education in your kingdom?
Entrance to Fujisawa school.
Toukou [登校] is the word used to describe one attending school but also used to describe the bit when they actually arrive at the school gates and go inside.
Filming in the corridors…
Filming at the school entrance. We took a few hours of film enough to make a whole documentary but can only fit in about 7 mins for the Japanese broadcast edition of Culture:Japan which is only a 30 min show. The Animax version of Culture:Japan will be an hour and feature about 20 mins of Fujisawa school coverage.
And this is my locker ^^;
Rest/study area.
Lost n found box. I love how Japanese society is (generally) so organized.
I left a new phone on a train once and let a member of staff at the station know. They asked me which train/carriage. They managed to figure out where the train was and arranged for a member of staff to fetch my phone for me. Needless to say I was highly impressed.
Mirrors in corridor to enable the students to make sure their skirt is long enough?
The dress code was very interesting. Girls wore different colored skirt/shirt combination's even though they were in the same year and some of the boys came in T-shirts. Uniform dress code in your neck of the woods strict or lax?
The girl at the back of the class just walked in ^^;
The vice principal was the chap who supervised the filming.
Getting a high school to let us film on their grounds required jumping through barbed wire flaming hoops – we nearly got the go ahead to film the school that Lucky Star was based on but got turned down right at the end ^^;
The approval process to film at a school is lengthy and involves parents committees and wot not.
It has however always been a goal of mine to show you something like this and I've always been asking for the possibility to film at a high school for the past few years and am extremely pleased to be able to bring you the piece.
Obstacles exist to be overcome. Obstacles exist to be in the path to a destination.
Mt Fuji is visible on a clear day from the other side of the school – we head out to see if its clear enough.
Tis indeed a clear day but Mt Fuji is covered with low clouds. The Japanese word for Cloud is Kumo [雲].
Taking a break at the road that leads up to the school entrance.
"Please take your dogs poo *home*"
Bicycles are parked in designated areas depending on the year you are in.
I'm giving an English lesson for the morning.
Please fill in the gaps.
One of the questions you wanted me to ask the students was "what anime do you watch" and I made sure to ask as many as I could.
The top answers are in this order:-
2.One Piece
Many of them didn't even know about Haruhi or Keion. But the main reason is that titles like Keion are shown at the early hours of the morning – that's when these students are sleeping. Naruto, One Piece and Conan are shown at prime time regular hours when these students are likely to be home watching. Most of these students don't dabble with torrents or wot not either.
Could have spoken to the students all day but had a schedule to follow just like the students ^^;
Off to the next lesson.
Trying to sneak into the back of this mathematics class.
Talking to this first year student about maths and whether she would like to join the empire. She is also a keion-bu member. I'll probably have the next giveaway question as "guess what instrument she plays."
My kanji calligraphy is more than terrible! Interesting to see that all the calligraphy students were female.
Next time we'll have a look at the painting classes.
Time to be slaughtered at judo.
Being slaughtered.
The teacher makes sure to remind the students to bow to each other after a match.
The rubbish section – all of this to be disposed of. I want a few of those desks!
Small but very Japanese and most importantly – just like anime! Are desks this small in your school?
And as you have seen in anime and manga – students eat their lunch in class. Parents typically make bento lunch boxes for their kids to eat in the 40 mins that they have for their lunch time. Our student makes us a gorgeous bento – you can see what it looks like on the show ^^
One of these students wants to work in organizing weddings, one wants to do volunteer work and visit the UK and one wants to work in the medical field.
Computer classes. Our student is studying some visual basic. I ask her why students have three monitors each. She explains how one of the monitor shows instructions from the teacher and that the other monitor (attached to another machine) is a backup for when her current Windows machine freezes. I ask if it freezes often and she says yes @.@
Why do some school uniform figma's come with two sets of shoes? Because students leave their outdoor shoes at the entrance and change into their indoor shoes. Indoor shoes are called "Uwabaki" [上履き].
Fujisawa school however does not enforce uwabaki anymore but students still need to have different shoes depending on the classes they are taking like PE indoors/outdoors.
The cameraman for today was Korean and he mentioned how the school layout/classes/tables and even school chime looks/sounds exactly like it is in Korea. Do the photos of Fujisawa resemble your school in anyway?
Time for a break back at temporary base.
Studying during ones Summer break means that you keep in tip top shape. These booklets contain Summer course info for students. The booklet on the right says on the cover:-
You have the ability to not loose to anyone
While I speak Japanese fluently, my translating ability is lousy which is a good and bad thing. Its good because it means I don't need to think in English before converting it into Japanese and also means that I can learn new Japanese words from Japanese.
The downer is that my work is increasingly requiring me to be able to fluently translate between English and Japanese.
Some poster art by the students – I see a musume up there!
Find out on the show what awesomeness I just spotted ^^;
Guess what this is for.
Load of notice boards all over the school with…notable notices.
The girl with the long hair insisted and I could not say no.
I think this was outside the cooking class – will take a look at that in the next batch of photos.
Everybody on the field has to wear a helmet – including the camera man.
The school have their own baseball pitch and tennis courts.
Students get ready for keion practice.
Back with the first year students practicing.
Keion third year students gather in one of the main seminar rooms.
Familiar faces throughout the day gather at the end to give us a score.
The after school club activities really do bring the students together and encourage teamwork. The teachers help identify the students strengths and assign them with responsibilities that match their potential.
I was highly impressed at the standards.
Many of the students are very sweet indeed – shame the photos cant show their personality. Some of them look like they just stepped out of an anime ^^;
More from these lads in the next post.
And that's it for today – more photos soon.


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New Jersey's dry spell has led to below-normal stream flows in most of the state, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
In part of North Jersey, stream flows are equivalent to what happens during a moderate drought, according to a USGS map.
And it looks like it will remain dry through Monday, at least in Neptune, according to the National Weather Service.
Check out these maps:


text:
Navy veteran remembers service at Veterans Day Parade
Second Class Petty Officer Brian Disney served nearly 50 years ago
Music filled the air in Fayetteville Square Sunday as people lined the street to show their support for veterans at Sunday's Veterans Day Parade.
Flags surrounded the square to honor men and women who have served the United States. Second Class Petty Officer Brian Disney, a U.S. Navy veteran, served almost 50 years ago.
"That was back in the day when we would go into the Mediterranean Sea and spend six months each year," he said.
Disney served in the navy for four years.
"We realize, most all of us, got by easy in relation to what others did," Disney said.
Disney is now a pastor and said he appreciates the support from the community. However, there are many more military members who made the ultimate sacrifice.
"There's men that really deserve our appreciation," he said. "And, most of us, you know, we just kind of did the thing that was needful and you don't think of it in terms of sacrifice."
Disney said everyone was connected to or supported the U.S. effort in World War II when he was growing up. He said that's not the case with contemporary wars, making the troops' jobs more challenging.
The Northwest Arkansas Veterans Day Association held a concert on the square after Sunday's parade.


text: Emma Fisher A3 Print 0/5 (0 reviews) Back in the 80s, the UK came together to kick-start decades of fundraising to help seriously ill children. Thousands of people united to support Great Ormond Street Hospital's Wishing Well Appeal, and it became the largest ever appeal of its kind. Then. Now. Always is a campaign celebrating 30 years since the appeal, and 30 years of support. In celebration of the campaign, a group of leading designers and illustrators have joined forces to create a limited collection of bespoke artworks. This exclusive artwork has been inspired by the distinctive colours and style of the 80s and produced exclusively for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. Features: Size: A3 (297x420mm) Digital indigo print on 324gsm Mohawk Superfine Ultra-white paper Limited Edition of 100 Code: TN8103 Share this page on: £10.99 Add to Wishlist Delivery & Returns Add to basket Customer Reviews Add your Review There are currently no reviews for this product Add your Review


text:
Peer-Reviewed Publications
Found 610 resultsTitle
Medicaid-based child restraint system disbursement and education and the vaccines for children program: comparative cost-effectiveness." Ambul Pediatr. 2008;8(1):58-65."
Methods for determining pediatric thoracic force-deflection characteristics from cardiopulmonary resuscitation." Stapp Car Crash J. 2008;52:83-105."
National young-driver survey: teen perspective and experience with factors that affect driving safety." Pediatrics. 2008;121(5):e1391-403."
Novel Linkage of Individual and Geographic Data to Study Firearm Violence." Homicide Stud. 2008;12(3):298-320."
Quantitative end-tidal carbon dioxide in acute exacerbations of asthma." J. Pediatr.. 2008;152(6):829-32."
Rear-facing car safety seats: getting the message right." Pediatrics. 2008;121(3):619-20."
The relationship between community violence exposure and mental health symptoms in urban adolescents." J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2008;15(10):833-49."
Relationship Violence Among Female and Male College Undergraduate Students." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(7):634-41."
Relationships among psychological functioning, dental anxiety, pain perception, and coping in children and adolescents." J Dent Child (Chic). 2008;75(3):243-51."
Risk factors for death among older child and teenaged motor vehicle passengers." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2008;162(3):253-60."
Seating patterns and corresponding risk of injury among 0- to 3-year-old children in child safety seats." Pediatrics. 2008;121(5):e1342-7."
SUV rollover in single vehicle crashes and the influence of ESC and SSF." Ann Adv Automot Med. 2008;52:3-8."
Teen driver crash risk and associations with smoking and drowsy driving." Accid Anal Prev. 2008;40(3):869-76."
Unlicensed teenaged drivers: who are they, and how do they behave when they are behind the wheel?" Pediatrics. 2008;122(5):e994-1000."
Using health communication best practices to develop a web-based provider-patient communication aid: the CONNECT study." Patient Educ Couns. 2008;71(3):378-87."
Breathing difficulty and tinnitus among children exposed to airbag deployment." Accid Anal Prev. 2007;39(3):624-8."
Car safety seats for children: rear facing for best protection." Inj. Prev.. 2007;13(6):398-402."
Child passenger injury risk in sibling versus non-sibling teen driver crashes: a US study." Inj. Prev.. 2007;13(3):207-10."
Effect of booster seat laws on appropriate restraint use by children 4 to 7 years old involved in crashes." Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;161(3):270-5."
Emergency department evaluation and management of blunt abdominal trauma in children." Curr. Opin. Pediatr.. 2007;19(3):265-9."
Feasibility Study of SIMon in Predicting Head Injuries in Children. Seattle, Washington; 2007.
Field use patterns and performance of child restraints secured by lower anchors and tethers for children (LATCH)." Accid Anal Prev. 2007;39(3):530-5."
Gender differences in relational and physical aggression. ." Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal. 2007;35(1):41-50."
Identifying interventions that promote belt-positioning booster seat use for parents with low educational attainment." J Trauma. 2007;63(3 Suppl):S29-38."
Lower extremity injuries in children seated in forward facing child restraint systems." Traffic Inj Prev. 2007;8(2):171-9."


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This two-for-one table adds space for extra players without disturbing anything on the tabletop.
By Glen Huey
Pages: 66-72
From the October 2006 issue #157
Buy this issue now
I was asked to design and build a gaming table. For me that is a table for playing pinochle or euchre, or a comfortable table for working a jigsaw puzzle with family members. So I set about working to accomplish my task by designing toward card-table dimensions when I stumbled across a television show of the extremely popular "Texas hold 'em" card game. As I looked at the players spaced around the table I questioned the direction I had chosen.
I needed a design that could expand into a larger table. I needed leaves! But table leaves are a constant nuisance. If you need to store them away from the table they take up too much closet space and are always getting dents and dings. If the leaves store in the table, you need to open it completely to install them.
Then I remembered a seldom-used design that could provide me with exactly what I was searching to find: the draw-leaf or Dutch pull-out table. In this design, the leaves store directly under the main top of the table and extend outward from each end when pulled from the table's base. The main top floats upward as the leaves are extended and will fit flush with the leaf when it is fully brought out. The fascinating aspect of this design is that the leaves may be extended even if the table is being used for the family puzzle. No need to remove anything from the top – just slide the leaves out!
From the October 2006 issue #157
Buy this issue now
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Sorry this is late, took a day off to catch up and visit James' brand new son.
Friday evening began on the tube with Frank; we were heading off to the Coach and Horses in Soho to meet Den, Bill, Roge and my bro. Den and my bro were already there and we caught up over some ales, Bill joined us later with his assistants, he's a rather accomplished fashion photographer but doesn't bear the scars of being a conceited little prick as so many in that business do. After a while we said a fond farewell to our friends and in my case family, Bill and I went on to the Theatre Arts Club to carry on our Friday. Bill lives in Paris and was staying at a plush hotel off the Tottenham Court road. After more drinks at the club (a dance, even, I was getting pretty squiffy, I don't do dancing) we grabbed some greasy food on the corner of Oxford Street and headed back to his place.
The following morning Bill and I chatted as our heads cleared with tea on the vast balcony overlooking London to the East and West. Waking up hungover in a hotel in your hometown offers one the chance to see ones city through alien eyes, London seemed extraordinarily beautiful and fresh, it was mild and sunny and walking back to the tube it almost felt as if was a tourist enjoying experiencing a place for the first time. After I arrived home I took a long bath and did some writing prior to the usual Saturday shop, my intention following was to stay in and watch movies but Jamie called to enquire of my movements in the evening, there was no way I was turning that down. Our attempt to find a pub that wasn't showing the Rugby was fruitless so we found a place that wasn't stuffed full with too many no necked skins and got ourselves ensconced. As luck would have it Frank arrived with his missus, none of us being Rugby fans we followed the 'if you can't beat them join them' mantra and decided to enjoy the match with derogatory comments from our little group at the expense of players and fans alike. It was even rather nice when England eventually won.
Because I had to get up early the following day Jamie and I didn't go too over the top with the beers, we had a can each and a couple of joints with some Hawkwind on our return but were in bed before 1am. I was up by 9am, Myfwt arrived shortly after and I made breakfast for everyone, by 10am, Jamie had gone and Myfwt and I were getting ready to sit on the black bitch.
Unless you have experience of something its very hard to know how it actually feels by proxy. Take yesterday for example, being absorbed into a pack of forty bikers on the M25 all heading for same destination on powerful machines with similar bhp, braking and handling capacity. The pace was frenetic, most cruised at 100 to 120 with the odd machine flying past at breakneck speeds and backing off until the pack was once again uniform. Along the way, other groups and riders joined the melee, some filtered through, some clung on. It's virtually impossible to convey this euphoric sensation unless you've experienced it; for the riders yesterday it's innate, a given, by the very fact you're on board a powerful bike and heading for Brands Hatch means you all have a fundamental understanding of 'it' and each other, in its purest of form it's a brotherhood.
The final round of the British Superbikes was always going to be a charged affair, season enders always are and the sublime October weather just added that little extra, when out of the bike gear I spent the entire day in a t-shirt in the sunshine. Myfwt and I met my dad after we arrived at Brands glowing from our journey. We had tea and settled down in an area between Paddock (a sweeping left hander that drops sharply away) and Druid's (an unforgiving hairpin at the top of the hill) to watch the racing.
The best part of any motorcycle race is the start, the huge crescendo of sound as the revs redline to time the split second the lights go out, the roar as the power is applied in unison and 50 machines thunder into the entrance of one tiny corner is enough to make the biggest and hairiest of motorheads swoon. Where we were stood we could see the pack enter turn one, Paddock, drop onto their right knees in horizontal succession to ride the corner before partially straightening and applying the power down the short hill that dips and rises up to meet Druids.
Dad first took me to Brands when I was 4, on my first visit I saw a photographer get decapitated by a formula 3 car when it's aerofoil broke and it lifted off catching the unfortunate chap in the neck, I was saved the rest of the graphics by my dads large hand covering my eyes. Despite this I've been at least once every single year of my life, always with the old man and on occasion, the odd guest. It's a very special place, I've been lucky enough to ride on the circuit, indeed Mywt and dad have ridden it too, the former in the latter's sidecar and it's generally regarded, when all is said and done, to be the best circuit in the world.
We were perfectly positioned to watch three high-speed spills, a combination of extreme danger, physics and poetry. On every occasion when the riders stood to their feet following the fall the crowd would heartily applaud their survival. Annoyingly a crowd favourite, 'Shaky' Sean Byrne binned his Kawasaki as he was about to take the lead off the now new BSB 2007 Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari, the bike flipped him off (it's called a 'highside' dear reader) as he excited Paddock and Shaky slid through the gravel trap at 120mph before coming to a rest a few feet from where we were stood, the accident was so beautiful I nearly burst into tears. He got a standing ovation.
After each race some of the riders would gather in front of us on the circuit and light up their rear tyres (known as a burnout, the front brake is applied and the rear wheel spins on the asphalt) and amid plumes of tyre smoke politely waved at thousands of grinning faces.
I was enjoying myself so much that I had a pre-emptive strike of nostalgia, as I was stood there with my dad beside me and Myfwt sitting on the ground watching the bikes roar past I knew I was having a day that would be one of those that flashed before my eyes in my final seconds. After saying bye to dad the ride back home was the icing on the cake. This time I took point, I spearheaded dozens of bikes setting a rapid but manageable pace down the motorway, I warned the group at signs of police and they responded, when I felt it safe to perform iffy undertaking manoeuvres they followed. Myfwt, the perfect pillion, was also providing some sort of entertainment by displaying the top of her buns to the bikers behind. But perhaps the best part of all was when I slowed to come off the M25 for Dorking and they all passed waving us goodbye.
We shot through Surrey picking up a few Sunday riders coming home from Boxhill and kept the pace up until hitting a crowded A3. I was stuck behind some little twat in a hatchback sitting in the outside lane at 50 gassing to his bird, I flashed him, beeped but he still refused to move over so I was forced to aggressively undertake the prick making it clear that I was displeased with him with gestures. Myfwt later said he and his girlfriend looked petrified, which delighted me, and we raced off leaving him miles behind in seconds before arriving home exhilarated and sated in equal measures.
My granddad once told me this. 'Claret for boys, Bordeaux for men and Champagne for heroes'. Champagne it was then, with roasted duck and potatoes for dinner followed by a Bob Dylan odyssey on BBC4 which moved me to tears. I was emotionally charged you see, I reckon I'd just had one of the best days of my life.


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Texas Tech fired Pat Knight on Monday, ending a disappointing three-year run for a coach who failed to lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA tournament after taking over for his famous father.
Knight will coach the Red Raiders at this week's Big 12 tournament and then step down, school spokesman Blayne Beal said.
Knight is 50-60 in his first Division I coaching job and his third full year as head coach. He had only one winning season (19-16 in 2009-10) at Texas Tech after taking over for Bob Knight at midseason in February 2008.
Knight, who did not immediately return a call seeking comment Monday, seemed to know he might be dismissed in comments about the Red Raiders program following a 71-68 home loss to Colorado on Feb. 23.
"We've lost seven games in the last minute," he said. "This program is competitive. But that's not for me. I mean, honestly, I'm going to be coaching here, I'm going to be coaching somewhere else. I've proven I can coach. I run a clean program, I don't cheat, my players graduate and we have discipline. So if you don't want me here there's going to be someone else that wants me."
Texas Tech president Guy Bailey said it was time for a change.
"I appreciate everything Pat has done for our university, not only as a head coach, but also throughout his career as an assistant," Bailey said in a prepared statement. "I wish him success and the best moving forward."
Knight played under his father at Indiana University from 1991-1995 and later worked as a scout for the Phoenix Suns. He was an assistant for the CBA's Connecticut Pride and was a coach in both the International Basketball Association and the U.S. Basketball League.
Pat Knight was also at Indiana and at Akron University before joining his father as an assistant at Texas Tech in 2001.
The elder Knight took the Red Raiders to the NCAA tournament, but the success didn't come as easily for Pat Knight. The Red Raiders got to the quarterfinals of the NIT last season, losing at Mississippi 90-87 in double overtime.
At the beginning of the season, with six seniors on his squad, Knight said he didn't deserve a contract extension if he did not get the team to the NCAA tournament. Going into the league tournament, Texas Tech is 13-18 overall and 5-11 in the Big 12.
Knight's team won just three Big 12 regular season games in 2008-09 — one was against No. 9 Kansas — and he openly criticized officiating twice in a three-week span. The Big 12 slapped him with a public reprimand and a one-game suspension.
Last season, the Red Raiders won just four regular season conference games.
In his comments Feb. 23, Knight said he's never shied away from his famous pedigree.
"I'd have been smart if I'd just played baseball and never got into coaching," he said. "The two things I'm most proud of that I've done: I went to Indiana and played at Indiana, for my dad. And I took over for him here. So people can write and say whatever they want about me but the one thing they can't say is that I ever took the safe or easy way out."
Pat Knight fired by Texas Tech
Texas Tech fired Pat Knight on Monday, ending a disappointing three-year run for a coach who failed to lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA tournament after taking over for his famous father.


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Friday, September 25, 2009
Martin Armstrong - The Collapse of the Rule of Law--A Prelude to Disaster!
Posted byDavos at7:04 PM
World View & Market Commentary.
Forest first; Trees second.
Focused on Real & Knowable facts that filter through the "experts" fluff and media hyperbole. Where we've been, what the future may hold and developing a better way forward.


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An Elan home control system and a 14-kW solar array help achieve record energy efficiencies.
It's one of the most energy-efficient and green homes in the United States, but some of its high-tech energy-saving features would not be possible without a full-blasted home control system from Elan Home Systems.
The "Power Haus" in Sarasota, Fla., claims the lowest HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score in the United States, a negative 22, which means the house produces more energy than it uses. (A score of zero means it produces all its own energy.) The house also scored 118 LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) points, making it one of the highest-scoring LEED homes in the country.
A large part of making the home so energy-efficient was the green building techniques of custom homebuilder Josh Wynne, president of Josh Wynne Construction. Wynne filled the walls with super-efficient foam insulation, coated the topside of the interior's elegant tongue-and-groove ceiling with spray foam insulation and installed a Uni-Solar Flex-Lite solar array that covers more than half of the roof and produces 14.2 kilowatts of electricity. Because so much energy is produced, the homeowners can sell power back to their electrical company.
Efficiency Through Simplicity
Managing many of the home's energy-saving systems, such as the LED (light emitting diode) lamps and the state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems is the IP-based ELAN g! Home Control System. The system also controls the security, surveillance, whole-house audio/video and pool and spa from the owner's iPad, iPhones and Elan in-wall touchscreens.
The Elan system was installed by of Sarasota-based SmartHouse Integration and given the stamp of approval by builder Wynne. "Not all of my clients are super tech-savvy, and neither am I, so I like things that are simple and reliable," said Wynne.
Wynne also knew that all the technology in the home needed to be tied together in a simple, convenient way for the homeowners to control and manage. "Simplicity was the key with the homeowners," says SmartHouse Integration president Mark van den Broek.
Controlling Efficiencies
Important efficiencies are also gained by tying home systems together. The lighting, HVAC and security systems have occupancy sensing so when the owners arm the system and leave the house, the home goes into a low-energy "Away" mode. It's like putting a computer to sleep, only you're doing it to the whole house.
"You can tie the systems together, but we're tuning it so they speak to each other and react to the programming we designed," van den Broek says. "When the security talks to lighting system and the pool, and we write programs that make all that efficiency possible, that's when it really, really starts to save energy."
Even a dehumidification system—vital in Florida—is operated and automated by the Elan g! system. SmartHouse also provided the homeowners quick access to the Uni-Solar web portal where they can check on the solar system's electricity production. This is available on the two Elan TS7 7-inch touchpanels and three TS2 2-inch in-wall touchpads. (They can view the solar system's web portal via Internet on their iPad and two iPhones.) The owners also can check their own electricity consumption via the Elan g! system's running history of the power used by everything on its network.
Plenty of Entertainment, Too
With six flat-panel indoor HDTVs and another on the deck, the Power Haus is no slouch in the media department. To complement the video system, 14 speakers are distributed through eight audio zones, including two outdoor rock speakers. The media systems can play content from three DirecTV feeds, two Blu-ray players, XM satellite radio, Pandora Internet radio, AM/FM radio and an Elan VIA!migo iPod dock.
Water Saving Features
Lest we forget, the Power Haus also saves water, which is important in many regions. As Jetson Green reports:
Landscape irrigation is eliminated through the use of a native and drought tolerant plant palate. Rainwater is captured from 100 percent of the roof area and feeds a 6,000 [gallon] cistern for future interior use (once the code catches up and allows filtered rainwater at the tap) and is currently used within the horse stables. Interior water use is reduced through low-flow fixtures and dual-flush toilets fed with gray water (the water from sinks, tubs and appliances).
And Much More
The Elan g! Home Control System is integrated with the home's five DVR surveillance cameras, DSC security system, LiteTouch lighting system that dims the home's 100 percent indoor and outdoor LED lighting, Bryant HVAC and Pentair Pool/Spa controls. The home is fully outfitted with Energy Star appliances, and the super-efficient core systems include Carrier Infinity HVAC system and Eternal tankless water heater.


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Food & Drink
Check in: World's best airport hotels
By Marnie Hunter, CNN • Updated 26th April 2013
View Gallery
10 Pictures
How close are you to the airport? Is there a decent bar or restaurant on site? The worn-down, travel-weary businessperson is looking for proximity, convenience and comfortable amenities in an airport hotel. There's little time to waste.
The Regal Airport Hotel in Hong Kong seems to know what satisfies the road warrior. The hotel was recently named No. 1 in the airport hotel category of the 2013 Skytrax World Airport Awards. (Earlier this month, CNN featured the
world's top airport award-winner.
Hong Kong's Regal Airport Hotel secured the top spot for the third year in a row and was also named the best airport hotel in Asia. An enclosed bridge directly connects the hotel to the airport's passenger terminal, so being on time for your flight shouldn't be a problem. The nearly 1,200 room hotel also has six restaurants and bars, in-house conference and meeting facilities, a spa and indoor and outdoor pools.
America's 10 highest-tech hotels
World Airport Awards
are based on 12.1 million survey questionnaires filled out by passengers covering 108 different nationalities and 395 airports worldwide during a nine-month survey period in 2012 and 2013.
The airport hotel survey covered topics such as arrival and departure (access to the hotel from the airport, availability of hotel shuttles/taxis, waiting times at check-in): room comfort (size, cleanliness, comfort, Internet/Wi-Fi, television/audio options); hotel amenities (restaurant and bar, price of food and drink, fitness and spa options); staff (friendliness/courtesy, room service efficiency, staff language skills) and value for money.
Check out the photo gallery above for world's top 10 airport hotels.
What do you look for in an airport o
business hotel?
A year of the world's
Best Beaches
There's a perfect beach for every week of the year. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all
Go to the best beaches


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Im ready to fall in love with someone! Im falling in love with myself; Im doing really good! ITs hard; I remember what things were like! Now; I must remember; those are PTSD memories and they are a lie; the bad stuff! I did not do that to myself! I was underage and someone put me in un-compromise positions! So, I have to give myself a break!
Im ready to fall in love with someone. However, I align with the grid, the vortex and source first! My focus is on the vortex and my manifestations in the vortex! She is coming from the vortex; so, I concentrate on whats in the vortex and wait for her to step out of it! source energy directs me; the grid fills it out like paper work; what Is to happen; what Im feeling about it; and want to happen!
Problems; jumping the gun!
Im dissociative and think all the time of whats going on outside of me; and I'm feeling what I think of what I see, all the time! I think the other person must know how I feel! they must; Im open with my feeling within my mind and brain; its open! In reality, its not open to the outside world; they know nothing; In reality; its outside my mind; but still in my brain; floating around behind my eyes!
At times; I think others know how I feel! If I see a women I like and Ive been thinking about her for a long time; its as if a relationship with her has actually been growing; so, when I see her and ask her out; I act like we she be moving forward since I've been working her out in my mind; then Im stunned when I find out she does not know anything about me or how I feel! I have to slowly back track and show her each feelings as if Ive never thought about it and its bran new! and Ive done this a bit!
With women; its who them or they will have no clue; they are not mind readers! and this is especially tuff on me!
Im learning that I have to make a commitment with a women; meaning, I have to have a committed relationship concept before I get involved or a relationship will never work!
Im horrified of having relationships with the wrong people; and Im more scared of having relationships with the right people; because; the right people turn out to be the wrong people! However, in reality, Im talking about situations when I was younger and had no control over things! I was forced or stuck around the wrong predators!
So, no matter what direction I take with relationships; Im taking a chance; Im taking a chance to get started again! I either do or I dont!
Its all so new to me; its been so very long since the last time I actually loved someone enough to want to go after them!
I fell in love with them after chasing them; I chased them because they were the right natural person to chase and feel something for!
Strike three; your out! I dont play games with the wrong women; I test, I watch! I listen! If your interested in me and not responding; I will question the situation; If I feel manipulation is hovering; Strike one! I look up to the universe and expect an answer, and I ply a question; "why universe" " whats with this girl you sent me" " she's flaking out on me" " what gives?" Strike one against the universe! For the universe sent her and something is not matching up! Any strikes beyond this means its over! Ive never had a women I stuck twice on that did not soon get three strikes your out! " Universe, she's struck out; bring another one please" " can you make it work this time?".
I want women sent from the universe and no others; and I get confused at times or mistake certain women for universe women! And when I realize Ive made a mistake; I kindly and humbly admit that I made a mistake looking at this women with interest; and I quietly back out the way I came with my hate laid low, then, when near out of side; I turn down a new road and begin to walk; and I dont stop walking until the universe brings me another women!
I have to make a lot of changes to have the kind of women I want to attract! And this is humbling!
When I rise to the frequency of what Im looking for; she will come!


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LaHaye upgrades coincide with ice skating teams' expansion
June 3, 2013 | Lynchburg, Va.
Ongoing renovations inside the LaHaye Ice Center have increased the space available for Liberty University's figure skating and synchronized skating teams, enabling head coach Tatiana Payne to expand her rosters for the upcoming year.
"This past year, we did not have any spare cubbies and we had people who didn't have lockers," Payne said. "We had to expand. We definitely needed more space."
Soon, after removing an adjacent storage area, there will be 27 lockers in Liberty University Radiance's second floor corner facility, opening room for an additional nine team members.
Also at LaHaye, the upper-level stands were removed in May and replaced with closed-off storage rooms for equipment for the Flames' five hockey teams and concessions run by Club Sports. From July 28 to Aug. 12, new flooring will be installed around the rink and refined Liberty University branding will be painted under the ice.
"It's really exciting to see the changes over the years," said Payne, who hopes her skaters will breathe easier and not bump into each other as much this year while preparing for a program on their home ice. "The locker room we had before they knocked the wall down was long and narrow. When they took out the wall, that opened up a whole square area which made it feel a lot bigger."
Additionally, with the upstairs Club Sports training room moving to a new facility across the back parking lot from LaHaye, that space can better accommodate the synchronized skating team walking through its programs before a show.
The structural improvements come at a time when Liberty is making a push to elevate the quality of its skating programs.
The Lady Flames graduated just two seniors off last year's teams and Payne anticipates 17 incoming freshmen seeking to secure spots this fall.
"We're looking at having 30 to 35 skaters on our teams next year," she said, expecting roughly 15 figure skaters and 15 synchronized skaters, with a few overlapping in both sports.
Among the more promising newcomers are two sisters from Minnesota — Rachel Halvorson, who toured with Disney on Ice for the past two years, and Emily Halvorson, who has represented Team USA at International competitions.
"They compete at the Junior level, based on skill, which is the second highest level you can compete at," Payne said, next to Senior, which is Olympic level.
Both Halvorson sisters have passed their Senior Moves in the Field tests, as has returning junior captain Katie Scuilla.
Other incoming freshmen or transfer students include Adrielle Benner, who is working on passing her Senior Moves in the Field test this summer; Rebekah Hicks, an advanced figure skater who has lived in China for the past several years; Beka Leahy, who has six years of synchronized skating experience; Liz Puffenberger, who has synchronized skated for the past five years; and Jillian Ferguson, who has passed her Junior Moves in the Field test.
The synchronized skating team, Liberty Radiance, is preparing to move from the open collegiate level to the collegiate level this year, allowing the Lady Flames the opportunity to qualify for nationals based on their Eastern Sectionals performance.
"Because of that, we need higher level skaters," Payne said. "They have to have passed at least four Moves in the Field tests, with one being at the Juvenile level or higher."
Juvenile is the fourth out of eight levels, followed by Intermediate, Novice, Junior, and Senior.
Due to the raised requirements, some of Liberty's returning synchronized skaters will join the figure skating team to build up their individual skills before returning to the synchronized team.
The maximum number of skaters a synchronized team can have perform at one time is 20 and this year, its first at the collegiate level, Liberty plans to cap its program at 14 with a couple of alternates.
Payne announced that the theme for this year's program will be "Phantom of the Opera."
The Lady Flames will hold tryouts for both their figure skating and synchronized teams from Aug. 18-19 before beginning practices on Aug. 20 and Aug. 22, respectively.
Before then, Liberty will host two figure skating camps at LaHaye — an advanced camp, open to Freestyle 3 through Preliminary skaters of all ages, from 4 to 7:30 p.m. June 17 to 20 at a cost of $120; and a beginners' camp for ages 6 to 15 from 8 a.m. to noon June 24 to 28 for a fee of $99. Interested skaters may call the ice center at (434) 592-3953 or email Payne at firstname.lastname@example.com.


text: ClassroomClassroom SolutionsIntervention Contact Us Intervention@HMH We Believe ALL Students Can Succeed. As the foremost leaders in educational technology and intervention support, we're committed to accelerating achievement for every student and turning lives around for even the most challenged learners. Building upon our decades of groundbreaking research and close collaborations with educational thought leaders, our mission is to help accelerate students with innovative blended-learning solutions, research-based intervention curriculums, and world-class professional learning. As a result, we have established an unparalleled trust with our partner schools. They rely upon us to raise achievement for all students, elevate professional development for teachers, and promote excellence in every school and district.


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Dress up Frank Lampard
नाम: Frank Lampard
पेशा: Athlete
जन्मदिन: june 20, 1978
Daughter, Luna Coco Patricia Lampard (b. 22 August 2005), with girlfriend Elen. Plays for Chelsea and England. He and girlfriend Elen are expecting their second baby in June 2007. Has scored 13 goals for England (April 2007). Second daughter Isla Lampard, born May 20, 2007. Cousin of Jamie Redknapp. Nephew of Harry Redknapp.


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- 1.Lean Period
- 2.A Sad Lament
- 3.Witchcraft
- 4.Low Expectations
- 5.What Presence_!
- 6.The Measure of the Man
- 7.One Is a Lonely Number
- 8.Campaign for Real Rock
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This Plan is intended to outline plans for preparing for emergencies and for immediate response and short-term recovery efforts in an emergency.
The history of the Morris Arboretum can be told through its eldest trees. Every scar and abnormality present on these immense specimens inspire awe, enrich visitor experience, and provide a glimpse into the past of the gardens.