text:
This year when it starts getting steamy in the Big Easy, I'm allowing myself a vacation. Sure I could surrender to the summer, stay in town, sweat 'til I'm salty as a sea barnacle, turn red as a Ponchatoula Strawberry, but I'm really doing it this year. I'm leaving. I mean it. I'm giving myself one weekend away from the hissing black tops of New Orleans to enjoy what summer in the USA has come to be all about – live music. For if I'm going to be a sweaty, dehydrated version of myself, at least it'll be among a sea of dancing bodies and twenty or so of my favorite musicians, a few of them hailing from New Orleans. Here are some out-of-town festivals I'm thinking about:
May 24 – 27; Quincy, Wash.
Someone recently asked me if going to Sasquatch would mean going for the music or going for glimpses of the Northwest during its peak season, but that's why this festival ranks up there with the best of them – I can have my nature cake and watch Josh Tillman pop out of it, too.
When I see a festival lineup with Father John Misty, Grimes and Tame Impala stacked together like an unkempt Brady Bunch, it's easy to forget that Quincy, which is 2.5 hours outside of Seattle, isn't just an empty stage where my favorite acts are sure to get surly, but the area also boasts acres of waterfront views, surreal canyons and petrified forests. Why go to Sasquatch? Because curling up in a tent while enjoying the sounds of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band echoing down a gorge sounds pretty perfect to me, and because this sort of thing only happens in an alternate universe where two of my favorite worlds collide.
Past attendees have liked this festival not only for its killer lineup but also because the folks are friendly, the Porta Potties are clean and they were able to hit up other cities in the Northwest travel circuit after the encore.
June 13-16; Manchester, Tenn.
After discovering I was from Tennessee, there was a point in my life when people stopped asking about mash whiskey and doublewides and instead started asking me all about Bonnaroo, as if just living in the same state made me some sort of 'roo guru. But guess what? I ain't never been. I done been too busy just a travelin' and edjukatin' myself. Seriously though, how have I never been?
With a wide array of acts like Kendrick Lamar, Wilco, Beach House and Paul McCartney this year's lineup is asking for an unprecedented turn out. It's a good year for those of us migrating from New Orleans, too. Not only will the David Byrne and St. Vincent collaboration deliver sassy brass to the barnyard, Trombone Shorty and Preservation Hall Jazz Band will be in Manchester representing our city, too. (Someone clarify – what's going on with Big Freedia? Will she be twerkin' it into the wee hours of the Tennessee dawn?)
People dig on Bonnaroo because it's two days longer than most other music festivals. There's also free water which you can find on tap or drizzling out of a giant mushroom. When some of your favorite bands' minor refrains start weighing too heavily on your heart, you can go to the comedy tent to lighten the load.
Burning Man
Aug. 26-Sept. 2; Black Rock Desert, Nev.
Pack a bag with all the essentials for desert living. Once you're in, you won't care to leave. There isn't a published lineup, and that's for a reason. Burning Man isn't so much a music festival as it is an exercise in immersion. I may or may not be your cup of tea. What's going on in terms of music? We are. Burning Man attendees become an instrumental part of every performance. In the desert everything is art. Bodies become canvases. Temporary structures reach high above the sand (I've seen pictures of some that resemble ottoman temples) and surreal desert vehicles crawl slowly across a desolate moon-kissed landscape. Needless to say, it's a unique kind of gathering for a unique kind of person. While attendees are expected to fork out for general admission, once in the desert, money is no longer "a thing." Economic activity at Burning Man is governed by potlatch, an indigenous northwestern gift-giving system.
Burning Man is cool because it's wonderfully uninhibited. In the desert, it's easy to realize a good time is whatever you make it.The festival is incredibly non-corporate, and you sure as hell won't find a similar sensory experience anywhere else on this plane.
Aug. 2-4; Chicago, Ill.
It sounds like the medical name for being terminally happy, doesn't it? But I'd say it's a solid name for a festival centered around sunny days navigating the soundscape of Chicago's Grant Park. To me, Lollapalooza seems like a nice starter's festival. Not only does Kidzapalooza make it a somewhat family-friendly affair, but the vast offerings of its lineup can prove more accessible than that of other music festivals. Acts are diverse and generally range from mainstream pop to popular indie offerings. Very recently, there have been a few controversial leaks of the festival's 2013 lineup, but I've decided to omit rumored appearances as last year's leaks weren't terribly accurate. The official announcement happens in April, so keep an eye out.
Lollapalooza is a great festival because you're able to explore Chicago while you're waiting for your favorite acts to take the stage. The area around the festival is walkable. The city's transportation makes getting around easy, so hotels are easily accessed. Also, keep an ear out for after parties. I've heard about some good ones.
Newport Folk Festival
July 26-28; Newport, R.I.
All right. You caught me. Blame Troy's buccinators and Misty's hips. The goal is to have as many people see Trumbone Shorty and Father John Misty as many times as possible this festival season — as if summer isn't hot enough already. Though I could rant on about the two, I won't. Instead, let's talk local. I imagine there's something really special about seeing a favorite hometown band doing your city proud on a festival stage hours away from home. Hurray for the Riff Raff, a longtime favorite of mine and proud product of New Orleans, will be headlining at Newport Folk Festival this year. Can't make it to Newport? Catch Alynda and the rest of Hurray for the Riff Raff performing at SXSW in Austin, Texas, next week.
Back to Newport. I've heard the folks at this festival have a hard time organizing themselves in the face of a big crowd, but other than occasional problems with logistics and visibility, Newport Folk Festival seems to be a real good time, especially if you're into discovering something new. In addition to serving up a few hard-hitting headliners, Newport offers smaller acts you may have otherwise never run across. I like the thought of Newport Folk Festival because I like the reconciliation of the familiar with exposure to something new. I also like the idea of a venue with views of sailboats skipping across the ocean.
Other people like Newport Folk Festival because of the laid-back lineup and because it's a good opportunity to take a water taxi (the best kind of taxi). It's also enjoyable because the crowd isn't as overwhelmingly large as it is at Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza.


text:
With his mandate that all employers, including religiously affiliated institutions such as Catholic hospitals and charities, provide workers with health insurance that covers contraceptives, President Obama handed Republicans a terrific opportunity to talk about the growing intrusiveness of government.
This is, after all, an administration that wants to dictate what foods we eat, what lightbulbs we use, what cars we drive, even how our toilets flush.
Yet Republicans are in the process of fumbling this opportunity away by turning what should be a discussion of government power into an argument about contraception.
Michael Tanner is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and author of Leviathan on the Right: How Big-Government Conservatism Brought Down the Republican Revolution.More by Michael D. Tanner
For a long time, it was said that Democrats are terrified that somewhere someone is making money, and Republicans are terrified that someone somewhere is having fun. And with this issue — as so often seems the case when the subject turns to sex — Republicans seem determined to prove this stereotype true.
The most obvious case was the suggestion by Foster Friess, the biggest funder of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum's super PAC, that the best contraception was for women to put an aspirin between their knees. Friess now suggests that he was joking. Yet Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, among others, have joined in with this line of argument, suggesting that contraception was unnecessary if women just exercised "self-restraint." Running through the Republican outrage over this issue has been a subcurrent that contraceptives are, in Santorum's words, "a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be."
Setting aside the fact that even married women use contraceptives, why are Republicans using this issue to lecture us on morality?
The problem with the contraceptive mandate is not the contraceptive part — it's the mandate. The new health-care law requires every employer with 50 or more employees to provide their workers with health insurance. It also requires every American who doesn't receive health insurance through work or a government program to buy insurance themselves or face a fine.
But simply providing or buying insurance is not enough to fulfill the mandate. The insurance must satisfy the government's definition of what qualifies as proper insurance, including a long list of benefits that the government thinks you should have.
In this case, the benefit we are talking about is contraceptives, and it has sparked particular outrage because it will force religious institutions to pay, even indirectly, for a benefit that they find morally repugnant. But it is hardly the only benefit that the new health-care law mandates. Among other benefits, your policy must now include mental health benefits, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, prescription drugs, dental and vision care for children and a host of other services. You may not want those benefits, and they may make your insurance more expensive, but it is no longer your choice. The government will now decide for you. Your choice of deductibles and co-payments will also be restricted.
This debate has nothing to do with access to birth control. Contraceptives are legal. There is nothing that prevents any woman who wants contraceptives from purchasing them. Most insurance plans already do so, and when they don't, women can purchase a rider that provides the additional coverage.
This is a debate about forcing all employers to pay for a benefit, rather than having such decisions based on the choices of employers and employees. It doesn't matter whether we are talking about contraceptives, dental care or spa treatments.
This should provide Republicans with an opening to discuss the arrogance of a government that presumes to know better than we do how to run our lives. Yet too many Republicans seem to see this as an opportunity to tell us how they would run our lives instead. Both sides in this debate are contemptuous of our ability to make our own decisions.
Most Americans would prefer that the government simply leave us alone. They do not want the president to be our national employee benefits administrator, nor do they want him to be our preacher-in-chief.
Republicans need to learn the difference.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Flawed projects prove costly for Afghanistan, U.S. taxpayers
SHAHRI BUZURG, Afghanistan -- For more than a year, Afghan police chief Rajab Mohammed and his men have worked out of a dark, cramped mud home in a remote corner of Afghanistan while waiting in vain for construction workers to finish building the...
SHAHRI BUZURG, Afghanistan -- For more than a year, Afghan police chief Rajab Mohammed and his men have worked out of a dark, cramped mud home in a remote corner of Afghanistan while waiting in vain for construction workers to finish building the U.S.-funded police station across the street.
With winter fast approaching, some of the men, who'd been sleeping in a dirt courtyard, recently took over the idle construction site and set up cots inside the half-built station after they learned that the U.S. government had fired the Afghan company responsible for the project.
The U.S. is spending billions of dollars to build facilities like the one in Badakhshan for Afghanistan's expanding national police and new garrisons for its army. The ambitious program is a linchpin of President Barack Obama's strategy to strengthen Afghan security forces so 100,000 U.S. troops can come home.
However, like much of the wider Afghan reconstruction effort, it's faltering, according to current and former U.S. officials, Afghan and American contractors, and contract documents.
Dozens of structures across the country either were poorly constructed or never completed at all. Tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers who were supposed to be living in garrisons by now are still housed in tents.
The stations and barracks represent a pattern repeated across Afghanistan: Construction projects are failing with such frequency that the administration's initiative to reinforce the Afghan security forces could be hobbled.
While American policymakers struggle to find enough money to resuscitate the U.S. economy or rebuild infrastructure at home, American taxpayers are financing an unprecedented construction boom in Afghanistan for new schools and clinics, electricity and water and roads and bridges.
U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of international forces in Afghanistan, has ordered a dramatic expansion in contracting. Other than asking a brigadier general to investigate problems with military contracts, so far he's failed to address their flaws.
A McClatchy Newspapers investigation has found that since January 2008, nearly $200 million in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers construction projects in Afghanistan have failed, face serious delays or resulted in subpar work. Poor recordkeeping made it impossible for McClatchy to determine the value of faulty projects before then. The military tries to recover part of a project's cost, but in many cases, the funds were already spent.
The investigation also found that:
--In a rush to award contracts to Afghan companies, the Corps accepts bids that don't cover the cost of a project, including the expense of security and a contractor's profit.
--Rather than scrap a project that's failing, the government sometimes rewrites the contract to require only the work that's been done and declares the effort a success. The process is called "de-scoping."
--A vast majority of the companies that McClatchy found were doing shoddy work haven't been banned from getting new U.S. contracts, according to government records. U.S. taxpayer dollars also continue to go to firms whose true ownership is hard to determine, making it difficult to hold anyone accountable.
Despite these challenges, the Corps' work in Afghanistan is set to more than double in the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1, to nearly $2 billion from $900 million in the northern half of Afghanistan alone, according to a recent presentation by Army Col. Thomas Magness, the commander of the Afghanistan Engineer District-North.
U.S. taxpayers also will pay to maintain the Afghan police and army bases, because the Afghans lack that capability. In August, the Corps awarded ITT Corp., based in White Plains, N.Y., an $800 million contract to maintain the sites and train Afghans themselves to eventually do so.
In an interview with McClatchy in Kabul, Magness said the number of contracts set aside for Afghan firms would expand from 25 last year to 91 this year, "so we are going all the way in."
He acknowledged past problems, but promised changes. "There is a recognition that our construction is not keeping up with the requirements."
Before, he said, the approach to construction was "'ready, fire, aim,' and now we want to change it to 'ready, aim, fire.' And I think as a result of that we'll have a higher record of success."
Administration officials have concluded that its emphasis on awarding U.S. government contracts to local firms will build up the Afghan economy and strengthen the capabilities of domestic companies.
The U.S. has decided to expand this effort by promoting an experimental initiative that's supposed to give Afghan companies an edge over international firms competing for billions of dollars of work in Afghanistan.
The program, dubbed Afghan First, grew out of a meeting in 2006 in which Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, then the commander of the U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan, held up a bottle of water imported from Pakistan and asked his staff, "Why can't we do this locally?" recalled retired Army Col. Andy Smith, his logistics chief.
The reason: Most of the U.S. contracting dollars goes to U.S. or multinational contracting giants. Only 22 percent of U.S. development assistance funds reached the local Afghan economy, according to a study by Peace Dividend Trust, a nonprofit working with the U.S. government. The reverse was true for Great Britain, which didn't funnel most of its aid through international companies. As a result, more than 70 percent of British aid reached the Afghan economy.
Before Afghan First can work, however, the U.S. approach needs fundamental rethinking, critics familiar with the program say.
"Their intentions are good, but the way they are managing the program is a total mess," said the president of a large U.S. firm doing work in Afghanistan, who requested anonymity to not risk his relations with the Army. "The system needs a serious, serious re-analysis and re-evaluation."
The administration also appears to be ignoring a deep cultural chasm exposed by the initiative, contractors and former government officials said.
Afghan firms, often with little experience and sometimes newly formed, bid too low on projects and then are unable to complete them. As a result, McClatchy found that more than 40 Afghan police headquarters projects have been delayed or terminated before completion.
One major reason: The Corps often insists that unqualified Afghan companies adhere to stringent U.S. building standards and tough safety requirements. The Corps concedes that only a handful of Afghan firms can meet those standards.
"This whole system is designed for the United States," said another U.S. contractor who asked to remain anonymous because he's doing business with the Corps. "It's Western standards being imposed on Eastern areas where they don't have the materials or the managers for this volume of work."
Derision for the program is so deep that some contractors have dubbed it: "Afghan First, Afghans Last."
The laborers may not have the skills, either. DynCorp International LLC found that it had to train its construction workers how to hammer nails and pour concrete, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
Afghan firms are loaded down with "contract after contract" in the rush to build, even though they're not equipped to handle major projects, said John Brummet, a SIGAR assistant inspector general.
As a result, Corps officials have an expression for a project that fails to meet proper construction standards but is sufficient enough to be classified as completed, often through de-scoping. They call it "Afghan good."
Such low standards can result in unsafe buildings, however. Six police stations in southern Afghanistan's most volatile provinces, for instance, were supposed to be built for less than $1 million each but were so poorly constructed by one Afghan contractor, Basirat Construction Firm, that they can't be occupied, according to auditors.
Even though the stations in Helmand and Kandahar were never completed, the Corps paid Basirat most of the $5.5 million contract price after subcontracting oversight to local Afghans, who provided digital pictures of supposed progress.
When projects go under, the subcontractors often are left in the lurch. The Corps doesn't require prime contractors to take out bonds that guarantee that their subcontractors get paid.
The Afghan contractor "suddenly realizes he's not going to make it, takes the money and doesn't pay the subcontractor and leaves," said Mazin Sadiq, of FCEC UIProjects, a construction joint venture working in Afghanistan. "Most of the stories are like that."
Confirming the most basic information about Afghan firms has proved to be difficult, if not impossible, for the U.S. government.
In one case, when DynCorp, based in Falls Church, Va., fired an Afghan subcontractor from the site of an Afghan army garrison in Nangarhar province, the garrison was attacked several nights later.
Of eight contractors that oversaw incomplete or shoddy police projects, only two were banned from receiving future contracts, according to a McClatchy review of database records set up to track such suspensions.
The problems are compounded by the frequent rotation of Corps staff in Afghanistan, which leaves the U.S. government with little institutional memory.
"I joke to the Corps of Engineers that every two people who meet over coffee at night, go the next day and start a construction company, and you guys believe them and give them work," Sadiq said.
In Badakhshan province, meanwhile, local officials are still dealing with the fallout from the failed projects. Delays in building two-thirds of the police stations in the northern Afghanistan province have forced authorities to transform private homes and abandoned shops into ill-suited temporary security compounds.
"Ten people are living in places meant for four," said Zabibullah Atiq, the head of the Badakhshan provincial council.
Contractors have yet to complete work on police compounds in 18 of the province's 28 districts.
In May, after incessant delays, the Corps canceled its $4.6 million contract with Kainaat Construction, Logistics & Trading Co., the Afghan firm hired to build six police stations in the northeastern Afghanistan province.
"The police are living in a miserable situation," said Gen. Aga Noor Kentoz, the Badakhshan police chief, who blames unscrupulous contractors for skimming millions off contracts and handing the work over to subcontractors who quickly run out of money.
According to the Afghan military's estimates, the country only has enough housing for about two-thirds of the military force. It will take at least a year to get all of the soldiers out of tents.
Strobel and Taylor reported from Washington, Landay from Kabul, Afghanistan. Chris Adams and Tish Wells contributed to this report from Washington.
Distributed by McClatchy Tribune Information Services


text:
Alaska geologist mauled twice by grizzly survived by playing dead
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The bearded, sandy-haired geologist was on a job in the remote Alaska wilderness when a grizzly bear suddenly emerged from the brush just yards away.
So Robert Miller did what he was trained to do — he fell to the ground, clasped his hands around his neck to protect it and played dead.
The bear wandered away and Miller thought he was in the clear. Pulling himself to his knees, he found out how wrong he was.
The bear charged again and "this time he didn't want me to move. He was really thrashing me around," the 54-year-old said Wednesday from his hospital bed, his right arm and leg swathed in bandages, his left ear criss-crossed by stitches.
Miller had been out scoping possible mining projects Sunday for his employer, Millrock Resources Inc., in a remote valley of the Alaska Range mountains near the Iditarod Trail. He'd finished for the day and was waiting for a helicopter to pick him up.
Miller was clearing brush with a handsaw so the helicopter could land, when the bear appeared about 25 feet away.
"When he stepped into the clearing he didn't snarl and stand up and show me how big he was. He just came for me," Miller said.
Miller managed to pull out his .357 Magnum revolver and squeeze off a single shot, possibly grazing the animal. Then his survival training kicked in: He fell onto his stomach, dug his face into the dirt and covered his neck with his hands to protect it from the grizzly's claws and teeth.
The bear went for his exposed right arm, gnawing and clawing it and chipping the bone off the tip of his elbow. The attack lasted 10-15 seconds, then the animal lumbered away.
"I thought it was over, I thought he was gone," Miller said.
He rolled over and was getting to his knees when the bear, which was only about 40 yards away, came at him again.
"As soon as I turned, he was running already. It was shoot, shoot and roll back over," Miller said.
He managed to fire two more shots, but with his right arm badly injured he thinks he missed the bear. Then he lay still as the animal gnawed and clawed at him.
"It was no problem to lay there with my neck covered and let him chew. It was actually painless at that point," Miller said.
After the second attack, Miller played dead again, lying still for three to five minutes as thoughts raced through his mind. Was the bear still around? How bad was he bleeding? Where was his gun?
He tried to move and realized he couldn't. He was too badly injured.
"I was just hoping my radio was still in my vest pocket and it was," he said. "I got it out and started radioing mayday, which nobody answered."
He tried calling for help about every 20 seconds; about 20 minutes passed before a voice came over the radio.
It was the helicopter pilot. Not knowing there had been a bear attack, he was calling in to let Miller know he was within five miles and needed to know the exact pickup spot.
"I told him what had happened. So he came in low, just doing outwardly expanding circles to make sure there was no bear around," Miller said.
Reassured the grizzly was gone, the pilot flew to the next valley and picked up geologist Ryan Campbell, who was trained as a wilderness medic.
Campbell cleaned Miller's wounds and applied pressure bandages to stem the bleeding. That's when Miller really began hurting.
"When he was cleaning out the wounds with this spray bottle ... it was a mixture of fire and electricity," Miller said.
He was flown to a nearby air strip where an emergency medical technician was waiting, then taken by medical helicopter on the more than hour-long trip to Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage.
Miller was fortunate to have survived, said Rick Sinnott, an Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologist.
He should have been packing a more powerful gun, Sinnott said. "You have to be a very good shot or very lucky to stop a brown bear with a .357 Magnum."
Miller did the right thing to play dead with the grizzly, Sinnott said.
"Most of the time they just want to neutralize you and if you are playing dead after they swat you or hit you, you are pretty much neutralized. But if you try to run or stand right up or are screaming or waving your arms around, then they think you are still a danger," he said.
Propped up in his hospital bed Wednesday, Miller gingerly touched what he thought were bite marks just above his buttocks on his left side. His right arm was heavily bandaged from bicep to wrist; another bulky bandage encased his right thigh, which the bear had chewed from the back of his leg to the front.
Miller's face was unscathed except for a few scratches, but the bear nearly ripped off his left ear. Using his finger, he traced where it had been reattached with two rows of stitches.
Still, the geologist, who until five years ago worked as a roofer, said he holds no grudge against the bear.
"The bear was just doing what bears do," Miller said.


text:
'Come Away With Me' - Paper Print
Humpback Whale Print
An exact replica of 'Come Away With Me' – acrylic painting on 100% cotton canvas.
The Fine Print
Each limited edition giclée print is hand signed by Stephanie and numbered out of 100.
Printed onto high quality 315gsm textured paper using archival standard inks.
Available in a number of sizes with or without frames, the choice is yours.
Please note:
When removing your prints from the post please ensure you take extra special care. We ensure the upmost care is taken to get our work to you safely and securely. If you have any issues with your delivery, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can help make it right.
Lets talk about print sizes
Paper Print sizing is as follows:
23cm x 23cm
X-Small (Square)
9" x 9"
21cm x 29.7cm
Small (A4)
8.27" x 11.69"
29.7cm x 42cm
Medium (A3)
11.69" x 16.53"
42cm x 59.40cm
Large (A2)
16.53" x 23.39"
59.40cm x 84.10cm
X-Large (A1)
23.4" x 33.1"
|84.10cm x 118.9cm
XX-Large (A0)
|33.1" x 46.8"
Please note that print sizes may vary by a few mm.
If you have a specific frame or matting board you are planning on using for a print, please contact us to check the border size for the desired print.
Canvas Print sizing:
Canvas print sizes vary between artworks. Details are available on each canvas print. Custom sizes and margins are available on most prints.
Please contact us directly and we will help you out.
Time to talk discounts and other fun things
Buy 2 and get 50% off your 3rd Print
Offer valid across entire range of prints.
Discount will be applied to the smallest print in the order.
Buy 4 get one free on the 2021 Calendar
Choose the 'buy 4 get one free' option on the calendar page.
Greeting card and wrapping multi- buy discounts.
3 or more = 10% 0ff
5 or more = 20% off
Christmas Season
During the festive season, the volume of items shipped both domestically and internationally increases drastically! If you are concerned that you won't receive your package in time, ensure you place your order well ahead of time.
Domestic Lodgements Dates:
We usually recommend that Christmas orders are placed before December 10th. This year, after seeing the increased travel times for domestic parcels, we strongly advise that everything you wish to receive before Christmas is placed before November 30th!
International Lodgements Dates:
Australia Post has advised that all overseas orders are at the post office before November 21st in order to ensure that arrive before Christmas.
Shipping at SEA
We take delivery seriously around here.
Your order will be printed and carefully backed up us at SEA and sent to you via Australia Post.
We visit our local Australia Post Office weekly on Friday. All attempts are made to ensure we post more frequently if possible.
Larger items will be sent via Courier. Pickup times vary using our courier service.
Our small prints are neatly packaged in their own rigid flat mailer (which are 100% recyclable, yay!).
Larger prints are carefully rolled and shipped in tough mailing tubes.
All prints are carefully wrapped and/or rolled in acid free tissue paper.
Backing boards are used on flat postage to ensure that corners do not get damaged in transit.
*Please note: We are based in Port Douglas, which is a regional area.
Next day delivery is not an option for postage from our location. We have been shipping items for years, with different suppliers and have found that Australia Post, standard shipping is the sweet spot for cost & timely service.
Parcels usually take up to 5 business days within Queensland and at least 2 weeks when shipping interstate.
Rest assured, we do everything we can to ensure you receive your artwork or giftware in a timely manner. Your parcel's shipping time is ultimately out of our control (sorry... we don't run a freight company and don't make the rules).
Shipping Rates
Free shipping is offered on orders over $100.
Orders under $100 will incur a small postage fee of $10.
We have made this decision as we can no longer rely on untracked postage services. They are simply too un-reliable and un-predictable.
International Shipping
International shipping incurs a $25 AUD fee. This includes tracking your package via Australia Post.
Our listed freight charges for international shipping do not cover framed or stretched artworks. Please contact us directly for a quote on framed artwork.
International shipping times vary between countries, typically it takes between 7 and 21 working days. If your order is a priority, please email us as soon as possible with your order number and we can try our best to get it to you in time.


text:
Thank you for visiting us at Booth 1624 at the IFAI Expo!
We are a leading supplier of quality industrial fabrics We are the Master Distributor for Ten Cate Nicolon industrial fabrics. We are also your source for discount fabrics at promotional prices.
We have been supplying manufacturers, exporters, jobbers and retailers with industrial fabrics at discount prices since 1992. We source fabrics worldwide for the best values. We maintain a wide inventory of first quality, B-grade, seconds, and overstocked items. Our prices are always competitive. When we find special opportunities, including discontinued or distressed products, our prices can be exceptional.
Marine fabric, PVC coated & laminated fabric, silicone coated nylon airbag fabric, containment fabric, truck cover fabric,trampoline mesh,polypropylene mesh, pvc coated mesh & multi-mesh, shade mesh & windscreen fabric, we have it, and so much more! Our top priority is exceeding your expectations.Call us first at 1-800-786-6383 or 1-215-572-2468.
We offer slitting, re-rolling and seaming services, as well as warehousing and distribution from our easily accessible Spartanburg, South Carolina warehouse.
Brands: Ten Cate Nicolon


text:
Pigs Can Fly Ultimo ShortShebeest
  Size Chart   /     Fit Guide
Full Description
An original Shebeest design that women keep coming back for easy-wear fitness inspired short, a non-intimidating cycling staple.
Fit: Classic Fit
Fabric: 88 % Nylon Supplex / 12% Black Spandex
Printed Waist and Leg Bands: 88% MicroPolyester / 12% Spandex
- Elastic-free waistband and gripper-free leg bands for no-fuss riding comfort
- Articulated, shaped panels for contoured fit
- 7" Inseam
- No-feel flatlock seam construction for superior comfort
- NEW - Reflective detailing to make you more visible on the road
- Shelastic 1.0 Chamois with 4-way stretch that allows the pad to conform to your body and not interfere with your pedal stroke. Wide fabric wings extend beyond padded area to keep stitching away from sensitive areas.


text:
I was wandering around Michaels looking for craft ideas and inspiration when I came across a ceramic ornament. My brain recalled the neat Halloween designs that Mrs. Brooklyn Limestone painted on her dishes, and thought I bet I could do that with this ornament!
In particular, I've been liking the graphic designs I've been seeing, including a hand-made stripe (meaning, not all neat and straight necessarily). Chevrons are also very popular right now, so I thought I would do one side in each.
I started by taking the ornament, and tracing it onto some paper so that I could sketch out my design idea before painting it on.
After seeing it on paper, and deciding I liked it, I got my paint pen juices flowing, and started sketching. For the stripes, I took an index card, and used is as my guideline. And then, I just started filling in.
Unfortunately, I could not find the ceramic paint pens specifically, but I did find these craft paint pens that say they'll work on glass, wood, and all sorts of surfaces. I thought it could work, and it did. It was very easy to use.
I also didn't realize the pen was orange until I was reading the directions on the package. I went by the tip color when I bought it, oh well. It's still a nice color of orange, and it looks fine.
After the first side was dry, I turned it over. I started going to town and then oops. I started putting stripes going the wrong way. I tried to wipe it off quickly, but this stuff dries really quickly, and it just smudged and stayed.
It's really easy to fix though; just take some nail polish remover (which is mostly acetone) and a q-tip, and carefully "erase" the mistake. Any nail polish remover should do the trick.
Just let it dry, and then you're ready to hang it on the tree!
This was such an easy and cheap project, any one can do it. Also, these paint pens come in different tip widths, so you can go for something really thick, or thin. You could easily personalize an ornament for anyone. I think this would make a great teachers' gift–just have your student personalize an ornament for their teacher. This ornament is usually $1.49, but with sales and coupons you can get it for much cheaper. And the paint pens were under $5 I think.
Happy Holidays!
Linking up to these parties: Centsational Girl, House of Hepworths, Remodelaholic
I've been featured on Centsational Girl! Check out her highlights of the 2011 Christmas Crafts Party here!


text:
Flow sensors or flow indicators are flow meter devices used to measure the amount of liquid, gas or vapour that passes through them. They can also be known as flow gauges or liquid meters. Flow sensors are available as time measuring units (these measure flow rates over a set time period) or they can be totalising flow meters that continually measure the medium passed through.
Flow sensors consist of a primary medium connection device, transducer and transmitter. The transducer senses the fluid that passes through the primary device. The transmitter produces an output signal from the raw transducer signal.
Paddlewheel Flow Sensors or Turbine: One of the most common types of flow sensor. The sensors are connected to a pipe with liquid passing through and turning a paddle wheel, the primary device calculates the speed as the paddle is turned. This simple structure is compact and can perform a large-capacity measurement. Disadvantages are clogging and maintenance is required to cope with the axial wear otherwise the paddle needs replacing.
Variable Area Flow Sensors also known as Rotaflow meters: identified by their tapered tube and float designs. Widely used for gases and liquids flow measurement because of its low cost, simplicity, low-pressure drop and linear output.
Magnetic-Inductive Sensors: This type of sensor detects three process categories, volumetric flow quantity, consumed quantity and medium temperature.
Each type of flow sensor has its own specific applications and installation constraints. There is no one size fits all flow meter. The way to select the right flow meter is to think about the application as a guide, not the technology. Many of the technologies work well on many applications. Starting with the application will help to select the technology based on accuracy, cost, durability and reliability, rather than trying to make the technology fit the application you have. Can include the following applications:


text: The 1956 Formula One Ferrari's were truly modified Lancia D50's. The D50 debuted at the tail-end of the '54 Formula One season, placed in the capable hands of Italy's two-time and reigning World Champion, Alberto Ascari. He took both pole position in qualifying and fastest race lap in the D50's very first event. On May 26th, 1955, Alberto Ascari was in Monza to watch friend and fellow driver Eugenio Castellotti test out the Ferrari 750 Monza, which they were to race together in the Supercortemaggiore 1000. About to go home for lunch with his wife, and dressed only in a simple shirt and trousers, Ascari decided to throw on Castellotti's helmet and try out the new Ferrari. While coming out of a curve on the third lap he lost control– the Monza violently skidded, turned on its nose and somersaulted into the air. Ascari was ejected and thrown onto the track and died on the scene. After the death of their star driver, Lancia fell on hard times and sold to Scuderia Ferrari. Ferrari modified the D50, removing many of designer Vittorio Jano's innovations. It was rebadged as the Lancia-Ferrari D50, and then simply the Ferrari D50. Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1956 World Championship of Drivers with the Ferrari modified D50. During its competitive run, the D50 raced in 14 Formula One Grands Prix, winning five of them.


text:
Hillary Clinton: U.S. Ready to Offer Aid to Libyan Opposition
WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration stands ready to offer "any type of assistance" to Libyans seeking to oust Moammar Gadhafi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday, adding a warning to other African nations not to let mercenaries go to the aid of the long-time dictator.
Clinton made no mention of any U.S. military assistance in her remarks to reporters before flying to Geneva for talks with diplomats from Russia, the European Union and other powers eager to present a united anti-Gadhafi front.
Shortly before she left, two senators urged the administration to help arm a provisional government in Libya, where Gadhafi is in the midst of the desperate and increasingly violent bid to retain power.
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut independent, also called for the United States and its allies to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to prevent the military from again firing on civilian protestors from the air.
The White House had no immediate comment on their recommendations.
Clinton spoke to reporters one day after President Barack Obama branded Gadhafi an illegitimate ruler who must leave power immediately. The U.N. Security Council announced new penalties against the Gadhafi government, in power since 1969 in the oil-rich nation along Africa's Mediterranean Coast.
"We've been reaching out to many different Libyans who are attempting to organize in the east," the secretary of state said of efforts to form a provisional government in the eastern part of the country where the rebellion began at midmonth.
She added, "We are ready and prepared to offer any type of assistance."
The U.S., she said, is threatening more measures against Gadhafi's government, but did not say what they were or when they might be announced.
Addressing the rulers of unnamed neighboring countries, she said, "You must stop mercenaries and those going to Libya to commit violence and other criminal acts."
The African fighters that Gadhafi is allegedly using against protesters come from several nations.
Clinton's remarks did not go as far as those of McCain or Lieberman.
"Libyan pilots aren't going to fly if there is a no-fly zone and we could get air assets there to ensure it," McCain said. But he added, "I'm not ready to use ground forces or further intervention than that."
He said the U.S. should "recognize some provisional government that they are trying to set already up in the eastern part of Libya, help them with material assistance, make sure that every one of the mercenaries know that any acts they commit they will find themselves in front a war crimes tribunal. Get tough."
Lieberman spoke in similar terms, urging "tangible support, (a) no-fly zone, recognition of the revolutionary government, the citizens government and support for them with both humanitarian assistance and I would provide them with arms."
He likened the situation in Libya to the events in the Balkans in the 1990s when he said the U.S. "intervened to stop a genocide against Bosnians. And the first we did was to provide them the arms to defend themselves. That's what I think we ought to do in Libya."
McCain and Lieberman spoke on CNN's "State of the Union" from Egypt, where a largely peaceful popular uprising recently toppled President Hosni Mubarak from power after a reign of nearly three decades.
It was one of numerous rebellions across Northern Africa and the Middle East in recent months, all of them far less violent than the events in Libya, where Gadhafi has used his military and foreign mercenaries to try and crush a revolt and has threatened to begin arming Libyans who support his rule.
The rebellion began Feb. 15 in Benghazi, where a member of the city council said on Sunday that an ex-justice minister was appointed to lead a provisional government for cities under rebel control.
McCain and Lieberman also said Obama was slow to react to Gadhafi's brutal response to the protests. The administration has said the president did not want to risk any attack on Americans who had been trying to leave the country, and waited until a ferry loaded with evacuees reached Malta after spending two days in the harbor at Tripoli, the capital, because of bad weather.
"The British prime minister and the French president and others were not hesitant and they have citizens in that country," said McCain, who also appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press."
Lieberman said he understood why the administration hesitated, but added, "I wish we had spoken out much more clearly and early against the Gadhafi regime."


text:
Story by
Jacob Lewis
Journalist and travel addict. Journalist and travel addict.
The London Olympics is seeing an unprecedented and much maligned crackdown on social media rules for athletes — but don't worry, they're getting themselves into all sorts of online trouble anyway. In the four short years since Beijing 2008, Twitter has grown from six million to more than 140 million users, just in time for the athletes to shame their countries and embarrass themselves at London 2012.
Here's a list of things we've learned Olympians shouldn't tweet if they want to stay out of trouble. And never fear, with the Olympic village reportedly the biggest alcohol fuelled shag-fest on the planet, I'm betting the best Olympian social media fails are still to come.
Australia's swim team were first off the social media starting block with this gun toting gangsta pose uploaded to Facebook back in June. Nick D'Arcy on the left has a history of being a bit of a badass and was kicked off the swim team in 2008 after being convicted of assaulting a team mate, so these lads may not be the sharpest tools in the pool.
The Australian Olympic Committee gave them a social media ban for the entire Olympics, but worst of all told them to come straight home after their event, which means no crazy parties in the Olympic village and no closing ceremony. It's all a bit harsh seeing as shooting's an Olympic sport and you never hear of Olympic shooters in trouble for wearing Speedos. Then again, they hopefully wouldn't post photos of it on Facebook either.
Aussie swimmer Stephanie Rice was in hot water for posting a photo of herself in, wait for it… a swimsuit. I know, disgusting right? The poor athlete somehow caused a national drama over the 'racy' photo she posted on twitter. You'd have thought she'd realized Twitter is nothing but trouble, at least after the drama she caused by tweeting 'suck on that faggots' in 2010 after Australia beat South Africa at rugby.
Ellie Gonsalves who sent her the bikini as a birthday present tweeted a matching photo of herself in solidarity. I was hoping this would be the start of a popular wave of similar photos of support. Sadly, the next two people to tweet wearing the teeny weeny bikini were blokes.
Racist jokes
If your hatred for other races is so strong that you just can't resist sharing it with the world, even at the expense of your career, you probably shouldn't be allowed anywhere near the Olympics. Greek triple jumper Paraskevi 'Voula' Papachristou was withdrawn from the London Olympics for tweeting a racist joke.
The joke was probably forgivable and she might have gotten away with it, if it weren't for the pesky and inescapable context of her avid support for the Greek Nazi nut-case party Golden Dawn. Even her apology was crappy. She only really said sorry for 'the negative responses' she 'triggered' — and only after the political pressure began mount.
Photo via 24 Sports
Turns out, American hero Michael Phelps is a whiny baby. He tweeted a seriously dull message with the above accompanying photo, complaining that his new swim hat only had the American flag on one side.
What a patriot. You see the problem is, there used to be two flags, now there's one, it's just not fair, now he won't look symmetrical in all those victory shots.
At least he has the disturbingly asymmetrical hat design to blame if he doesn't win all eight golds again.
Digs at London
Photo via az1172 on Flickr
Summing up the innocent mindset of these Olympic athletes, naive Kerron Clement said he 'didn't think it would get headlines' because 'it was an innocent tweet.' Did nobody tell him there's no such thing as an innocent tweet? The British media went crazy when Kerron got bored of being lost on a bus in London and decided to tell the world about it. Apparently the bus driver got lost for four hours trying to find their accommodation so Clement casually tweeted about it.
He wrote: 'Um, so we've been lost on the road for 4hrs. Not a good first impression London' followed by, 'Athletes are sleepy, hungry and need to pee. Could we get to the Olympic Village please.'
But all is forgiven now. Clement says he loves London so I guess he won't be chased out of the country by angry East Londoners just yet.
Keep an eye out for your own Olympian social media fails and slap them in the comments below.
Main photo via 24 Sports and Olympic logo via from paulstringer on Flickr
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.


text:
Microsoft has announced a new licensing program for its Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT) technology. For certain device categories, such as cameras, camcorders, and digital photo frames, the software giant is charging a flat $300,000 license fee, while companies that want to use the format in devices such as phones, PCs, and networks will have to pay a volume-based license fee.
The company notes that the exFAT technology is already being adopted by partners in the industry; Redmond has entered into exFAT licensing agreements with several leading companies including Sony, Canon, and Sanyo. Furthermore, SanDisk, as a member of the SD Association and the Memory Stick standard, has endorsed the adoption of the exFAT file system for use in the new extra capacity storage media. The SD Association says it chose the exFAT file system for the SDXC memory card specification because it supports large volumes, large files, and better contiguous on-disk layout. File saving on SDXC cards can reach the full 300MBps speed thanks to exFAT's modern storage allocation techniques.
Microsoft markets exFAT as the modern version of its predecessor, the FAT system, as it can handle larger files on flash memory devices for use of audiovisual media (Microsoft plans to continue to license the older FAT format alongside exFAT). The latest generation of the exFAT file system allows significantly larger files to be stored on a broad range of consumer electronic devices (support for 256TB compared to FAT's 32GB), and improves the speed at which they can be accessed. Microsoft says the file system can handle more than 4,000 RAW images, 100 HD movies, or 60 hours of HD recording in a single directory, and thus calls exFAT an "ideal file system for delivering fast and reliable use of audio and video files." The technology has already been available for some time in Vista SP1 and later, as well as Windows 7, but now the software giant is licensing it broadly to the industry.
In February 2009, news broke that Microsoft had filed a patent infringement lawsuit against TomTom, alleging that the device maker's products, including some that are Linux-based, infringe on patents related to Microsoft's FAT32 filesystem. In March 2009, Microsoft and TomTom settled their controversial patent dispute, TomTom licensed the patents from Microsoft, and stated its intent to remove from its Linux kernel the code that is covered by the patents.


text:
Brownies that are very chocolatey, fudgy and grain free is possible! I kept coming back and experimenting with this recipe over the past several months. Initially they were more cakey than fudgy, and my favorite kind of brownie is fudgy. It is finally blog worthy! Maple syrup is the perfect addition for a chocolate dessert. It compliments the chocolate and is a natural sweetener. There is also some cooled coffee in the recipe to amp it up even further. If you are a baker, you will probably know that coffee makes chocolate taste more chocolatey. Finally, for the ultimate moist fudge flavor, I added 2 ounces of an organic 85% Dark Chocolate Bar. I would very happily make these brownies for my grain loving friends and family with confidence! Aren't they pretty?
To make this batch of brownies you will use an 8″ x 8″ square pan. It makes twelve generous brownies or nine jumbo ones.
Chocolate Fudge Grain Free Brownies
Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. Line a 8″ x 8″ square baking pan with parchment paper.
3 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Medjool Dates (soaked in warm water for 5 minutes then pitted)
1/3 Cup of Unsweetened Applesauce
1/4 Cup of Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup of Olive Oil
1/4 Cup of Raw Cacao Powder
1/4 Cup of Brewed Coffee (cold)
3 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour
2 ounces of Dark Chocolate, finely chopped (I used organic 85% Alter Eco Dark Blackout Bar here)
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt
1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda
Directions: Pulse the dates and eggs in a food processor, then blend until creamy, about one minute.
Add the remaining ingredients, except the 2 oz. of chocolate bar. Blend thoroughly, scraping down the sides of the processor twice. Add the 2 ounces of chopped chocolate and pulse a few times until evenly distributed. You want little pockets of chocolate! Scrape the batter into the prepared square pan. Let sit for ten minutes. Then pop the pan into your preheated oven, and bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until just baked. When you insert a toothpick into the center of the brownies you should have moist crumbs on the toothpick. Don't over bake.
Cool completely, then slice. Viola! Moist and Fudgy Brownies!


text:
European survey on working time and work-life balance (ESWT)
The first company survey was carried out in 2004-2005 and focused on working time and work-life balance policies in establishments in the former EU15 Member States and six of the new: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.
Survey results
An overview report and a number of research reports on selected topics were published in 2006-2007.
Objectives of the survey
- The survey aimed to complement existing Eurofound data and research on working time which is based primarily on surveys of individual workers and on literature reviews and case studies.
- It was designed to find out whether, why and how companies make use of the broad variety of working time arrangements (e.g. full- and part-time work, overtime, flexi-time, shift work, phased and early retirement and childcare leave arrangements).
- It included all companies with 10 or more employees across all sectors of activity, including the public sector.
Survey methodology
Survey design - Phase 1
- Telephone interviews were carried out in more than 16,000 workplaces in the EU15 Member States
- Both personnel managers and – where available – employee representatives were interviewed. The survey is representative for all establishments with 10 or more employees, and covers both the private and public sector
- The establishments interviewed were randomly selected
- Fieldwork started in the second half of September 2004 and was coordinated by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung.
Survey design - Phase 2
After completion of the first phase, the survey was extended to six of the new EU Member States: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia.
- Telephone interviews were carried out in more than 4,000 workplaces
- Phase 2 fieldwork, coordinated by TNS Infratest Sozialforschung, started in May 2005
- Interviews were conducted by the following national institutes:
|Synovate, Nicosia
|Czech Republic
|TNS AISA, Prague
|TNS Hungary, Budapest
|TNS Baltic Data House, Riga
|TNS OBOP, Warsaw
|RM Plus, Maribor


text:
Register for 2013 N.H. Pro Theatre Assoc. auditions, job fair
MANCHESTER — Online registration for the 2013 N.H. Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Job Fair is open. The event takes place March 9 from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Dana Center, Saint Anselm College.
New Hampshire students and residents 18 and older are encouraged to participate, but the event is open to anyone interested in working at a New Hampshire professional theater.
The Auditions and Job Fair gives participants the opportunity to meet with representatives from New Hampshire professional theaters seeking both cast members and staff, including positions working backstage or in marketing, administrative or box office capacities.
Theatres scheduled to attend include: the Barnstormers Theatre, Children's Stage Adventures, Hampstead Stage, Interlakes Theatre, New London Barn Playhouse, North Country Center for the Arts / Papermill Theatre, the Palace Theatre, Seacoast Repertory Theatre, Second Stage Professional Company, Peterborough Players, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Weathervane Theatre and the Winnipesaukee Playhouse.
"New Hampshire's professional theaters have long drawn on local talent to create world-class performances," said Bob Shea, artistic director of the Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth and director of the Dana Center. "We're looking forward to once again hiring the 'best of the best.'"
The N.H. Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Job Fair is just one project to come out of the Governor's Jobs Cabinet, which focuses on creating and identifying job opportunities statewide.
"Each year, New Hampshire's professional theaters employ approximately 1,000 people in good, solid jobs that help support our communities," said Van McLeod, commissioner of the Department of Cultural Resources. "Add to that the money theaters generate through performances and it's easy to see how they are truly a driving force in New Hampshire's economy."
Online registration for the 2013 N.H. Professional Theatre Association Auditions and Job Fair is required and costs $20. To register, visit http://nhpta.org/.


text:
Killington opens earlier than expected
Cold weather lets slopes open for season-pass holders
Aided by cold weather and a bit of spitting snow, Killington opened Thursday afternoon for the 2013-2014 ski season.
Sarah Wojcik of Ski Vermont said the resort had planned to open Friday for season-pass holders only, but it decided to open Thursday afternoon for the same guests after a few test runs were taken by staff.
People who aren't season-pass or express-card holders can start skiing Saturday.
Sunday River in Maine is also cranking up the snowmaking equipment and has a tentative plan to open on Nov. 6.
At Killington this weekend, the K-1 Express Gondola and North Ridge Triple lifts will be running. Advanced terrain only is available on Rime Trail. Early season conditions exist, and snowmaking may be in progress.
Wojcik provided a tentative opening schedule for Vermont resorts earlier this week:
Okemo Mountain Resort: Saturday, Nov. 16
Stowe Mountain Resort: Saturday, Nov. 23
Sugarbush Resort: Saturday, Nov. 23
Stratton Mountain: Wednesday, Nov. 27
Burke Mountain: Thanksgiving Week
Jay Peak Resort: Thanksgiving Week
Mount Snow Resort: Thanksgiving Week
Bromley Mountain: Friday, Nov. 29
Smugglers' Notch Resort: Friday, Nov. 29
Magic Mountain: Friday, Dec. 13
Bolton Valley: Saturday, Dec. 14
Mad River Glen: Saturday, Dec. 14 (earlier if possible)
Middlebury College Snow Bowl: Saturday, Dec. 14
Pico Mountain: Saturday, Dec. 14
Most ski areas in New Hampshire are planning opening days in November and December, according to SkiNH.com.


text:
A couple of months ago, we noted that Aston Martin had upgraded the V8 Vantage for 2012. After all, even the entry-level sybarite doesn't want to feel abandoned by the luxe maestros in Gaydon, and Gaydon doesn't want them to feel slighted.
We previously mentioned the upgraded self-shifting transmission, which receives a seventh gear, as well as the quicker steering ported over from the Vantage S. But the new V8 Vantage also receives hill-start assist for effortless profiling in San Francisco and tires with a 10-millimeter-wider center section.
Aston has now made U.S. pricing official: The V8 Vantage coupe starts at $118,370, while the drop-top roadster model will cost $132,870. The hotter Vantage S features 430 hp, 361 lb-ft of torque, a rortier exhaust and some carbon-fiber flair. Aston-aspirant sporting gentlemen shall pony up $137,670 or walk away empty-handed.


text:
UPS continues to operate. The Novel Coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented complexities, which have required us to constantly reassess our operations. Our highest priority is to help ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers, and suppliers.
Effective for shipments sent on or after 10 May 2021, the UPS Money Back Guarantee is reinstated for Express services in Europe. The previously announced suspension for UK domestic standard shipments remains in place.
As the effects of the Coronavirus impact our infrastructure, we will continue to seek guidance from local and national government entities to ensure that we fully align with their regulations. We are committed to continue operating globally except where constrained by government restrictions.
Service guarantees are subject to conditions and change. For further details, see the UPS Tariff/Terms and Conditions.
Prior to shipping, please check to see if your recipient's location is open, since business opening hours may have changed due to local restrictions. If the location is closed, we may return the parcel to the sender. Please continue to visit this site for the most up-to-date information regarding the impact of Coronavirus on UPS services.
For your convenience, where available, UPS Access Point locations all provide access to your vital deliveries. Also where available, you can sign up for free UPS My Choice which enables you to provide more specific delivery instructions such as where to leave deliveries, or redirect deliveries to another location, and also provides you with the ability to receive delivery notifications.
UPS tracking solutions show the progress of your shipment every step of the way, across town or around the world.
Remarkable services that go beyond shipping and tracking to help you expand your business.


text:
Services on Demand
Related links
- Cited by Google
- Similars in Google
Tydskrif vir Geesteswetenskappe
On-line version ISSN 2224-7912
Print version ISSN 0041-4751
VAN WYK, Gerhard and DE JAGER, Johan. Franchisees' level of satisfaction with the opportunities and threats of franchising. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2010, vol.50, n.3, pp.328-345. ISSN 2224-7912.
Franchisees often complain that franchisors do not meet their needs in general, supported by a belief that franchisees are dissatisfied with the opportunities and constraints of franchises. The objective of this article is to investigate franchisees' level of satisfaction with the opportunities and constraints of franchises, including the following franchise elements: training provided by the franchisor, the use of an established trade name, franchising as a complete business system (product), the allocation of specific geographical areas, and local and national advertising campaigns. Data were collected by means of a self-administrated questionnaire that was sent to the selected population. A census survey was conducted in association with 75 (51%) of the 145 franchisees whose postal addresses are available on the internet. Respondents were requested to arrange their level of agreement in relation to pre-stated variables on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from "strongly disagree" to "strongly agree"). Of the 145 questionnaires that were posted to franchisees, 77 (53%) were received back. Of these 75 (51,7%) could be used while two (1,3%) were rejected because they were incomplete. The SPSS (15) statistical package was used for the processing of raw tabulated data as part of the statistical analysis process. A Cronbach-alpha coefficient of 0,785 was obtained. This indicates an expectable level of internal consistency and the reliability of the measurement instrument that was used in this study. The data represent two groups of the same franchise, namely franchisees who have functioned as franchisees for two years and less and franchisees who have functioned as franchisees for two years and longer. Consideration is given to the degree to which the two groups observe the franchise elements differently. The population of franchisees that have been franchise holders for between nil and two years as franchisees is slightly smaller than that of the franchisees who have been franchise holders for two years and longer. Franchisees are satisfied with: the margins on products as provided by franchisors, the franchisors' current promotional activities, the support received from the franchisor in the selection process of a distribution point, fi nancial support provided by the franchisor, product and market information as provided by the franchisor, the rate of development of new products by the franchisor and the financial potential of the geographical areas allocated to their franchises. The franchisor understands the training needs of franchisees. The franchisor provides operational support by means of an operational manual. Franchisees do not operate 100% in accordance to the processes as prescribed in the franchisor's operational manual. All distribution points of the franchisor meet the same standard with regard to design and layout. The franchisor does meet the franchisees' needs with regard to products and services provided by the franchisor, including the quality of products that are available in the current product range. Franchisees join the franchise because of the brand name of the franchise and the professional services offered by the franchisor. Franchisees are satisfied with the current franchise fees. The current franchisor product range does not compare favourably with competitors' products with regard to product research, new product development, pricing strategies, packaging and product planning. The perception exists that the current franchise agreement is in favour of the franchisor only. This paper offers a new perspective on the generalisation that franchisees are not satisfied with the opportunities and constraints of franchises. The findings indicate a high level of satisfaction among franchisees with the opportunities and constraints of franchises, with the exception of identified challenges that could be developed further in order to increase franchisees' level of satisfaction - contrary to popular belief.
Keywords : Franchisee satisfaction; franchisees and franchisors; franchise relationship; training; geographical areas; opportunities and constraints.


text:
Medicare Turns 48
A brief history of the program from Truman and LBJ to today
En español | On July 30, 1965, at a public ceremony in Independence, Mo., President Lyndon Baines Johnson signed Medicare into law.
You've Earned a Say about Medicare: Speak up now!
Moments later, the 36th president of the United States presented America's 33rd president, Harry S. Truman — then 81 years old and praised by LBJ as "the real daddy of Medicare" — the nation's first Medicare card. (See archival footage from the event in the "Video Extra" section at the bottom of this page.)
Medicare provides health insurance to Americans age 65 and older and to younger people with certain disabilities or health conditions.
At its creation, Medicare consisted of two parts: Medicare Part A hospital insurance coverage, which is financed by payroll deductions and charges no premiums to those who have contributed; and Medicare Part B, an optional medical insurance program for which enrollees pay a monthly premium.
Medicare's first beneficiaries paid a $40 annual deductible for Part A. The monthly premium for Part B — in which Truman did enroll — was $3. Today those Medicare costs are $1,184 for the annual Part A deductible and a premium of roughly $105 a month for Part B, plus a $147 annual deductible.
Prior to Medicare, those over 65 without access to an employer's health plan or a private insurance plan were on their own, or dependent upon their families, when they required medical care. Efforts to create such a health safety net program were years in the making.
Here is a time line of several Medicare and insurance-related milestones:
1945: President Truman calls for a national health insurance program for all. Legislators on Capitol Hill don't act. He asks again in 1947 and 1949. Bills are introduced but die in Congress.
1961: A task force convened by President John F. Kennedy recommends creating a national health insurance program specifically for those over 65. In May 1962 Kennedy gives a televised speech about the need for Medicare.
1964: President Johnson calls on Congress to create Medicare.
1965: Legislation creating Medicare as well as Medicaid (health care services for certain low-income people and others) passes both houses of Congress by a vote of 70-24 in the Senate and 307-116 in the House. President Johnson signs the Medicare bill into law on July 30 as part of the Social Security Amendments of 1965.
1966: When Medicare services actually begin on July 1, more than 19 million Americans age 65 and older enroll in the program.
1972: President Richard M. Nixon extends Medicare eligibility to individuals under age 65 who have long-term disabilities or end-stage renal disease.
1997: Private insurance plans — originally called Medicare+Choice or Part C, later renamed Medicare Advantage — begin, giving beneficiaries the option of choosing an HMO-style Medicare plan instead of the traditional fee-for-service Medicare program.
2003: On Dec. 8, President George W. Bush greatly expands Medicare by signing the Medicare Modernization Act, which establishes a prescription drug benefit. This optional coverage, for which beneficiaries pay an additional premium, is called Medicare Part D.
2006: On Jan. 1, Medicare Part D goes into effect and enrolled beneficiaries begin receiving subsidized prescription drug coverage.
2010: The health care law (officially the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) signed by President Barack Obama on March 23 mandates that Medicare beneficiaries receive certain preventive care services and health screenings, such as mammograms, free of charge and reduces the out-of-pocket expenses of Part D enrollees.
Today, nearly 50 million Americans — 15 percent of the nation's population — depend on Medicare for their health insurance coverage. With increasing life expectancies and more boomers turning 65 every day, the number of people in Medicare is expected to double between the years 2000 and 2030.
Melissa Stanton is an editor at AARP.org.
You May Also Like
- Money-saving changes come to Medicare
- 4 surgeries to avoid
- Find great volunteer opportunities in your community
Visit the AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more


text:
People who report having supernatural experiences — such as being healed, speaking in tongues or hearing God's voice — are more likely to give money to religious organizations, and the more religious certainty people have, the more they are willing to give, according to new research.
The study's author, Katie Corcoran, a postdoctoral fellow in Baylor's Institute for Studies of Religion, based her research on social exchange theory, which assumes that individuals will pick the option that will benefit them most when faced with a business decision, whether buying a something on eBay or choosing a restaurant.
Factors like trust, reputation and familiarity typically increase the likelihood of a transaction. And there are parallels to how these exchanges play out in the religious arena, Corcoran said. [ The 10 Most Controversial Miracles ]
"You can't empirically verify the existence of God, but mystical experiences are believed to be empirical signs of God, of having some sort of interaction with the divine," Corcoran explained in a statement "For some people, that can be a conscious exchange, for others an unconscious one. If you think God exists, you're more likely to give."
Corcoran looked at two surveys (one from 1988 and one from 2007) in which respondents answered questions about how much they gave to religious organizations and their religious experiences. She found that those who gave to religious organizations were more likely to claim they had a supernatural experience. Some said they had been called by God to do something; others said they were protected from harm by a guardian angel; still others said they witnessed a miraculous healing.
One factor that could influence religious giving is whether or not a person belongs to a "high tension" congregation. These religious organizations, which include certain evangelical Protestant Christian groups, have values that tend to conflict with those of mainstream society.
Previous research shows that evangelicals give more of their income than mainline Protestants and Catholics, Corcoran noted, and her study suggests evangelicals have less religious doubt than other people, which increases their giving.
"If you don't believe in Heaven — or don't believe you're going there — why would you do things the church says you should, like giving?" On the other hand, "if you believe, giving is a natural by-product," Corcoran explained in a statement. Her research was detailed in the journal Rationality and Society.
Other work has tried to explain how belief in mystical experiences affects individuals' lives. One study linked belief in the supernatural to a phenomenon known as pareidolia, in which people see faces in inanimate objects, such as toast and the surface of the moon. Earlier research found that loneliness might breed a belief in the supernatural.
Follow Megan Gannon on and Follow us, & . Original article on LiveScience.


text:
(Press Release) FOX ORDERS PILOT FOR NEW DRAMA "RAKE"
Character-Driven Drama Executive-Produced By
Peter Duncan, Peter Tolan and Michael Wimer
Kicking off its drama pilot orders, Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) has given a pilot order to RAKE, a character-driven comedic drama by Peter Duncan (creator of the original Australian series) and executive-produced by Peter Tolan ("Rescue Me," "Analyze This") and Michael Wimer ("2012"). Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Greg Kinnear ("Little Miss Sunshine," "The Kennedys") has been cast in the lead role of KEEGAN JOYE, a brilliant, but self-destructive criminal defense lawyer. Kinnear also will co-executive-produce.
Based on the Australian AACTA nominee for Best Television Drama Series, RAKE follows the chaotic and comedic life of criminal defense lawyer KEEGAN JOYE (Kinnear). Brilliant, frustratingly charming, and with zero filter, Keegan is one of life's great addicts. His staggering lack of discretion and inability to self-censor land him the cases that nobody else wants, but behind that lies a resolute optimism and belief in justice that fuel his dogged determination to defend those who seem beyond redemption. In addition to Keegan's cases within the justice system, the show follows his personal trials and tribulations, including his ongoing battle against the IRS, his mounting debt to his bookie, overlapping affairs and liaisons with women, a hormonal son, an exhausted ex-wife and the evolving relationship between his two married best friends, Ben and Scarlett.
Greg Kinnear received an Academy Award nomination for his work in the 1997 film "As Good as It Gets." His recent role on "Modern Family" earned him a 2012 Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. For his performance as John F. Kennedy in the cable miniseries "The Kennedys," he was nominated for 2011 Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. In 1995, Kinnear and the producers of cable's "Talk Soup" won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program.
In 2006, Kinnear starred in the Academy Award-nominated film "Little Miss Sunshine." Other film credits include "Thin Ice," "Green Zone," "Flash of Genius," "Ghost Town," "Baby Mama," "Feast of Love," Invincible," "Fast Food Nation," "Bad News Bears," "Stuck On You," "Auto Focus," "The Gift," "Nurse Betty" and "You've Got Mail." He will next be seen in Josh Boone's "Writers," co-starring Jennifer Connelly, Kristen Bell and Lily Collins. The film premiered at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival. He also has completed production on Craig Zisk's "The English Teacher," co-starring Julianne Moore, Lily Collins and Nathan Lane. RAKE is Kinnear's first network drama pilot.
RAKE is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Fedora Entertainment and Essential Media & Entertainment Pty Ltd. The pilot is created and written by Peter Duncan. The pilot is executive-produced by Duncan, Peter Tolan, Michael Wimer, Richard Roxburgh ("Rake," "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole") and Ian Collie ("Rake").


text:
Broncos Fans -- Statewide PORN BINGE After Super Bowl Defeat
Nothing cures the agony of defeat like furious masturbation -- at least that's how Broncos Nation decided to deal with its grief last night ... after losing the Super Bowl 43-8.
XXX giant PornHub.com just released some fascinating stats from last night's porn viewership on its website -- showing overall viewership was down 32% during the big game ... down even more in Denver (51%) and Seattle (61%). Makes sense.
The tide turns around the halftime mark (EST) ... when most of the audience bailed on the game ... but things got even more interesting after the final score.
While porn viewing numbers in Seattle and Washington dropped below average in the wake of their massive victory -- presumably because everyone was out partying -- the numbers in Denver and Colorado surged to 10.8% and 7.6% above average, respectively.
So far, no word from Kleenex or Vaseline.


text:
The 49ers will wait until after the season before resuming talks on a contract extension with Jim Harbaugh, CEO Jed York said Thursday on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. Harbaugh has two seasons remaining on a contract (five years, $25 million) he signed upon leaving Stanford in 2011.
"Jim and I will sit down a week or so after the season is over and we'll figure out where we go," York said, adding that he and Harbaugh spoke Wednesday when they decided to table the issue.
York recognizes that Harbaugh's pay grade may skyrocket if the 49ers win their first Super Bowl in 20 years. "Like I've said publicly and very loudly in the past, I hope he has the utmost leverage when we sit down and talk about his contract at the end of the season," York said.
Harbaugh is the only coach in NFL history to reach conference championship games in each of his first three seasons.
Harbaugh discussed his contract goals in an interview Sunday with Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, stating: "I have never asked to be the highest-paid coach in football. I have never asked to be paid like a Super Bowl-winning coach.
"I have never asked for more power, nor has anybody asked for those things on my behalf, which anybody in this organization can attest to, and all the focus will be on the 2014 season and achieving our goals of the team"
The Seattle Seahawks won last season's Super Bowl in the penultimate year of Pete Carroll's contract, which had paid him $7 million annually. Topping the salary chart among coaches are believed to be Sean Payton (Saints, $8 million per year), Bill Belichick (Patriots, $7.5 million), Andy Reid (Chiefs, $7.5 million), Jeff Fisher (Rams, $7 million) and John Harbaugh (Ravens, $7 million).
The Cleveland Browns inquired last February about acquiring Harbaugh in a trade, which was quickly scuttled after York said he asked Harbaugh of any interest in such a move.


text:
It's shark week. I'm not going to watch a bit of it; I'm actually boycotting the Discovery Channel for the indefinite future. The reason: An appalling violation of media ethics and outright scientific dishonesty. They opened the week with a special "documentary" on Megalodon, the awesome 60 foot long shark that went extinct a few million years ago…or at least, that's what the science says. The show outright lied to suggest that Megalodon might still exist somewhere in the ocean.
None of the institutions or agencies that appear in the film are affiliated with it in any way, nor have approved its contents.
Though certain events and characters in this film have been dramatized, sightings of "Submarine" continue to this day.
Megalodon was a real shark. Legends of giant sharks persist all over the world. There is still a debate about what they may be.
There is no evidence of this species' persistence, nor did they present any. They just made it all up; reality isn't awesome enough, so they had to gild the giant shark story. They've gone the way of our other so-called "documentary" channels dedicated to fact-based education — the History channel, Animal Planet, TLC. Garbage rules.
This also makes me sad because I already have to deal with irrational loons telling me that since coelacanths exist, scientists are wrong and humans walked with dinosaurs. I await with gritted teeth the first creationist who tries to argue that the survival of the Megalodon to modern times means it's perfectly plausible that medieval knights hunted dragons/dinosaurs.
Thanks, Discovery Channel. And screw you.


text:
Let's face it, consumables in game are nowhere near as fun as consumables in real life.
Clicking on an icon doesn't compare well to choosing from a menu or window display. Aside from the fact that you can't taste it anyway, there's no feast for the senses, no visual appeal. You can't get excited about clicking a potion the same way you can from looking at a patisserie window.
Even aside from the pictures of cakes, consumables fill an odd function in MMOs. They provide some benefit to the consumer – maybe a short term buff, or faster healing. They are often player-created via a tradeskill, so a constant demand keeps the tradeskill viable. And they are usually optional for soloing, but considered important in any really challenging content. Like anything which provides stats in a game, consumables can be min-maxed. So if you end up in progression raids, part of the skill of raiding is knowing which consumables to bring and where to get them from. Some may last different amounts of time, be easier to get, be defunct, or be buyable with tokens.
This is all very obscure if you are a new player. You could easily level to cap and have run many instances without anyone ever saying a thing about consumables and without really having them mentioned in quests either.
In LOTRO I'm terrible at remembering the raid consumables. I usually try to load up on them when I can, but some of them affect your whole group, others can be over-written, and yet others come in varying strengths and durations. So it's guaranteed that the one time a raid leader asks you to use one, it'll be the one you don't have.
I am assuming that with more practice (read: more whining at Arb) I'll know what to bring. But right now, it all seems so random. I keep wondering – would this be more fun if the consumables were just kind of … baked in to the game. It's not as if there's really much choice once you know which the optimal ones are. Turbine have made things easier. You can buy most of the potions with Mirkwood emblems (of which I have several hundred in my vault, and I can't actually remember how or why).
Warcraft is going the same way. In Cataclysm, food buffs will be provided by feasts (only one person in the raid needs to bring them) and there are hints of cauldrons (only one person in the raid needs to bring the elixir), flasks will be very cheap and also last through death, and spell reagents get more optional also.
I know this is more grist to the mill of complaints about dumbing down, but raid consumables were just an extra list of "stuff you have to do before you raid." They represented a kind of secret raider knowledge that regular players didn't need to know (in Vanilla WoW, most people would never have needed to use a flask, and might have no clue about where they came from or what they did.) The discipline of having to farm your own raid consumables did add something to the raiding experience. It was more than just turning up on raid night. But it was also time consuming, obscure, and doesn't really fit in modern games.
I'd see the phasing out of raid consumables as a bell wether for where MMOs are drifting. Being pressured to look information up outside the game is the next big element which devs will attempt to optimise out of MMOs in future.
For all that, I have a soft spot for cooking as a trade skill. In WoW, it's probably the best fun of any of them. It combines the fun of collecting ingredients with having lots of different recipes to make – and many of them do sell at end game (less now that feasts are available though.) It's just that once stats are involved, any of the fun of window shopping at patisseries disappears. They're just like any other boring old MMO stat item.


text:
Organic and Sustainable Sky Blue - Bluverd female Crew Neck T shirt
Highest quality, 100% sustainable and organic t shirt
These organic, sustainable cut crewneck tees are regular fit, dress it up for smart casual or dress it down with some jeans. A small detail that makes a big difference. Comes in lovely shades dyed with an ancient dye technique and leaves no trace in nature.
Blue Verd is committed in its sustainable efforts and its fair production policies from zero synthetics and zero chemicals to sourcing of organic materials and only using organic print and natural dyes.
All Blu Verd T shirts are Peta approved and 100% vegan.
Charitable Donations
For all orders over £25 Just Think Eco plant a tree and for all orders under we donate 1% towards the Just one Ocean charity.
Just Think Eco are also proud members of 1% for the planet
Bluverd has a line "Earth" which is zero profit for Bluverd.
Projected profit of the products sold in that category is donated to
Ocean cleanup
Tema Tree planting
Save Bees and Farmers EU
Untracked 2-3 days £7.50
Tracked 2-3 days £11.00
Bluverd ships orders to consumers which are in stock no later than 1-5 working days after conclusion of the contract via DHL and Deutsche Post. Orders shipped from Germany and within Europe which are available are normally delivered within 3-6 working days. For shipments to non-European countries, the delivery time depends on the delivery zone, the location of the recipient and custom clearance processes in international deliveries.
Returns & Refunds
We have a 14-day return policy, which means you have 14 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, with tags, and in its original packaging. You'll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
To start a return, you can contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. If your return is accepted, we'll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
You can always contact us for any return question at email@example.com.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon reception and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like perishable goods (such as food, flowers, or plants), custom products (such as special orders or personalised items), and personal care goods (such as beauty products). We also do not accept returns for hazardous materials, flammable liquids, or gases. Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
Unfortunately, we cannot accept returns on sale items or gift cards.


text:
SOMERS, N.Y. --- Tired of singing the theme song to your child's favorite animated film and worried about the long car ride for your upcoming summer vacation? You're in luck.
Somers resident Andy Zulla, a Grammy-award winning producer has teamed up with Broadway performer Matt Zarley, to create a CD collection of '70s and '80s music you'll want to listen to as much as your kids.
Rock-n-Stroller Volume I, currently available on Amazon and iTunes, features old- time hits like Don't Stop (Fleetwood Mac), I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Whitney Houston), Sweet Dreams (The Eurythmics), and Start Me Up (Rolling Stones) all performed by talented young singers.
Volume II, which debuts Sept. 8, will feature pop and rock favorites like Here Comes the Sun (The Beatles), Surfin' USA (Beach Boys), Dancing Queen (ABBA), I Love Rock and Roll (Joan Jett and The Blackhearts), We Belong (Pat Benatar) and Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns n' Roses), and many more.
"As a parent, I wanted to listen to music that my child would enjoy, but also share music that I would love to listen to as well," said Zulla, who grew up in Chappaqua.
Zulla's 7-year-old daughter Kayley was a big part of his inspiration to make the CD and, like any proud dad -- and producer -- he allowed her to be part of the "kids background group" on a number of songs.
"Kayley doesn't know yet if she wants to be a singer when she grows up, but she loved the project and the songs so much she wanted to be a part of it," he said.
For more information, visit www.rock-n-stroller.com.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Somers and receive free news updates.


text:
BERGISCH GLADBACH, January 17, 2019 – With the commercialization of the novel imaging process Miltenyi Biotec sets new standards for the optical clearing of biological samples for microscopic analyses.
BERGISCH GLADBACH, Jan 17, 2019 - Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, a global provider of products and services for biomedical research and cellular therapy, announced that it has signed a purchase contract for a non-harmful, fluorescence-preserving, optical clearing process from the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. The acquired invention involves an easy-to-use protocol that allows a safe optical clearing of biological samples for microscopy using an organic solvent-based clearing agent. It is the first method for preparing large biological samples for three-dimensional imaging that completely avoids the use of any harmful agents while maintaining fluorescent staining for high-quality imaging. With the support of PROvendis the university has already registered the new process for international patent approval.
The new clearing agent unites the speed of an organic solvent with the harmlessness of water-based clarifiers. Tests have shown that the clearing process, including dehydration, of a mouse brain only takes two days with the new protocol compared to 10-14 days when using water-based protocols. Unlike agents based on organic solvents, there is no danger from inhaling dangerous fumes or any adverse effects of accidental skin contact. It is less aggressive and therefore much easier to handle in the laboratory and under the microscope than the commonly used organic solvent-based clarifiers. It even naturally occurs in pineapples and is approved as an additive for winemaking. One of the key challenges when optically clearing entire organs is the preservation of fluorescence staining that has been performed beforehand. When benchmarking the new clearing medium with others it shows excellent fluorescent signal preservation and only a minor impact on the tissue structure thus offering best prerequisites for microscopic analysis of biological samples.
"The new clearing agent is harmless, easy-to-use even for untrained personnel, cost-effective and already successfully tested in a number of studies. It holds great promise for a successful commercialization", says Dr. Dominik Eckardt , R&D Manager at Miltenyi Biotec. Optical clearing of tissue samples is an essential process step in sample preparation for light-sheet and ultramicroscopy. "With the improved clearing protocol, we are now able to set new standards in high-end imaging, further strengthening our portfolio of pioneering analytical tools for biomedical research", adds Dr. Dominik Eckardt. Miltenyi Biotec recently acquired the high-end microscopy specialist LaVision BioTec GmbH, expanding its range of products for cell analysis and preclinical imaging with premium expertise in microscopy.
The company will initially offer the new clearing agent for neurobiology and cancer research applications as it can play a key role in the study of Alzheimer and Parkinson's disease by helping to visualize and quantify plaque formation in mouse brains. Going forward, the company plans to manufacture, and market further products based on the newly acquired clearing protocol.
About Miltenyi Biotec:
Miltenyi Biotec is a global provider of products and services that advance biomedical research and cellular therapy. Our innovative tools support research at every level, from basic research to translational research to clinical application. Since 30 years our technologies are used by scientists and clinicians around the world, our technologies cover techniques of sample preparation, cell isolation, cell sorting, flow cytometry, cell culture, and preclinical imaging. Our 30 years of expertise spans research areas including immunology, stem cell biology, neuroscience, and cancer. Today, Miltenyi Biotec has 2,500 employees in 28 countries – all dedicated to helping researchers and clinicians make a greater impact on science and health.
Media Contact:
Miltenyi Biotec GmbH
Holger Buelow
+49 2204 8306-6680
Seems like you are coming from USA!
Do you want to visit our website in your country?


text:
(2011) Comedy (Fox Searchlight) Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Sigourney Weaver, Anne Heche, Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Alia Shawkat, Rob Corddry, Mike O'Malley, Seth Morris, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Thomas Lennon, Mike Birbiglia. Directed by Miguel Arteta
There is something disarming about the Midwestern version of naiveté. Hollywood, ever the sophisticate, tends to ridicule these sorts of people. I've found some of these people to be the salt of the earth and well worth more respect than Hollywood seems to give them.
Tim Lippe (Helms) is an insurance agent in Brown Valley, Wisconsin. He is in his mid-30s but he hasn't had a lot of life experience. He is having an affair with his first grade teacher Macy Vanderhei (Weaver). He thinks he is living the dream; being an insurance agent is an opportunity to help people when they need it the most. Remember what I said about naiveté?
When Roger Lemke (Lennon), the agency's most successful agent dies abruptly, Bill Krogstad (Root), the boss of BrownStar Insurance, is forced to send Tim to the regional insurance conference in Cedar Rapids where Roger had won three straight Two Diamonds Awards, the most prestigious award in the industry and as Bill darkly tells Tim, he needs to win again to keep the company afloat.
In Cedar Rapids (which Tim arrives at taking his first plane ride ever), Tim is set to room with Ronald Wilkes (Whitlock), the first African-American man he's probably ever seen but perhaps the whitest black man ever. Also in the hotel room is Dean Ziegler (Reilly), an insurance agent who really knows how to live it up; drunken debauchery is Dean's middle name and he is the one person at the conference that Tim was warned to stay away from.
Also part of the group is Joan Ostrowski-Fox (Heche), a married mother of two who uses the convention as an opportunity to cut loose and looks at Tim as her ticket to ecstasy. There is also Bree (Shawkat), a hooker working the convention whom Tim assumes is just a very friendly person.
Tim is set to make a presentation to the regional chairman Orin Helgesson (Smith), whose Christian values are the centerpiece of the Two Diamonds award. However, Tim has fallen in with Dean who has introduced Tim to the wonders of cocktails and crashing Lesbian weddings (which are legal in Iowa by the way). Tim is not equipped to handle the debaucheries of the big city that is Cedar Rapids; corruption, Iowa-style.
Of course, there is a bit of irony here. Okay, a lot of irony. Most people would never think of Cedar Rapids as a den of iniquity but I suppose it's a matter of perspective; someone who's never ventured from a small Midwestern town might see it that way. Wait'll they get a load of Vegas.
Ed Helms has proven himself a great second banana not only in "The Office" but also in the Hangover movies. He hasn't been given the opportunity to shoulder the load in a movie until this one, but he does so admirably. He plays the character irony-free, giving him genuine joy at the simple things like an atrium pool, the smell of chlorine, key cards and an extra bag of honey-roasted peanuts on the plane. Super awesome!
Reilly might just be the best second banana in the business. The reason for that is that he has the good sense to allow the leads to do what they're best at and play the foil to them. He's done that with Will Ferrell and he does it here with Helms. Still, Reilly manages to craft a memorable character of his own, one who might seem to be the absolute devil to a man like Tim but turns out to be as loyal a friend as you can ask for. Both Whitlock and Heche give solid performances, with Heche's being particularly poignant and Whitlock's more comedic.
I enjoyed the atmosphere Arteta weaves here, the world he creates. It's a simpler place in a lot of ways and to be honest, I kind of like that. Towards the end it gets kind of dark as Tim discovers harder drugs and so forth and that isn't as funny in my view as the first part of the movie as we meet Tim – he seems to go outside the parameters he sets for himself and while I know that does happen in real life, it feels a little false here.
The humor works most of the time however – in fact, far more often than most comedies. This is one of those movies that got a little bit overlooked during its release – it went out in limited release and only had a few screens in some places and none at all in others. It is however worth seeking out, particularly if you're into "The Office," "Parks and Recreation" or "Modern Family" – which isn't entirely a bad thing.
WHY RENT THIS: Hysterically funny in places. Helms proves himself to be an able comic lead.
WHY RENT SOMETHING ELSE: The movie plumbs darker waters towards the end. Sometimes a little too over-the-top for what is billed as a light comedy.
FAMILY VALUES: The language can be pretty foul and there's a good deal of sexual content, along with some drug use.
TRIVIAL PURSUIT: Whitlock references the HBO series "The Wire," which he was a cast member in – although not as Omar.
NOTABLE DVD EXTRAS: There is a gag reel and a bit on Mike O'Malley's "urban clogging" bit, as well as a fake commercial for the insurance agency that Tim Lippe works at.
BOX OFFICE PERFORMANCE: $6.9 on an unreported production budget; the movie broke even at best.
TOMORROW: Saint John of Las Vegas