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"I want a peaceful, clutter-free place where I can relax," says Linda Brandel, who lives with her husband and 11-year-old daughter in Cheektowaga, New York. "I've tried moving the furniture around, but the room still feels disorganized." Even more than a smart rearrangement, Linda craves a sophisticated color scheme. "It's so blah," she says. Bare wood floors and small high windows that offer little light also have Linda stumped. And at the top of her wish list is a comfortable seating area. "The room is big enough," Linda notes. "I just don't know how to make it all work."
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The Strategy
To create a serene layout, designer Nate Berkus opts for a neutral palette. "I went with khaki walls and painted the existing bed white to add interest," he says. Next he suggests removing pieces like the standing mirror and bench that hog space yet have no real purpose. He oriented the headboard against the opposite wall and created access to both sides of the bed. Two end tables double as storage. Nate chose bamboo slatted blinds for the windows and placed a slipper chair beneath them in the corner. "Every bedroom needs a place to sit other than the bed," says Nate.
The Finishing Touches
Nate introduced a couple of key pieces to add variety to what Linda already owned. "Don't be afraid to have a range of tones and patterns in your space," he says. "It's a good thing when everything doesn't match." To define the entire area, Nate rolled out a big graphic rug in an earthy hue.
"I didn't want the room to look too traditional, so I chose a bureau with a zinc finish and hung a large ornate mirror for depth and sparkle." The bureau, he notes, is a splurge that could be bought later, when Linda's budget allows it (zinc dresser, restorationhardware.com, from $1,195). Other sophisticated details include a chocolate-hued duvet and a mix of pillows. "Finally, don't forget to give a space personality," Nate says. "Little things like a stack of books, family photos, and favorite accessories make all the difference."
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Nate's Bedroom Decorating Picks
Light Bright
A basket-weave shade brings in another layer of texture.
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Off the Wall
Inject a note of glamour with a trio of mod brass bursts.
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Under Cover
Linens in deep, rich colors lend a sophisticated look.
Lands' End brushed twill comforter cover set, landsend.com, from $90
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Initial Response
Put a personal stamp on a cushion.
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Rest Stop
An armless chair offers a sleek solution for kicking back.
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Gold Rush
An "antiqued" tripod table mixes well with any style.
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Optical Illusion
A reflective surface can be both practical and decorative.
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Floor Plan
A wool-and-cotton rug in a zigzag pattern adds cozy flair.
Originally published in the October 17, 2010, issue of Family Circle magazine.


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Cybex International Inc., Medway, MA, released a new treadmill, the 770T, last week at the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association show in San Francisco. Patrick House, the season 10 winner of "The Biggest Loser," was on hand at the official launch of the product. House is Cybex's fitness ambassador.
"This is not your run-of-the-mill treadmill," says Cybex CEO John Aglialoro. "This is a breakthrough treadmill designed to help serious and casual fitness athletes alike to rediscover the simple joys of running, jogging and walking. The 770T is designed and engineered to reflect the natural movement of the human body."
The treadmill's IS3 intelligent suspension system ensures a precise match of the body mechanics of running to make sure there are minimal stresses on the body. The 770T's deck is soft at landing, firm in the middle, and rigid at toe-off to precisely match the body mechanics of running.
For those needing additional support, the treadmill features ARMZ, ergonomically designed stability bars that reach out beyond conventional support bars.
Beyond the mechanics of the treadmill, the 770T features CardioTouch display, which provides a single command center for every exercise program and entertainment control, including iPods and iPhones. Users can personalize their exercise experience while charging their devices and searching through playlists, albums, artists and podcasts.
"We have also gone to great lengths to make this an incredibly smart and efficient treadmill for club owners," says Larry Gulko, senior vice president of business development for Cybex. "The 770T features a cooling belt for the treadmill deck enabling the belt to stay cool and last longer, and a double-sided, self-service deck to allow for easier maintenance."
This is the first new product the company has released since a $66 million product liability suit went against the company in December.

subset: commoncrawl


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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - With the summer wood bat leagues in full swing, a couple of Bisons have earned themselves all-star nods while many are tuning up their games in anticipation of the 2013 Lipscomb Bisons baseball season.
Hunter Brothers and Will Blalock, not only teammates for the Bisons but also teammates on the West Virginia Miners will both be teammates again on the East Division All-Star team after earning the nod in the Prospect League. The league contains 12 teams across the Midwest in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.
Blalock, a rising sophomore, leads the Prospect League in ERA with a 0.77, giving up just three earned runs in six starts during the first half of the season. He owns a 4-1 record over those six starts giving up 24 hits and striking out 30. One of the most incredible numbers of his first half has been holding opposing hitters to just a .195 batting average. Brothers, a rising sophomore, enters the all-star break with a 2.70 ERA in 13 games amassing 21 strikeouts and six saves in 16.2 innings of work for the Miners while holding hitters to a .234 batting average.
Jacob Knott, who suits up for the Tennessee Lynx in the Tennessee Summer Collegiate Baseball Association, will also be making an all-star appearance after posting a 1.37 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP in 30.2 innings while striking out 40 batters and walking just seven for the Lynx. Knott, who redshirted in his first season at Lipscomb, hit the pitchers pinnacle on June 24th when he pitched a perfect game against the Florence Nitro.
Griffin Moore, a rising sophomore, leads the Hampton League in walks with 21 for the Center Moriches Battlecats. Moore has a .390 batting average with five home runs and 17 RBI in 22 games played. Moore has 55 total bases, which ranks him fifth in the league. Also stepping on the mound for two appearances, Moore owns a 2.25 ERA in four innings pitched while striking out four.
Also on the Center Moriches Battlecats is rising sophomore Tyson Ashcraft. Ashcraft has started all 22 games, owning a .256 average on 23 hits and scoring 16 runs. Hitting for power, Ashcraft has hit five home runs while driving in 13 RBI.
Blake Fonfara, a rising senior, is pitching for the Thunder Bay Border Cats in the Northwoods League. Fonfara owns a 3-1 record with a 3.26 ERA in eight games. He has 29 strikeouts in 38.2 innings pitched.
Lee Wilson, a rising senior, has been playing the outfield for the Florence RedWolves of the Coastal Plain League. In 25 games played, Wilson owns a .293 batting average, driving in eight runs on 29 hits.
Jaesung (J) Hwang, a rising sophomore pitcher, owns a 5.56 ERA after three appearances on the mound. In 11.1 innings pitched, Hwang has recorded seven strikeouts.
Aaron Sandoval, a rising senior, has continued his solid play from the spring and has earned an All-Star game nod for the Tennessee Summer Collegiate Baseball Association playing for the Cumberland RiverRats.


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Taking 'Obama' out of health care
President Barack Obama and loyal Democrats once embraced the term Obamacare to sell the American people on health care reform.
Not anymore.
Story Continued Below
With the president's approval ratings at record lows, a broken website and Obama under fire for his pledge that people could keep their plans, the "Affordable Care Act" has returned.
The president didn't say "Obamacare" once during his nearly hourlong news conference last week, while he referred to the "Affordable Care Act" a dozen times. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi went so far as to correct David Gregory on "Meet the Press" Sunday on the proper terminology. And White House talking points distributed to Democrats and obtained by POLITICO repeatedly refer to the Affordable Care Act in suggested sound bites, not Obamacare.
( WATCH: Best lines from Obama's ACA mea culpa)
Calling it the Affordable Care Act has advantages for Democrats seeking to defend health care reform while still criticizing the bungled White House rollout. The phrase polls better than Obamacare — and people have responded more positively to the law's benefits when they haven't been told they come from Obamacare.
"You want the law to have approval rating higher than POTUS has," a Democratic official said Monday.
"Obamacare" started out as a pejorative term during Obama's first campaign, and Republicans, especially the tea party, embraced it during protests and rallies against the health care bill. The media generally steered clear as well — using phrases such as "health care reform" to describe the issue.
( WATCH: 6 major players in HealthCare.gov debacle)
But Obama last year reappropriated the term for himself, making the phrase a staple of his stump speech and hawking "I (heart) Obamacare" bumper stickers.
"We passed Obamacare — yes, I like the term — we passed it because I do care, and I want to put these choices in your hands where they belong," Obama said at a typical stop in Iowa last October.
Now, the phrase is vanishing from official use. White House website posts in July ("Obamacare in Three Words: Saving People Money") and late September ("What Obamacare Means for You") called the health care law the O-word. But now HealthCare.gov is almost entirely scrubbed of "Obamacare" and the law is called the Affordable Care Act in nearly every instance. Health insurance exchanges run by states don't use the term Obamacare at all.
( PHOTOS: 10 Sebelius quotes about the Obamacare website)
A 22-page White House document issued to Democratic Sunday show guests uses the word Obamacare only under a "general points" subheading and in a section debunking a purported myth that increased Medicaid enrollment would lead to an older, sicker population signing up for health care through the exchanges.
Instead, the document contains standard White House health care talking points: "The Affordable Care Act is more than a website"; "We have a great product that people like and tons of interest in the product"; and Obama's "administrative proposal will give consumers more information and choices, including keeping their old plans."
The White House talking points suggest that Democrats respond to GOP attacks by pointing to October, when the government was shut down and Congress was staring at a potential default.
( Also on POLITICO: President Obama to insurers: No bailout)
"The GOP has an obsession with the Affordable Care Act," the White House talking points read. "They were willing to shut down the government and threaten our economy and full faith and credit just to try to stop it. That didn't work."


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FRIDAY, Oct. 14 (HealthDay News) -- One in six people in the United States is affected by a brain disease such as stroke, dementia, epilepsy or multiple sclerosis, and more research is required to find new treatments, says the American Academy of Neurology Foundation.
Latest Neurology News
To mark its 20th anniversary, the foundation has released a video public service announcement to raise awareness about the need for ongoing research.
"Brain disease is in the news every day, and it is nearly impossible to find someone who has not had a family member or friend affected by one of the many forms of brain disease that attack the brain and nervous system," Dr. John Mazziotta, chair of the foundation's board of trustees and professor and chair of the Brain Mapping Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in an AAN news release.
"People are also concerned they, or their family members, will become affected by brain disease directly," he added.
The new public service announcement, posted on YouTube, was created using clips from some of the more than 100 accepted entries into the 2011 Neuro Film Festival. The annual contest is hosted by the foundation and features videos from people affected by brain disease.
"There is vast research potential for finding new treatments for brain disease, but limited funding to support it," Mazziotta said.
According to the news release, the foundation, which supports research into finding cures for brain diseases, has raised more than $16 million to fund such efforts to help battle stroke (the third leading cause of death in the United States) and Alzheimer's disease (the sixth leading cause of death in the country).
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2011 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCE: American Academy of Neurology, news release, Oct. 11, 2011


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Solid State Watch: June 6-12, 2014
Tags: acquisition, consolidation, Entropic, III-V, MOSFET, ON Semiconducor, VLSI
"" TSMC first TEASED us with this potential technology back in 2014 at the IEEE IEDM " and the SHOW goes..." - DrFlipChip| Comment from: IFTLE 381 TSMC WOW
Tags: acquisition, consolidation, Entropic, III-V, MOSFET, ON Semiconducor, VLSI
Please log in or register to view this white paper.
The increasing demand for wireless data bandwidth and the emergence of LTE and LTE Advanced standards pushes radio-frequency (RF) IC designers to develop devices with higher levels of integrated RF functions, meeting more and more stringent specification levels. The substrates on which those devices are manufactured play a major role in achieving that level of performance.
Everybody's talking about it, but just what is DFM? According to various EDA company websites, design for manufacturing can be: generation of yield optimized cells; layout compaction; wafer mapping optimization; planarity fill; or, statistical timing among other definitions. Obviously, there is very little consensus. For me, DFM is what makes my job hard: Characterizing it, and developing tools for it, is the most important item on my agenda.
In nanometer designs, the number of single vias, and the number of via transitions with minimal overlap, can contribute significantly to yield loss. Yet doubling every via leads to other yield-related problems and has a huge impact on design size. While there is still concern over of how many vias can be fixed without rerouting and without creating DRC violations, the Calibre via doubling tool can identify via transitions and recommend areas for second via insertion without increasing area.
Certain measurement methodologies can be inaccurate even if they're precise, and there are known errors associated with certain system parameters.
The etch loading effect is the dominant factor that impacts final CD control at advanced nodes with shrinking critical dimension.
A look at ways to simplify the optical and resist model calibration and to speed up the entire process.
Fabricating interconnects is one of the most process-intensive and cost-sensitive parts of manufacturing.


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An Alabama police officer has been fired for accepting a challenge to drag race down the streets of Montgomery.
Out for a ride on his motorcycle, private citizen Lawrence Lee Spillers pulled up next to an officer on a motorcycle at a red light and asked if he wanted to race, according to WSFA.
"I got turbo," the unidentified cop says in the video before taking off when the light turns green.
Spillers recorded the race with a camera attached to his helmet and then posted the incriminating clip on YouTube.
Montgomery Police Chief Kevin Murphy called the video "very upsetting."
"For the very thing that we are out here enforcing the law, for an officer to cross that line and violate it, there's no excuse. I will not tolerate it and he is no longer wearing the badge," he said.
But for Spillers, the termination of the officer seems unfair. According to WSFA, he has taken to Facebook to petition for the cop to get his job back. He has around four hundred "likes" and comments on the post so far.
"We posted [the video] thinking, you know, it was something fun, something you don't run across every day and that's why we did it," he said. "Our intentions were to never get the cop in trouble, and we definitely didn't think he would lose his job."
The officer, who has still not been identified by name, released a statement saying that he did not "have any hard feelings against the department."
"All my life and throughout my career I have tried to be humble and reserved, but I'm not perfect," the statement said. "If I could start over I would have never done what I did."


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Weed science educator Brady Kappler recently summarized three years of glyphosate research conducted at the University of Nebraska. The studies looked at weed control results from Roundup UltraMax, Roundup Ultra, Roundup WeatherMax, Roundup UltraDry, Touchdown, Clearout 41 Plus, Glyfos Xtra, Cornerstone, Glyphomax, and Glyphomax Plus. Weed control results from these brands were remarkably similar over the course of the research.
There are, however, significant differences in how the different brands must be used. Kappler says the most important two factors are knowing whether to add surfactant and always adding AMS to your glyphosate. The glyphosate product label will tell you "no surfactant is needed," "you may add surfactant" or "you must add surfactant." The "no" and "must" statements are easy to understand, but the "may" statement is confusing.
"May" means that your glyphosate product contains some surfactant but that this may not be enough in the right environmental situation. If you are spraying tall weeds or are in very dry conditions, adding 0.25% (1 qt./100 gal.) surfactant to the glyphosate tank may be beneficial. AMS will help combat hard water problems and improve glyphosate's efficacy. Always add at least 8.5 lbs./100 gal. or the equivalent 1% rate for liquid AMS.
Kappler also notes that higher-priced brands also may come with a higher level of service from the company. As you sort through the glyphosate products, be sure to find out the surfactant load situation, plan to add AMS, and choose a product that you are comfortable with.
For the complete summary, visit http://cropwatch.unl.edu/archives/2004/crop04-13.htm#glyphosate.


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We check over 450 stores daily and we last saw this product for $35 at ASOS.Go to ASOS
Ring by ASOS, Sterling silver, Engraved compass design, Set on a tapered shank. ASOS menswear shuts down the new season with the latest trends and the coolest products, designed in London and sold across the world. Update your go-to garms with the new shapes and fits from our ASOS design team, from essential tees to on-point outerwear, and jeans from skinny to straight and beyond. Jean/ silver. Colour: metallic
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Mark Cuban tells TMZ he's STILL interested in purchasing the L.A. Dodgers ... but he's afraid the team is "such a mess," it wouldn't be worth the investment.
Cuban appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... claiming the Dodgers are still an enticing franchise ... but the organization appears to be so messed up financially, that it could be impossible to turn around.
Cuban says he will take a closer look at the team -- and insists, "If they're fixable and the deal is right, then I'm very interested."
CommentsClick To View
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I am an opinionated person to some degree but not to the point that I get angry if someone does not see things the way that I do. I decide that if they can live with their opinion then I can live with mine. I think opinions are like noses. Everybody has one.
I would like to start a couple of my opinions so you can make an opinion of what is going on in my mind, or whether I eve have a mind, as if it matters.
First: I think the United States should have withdrawn from Afghanistan as soon as we killed Osama Bin Laden for what he pulled off on 9/11 in New York City but by that time we were at war with the Taliban.
We had to find someone to represent Afghanistan and they chose Karzai to be their leader.
The people of Afghanistan and, in my opinion, the Taliban stole their election and put this guy Karzai in office. Then the Taliban had their �main man� to transfer all the billions of U.S. money to their own causes through him. If Karzai were not their �main man,� they would have killed him long ago.
My opinion is that it�s hard to know who the enemy is because they all look alike. We didn�t have this problem when we were fighting the Japanese. We knew who to shoot.
My opinion is that we are in real trouble whether Obama wins the election for president or not because it has been the policy that an outgoing president exercises his executive privilege to pardon prisoners from our prisons. Who knows how many that will be.
In my opinion, the president nor any other president in the past should have had been permitted to exercise this privilege because of all the criminal justice steps that were put in place to put the criminal there in the first place.
First, the suspect was arrested for a certain offense, then was officially charged. Then he went for trial to determine whether he was guilty or innocent before a jury to determine which. If he was found guilty and sent to prison for a certain length of time he later was allowed to come before a parole board to see if he was eligible for parole.
In my opinion, president Obama already has a list that he intends to pardon whether he wins the election or not. If he wins the election, his list will be a whole lot longer and that ain�t good.
James Denton


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Some things you just have to see for yourself! The Admissions Office at Oklahoma Christian University invites you to visit campus. With three campus visit program options, you'll find an event to meet your needs. And as you'll see from the video below, President John deSteiguer is making sure you'll have a great campus experience!
You're not restricted to just one visit! We hope you'll choose two or three of the options below as your schedule allows. Click on the links below or on the left-side menu to register and get more info about your campus visit. Please keep in mind that during the Fall semester, availability of individual visits may be limited. We ask that you submit visit requests as soon as possible.
- Summer Visit
- Visit Campus Online Form (May through Mid-August)
- Individual Student Family Visit (Late August through April)
- Eagle for a Day (one-day visit event)
- Spring Visit (optional overnight stay included)


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A track record of small business marketing innovation + results
No one knows more about building and growing small/midsize business success than the team at estound — after all we've been at the forefront of the small business marketing movement for more than 10 years.
We create winning websites. We design online marketing processes that minimize effort and resources and maximize results. We have worked with tech. We have worked with nonprofit. We have worked with online commerce. We have worked with authors and consultants. We have worked with B2B and B2C. We have worked with retail… And we would love to work with you.
Even just the handful of organizations below represent over 30 years of client experience.


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Romangia Rosso, 2009
"In the vineyards and cellars we not have used synthetic chemicals in addition to sulfur. We have no added yeast, enzymes and all other aids winemaking. Not filtered. Not clarified. No Barriques. Give time to rest after shipping. Leave in to oxigenate in the glass. Probable remainings and CO2 are natural. Every bottle can be different. Ingredients: grape, sulfphites. Sorry but we dont't follow the market, we produce wines thet we like, wines from our culture. They are what they are and not what you want them to be."
Product of Italy
Entirely produced and bottled by Societa Agricola Badde Nigolosu SRL Sennori Italia


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- We Deliver Solutions!
- Licensed and fully insured
- Top-notch Services!
- High-end Work
Avoiding unforeseen surprises
On the subject of House Inspector in Boomer, NC, you have to be knowledgeable to make the very best decisions. We make sure that you know exactly what should be expected. You won't need to confront any sort of unexpected situations when you deal with House Inspector Crew. Start by talking about your job with our customer service staff once you call 888-506-4448. With this phone call, you're going to get all your questions responded to, and we will schedule a time to start services. We consistently show up at the appointed hour, ready to work closely with you.
When you need House Inspector in Boomer, Wyoming, consider House Inspector Crew
You have got many great reasons to rely on House Inspector Crew for your requirements when it comes to House Inspector in Boomer, NC. We've got the highest customer support scores, the very best quality products, and the most effective and powerful money saving strategies. Our company has the skills you need to fulfill your ambitions. Call 888-506-4448 to reach House Inspector Crew and review all of your goals when it comes to House Inspector in Boomer.


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Gifting 101: A Shelfie For Your Favourite People
Bed Linen 101
Marbling: Not Exactly Paint By Numbers
Candle Burning 101
20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
Personalise your kitchen with our alphabetized letter mug. A monogrammed mug for your morning cuppa and the perfect way to tell who's black tea, who's green, who's two sugars an a cream apart too. Get one for everyone at home and watch them beam! Plus this way, you know who didn't do the dishes!
We all get by with little help from our friends, which is why we made these gorgeous blue and orange patterned monogrammed mugs to make sure you got all the assistance in the world telling everyone else to keep their mitts of your grub – which in this case is likely to be a non-negotiable morning brew! You're welcome:)
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This top comes in blue and black and is a great piece which can be dressed up or down. It has a loose fitting panel from the waist down, and will look great worn with jeans. . Fabric: 65% polyester, 35% rayon. Care label: delicate cold hand wash. Occasion: casual style: yummy mummy,everyday girl,minimalista suits shape: pear,hourglass,curvy,rectangle,apple


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"Play to your strengths."
"I haven't got any," said Harry, before he could stop himself.
"Excuse me," growled Moody, "you've got strengths if I say you've got them. Think now. What are you best at?"
--From Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When you stand in a bunker in Alterac Valley, waiting for it to be destroyed, you have plenty of time to think.
Oh, I'm constantly moving my viewing screen around, checking for the inevitable attempt to retake the thing, but aside from the occasional nerd rage there's not much going on at 5 AM. Most guildies are asleep, and those that aren't just came off of the graveyard shift and will be hitting the hay shortly.
This morning, however, I was still turning over something in my head that I heard on the Double O Podcast yesterday.* Oestrus and Ophelie had on Vidyala and Voss from Manalicious and Sword and Board, and they were discussing guilds and guild leadership.** The topic, while entertaining, didn't really apply to me; I'm not a GL/officer and don't plan on being one. However, a statement made by one of them got under my skin. The discussion had shifted to the officer corps and how some people take care of certain aspects of the guild, like fish feast preparation, without being an actual officer. One of the panelists --Vid, I think-- mentioned how thorough their guild interviewer was, and how he's good enough that he was considering making it his career. It was a minor point, but that got my attention.
How often are we advised to improve our weaknesses, but play to our strengths? At work, certainly. In sports, hell yeah. In an MMO? Um....
Yes, you can solo an MMO and do it successfully. I'm living proof of that. However, when you make that step into an instance, a BG, or a raid, the game changes. It's no longer about you as the hero, but the team. Then the question becomes: what do you do well that can help the team? Or guild? Do you even know what it is you excel at?
Sure, maybe you've got that DPS rotation on automatic pilot, and you can just sense when some adds are zeroing in on the healer, but what else can you do with that attention to detail? Can you help the prep work for the raids? Does the guild need gems cut and ready to roll? Enchantments available?
Are you good at organization, helping to line up raid and BG groups?
Do you communicate in an instance or BG, or is your 'communication' limited to "yoo all suk!"
Do you stop and help out the lowbies from time to time? If you're on a PvP server, do you defend Grom'gol or the Rebel Camp from gankers?
Do you know how to make a killing on the auction house? Why not apply that knowledge and help the guild's coffers?
Really, the choice is up to you to do what you want in-game; nobody is forced to do this. But if you enjoy what you do, and you do it well, you expand the enjoyment of others in the game.***
And believe me, I hate-hate-hate a Polyanna attitude, but this is just common sense. You can work on your weaknesses, but odds are good that you'll get more satisfaction when doing what you're best at.
*I used to be able to listen to podcasts on a regular basis, but meetings have been steadily consuming my work time to the point that anything more engaging than background music --and yes, a WoW soundtrack counts as background music-- will just get ignored. That's a shame, as I've not had much of a chance to explore the WoW podcasts out there.
**Vid is the GL of Business Time/Moonrunner(US), and her husband Voss is the raid leader.
***Well, except for that ganker loitering around Forest Song that you took out, but he got what was coming to him, right?
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Playing to Your Strengths
Posted by Redbeard
at 1:21 AM
Labels: guild, the wow life
4 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 31, 2011 at 2:58:00 AM EDT
The phrase I like, from Robert Heinlein, is "Specialisation is for insects."ReplyDelete
@Spinks-- And PhD candidates.ReplyDelete
I saw the link on your site that was referring people to our site and I just wanted to stop by and thank you for the mention and the plug!
It sounds like you enjoyed the episode and listening to Vid and Voss as much as Ophelie and I did. Feel free to check us out again some time!
Take care.
@Oestrus-- You're welcome! Catch you around!ReplyDelete
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No one taught a young Arturo Sandoval more about the mysteries of bebop and how to approach a life in music than Dizzy Gillespie. At times during their long friendship, the jazz trumpeters referred to each other as father and son. "He was more than a teacher," Sandoval says of the bop originator. "He was my hero first, and then he became my mentor. He helped me so much, man. Since the first day."
That first day came in May 1977, when Sandoval volunteered to drive the visiting American musician around Havana and the Cuban countryside, before revealing to Gillespie that he also played trumpet in an inspired young Latin fusion band called Irakere. They performed onstage together that same night and many nights after, and remained close friends until Gillespie's death in 1993 at age 75.
The lasting impact of their 17-year relationship can be heard on Sandoval's newest album, "Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You)," a tribute to the old master that reinterprets 10 Gillespie compositions, including several the duo occasionally performed together over the years ("Bebop," "And Then She Stopped" and "Birk's Works"). Sandoval and his Big Band will perform songs from the album Jan. 19 at the Alex Theatre in Glendale.
The album has been nominated for three jazz Grammys (the awards will be handed out at Staples Center on Feb. 10), and begins with an old recording of Gillespie's voice introducing Sandoval from stage as "one of the younger grand masters of the trumpet." Later, "Dear Diz" closes with an emotional title song, a new ballad Sandoval composed for the album and sings himself over strings and his own delicate trumpet lines: "You saved my life / Diz, you set me free."
Gillespie wasn't just a musical mentor but was directly involved in the defection of Sandoval and his family from Cuba in 1990 — the younger trumpeter was on tour abroad with Gillespie's United Nations Orchestra that year. But Sandoval never considered an album tribute for him until now.
"Every recording I did in my life has had a strong influence of his mentality, even a little bit of his showmanship and sense of humor," says Sandoval, 63, his hair and mustache streaked with black and gray. "Everything I ever did is a direct tribute to him. My passion for his style of music and the combination that he invented — which was Afro-Cuban jazz — and to be one of the exponents of his ideas and his style is my daily tribute to him."
On a recent morning at his home in the hills of Tarzana, Sandoval was eating a quick bowl of cereal in his dining room. Christmas decorations were still up around the house, and the wall beside him was stacked with shelves of awards and photos from his career. One row displayed five of his eight Grammys, and the Emmy he won for scoring the 2000 HBO film "For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story," which dramatized his early life and escape from Cuba.
"My dream is the other one," he says with a smile, alluding to the Oscar without saying its name. Sandoval continues to compose music for film and television. "It's just a dream. A dream is free. But if you don't dream, you won't have a vision or purpose to follow. You have to dream first."
He frequently gives music lessons in this same room, continuing to work as an educator following his 19 years teaching at Florida International University in Miami, where he first settled after leaving Cuba. After moving to Los Angeles three years ago, he taught for one semester at USC, but now prefers private sessions.
"When people really love the music, we are going to get along really well," he says of the visiting musicians from a wide range of ages and abilities. A small amplifier rested on the floor behind him. "I appreciate the time we spend together. I pass on 50 years of experience in one hour. It should mean something for you. If you don't get it, I'm going to lose my enthusiasm."
His concert next week at the Alex will benefit his Arturo Sandoval Institute, launched last year to support music education, and which he hopes will provide lessons, scholarships and instruments to children. The 90-minute show will begin with a short presentation by the nonprofit foundation's All Star Youth Jazz Band, drawn from the Glendale Unified School District.
"I grew up in the middle of nowhere — the countryside of Cuba. A very poor family," says Sandoval. "We didn't even have a floor in the house. We had dirt. I didn't have this kind of opportunity. God has been so good to me and my family. I feel an obligation to give back and help kids."
It was an aunt who saved up to buy him a cornet, and he soon joined other kids in his village in an informal marching band, playing traditional Cuban music, then spent three years in the mid-1960s studying classical music at Havana's National School of Art. Sandoval was a young musician playing in an orchestra when a local journalist asked if he had ever heard jazz.
"He played me a Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker record," he says, recalling the intricate collision of harmony and wild improvisation. "That turned my brain upside down. Oh my goodness, what are those people playing? After so many years, I'm still trying to figure it out — how to play bebop correctly."
Sandoval looks up at a wall-sized photograph of himself blowing his instrument backstage at a show while Gillespie watches intently from a chair, dressed in vivid African robes and holding his famous bent trumpet. It's a memory that stays with him.
"When you feel that kind of music inside of you, it doesn't matter where you grew up or the situation around you," he says. "You're going to make music no matter what — with a Steinway or a piece of wood, you're going to make music."
What: Arturo Sandoval brings his Big Band, "Save the Music"
When: Jan. 19, 8 p.m.
Where: Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale
Cost: $20 to $125
More Info: (818)-243-2539, www.alextheatre.org


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Ease your workload while saving money in the long run with two new GPS innovations.
A little ingenuity can reduce trips to the field when scouting for pests or spraying your fields. One company has added features -- such as laser technology used by the police force -- to update its portable GPS system. And a creative farmer mounted his GPS system inside a toolbox so he can move it from implement to implement.
Virtual field scout. In our January 1998 issue, we featured a backpack GPS unit that, used with a souped-up camcorder, recorded weeds and other pests along with their field location. Now this video mapping system, the VMS 200, has new features for reporting observations in the field.
Location is recorded by a small black box about the size of a wallet and is corrected by government-owned signals transmitted over the Internet once you download the data to your office PC.
Using the same technology found in the laser guns police use for speed detection on highways, the system allows you to lock in the field coordinates of objects up to 1,000 ft. away through the camera's viewfinder. Price range: 3,995 dollars to 4,995 dollars, depending on equipment. Contact Red Hen Systems Inc., Dept. FIN, 800 Stockton Ave., #2, Ft. Collins, CO 80524, 970/493-3952.
Technology in a toolbox. Installing a GPS system in a toolbox saved Ted Shambaugh of Cerro Gordo, IL, thousands of dollars.
Shambaugh says his desire to be more accurate and more at ease in applying fertilizer in a swath-type determination motivated him to design his portable GPS system. He installed a parallel swath guidance unit in a toolbox, which allows him to transfer it between implements.
By installing the system in a toolbox, he avoided buying several GPS systems. He uses the system on his ATV, tractors, sprayers, planter and floaters and says the system is ideal for spraying because it allows him freedom to pay more attention to the sprayer gauges and less attention to the sprayer's booms.


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Sunday, July 8, 2012
Karuizawa: Past & Future
Post by Stefan of Tokyo Whisky Hub.
Japanese whisky enthusiasts worldwide keep asking me about Karuizawa: whether it's still possible to visit the distillery, whether it's possible to buy the whisky in Japan, what sort of releases are planned for the future, ... To answer these and many other questions, here's a bit of recent history and a few glimpses of what's to come.
First, the past. Sadly, it is no longer possible to visit the distillery. In fact, the physical location was recently sold to an unknown party. It is very unlikely that this unknown party is in any way connected to the drinks industry and/or has any plans to revive the distillery. Why, you may ask? Two reasons. First of all, the entire stock has been sold and who in their right mind would buy a distillery without stock? The second reason may come as a surprise to many people: Kirin declined to sell the distillery (when it was still a distillery - including the stock - rather than just some buildings on a piece of land) on at least two occasions in the past. In 2008, two different parties (one from the UK, the other from mainland Europe) expressed a strong interest in purchasing the distillery. Kirin said no. The rest, as they say, is history. I don't really have a business mind, so maybe readers can help me out here, but I fail to understand why a company would refuse to sell a distillery to people interested in reviving it, but has no problem selling the stock to one company and the real estate to someone else. There's not much point in speculating, but I can't help thinking: "what if...?" What if they had sold the distillery in 2008? Would a "Karuizawa Revival", or a "Karuizawa Renaissance", or something like that, be in the stores right now? Isn't it sad beyond words that Kirin wanted Karuizawa dead, rather than alive but in someone else's hands?
Now, on to the future. As most of you will know, Karuizawa's legacy is in the hands of Number One Drinks. As long as the stock was the property of Kirin, Number One Drinks was unable to sell Karuizawa in Japan. (Some exceptions were negotiated - e.g. the Oxfam charity bottlings - but they were exceptions.) Now, that Kirin is no longer the owner of the actual malt, Karuizawa whisky can be sold again in Japan. I know for a fact that a release for a famous Japanese liquor retailer is in the works, so keep your eyes peeled! Truth is, however, demand in foreign markets is so high that Japan is now just a market like any other, regardless of it being the home market, and it's difficult enough for Number One Drinks (not to mention the person actually bottling these Karuizawas) to keep up with demand from abroad.
Speaking of demand abroad, fans in the United States will be able to officially welcome Karuizawa to their shores. Two new Noh-bottlings (completists take note!) are in the pipeline, arranged by a well-known US liquor retailer. Feel free to guess. On the European front, the first Asama release (for Sweden and Taiwan) will be followed shortly by another one for the UK market. And then, there is the 52-year old Karuizawa, which will be the oldest Japanese whisky when it is released. To be honest, most of the mail I get, is from enthusiasts (read: collectors) asking when, what, how, how many, how much, ... The 1960 cask in question was a last-minute find, but the contents have already been transferred into a stainless-steel container, so it's no longer aging. The angels have taken more than their fair share from that particular cask, so the owners were keen to stop any further evaporation. There wasn't much to begin with. In fact, it will be an extremely limited release (a two-digit outturn!). Number One Drinks is currently working on the presentation, that is to say, the packaging and a book(let) written by a prominent drinks writer. No word on pricing, but you can imagine, if you know that the most expensive Japanese whisky until now - the Suntory 50-year old Yamazaki - retailed for a million yen (about 12,500 dollars). The Karuizawa will no doubt be north of that. How much? We'll just have to wait and see, and start saving up... if it's not too late already.
7 comments:
- Pierre W said...
Hi Stefan, once again I am fascinated by all the inside information that you seem to have regarding Karuizawa. My "home" whisky shop in Zurich is currently offering a 27yo, a multi-vintage Noh bottling from the years 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984. I guess I should go and grab a bottle? It's about 24,000 Yen. The only bottle that I have at home is a 15yo from the old core range.
- July 10, 2012 at 4:19 AM
- Stefan said...
Hi Pierre, thanks for your kind words, as always. Regarding the multi-vintage, I'm not sure if you should go and grab a bottle. I haven't read any reviews. That seems to be the problem in general with Karuizawa: they disappear as soon as they are released, but there are very few reviews of the actual liquid, which seems to indicate very few people are actually drinking them. I guess most of these bottles are sitting in collections.
- July 10, 2012 at 12:50 PM
- Pierre W said...
Hi Stefan, you are certainly right. My gut feeling is telling me not to get that bottle. The only review that I found was published on the shop's website... and it's (of course) glowing. Anyway, there is many another excellent whisky that you can get for 24,000 Yen.
- July 10, 2012 at 1:46 PM
How sad!
Pardon me for saying so, but Kirin sound pigheaded & stupid! What a waste that Karuizawa will be lost to us! there are echoes of the stupidity that led to the loss of other great distilleries (Port Ellen & Rosebank to name just 2). At least Mars is distilling again & the indefatigable Ichiro Akuto is doing his bit. I think the growing tsunami of interest in Japanese whisky will make Kirin regret their decision in the future.
- July 12, 2012 at 6:03 PM
It's strange that so many Japanese companies think that their products are inferior in some way. There seems to be a sort of cultural cringe that dictates that (in the case of whisky) that Scotland still makes the best. As we all know, whilst the best of Scotland IS great, there is plenty of ordinary Scotch & many Japanese whiskies that are outstanding by any standard. Back in the seventies Gibson & Fender were making crap guitars in the US, but the Japanese made "lawsuit" copies of their guitars were superbly built & superior in every respect, yet Gibson & Fender still had the "name". Likewise the Japanese "copies" are better than many of the originals from Scotland. It was purely a business/economics decision that led to the closure of Port Ellen. If that decision had been made on quality grounds Port Ellen would still be distilling. The closure of Karuizawa may have been a business decision that made sense, but in other ways it doesn't make sense at all. As you rightly point out, as a halo brand, Karuizawa would have been a great marketing tool overseas for Kirin. Stefan mentions that Mars whiskies are not particularly good sellers on the home market & yet on straight quality grounds, it's hard to know why.
But, of course, we are all obsessive/compulsives whose opinions are, as you say, like farts in a hurricane!
- July 12, 2012 at 8:43 PM
And the better we promote Mars, Akashi & Chichibu the less likely they are to suffer the fate of Hanyu & Karuizawa. Yes, that is our mission! I look forward to trying Chichibus that are more than 3 years old! Are you trying some rums whilst you are in Latin America? There are some gems there!
- July 12, 2012 at 9:23 PM
So, any word on who this prominent U.S retailer is?
- July 13, 2012 at 1:16 AM


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The Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal
The 'Auberge Alternative' is a budget boutique hostel. The doors were opened in 1996 by travellers passionate about making their lives meet their values. The auberge fuels itself on the positive energy of people wanting to create and evolve. The art of travelling moves us through internal as well as external landscapes and often a creative urge demands to link the two. The Auberge Alternative is an arts hostel providing accommodation and resources to travellers and artists alike to join us in redefining bohemia.
An 'auberge' translates as an 'inn' and ours is situated in a 1875 warehouse, which we restored and rejuvenated. Starting with a minimalist budget, furniture and doors were found on the street and restored, the beds were made by hand, we salvaged and restored what retained value and quality, our personal possessions were thrown in. We used what we had, and in a sense, what we didn't have, to create an art house. The basic attributes and rich textures of the old city building: the rock walls, the old hardwood floors, the arched windows and high ceilings; we were able to restore. The minimalist budget forced inspiration and powered a passion to achieve our goals against what seemed impossible odds. Welcome to the Alternative.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hostel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Security
- Adaptors
- Bicycle hire
- Bicycle parking
- Board Games
- Book Exchange
- Breakfast Not Included
- Café
- Card Phones
- Child Friendly
- Children's Play Area
- Common Room
- Cooker
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Direct Dial Telephone
- Dryer
- Telephone/Fax Facilities
- Free City Maps
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Games Room
- Hair Dryers
- Hair Dryers For Hire
- Hot Showers
- Internet Access
- Iron / Ironing Board
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Laundry Facilities
- Linen Included
- Security Lockers
- Luggage Storage
- Meals Available
- Meeting Rooms
- Microwave
- Non Smoking
- Reception (limited hours)
- Taxes not included
- Tea & Coffee Making Facilities
- Towels Included
- Utensils
- Washing Machine
- Wi-Fi
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 3 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hostel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
Please note that we are on three levels, with no elevator.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
From Trudeau Airport:
Taking the bus is easy and cheap. Take bus #747 from the airport terminal and exit at the first stop (Lionel-Groulx metro station). From there, take the orange line to the Square Victoria metro station (towards Henri-Bourrassa). The rate is $10 and gives you access to public transit for the rest of the day (keep your ticket!). Come out of the Square Victoria Metro station following the indication for rue St-Jacques. When you arrive outside, look to your left for a map of the area. The hostel is on the map. It's a 5 minute walk.
Take a taxi. They have a flat rate of $40 for all destinations in the Downtown area (the price is advertised on the rear windows). Don't let them fool you, it's the law.
From the Bus Station:
Take the escalator to the Berri-UQAM metro station located under the bus terminal. After paying the $3,25 fee, take the orange line direction Côte-Vertu. Get off at Square-Victoria metro station. Follow the directions to rue St-Jacques. When you arrive outside, look to your left for a map of the area. The hostel is on the map. It's a 3 minute walk. Take a taxi or walk. The taxi should cost between $3.50 and $5. If you prefer a walk (or your wallet likes fresh air) it's a 10 to 15 minute walk. Ask for directions at the information desk or call us at 282-8069
From The train terminal :
Take a taxi or walk. The taxi should cost between $5 and $7. If you prefer a walk (or your wallet likes fresh air) it's a 10 to 15 minute walk. Ask for directions at the information desk or call us at 282-8069
From Toronto or Ottawa
Take highway 20 from the 401. You will be on this highway for 20 to 30 minutes following the signs for Downtown. When you are less than a kilometer from Downtown you will see a large tunnel to your right called Ville-Marie. It will also say Old Montréal (Vieux-Montréal). In the tunnel, move to the right hand lane and take the first exit (1km) called St-Denis/St-Laurent on your right. In the exit stay in the right lane. You will end up on St-Antoine street. Change lane to be in the right lane with great care of incoming Montréal drivers (a nice blend of French, Italian and Greek to name a few). Turn right on the first street where it is allowed (one way). Welcome to the old city. The 2nd or 3rd street you will cross is St-Paul. Turn right, drive (1or 2 minutes) until you cross St-Pierre, our street. It's a small street. On the intersection of St-Pierre and St-Paul your attention might be drawn to a gallery of flamboyant nude portraits or by the very nice bakery opposite. Turn left on St-Pierre and our door is immediately on your right after the gallery. If lost call 282-8069.
From Boston or New York
From the border, follow the directions for Montréal. You will cross the river on the Champlain Bridge. After the bridge, take the second exit. It will say Downtown (in English). drive 2 or 3 km on this highway. Take the second exit call Wellington/Notre-Dame to the right. At the fifth intersection you turn right on Notre-Dame. After crossing a major street call McGill, you will turn right on St-Pierre (our street). The hostel is on your right after St-Paul street. If lost call us.
From Québec City
Follow the directions for Montréal (Highway 20). You will cross the river on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. At the end of the bridge stay in the right lane. Drive to the end of that street and turn right on viger 720. Drive for about 5 minutes but don't take the tunnel stay on Viger street to the right of the tunnel. Turn left on St-Urbain. There is a Metro station on the corner of St-Urbain. You will cross 5 or 6 streets before your reach St-Paul Street. Turn right, drive (2 minutes) until you cross St-Pierre, our street. It's a small street. On the intersection of St-Pierre and St-Paul your attention might be drawn to a Gallery of flamboyant nude portrait or by the very nice bakery opposite. Turn left on St-Pierre and our door is immediately on your right after the Gallery. If lost call us.
Located Near
The Alternative Hostel is situated in a privileged location, at the intersection of different neighbourhoods, thus linking history and modernity, harmony and diversity, culture and business matters.
Within 10 minutes of walk, you have among many other things:
Two subway stations (Square-Victoria and Places d'Armes)
Downtown Montreal and International District (North)
The Lachine Canal and St.Lawrence river (South)
Old Montreal (East)
Griffintown (West)


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Common Questions Regarding Smart Meters What makes "smart" meters smart? The fact is that so-called "smart meters" aren't smart. Their core function – metering your electric use – is the same as the old analog meters. The difference is that the new meters use digital technology that allows the consumer to be "smarter." The old analog or electrical mechanical meters did not provide much useful information. Consumers with smart meters can track their consumption of electricity down to 15-minute intervals via the Smart meter Internet portal or an in-home monitor, helping them make more informed energy choices. The old meters required a meter reader on-site to take monthly readings. Smart meters can be read remotely and will automatically notify the utility about power outages. Smart meters are the first step in moving the electric grid into the digital age.
How can I find out if I have Smart meters technology in my service area? You may contact your local utility for further information concerning specific programs.
Do Smart meters relay my personal information? No. No personal information is displayed on the outside or contained in the new meter. Your account number, address, and personal information are never transmitted by the meter. Smart meters relay a code that is associated with your account along with usage information on a 15 minute interval. The data transmitted by the meter is also encrypted for your protection.
What are the benefits of smart meters? Smart meters make possible a new energy future: • Remote meter reading – Utilities will be able to read smart meters remotely, virtually eliminating the need to go house to house to read electric meters, which means fewer trucks on the road, less cost for the ratepayer, and less CO2 emissions. • Fewer truck rolls also reduces expenses related to providing electricity. Those savings are then passed on to ratepayers through reduced rates. • Faster transactions and order processing - The Smart meter's remote capability can mean requests for connection and disconnection of electric service can be filled more quickly. • In the future, Electrical power could be restored around the clock with less manpower and in many cases much more quickly than before. • Automatic outage notification – Smart meters will automatically notify the utilities about power outages to help restore power more quickly. • Energy efficiency and savings – Consumers can more closely monitor their electricity use to better manage energy costs by making even small changes, such as adjusting their thermostat. Consumers can also take advantage of optional rate programs (where available) made possible through the use of Smart meters. • Environmental benefits - If consumers reduce energy use, less power may have to be produced, which is good for the environment.
Can smart meters help me save money? Yes. Many utility customers are already reporting savings from smart meters. In addition to those items listed in the answer to the previous question, a smart meter gives customers access to their energy use and cost information via a free web portal. That information is made available with the installation of a smart meter and can help customers change usage patterns and lower their energy use. Smart meters allow more flexibility in the use of rate plans, such as OPTIONAL time-of-use rate plans, which result in even greater savings.
Will I now pay more for peak time usage? Time-of-use rates are an optional rate plan for ratepayers. These optional plans allow the ratepayer to control when and how electricity is consumed. Shifting certain functions, such as laundry, pool pumps, and cooking to off-peak times of day can result in lower overall bills. Please contact your utility for more information concerning their particular time-of-use plan options.
My bill went up after I got a smart meter. Why? Installing a smart meter does not cause your bill to rise. The meter is set to the same standard as the meter it replaces. However, many customers have experienced higher bills during the summer of 2011 due to historically high temperatures. This experience is due to weather and not impacted by the Smart Meter installation. The following list includes other common factors that may result in higher energy consumption: �� Temperature extremes (i.e., winter and summer) • Seasonal usage such as pool pumps or holiday lighting can create spikes in usage. • Vacation periods, with more people at home during the day, can be times of high usage. • Electronics, such as computers, LCD and plasma TVs, and gaming systems comprise an increasing percentage of home electricity consumption. The cost to install the Oklahoma Gas and Electric Smart Grid technology was paid for in part by a Federal Grant and in part through an additional charge on customers' bills. This charge is calculated as part of the overall cost to provide electric service. Click here to see the average cost for a customer.
How do I read the meter? Smart meters display information in a variety of ways. Consumers will still be able to see meter readings in a digital format similar to the old analog meters. Basically, you can check the digital box on your meter and wait for the display to show a series of numbers. You can read these numbers left to right, record them and subtract them from the next cycle reading. This information will provide you with the amount of kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed over that time period. In addition, consumers will be able to view real time readings through the online web portals and can qualify for free monthly usage reports. In-home devices will also be available for connection in the future. Please contact your local utility for their specific programs.
Are Smart meters accurate? Yes. Smart meters must meet the same standards for testing and accuracy as the old analog meters. In independent side-by-side testing, Smart meters were actually shown to be more accurate than traditional electromechanical meters.
What is a Smart meter web portal? Smart meter web portals allow customers with Smart meters to track their usage in 15 minute intervals with very little lag time. The website will also show your current energy cost and will give you helpful information that can be used to change behaviors and save money. Of course, the behavior changes are totally voluntary. Most web portals will also show you how you are doing compared to average homes similar to yours. Please contact your local utility for their availability of a web portal.
Where do I get an in-home monitor? How much do they cost? One of the potential benefits of smart meters is their ability to give consumers access to detailed data on their electricity use via an in-home monitor (up-to-the-minute) or web portal. Studies show that making usage data easily available to consumers does encourage them to make energy-saving changes in usage. In-home monitors are not yet widely available but should become available at retail stores with a range of options (such as a forecast of the monthly bill amount based on usage to date) in a range of prices. The large regulated utilities are currently working with the Commission to test in-home devices and will have study related information available in early 2012.
Are smart meters secure from electronic attacks? Yes. Security is of concern to the Commission when considering Smart meter projects. To date, the programs approved have been subject to extensive third party testing. Again, it is also important to remember that no personal or account data is transmitted by the Smart meter.
Will smart meters let the utility or other entities know what appliances I am using or what television programming I am watching? No. Consumer privacy is very important to the Commission. The Smart meter only transmits total power consumed in 15 minute intervals. While advanced Smart meter systems that track "per appliance" usage will be available in the future, the program will be voluntary and will only show the power consumed.
Do smart meters interfere with my security systems, pacemaker, cell phone or other electronics? No. The transmitting devices operate in compliance with 47 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 15 regulations, which require coexistence with other Part 15 certified devices. This rule facilitates multiple devices operating in the same location.
Was the Smart meter technology tested in Oklahoma before wide-scale implementation? Yes. The Smart meter technology was used and tested over a three year period in a program that involved thousands of volunteer ratepayers in the OG&E service territory. Before final approval was given, the data was thoroughly reviewed for proof that the program would result in cost savings and reliability improvements for the consumer. To see all documents and data in the OG&E "Smart Meter Case" click here.
Can I refuse to have a Smart meter? No. Once your utility has approval to install Smart meters, all analog meters will be required to be replaced. Failure to replace all of the meters could eliminate any cost savings and reliability benefits from the Smart meter network. For example, one analog meter in a neighborhood would still require a meter reader to go and physically read the meter.
Click tabs to swap between content that is broken into logical sections.


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I am loving this Daisy chain ABCs Crewelwork Pattern and it is available to download as a PDF.
I think I should start making my embroidery type a downloadable PDF.
I found this on Pinterest
You can follow me on Pinterest and take a look at what I am getting some inspiration from.


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All, Check out a new firestorm brewing. Interested in everyone's thoughts.
A new dimension of character and leadership development has made strong advances in the military in the last few years - "Spirituality." The
Army's new Global Assessment Test is part of Comprehensive Soldier
Fitness, a $50 million program focused on five dimensions - physical,
emotional, social, spiritual, and family. Those who score low on the
assessment are referred to counseling. The Ft Hood Spiritual Fitness
Center is a cutting-edge facility that explains, "Physical (Body),
Mental (Mind), and Spiritual (Soul)," with its focus being on "spiritual
needs." This term "Spirituality" calls immediately to mind
supernatural "spirits" and religious piety. On the surface, there is
concern that the military is officially endorsing and even requiring a
supernatural or traditional religious viewpoint.
MAAF would hope that by "spirituality," the military might mean
something like character, resilience, or steadfastness. This hope is
encouraged by much of the documentation and purposes of the same
"spirituality" programs. It makes perfect sense that the military would
want to encourage and develop a soldier's ability to hold strongly to
values in the face of the stresses of combat. Knowing the right thing
is not the same thing as doing the right thing. Service members benefit
from a strong foundation of personal values upon which to build the
values of the profession of arms. The stresses of combat take a greater
toll if service members don't have some internal peace and personal
understanding to make sense of the world. A connection to a supportive
community of like-minded individuals enhances the benefits above. These
secular benefits do make sense, but they are different than prayer,
energy, or other things generally associated with "spirituality."
Interested in everyone's thoughts on this and the other details at MAAF. How can we 1) reform the existing 'spirituality' ideas and 2) bring the same values from our community to support resilience in combat, steadfastness, and the ability to recover from trauma?
Views: 188
This thing has been arond for a while. We had to do it initially in summer 2009 and then again while we were in Iraq this year. I think it's just like anything else the army does. A half-vast solution to a vast problem (pun intended). This is like the "Year of the NCO", the "Army Family Covenenat" and "Strong Bond". Total nonsense that addresses the need for action in the PR arena but fails to address the real heart of the issue. When was the last time you've heard of a leader having his career stopped because he was hostile to soldiers who needed serious mental help for TBI or PTSD? I found the whole "Comprehensive Soldier Fitness" thing a bunch of crap and I tried to be objective about it for the sake of my soldiers unitl a few of them said "what was that shit about spiritual fitness?"
The "spiritual fitness" thing is not bad but whenever you label anything spiritual in the Army, the ignorant gain momentum. The dominionists leaders and senior chaplains can't get see spirituality in any other context and with Christian Embassy's man, Pete Geren as Secretary, nothing will be likely to change.
It seems to me that this is the weirdization of the process that's caused by the presence of chaplains.... Now atheists feel they need a touchy-feely 'meditation' session to counter the prayer sessions. If the chaplains hadn't been there before, no one would be giving such a session a second thought, would they?
The real answer to this is to get rid of chaplains, AFAICS. The chaplains are the ones who should be civilians ... unpaid volunteers, don't you think?
In the resilieance training part of the CSF under Spiritual Support there are two videos that are part of slide 10 of 11. The first is some female talking about ill adjustment to divorce and going to church regularly helped get her back on track. The next video is a dude talking about how having a higher power is necessary to cope on deployments because "it's always with you".
And apparently prayer has nothing to do with religion...
I never had the internal peace and understanding that I have now until I became an atheist. Where does that score on the Army's Comprehensive Soldier Fitness bullshit card? Apparently a 567-question test followed by a 30 minute interview based on the test with a pysch formulating your profile isn't enough (I'm not a chicken fucker or the next Nidal Hasan in waiting) . . . I still have to click through this shit . . .
Spirituality sounds like a bullshit word to me, I don't have a spirit, I don't believe in spirits - except the kind with alcohol in them (they're real!). Are the Army Values not enough?
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DONALD Trump today announced he is to ban all the whiskies produced by one of Scotland's leading distillery companies in retaliation for Glenfiddich awarding its Top Scot accolade to Michael Forbes, the salmon fisherman on the Menie estate he once branded a "village idiot."
• Donald Trump calls for ban on Glenfiddich after whisky distiller awards Top Scot award to anti-golf course campaigner
• Michael Forbes, who was hailed by Glenfiddich in awards ceremony, is called a "loser" who lives in a "pigsty" in Trump's statement
• Spokesman for distiller insists that Top Scots award was voted for by public
• Read Trump's statement in full
The billionaire tycoon, who has been at loggerheads with his kilted nemesis since Mr Forbes refused to sell his home to make way for Trump's £750 million golf resort in Aberdeenshire, is also calling for a global boycott of the whiskies produced by William Grant and Sons, branding them the "bad liquor company."
Trump issued a statement today, announcing his ban on William Grant and Son whiskies at Trump properties after launching a vitriolic Twitter tirade against Glenfiddich, claiming the company's decision to award Mr Forbes the "Top Scot" of the year accolade, ahead of other contenders like Billy Connolly, Andy Murray and Sir Chris Hoy, was a "publicity stunt".
A spokesman for William Grant and Sons said: "We understand that there may have been some confusion and misunderstanding concerning the structure and running of the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland Awards.
"Working with Scotsman Publications as our media partner, Glenfiddich established the awards fifteen years ago. From the outset it was made clear that winners would be chosen by public vote. Top Scot is a totally open category in which the people of Scotland can vote for whomsoever they choose and Glenfiddich has no influence on this decision.
"The only restriction (given that these are the Spirit of Scotland Awards) is that the nominee must be either a Scot or someone who has chosen to live and work in Scotland.
"The Top Scot may be one of that year's category nominees or may come from any walk of life. The person receiving the greatest number of votes, cast by the people of Scotland, wins the award."
He continued: "Throughout the awards fifteen-year history Glenfiddich and its media partner The Scotsman have always honoured the public's decision and the individual with the most votes has received the accolade.
"In the history of these awards, we are not aware of the Top Scot award causing any offence or upset to anyone and it is not our intention to do so now. These awards were set up to give the people of Scotland a vote and we must respect their decision."
The spokesman declined to comment on Trump's boycott call.
The billionaire angrily tweeted: "Michael Forbes lives in a pigsty and bad liquor company Glenfiddich gave him Scot of the Year award. How could Michael Forbes get Scot of the Year when he lost—badly—to me and Andy Murray, a true Scot, who won the U.S. Open & Olympic gold? Does anyone smell publicity stunt?
"Michael Forbes is a loser who failed to stop what was just named 'the golf course of the year' and which has brought lots of tourism and jobs to Scotland—Scots must be very embarrassed?"
In his statement from Trump Towers the US business magnate declares: "To think that a product like Glenfiddich would recognise a man like Michael Forbes, who lives in a property which I have accurately described in the past as a total pigsty; a man who loves the attention he has gotten because of his so-called fight with Donald Trump, would receive an award over someone like Andy Murray, a Scot, Olympic Gold Medal Winner, and the first British man to win a Grand Slam title in 76 years. Glenfiddich should be ashamed of themselves for granting this award to Forbes, just for the sake of publicity."
He claims: "Glenfiddich is upset that we created our own single malt whisky using another distillery, which offers far greater products. People at our clubs do not ask for Glenfiddich, and I make a pledge that no Trump property will ever do business with Glenfiddich or William Grant and Sons. I hereby call for a boycott on drinking Glenfiddich products because there is no way a result such as this could have been made by the Scottish people. It is an insult to both Andy Murray and Scotland itself."
Trump continues: "Glenfiddich's choice of Michael Forbes, as Top Scot, will go down as one of the great jokes ever played on the Scottish people and is a terrible embarrassment to Scotland. If Glenfiddich had integrity, they would investigate who voted, and would find that the votes formed part of an organised campaign with multiple votes made by a small group of detractors who are angry that they not only lost, but lost so badly."


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New Orleans Camera Rentals-EOS50D Digital Canon Cameras for Rent-Louisiana Photography Equipment Rental
Columbia Camera Rentals-EOS50D Digital Canon Cameras for Rent-South Carolina Photography Equipment Rental
Charlotte Camera Rentals-EOS50D Digital Canon Cameras for Rent-North Carolina Photography Equipment Rental
Richmond Camera Rentals-EOS50D Digital Canon Cameras for Rent-Virginia Photography Equipment Rental
Richmond Microphone Rentals-EW122PG3 On-Camera Wireless Sennheiser Microphones for Rent-Virginia Photography Equipment
EW122-P G3 On-Camera Wireless Mic System Camera Microphone Rentals in Richmond, VA. Sennheiser EW122-P G3 Lavalier Wireless Microphone System + ME4 (B/626-668 MHz). CSI Rentals offers Camera rentals, camcorders, photography, video and digital equipment in Richmond, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Arlington, Newport News, Hampton, and all of Virginia.
The ME 4 clip-on cardioid microphone rental compliments this ENG set by blocking out extraneous background noise due to its high-directivity. The bodypack transmitter and portable adaptive diversity receiver are equipped with charging contacts built-in to the housing for use with Sennheiser's optional rechargeable batteries. Reception stays strong as the receiver is upgraded to utilize its line cable as a second antenna for adaptive-diversity operation.
Sennheiser EW122-P G3 Wireless Mic System + ME4 Lavalier Rental Specifications:
-Sturdy metal housing (transmitter and receiver)
-42 MHz bandwidth: 1680 tunable UHF frequencies for interference-free reception
-Enhanced frequency bank system with up to 12 compatible frequencies
-Adaptive-diversity reception for high reception quality
-Pilot tone squelch for eliminating RF interference when transmitter is turned off
-Automatic frequency scan feature searches for available frequencies
-Enhanced AF frequency range
-Increased range for audio sensitivity
-Wireless synchronization of transmitters via infrared interface
-User-friendly menu operation with more control options
-Illuminated graphic display (transmitter and receiver)
-Auto-Lock function avoids accidental changing of settings
-HDX compander for crystal-clear sound
-Transmitter and receiver feature battery indicatation in 4 steps
-Programmable Mute function
-Contacts for recharging BA 2015 accupack directly in the transmitter or receiver
-Wide range of accessories adapts the system to any requirement
For additional information you can view this item at Rent It Today-Richmond or you can use the contact form below.


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Made locally, by real humans.
Meet the Makers behind awesome Portland products.
Meet the Makers behind awesome Portland products.
More and more consumers are valuing independently made, locally sourced goods. Let customers know you are Portland Made by branding your website and product packaging.
Designed for more established businesses who want their products seen and their story told, our Growth Membership offers the greatest online exposure, including products, related content, and links directing consumers back to your website. Showcase your products in our online Shop, include your photo in our Featured Maker Gallery, and add your logo to our Brand Gallery. Your Featured Bio tells your story, has a slider of your brand images, and highlights any related blog posts and products you may have on PortlandMade.com. Share your news, events, and product releases in our blog, newsletter and social media channels.
Our Startup Membership includes a one on one session to check in about your business and get some free feedback to remove obstacles and/or develop your business. It includes your logo in our Brand Gallery, as well as your brand's Bio Page, where others can see a brief overview of your business, and a link to your website, Etsy shop or Instagram account. Looking to show off your products or for added services? See our Growth Membership, and/or optional add-on services.
It all starts with an idea. This stage of membership is designed for those who have an inkling for what they want to do, but may be hazy on the details. Maybe you want to connect with other makers, or you need product photos or a business consultation to help get you to the next level.
When visitors click on your logo in the Brand Gallery they are taken to your Brand Bio page. This page includes your logo, a product photo, brand story, and link back to your website or shop page.
This monthly, one-of-a kind networking event is FREE for members; $15 for non-members. Crafted to be the most useful hour and half a maker can spend on their business each month, this event aims to: expose makers to new workshops, connect makers with each other, and learn from experts.
Connect with talented professional service providers and subcontractors, offering the range of services small businesses need to thrive. Our online Resources page highlights those we recommend and trust.
Add your logo to the collective's Brand Gallery. Visitors can peruse brands by category, and click to see your Brand Bio page (for Startup tier), or Featured Bio page (Growth tier).
For makers looking for greater exposure, your Featured Brand Bio includes your logo, a slider of images, your brand story, and link back to your website or online shop. As well, this featured page showcases products you have in Portland Made's online Shop and any related Journal posts you may have on our site.
Visitors can navigate to your Featured Bio from the Brand Gallery and, for those with a professional photo included in Featured Makers, from this gallery as well.
Broadcast your news, product releases, upcoming events, job openings and more, across Portland Made's website and social media outlets. Share news content with Portland Made's consumer audience and maker communities.
Showcase your goods in Portland Made's online Shop. Visitors can see your product/s and description on the Shop page, and are directed to your personal website. Your product detail page is great for added SEO and as well directs visitors to your personal site.
Add your maker photo to our Featured Makers gallery. The most prominent page in the Discovery menu, this gallery highlights you as a Portland maker, shows your business name when hovering on your photo, and clicks through to your Featured Bio page where visitors can get an in depth look at your business and visit your personal website.
Meet for a one on one business consultation to assess the health of your business and identify areas for improvement.
We've teamed up with WeWork to produce Creator Market, a semi-annual event hosted in their beautiful westside location. All Growth members can apply first (no application fee), and if you get accepted you vend for free as well.
Show off your goods! This page is where consumers can see your goods in more detail. It includes a photo, description, and prominent link to your site where they can buy directly from you.


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Gluten-Free Pressure-Cooker Mac & Cheese
Make classic macaroni and cheese gluten-free in a jiff! This healthier recipe sneaks in broccoli for a nutritional boost and an easy way to eat more vegetables. Using an electric pressure cooker, such as the InstantPot, gets dinner on the table in just 30 minutes.


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How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Brian, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
Find the Answer
This photo shows a Type AC (armored cable) cable entering a nonmetallic box, which is prohibited by 314.3. This section the Code states, "Nonmetallic boxes shall be permitted only with open wiring on insulators, concealed knob-and-tube wiring, cabled wiring methods with entirely nonmetallic sheaths, flexible cords, and nonmetallic raceways." Clearly, Type AC (armored cable) does not satisfy the conditions put forth by this wording.
There are two exceptions to this basic rule. The first recognizes the use of nonmetallic boxes with metallic raceways and cables, "Where internal bonding means are provided between all entries." However, this would require the equipment ground path from each cable entering the box to be spliced together, thereby ensuring the generally required low-impedance path for fault current, which was not done here.
The second exception permits application of metallic raceways and cables with nonmetallic boxes where the box itself provides a means for interconnection of the ground-return paths of all cables entering the box. Exception No. 2 states, "Where integral bonding means with a provision for attaching an equipment bonding jumper inside the box are provided between all threaded entries in nonmetallic boxes listed for the purpose, nonmetallic boxes shall be permitted to be used with metal raceways or metal-armored cables." But as you can see, this box does not satisfy the wording of this exception, either. Therefore, the use of Type AC with this particular nonmetallic box in this particular application is prohibited.
There are a couple of additional violations worth noting. The last sentence in 300.10, which applies to metallic raceways and cables, states "Unless specifically permitted elsewhere in this Code, raceways and cable assemblies shall be mechanically secured to boxes, fittings, cabinets, and other enclosures." This rule requires the use of a box connector. And the requirement of 300.15 calls for connectors to be used "… only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed." So, only a connector listed for use with Type AC is permissible.
Lastly, as noted in 320.40, which applies directly to Type AC terminations, "… a fitting shall be provided to protect wires from abrasion, unless the design of the outlet boxes or fittings is such as to afford equivalent protection and, in addition, an insulation bushing or its equivalent protection shall be provided between the conductors and the armor." This requirement calls for the use of the so-called "red head" between the armor and the conductors.


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In this illuminating analysis, Prof. Ahmad Dallal produces an authoritative study of some episodes of the scientific exegis of the Holy text of Islam, the Qur'an, focusing on the exegesis (tafsir) of Fakhr
This short article introduces the full paper by Prof. Ahmad Dallal, which is appended here as a full article in the 15 page PDF file.
Figure 1: Modern printing of the Qur'an in Maghribi calligraphy. Al-Musshaf al-Hassani, printed in Morocco, 1417 H, p. 3. (Source).
Whether one takes the standpoint of a believer or a textual critic, the Qur'ān, the foundational text of Islam, does not tell us anything unless we read it. The meaning of the Qur'ān, therefore, is inevitably intertwined with the understanding of its readers. Readings of the Qur'ān have not seized since the beginning of Islam, and over time, generations have read the text and commented on it in different ways, and thus produced what can be termed evolving cultural understandings of the text. Rather than doing what has become fashionable, look at the Qur'ān and quote some of its verses and then jump to make assertions about the Islamic or Qur'ānic stand on science, I will instead look at tafāsīr, commentaries on the Qur'ān, and try to discern from them how the relationship between the Qur'ān and science was understood in the cultures that produced these commentaries. What I will be looking at therefore is not an edified Islam that stands outside history, but the dynamic interaction between the text and the real historical communities that embodied Islamic culture. Of course, the relationship between science and Islam is reflected in a variety of genres and activities. In this essay, however, I will focus on the way this relationship has been understood in just one genre, tafsīr; both because of the normative weight of this genre and because these commentaries provide credible registers of the cultural trends of their time.
Figure 2: Andalusian copy of the Qur'an, from Granada, 13th century, preserved at the British Library, MS Or 12523C, ff. 14v–15 (displayed in the exhibition Sacred: Discover what we share, London, the British Library, 27 April-23 September 2007: Link). (Source).
Already in the past, the Muslim scholar Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī, in his India, while comparing the cultural imperatives of Muslim and Indian sciences, asserted that the Qur'ān does not interfere in the business of science nor does it infringe on its realm. In contrast, to this cautious and balanced view, contemporary Islamic discourse on the Qur'ān and science abounds with assertions of the relationship between the two. This presumed relationship is construed in a variety of ways, the most common of which are the efforts to prove the divine nature of the Qur'ān through modern science. These efforts cover a wide range of activities including the establishment of institutions, holding conferences, writing books and articles, and the use of the internet to promote the idea of the scientific miracles of the Qur'ān. For example, a recent website search listed a little less than two million occurrences on Islam and science, most of which assert that the Qur'ān's prediction of many of the theories and truths of modern science is evidence of its miraculous nature and its Divine origins. Such contentions are not just part of folk belief, but are also reflected in the work and writings of many contemporary Muslim intellectuals. As a manifestation of the popularity of this idea, the Muslim World League at Mecca formed in the 1980s the Committee on the Scientific Miracles of the Qur'ān and Sunna (traditions of the Prophet). The Committee has since convened numerous international conferences and sponsored various intellectual activities, all aimed at exploring and corroborating the connections between science and the Qur'ān. A recent meeting of this Committee in Cairo, reported in the mass media, urged Muslims to employ the "scientific truths which were confirmed in the verses of the Qur'ān and which, only recently, modern science has been able to discover" as a corrective to the current misunderstanding of Islam. The scientific miracles of the Qur'ān are the only weapon with which contemporary Muslims can defend the Qur'ān, and the only convincing language in this age of science and materiality (Al-Sharq al-Awsat, 9/23/2003).
Figure 3: Beginning of Tafsir al-Qur'an by Abdullah al-Razi, vol. 7, in an Abbasid manuscript (MS 297.207, R27, v.7), a commentary on the Qur'an copied in 569 H / 1174 CE, in the library of the American University of Beirut (Source).
The Qur'ānic attitude towards science, in fact, the very relationship between the two, is not readily identifiable, and the discordance between the classical and modern Islamic views on this subject is substantial. To be sure, almost all sources, classical and modern, agree that the Qur'ān condones, even encourages the acquisition of science and scientific knowledge, and urges humans to reflect on the natural phenomena as signs of God's creation. Most sources also argue that doing science is an act of religious merit and, to some, even a collective duty of the Muslim community. Yet, as actual debates of the Qur'ān and science show, the points of contention are far more significant than this one general convergence. More than any other place, these debates can be traced in interpretations of the Qur'ān, and in several other writings in which specific uses of the Qur'ān are promoted, or where a Qur'ānic framework and philosophy of science is adduced. Therefore, the starting point for the study of the Qur'ān and science is not the Qur'ān itself since, as we will see, there are considerable differences in the interpretation of the verses that may have a connection to science or the natural phenomena. For this reason, it is not useful to try to ascertain a particular Qur'ānic position on science. Rather, it is more productive to look at the way in which the relationship between science and the Qur'ān has been viewed by various Muslim thinkers, albeit of varying degrees of authority. The main source in which Qur'ānic paradigms of science are articulated is the genre of Qur'ānic exegesis (tafsīr, plural tafāsīr). Much as they insist on grounding themselves in the immutable text of the Qur'ān, exegetical works are repositories of larger cultural debates and reflect the prevailing views at their time and place. Rather than identifying one fixed Qur'ānic paradigm of science, the task then becomes one of tracing the evolution of the Islamic discourse on the Qur'ān and science, and adducing some of the factors that shaped this evolutionary process.


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Smoldering smoke takes on a sinister air as it curls and drifts above a macabre collection of sneering skulls. Frightfully delightful hands-free holder keeps your favorite incense stick alight, keeping ashes neatly trapped within the skull-bordered elongated tray. Polyresin. 9 3/4" x 2 1/4" x 1" high. Incense not included. Retail Price: $3.95.
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1000 Watt Sunmaster Metal Halide 4K Neutral Deluxe Conversion Lamp. A Metal Halide Lamp you can burn in a High Pressure Sodium Ballast. May be burned in any position. Manufacture Code: LM.1000W.U37.NDXInitial Lumens: 105,000 Small BT 37 glass envelope.Sunmaster is the leader in Metal Halide lamp technology. Sunmaster designed this high tech lamp exclusively for the plant growth industry. People using High Pressure Sodium have seen poor growth durring the grow stage of plant life. These lamps can screw into a HPS ballast to improve plant growth durring the grow stage.
— Ships from Portland, Oregon USA.


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Willie Nelson Gives Big to Devastated West, Texas Area Following Explosion
Willie Nelson has made a lasting and memorable contribution to country music, solidifying his status as an icon. At 80, he continues to make himself known -- not only in music, but also as a kind heart. The singer recently turned his birthday bash into a benefit for the victims of last month's West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion, and handing over a big check to go toward the relief efforts just this week.
Shotgun Willie raised more $120,000 following the tragedy, the Tennessean reports. A representative for the singer presented a check on Monday (May 13) for nearly $81,000 to the West Volunteer Fire Department. Most of that money was raised during Nelson's Austin-area benefit concert.
In addition, approximately $40,000 was given to Nelson's hometown of Abbott, which was also impacted by the blast. "There are a lot of our friends and loved ones and neighbors down there," the singer says. "We talked to some of them and some of them made it out OK, and some of them didn't."
The 'Let's Face the Music and Dance' icon certainly provided a vast amount of relief through his philanthropic and heartfelt giving, and his care for the people in the West, Texas area is tangible.
Adds Nelson, "But they're strong and they'll be back. It's one of those things you don't get over. But you will get through it."
It doesn't seem that the legendary singer will kick his feet up in a leisurely retirement anytime soon -- after the release of a new album, Nelson is gearing up for the 2013 Taste of Country Music Festival this June and will keep up a busy touring schedule throughout the heat of the summer.


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warriorsstepup wrote:"Always" Next wrote:warriorsstepup wrote:"Always" Next wrote:warriorsstepup wrote:Whats the point of watching.
Am sure you will though, what a real fan.
I will watch the games that I can. I love the Warriors, I dont like the way things are headed right now, but I like a lot of the players that are still on the team. I am curious to see if the Jack move improves chemistry and what effect it will have on Monta. I can not give up on my team, I will not support them financially, but I will continue to watch and root for them.
I understand, but have you seen the roster do the warriors even have enough players to suit up, and if so they will be mis-matched, but hey am a young guy and don't want to start balding, or pull my hair. Am still a fan always will be, but this is the breaking point. We deserve better, I like this team too much to even watch this train wreck, day after day.
I feel your pain, believe me! Im not a young guy and I have seen this team go through many ups and downs, mostly downs, but I have always continued to follow and support them. Everybody has been calling for Curry / Morrow and Randolph to get more minutes.....now there is no choice!!


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Extensive range of high quality, highly reliable Rocker Switches from NKK switches.
Click the web catalogue links to access online Switch Configuration and 3D Cad Model Tool, along with ROHS Certificates.
Please return to the 4most website for further enquiries, prices, samples and deliveries. Or contact our office on email@example.com or +44 (0)1371 811171.


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so i got four emails that were all like HEY YOU OUGHT TO GO SEE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO IT HAS YOU IN IT and i was like YEAH WHATEVER
seriously, non-hacker general public, please stop informing me about the existence of that film. i have read the original novels. they were poorly written and not particularly interesting to me. the worst thing is no one person repeats themselves when telling me i ought to go and see it; everyone genuinely means well, and doesn't realise how psychotic my conditioned response to so many repetitions of the same suggestion has become. it's not like the same people tell me over and over again.
why do i hate it that much? because everyone who has never met me or seen this place thinks that i took my personal image from a fictional character in a Swedish pulp crime novel. i was interviewed for a Norwegian newspaper and the guy wanted so badly for this to be true that he asked me three times whether or not i'd wanted to look like Lisbeth Salander before getting into looking fucked up.
to be honest, being compared to the character probably isn't great for me. she's the perfect hacker, assassin, lover and everything else despite her broken bird demeanour. she's played by two very beautiful actresses and from what i can tell the films just emphasise how short and cute and sexy she is. the hero falls in love with her, she saves the day alongside him and proves to the world how badass she is. then she goes off and lives to badass another day. i'm fucked up and insecure and neither an alternative supermodel nor a completely unstoppable genius (not saying i'm stupid, just that i can't hack the Gibson with three keystrokes and an insouciant remark.) it's a recipe for failure.
er, other news after the commercial break.


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14 Night British Isles Explorer (Amsterdam Roundtrip)
975 Photos
More About Veendam
8 yrs agoRefurbished
1350Total Passengers
2.33Crew to Passenger Ratio
10Number of Decks
675Total Cabins
29Cabin Categories
Explore Cabins
Veendam has 675 cabins and 29 cabin categories. See what each category has to offer and read cabin reviews from the community.
Avg. Size: 184 sq. ft.
Avg. Cost: $135 per night
Avg. Size: 221 sq. ft.
Avg. Cost: $151 per night
Avg. Size: 244 sq. ft.
Avg. Cost: $271 per night
Avg. Size: 480 sq. ft.
Avg. Cost: $309 per night
Veendam Features
Explore all 36 on board venues and features.
Aft Pool
This secluded pool is another place for guests to enjoy their moments in the sun.
Basketball Court
Don''t let that cross-over get rusty. Hit the top deck for a little pick up among ship mates.
The lavish three-story atrium, which features a towering sculpture handcrafted from Venetian stained glass, is a popular passenger gathering spot.
Passengers can browse the onboard boutiques for souvenirs, luxury goods, clothing, and accessories.


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And it sounds like the laptop and adapter is fine. However I can't tell what connection you are using when it doesn't work.
Some folk do what we call MOOCHING off a neighbor's WiFi and if that is what is failing, then it looks like you'll have to talk to the neighbor about your poor reception.
Hi everyone,
I'd like some help with this problem before trying to contact HP.
Last January I purchased an HP Pavilion dv7 laptop. I also had to get a Trend Net USB adaptor because we live in a black hole and cannot get any affordable internet other than dialup.
The adaptor worked wonderfully for several months, then I began to get error messages when trying to connect to the internet. After trying a few things, I determined that the external modem was working, that the ISP was doing its job,and that it is most likely an issue with the modem inside the computer.
I somehow figured out that if I performed a system restore, the problem would be corrected and I could go online. Sometimes I could go for a few weeks between needing to do this, a couple of times it was only a few days, but it always worked.
Now it is not. I've run the antivirus and malware programs, and went back as far as I can with a system restore as not to undo any important updates to the computer, but it I keep getting the connection error message.
When I take my laptop to a place with wifi, it connects without a problem.
Any idea of what could be happening? I really don't look forward to dealing with HP tech right now, a couple of days before Christmas, and am using my 10/yo HP laptop temporarily.