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Stone Age skull from Kenya reveals astonishing human diversity – "A partial human skull found at a site in Kenya suggests early humans living in Africa were incredibly diverse. The 22,000-year-old skull is not a new species and is clearly that of an anatomically modern human, but is markedly different from similar finds from Africa and Europe from the same time, the researchers said…. [T]he new findings suggest that during this early period of human history, Africa may have supported even greater human diversity, with small, offshoot lineages that no longer exist today…."
A New Theory on How Neanderthal DNA Spread in Asia – "Researchers have discovered that Neanderthals interbred with the ancestors of Asians at two points in history, giving this population an extra infusion of Neanderthal DNA."
Division of labor by sex and age in Neandertals: an approach through the study of activity-related dental wear – "The study reveals that all individuals have cultural striations, but those detected on the adult females are longer than the striations found in adult males. Regarding the distribution of dental chipping, the prevalence of this trait is higher in the maxillary dentition of males whereas females have the majority of dental chipping on their mandibular teeth. T he differences detected on the overall activity-related dental wear pattern denote a difference or a division of labor by age and sex in Neandertals while using the mouth as a third hand, i.e., in activities other than the provisioning of food, and provide new evidence for the lifestyle of this Pleistocene fossil human species." – h/t paleogenomics!
European languages linked to migration from the east – "Large ancient-DNA study uncovers population that moved westwards 4,500 years ago." — see also Massive Migration and Origins from greg cochran.
A story of 69 ancient Europeans – from dienekes. you need to read this one!
Genetic Characterization of Human Populations: From ABO to a Genetic Map of the British People – see map here @dienekes'.
Y chromosomes and Catalan surnames – "'By genotyping 17 Y-STRs and 68 SNPs in ~2500 male samples that each carried one of the 50 selected Catalan surnames, we could determine sets of descendants of a common ancestor, the population of origin of the common ancestor, and the date when such a common ancestor lived. Haplotype diversity was positively correlated with surname frequency, that is, rarer surnames showed the strongest signals of coancestry. Introgression rates of Y chromosomes into a surname by non-paternity, adoption, and transmission of the maternal surname were estimated at 1.5−2.6% per generation, with some local variation. Average ages for the founders of the surnames were estimated at ~500 years, suggesting a delay between the origin of surnames (twelfth and thirteenth centuries) and the systematization of their paternal transmission. We have found that, in general, a foreign etymology for a surname does not often result in a non-indigenous origin of surname founders; however, bearers of some surnames with an Arabic etymology show an excess of North African haplotypes.'" – @dienekes'.
Genetic evidence for an origin of the Armenians from Bronze Age mixing of multiple populations
Stone Age skeleton judged Norway's oldest – 8000 years old.
Italic "Eteocretan" Sea peoples? – also @dienekes'.
Making Discoveries about Human Evolution Using 3D Technology
Make Love, Not Disease – "New research on the genetic advantages of sexual reproduction has found that blending our genes through sex helps purge us of disease mutations."
Human Genome Studies Reveal How Little Is Necessary To Explain the Human DNA Behind our Bigger Brains
Gene Changes Make Humans' Sense of Taste Unique – "Our ability to eat bitter plants help distinguish us from our ancestors and chimpanzees today."
Dominance Genetic Variation Contributes Little to the Missing Heritability for Human Complex Traits – h/t gerome breen!
Elevated germline mutation rate in teenage fathers [pdf] – "We observe, as expected, that the overall mutation rate for fathers is seven times higher than for mothers. Also as expected, mothers have a low and lifelong constant DNA mutation rate. Surprisingly, however, we discover that (i) teenage fathers already set out from a much higher mutation rate than teenage mothers (potentially equivalent to 77–196 male germline cell divisions by puberty); and (ii) ageing men maintain sperm DNA quality similar to that of teenagers…." – h/t andrew sabisky! jayman tweeted: "8.2% false paternity rate in West Africans and 1.3% in Middle Easterners in this sample."
Escape from crossover interference increases with maternal age – h/t billare! who tweeted: "Higher recombination rates in older women, being less concentrated in the usual hotspots. Men tend to stick w/theirs."
Predicting and retrodicting intelligence between childhood and old age in the 6-Day Sample of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 – "Terman–Merrill Stanford–Binet intelligence test scores at age 11 years correlated .72 with verbal intelligence at age 77. Adding another test from age 11 and educational took the multiple R to .81. National Adult Reading Test scores at age 77 and educational had a multiple R of .75 with IQ scores at age 11." – h/t stuart ritchie! — see also Steady as she goes from dr. james thompson.
Peer effects: they exist but they're not very big – from ben southwood.
Indian states: G and S factors – from emil kirkegaard.
State IQ estimates (2013) and 2013 IQ estimates by state, total and white only and State IQ estimates, blacks only (2013) and State IQ estimates, Hispanics only (2013) and IQ by race and parental educational attainment – from the awesome epigone.
Nailing liberalism / conservatism by the 50 U.S. States – from bryan pesta.
Low IQ ups risk of heavy drinking among men – "The researchers analysed data collected from 49,321 Swedish males born during 1949 to 1951 and who were conscripted for Swedish military service from 1969 to 1971. IQ results were available from tests performed at conscription, and questionnaires also given at conscription provided data on total alcohol intake (consumed grams of alcohol/week) and pattern of drinking, as well as medical, childhood and adolescent conditions, and tobacco use. Adjustments were made for socio-economic position as a child, psychiatric symptoms and emotional stability and the father's alcohol habits. 'We found that lower results on IQ tests in Swedish adolescent men are associated with a higher consumption of alcohol, measured in both terms of total intake and binge drinking,' Sjolund said." h/t ruta akula!
Mathematical Proof Is Not Minutiae And Irreducible Complexity Is Not A Theory: A Final Response To Burt And Simons And A Call Tl Criminologists – from brian boutwell et al. brian tweeted: "Our second response to the call within Criminology to ban twin research."
Familial Clustering of Tic Disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder – h/t amir sariaslan!
A two-dimensional model of psychopathy and antisocial behavior: A multi-sample investigation using items from the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised – h/t richard harper! who tweeted: "[P]sychopathy as fearless affect plus disinhibited lifestyle, then plus anti-social to get crime."
Birds of a "bad" feather flock together: The Dark Triad and mate choice – "[W]omen high in psychopathy considered the Dark Triad traits in potential male partners more physically attractive and desirable for an one-night stand, as well as a potential husband. Men who were high on psychopathy were likewise attracted to psychopathy in potential mothers."
Cads and dads – "Promiscuity and fidelity seem to be specific biological adaptations. Their manifestations in men and women are not as different as you might expect." (whatever's gotten into the economist these days?)
Genetic similarity between mates predicts extrapair paternity — a meta-analysis of bird studies
Who cares? Why evolution suggests parenting responsibility is seldom equally shared
Sex Differences in Preferences for Humor: A Replication, Modification, and Extension [pdf] – "[M]en prefer women who are receptive to their humor whereas women prefer men who produce humor. These findings held even after we modified Bressler et al.'s questionnaire for better conceptual validity. Furthermore, using a separate measure designed to assess trade-offs, we found that men viewed humor receptivity as a necessity and humor production as a luxury when they were asked to create an ideal long-term partner. For women, it was just the opposite."
How Big are Psychological Sex Differences? – "Sex Differences are Not Small if You Know Where to Look" – h/t claire lehmann!
Prenatal hyperandrogenic environment induced autistic-like behavior in rat offspring – h/t simon baron-cohen!
The influence of prenatal hormones on occupational choice: 2D:4D evidence from Moscow – "Women in enterprising occupations exhibited lower measured 2D:4D ratios than average. Those in conventional and social work had higher 2D:4D ratios. Results confirm previous findings on 2D:4D and gender-specific occupational interests."
Examining the Impact of Peer Group Selection on Self-Reported Delinquency: A Consideration of Active Gene–Environment Correlation – h/t jayman! who tweeted: "Do peers still influence adolescent delinquency after taking into account genetic influences? No."
Socioeconomic status and sick leave granted for mental and somatic disorders: a prospective study of young adult twins – "Low SES is associated with a higher level of sick leave granted for both mental and somatic disorders among young adults, but these associations are confounded by factors that are common to co-twins. Education and income are therefore not likely to strongly affect sick leave in young adulthood."
List of genetic confounds – from emil kirkegaard.
Sibling differences in low birth weight, dopaminergic polymorphisms, and ADHD symptomatology – "[L]ow birth weight siblings are at significantly greater risk of exhibiting symptoms of ADHD during childhood relative to their normal birth weight siblings. Moreover, possessing greater genetic risk on three dopaminergic genes (DAT1, DRD2, and DRD4) relative to a sibling appears to exacerbate the link between sibling differences in birth weight and sibling differences in ADHD symptomatology."
What is different about the brains of "SuperAgers" – "Compared with average elderly individuals, they found fewer Alzheimer-type neurofibrillary tangles and an increased packing density of von Economo neurons, especially in the anterior cingulate."
"Bad genes" & criminal responsibility – MAOA stuff.
Heritability & the left – "[T]here's no conflict between leftism and a belief in the heritability of ability." – that's what i said! see also: Heritability, Left and Right.
What does it say about Owen Jones that he isn't interested in scientific research? – "What I find irritating about progressive politics is that it ignores and contradicts science, while at the same time pretending to be in favour of reason. The entire worldview is based on the tabula rasa idea of human nature which is contradicted by science. The blank slate makes the progressive goal of equality of outcomes possible; indeed, if equality is not achieved there can only be nefarious forces at work and 'more work to be done'." – from ed west. see also Fancy a job in academia or the media? Best brush up on the new political correctness – "[Political correctness is] a faith, and it does not matter how daft the belief systems of a faith appear to a rational mind; if its critics sound backwards and out of touch and rural – literally 'pagan' – it will succeed."
Both liberals and conservatives have anti-science biases, study finds – "New research suggests that liberals, as well as conservatives, can be biased against science that doesn't align with their political views." — see also Nuclear Power and the Anti-Science Ideology of the "Progressive" Left from helian.
Why science is so hard to believe – "Science appeals to our rational brain, but our beliefs are motivated largely by emotion, and the biggest motivation is remaining tight with our peers. 'We're all in high school. We've never left high school,' says Marcia McNutt. 'People still have a need to fit in, and that need to fit in is so strong that local values and local opinions are always trumping science. And they will continue to trump science, especially when there is no clear downside to ignoring science.'"
John Derbyshire On Culturalists vs. Biologians; Or, Where Is The American Harald Eia?
Have Mormons been bred for gullibility? – from agnostic.
Islam Is Not a Religion of the Book – "By this, I mean that as a whole humans are prone to accepting the primary causal role of reflective cognition, of beliefs avowed and rationales offered. We are confident in our conscious self control, despite a robust body of cognitive psychology which implies that much of our cognition is not under the control or constraint of rational faculties. This problem is particularly extreme among intellectuals, the very class which also attempts to understand human phenomena. Through the simple process of introspection and extrapolation intellectuals tend to reduce human action to the outcome of ratiocination, inference from eternal axioms. This is wholly inadequate to a phenomenon as complex as religion." – from razib.
Your DNA is everywhere. Can the police analyze it? – "Supreme Court weighing if we must live in sealed bubbles to maintain DNA privacy."
FDA panel could soon approve 23andMe home genetics test
Linguists link English, Hindi to single ancestor language spoken 6,500 years ago – h/t steve stewart williams!
Old India's Village of Warriors Becomes Birthplace of Bouncers – "Look closely and it becomes clear that the bouncers are all of a single physical type, their chests and biceps built like the front bumper of a sport utility vehicle. If they look like cousins, it is because they are. A startling number of them share a family name, Tanwar, and when the nightclubs close many will return to the same nearby village, a place where women walk down dusty lanes with their faces obscured by a cloth, balancing stacks of dried cow dung on their heads, much as their ancestors did three centuries ago…. The musclemen from the village of Fatehpur Beri are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the city, a genetic line that fortified itself over the course of centuries as they defended their village against waves of invaders on their way to the seat of empire. The sons and grandsons of cow and goat herders, they were born in an outpost surrounded on all sides by croplands. As Fatehpur Beri was swallowed by the expanding city, its spartan strongmen continued to train in the traditional way, stripping down to loincloths and wrestling in a circle of mud. But they were forced to look for a new line of work. 'There is an element of the warrior in the Tanwars,' said Ankur Tanwar, who opened the village's first gym about a decade ago. 'We fought with the Muslim invaders. We fought with the Britishers.'"
Ancient Egyptians had state-supported health care – at least some of them did.
bonus: Man's best friend…unless you're lying: How dogs can sense whether a person is trustworthy – h/t ninja economics! also: When you're happy and you show it, dogs know it.
bonus bonus: The Cold May Have Cost Penguins Most of Their Taste Buds – "Recent genetic analysis shows that penguins can't taste sweet or bitter, and scientists think sub-zero temps may be to blame."
bonus bonus bonus: Limpet teeth set new strength record
bonus bonus bonus bonus: Study Finds Jack Shit – h/t jayman!
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: Lost Sherlock Holmes story discovered
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: a poem. (^_^)
bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus bonus: #TheTitleOfMySexTape (~_^)
(note: comments do not require an email. limpet tooth.)


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RANGER-Tim Holtz Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers: Brights. Adirondack paint dabbers are the perfect mess-free paint applicator for foam and rubber stamps; cards; scrapbook pages; altered books; canvas; frames and more. These matte acrylic paints were developed with the Beautiful Adirondack coordinating palette of Earthtones; Brights and Lights (each sold separately. Dab them directly on stamps: for mess-free paint application. Use direct-to-surface: for stippling; creating dots or full coverage. Remove cap for painting with a brush. This package contains 1oz applicator of acid free and non-toxic acrylic paint that coordinates with the colors of Tim Holts Adirondack Alcohol Inks (not included) . A vast variety of colors are available. Made in USA.
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Great durability of the Ranger products. I would buy Ranger ABD22497 Adirondack Acrylic Paint Dabbers 1 Ounce Bottle again!

subset: commoncrawl


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Bed Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corp fights DOH
NAYABA ARINDE Amsterdam News Editor | 12/6/2012, 3:34 p.m.
News that the EMS program of the popular Bed Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corp was under assault by the New York State Department of Health's Bureau of EMS created an underground rumble that surely could be heard from Brooklyn to Albany.
"Why do they want to disenfranchise the best volunteer corps in the nation, bar none? Is it because we are multicultural?" asked BSVAC leader Commander James "Rocky" Robinson. "It is arbitrary and capricious. It is racist. There was no hearing or ruling. No report. There was just a couple of white guys in an office, making a random decision."
"We fight all day and we keep fighting. We do all our training with the Bed Stuy Volunteer Ambulance Corp. They are a very important part of our community," said Jelani Mashiriki, member of the Black Vets for Social Justice.
"Let us keep them from closing down the only academy in our community that has helped the less fortunate worldwide, not just in Bed-Stuy. Just as we had the back of President Obama, let's back our commander and chief, James 'Rocky' Robinson," said EMT Captain Chenelle McQueen. "If you were to consider the closing of the Bed-Stuy EMT academy as a direct attack on people of color, don't think of yourself as a conspiracy theorist, I would think you are spot on.
"We need to rally around our commander, our father, our leader and our guidance counselor. He has helped the old and disenfranchised. He has given a home to the homeless."
"We have graduated 200 EMTs since October last year," said Robinson. "Right off of this little corner of Marcus Garvey and Greene Avenue, we turned out more people than the whole of EMS and they have billions of dollars."
Robinson told the AmNews, "Matter of fact, Councilman Al Vann and the Black Caucus in the City Council wants us to do the disaster preparedness for Brooklyn, so they see our value. The lives we have saved, but I guess we were graduating too many people of color--often without money--and that is why they went ahead and did an audit. We got lawyers for some of these kids to straighten things out if they needed it. We got them to pull up their pants and straighten their hats.
"If you want to find a reason, you can. They suspended our sponsorship to have these kids trained up as health care providers and first responders, to get them jobs. These other schools are happy because now they get this for $1,000 per course."
Urging the community to send appeal letters asking the DOH to "reinstate our EMT Training program," Chief Geralde Hyppolite declared, "Folks, let's keep in mind that the DOH is not proposing to close down BSVAC's ambulance service. BSVAC's sponsorship for EMT training programs is currently suspended, and we can't at this time start new EMT courses. It's not clear when or if we will be permitted to start new EMT courses again, but let's be clear about the ambulance service--that is not in danger."


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Raw Elements Eco Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen Untinted
Raw Elements makes the highest performance sunscreens I've ever found. This is a sunscreen that's perfect for the most active kids, high powered athletes and sensitive skin all in one! Raw Elements is made from certified all-natural ingredients and certified organic ingredients. This untinted broad spectrum powerhouse sunscreen is made with non-nano zinc oxide and has proven UVA-UVB protection. It's biodegradable, hypoallergenic, reef safe, a great choice for kids and it's non-migrating meaning that it won't sting your eyes! Clearance item, stock up on this trusted natural SPF while supplies last.
Size: 3.0 fl oz / 88ml
I think ECO FORMULA 30+ is the best natural mineral zinc oxide sunscreen for you if you're a highly athletic outdoor enthusiast and serious about wanting a 100% natural, eco-conscious sun screen. It's rated in category #1 by the Environmental Working Group and that means that you can't find a more environmentally friendly, all natural product, period.
Raw Elements Eco Formula is a high performance sunscreen that binds tenaciously to your skin. It contains a serious 23% non-nano zinc oxide so you KNOW you're protected when you wear it. I use it gardening when I expect to be rubbing off my sunscreen taking my gardening gloves on and off and crawl around in the dirt and shrubbery. I need something that will stay put through it all and Raw Elements does. At the end of the day I actually have to scrub it off my skin it stays on that well. It's also my new favorite for the back of my hands and neck when I swim laps at 12 noon, which is my favorite time to swim AND a really bad time to be out in the direct sun (the rest of me is covered by a full body swim suit).
Product Highlights:
• Broad spectrum protection
• Biodegradable and reef safe!
• Safe for all ages
• Never runs or stings eyes
• Water resistant to 80 minutes
As a performance driven sunscreen, you can trust that this product is very water resistant, quite possibly even beyond the usual 80 minutes (but you still need to reapply as directed by the FDA). It is also so gentle and moisturizing that it's perfect for the sensitive skin of little kids! The Eco Formula is made with a thick base that binds well to skin and will require some effort to rub it in for an almost clear application on your skin. The effort it's worth it because you'll know that you're well protected by an entirely natural product that's used by surfers and other really active outdoor water sports athletes (and seriously sweaty gardening dermatologists)!
Clearance item, all sales final - stock up now while supplies last!
Dr. Cynthia Bailey Wants You To Know These Important Facts About Sunscreen
It's my opinion that zinc oxide is the best sunscreen ingredient for broad spectrum UVA and UVB sun protection.
Zinc oxide, and its cousin titanium dioxide, are considered mineral sunscreens (and are also called physical sunscreens). When applied to your skin these mineral/physical sunscreens sit on top of your skin and bounce off the UV rays just like bouncing a ball off of a wall. They provide non-irritating, hypoallergenic broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection that you can trust. Nano technology made it possible for mineral sunscreen to be applied invisibly to your skin. New zinc oxide technology has made it possible for even non-nano zinc oxide products to create nearly invisible protection too.
Mineral sunscreens are the only sunscreens that I trust and recommend. That's because the other type of sunscreens, called chemical sun screens (and also confusingly also called 'organic' sunscreens!), actually absorb into the top of your skin and block the sun rays with a chemical reaction that occurs within your skin itself. The reaction creates a little heat, which make you feel even hotter in the sun. More importantly, it breaks down the chemical sunscreen ingredients so that they aren't there to protect you anymore. Thus, your skin steadily runs out of the chemical sunscreens when you're in the sun.
The mineral sunscreens on the other hand last longer on your skin because the UV rays don't break them down like this. They're also more stable in the sunscreen bottle than 'chemical' sunscreens, which break down while they sit on the bottle waiting for you to buy them and use them.
Of the mineral sunscreen ingredients, I recommend only zinc oxide and not titanium dioxide because it rubs onto your skin better and gives better broad spectrum protection.
Remember, harmful and aging UV sun rays come through most windows. You need to apply sunscreen to the all exposed areas of your skin every day even if you don't plan to spend time outdoors. Applying a mineral zinc oxide sunscreen should be part of your daily skin care routine!
I recommend that everyone apply sunscreen to exposed skin every day. As with all zinc oxide sunscreens, I recommend you apply your sunscreen after your other skin care products. (Make up, if used, goes on after sunscreen as the last skin care step.) Please see my tips for using sunscreen below.
Dr. Bailey's Sunscreen Application Tips:
Apply mineral zinc oxide sunscreens last, after all other skin care products but under make-up. This is because the zinc oxide particles sit on top of the skin where they reflect light. All skin care products that work by penetrating into the skin must be applied first.
Zinc oxide sunscreens will be invisible on the skin if you warm the cream and disperse the particles before applying the product. To do this, place the amount of cream to be applied in the palm of one hand. Vigorously rub your palms together then apply the cream to your skin by patting it around various places in the area to be covered. Finish by rubbing the cream on your skin until it is evenly applied and invisible.
Eye sensitivity is not typically a problem with pure zinc oxide sunscreens. Raw Elements is made with only zinc oxide and a non-irritating and hypoallergenic base appropriate for even the most sensitive skin complexions.
The quantity of sunscreen you apply is critical to the amount of protection you have created for your skin. Current recommendations are 1 tsp for the adult face and 1oz. (a shot glass) for the average sized adult in the average sized bathing suit. Raw Elements products are made with thicker and more tenacious bases. Play with the amount you need for good sun protection. It is especially important to reapply after swimming or rubbing product off of your skin and every 2 hours during sun exposure if you are relying on sunscreen alone to protect your skin during times of intense sun exposure.
Active Ingredient: Non Nano Zinc Oxide (23%)
Inactive Ingredients: Sunflower Oil*, Green Tea*, Black Tea*, Coffee Bean*, ¨Cocoa Butter*, Mango Butter**, Beeswax*, Rosemary Oil Extract**, Vitamin E**, Iron Oxides
* USDA Certified Organic
** Certified Natural


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Forbes is reporting that Bernard Madoff's folks were criminals (courtesy gnxp).
This is not surprising, as criminal behavior is partially inheritated, in the same way that the number of ridges on your pinky finger – or your inelligence — is.
More on this — and the role that recent human evolution plays in variation in such available — is available via Greg Clark (book review or PDF, also courtesy of gnxp).
This is an important point. Courtesy of zenpundit, in a discussion on jokers, Fabius Maximus (covering ground already seeded at Dreaming 5GW confuses honor-killing and honor-violence for senseless, Joker-like behavior:
Well I guess the killing was OK then, since it was in response to a previous massacre! I thought it was just soft-headed liberals who excused crimes on the basis of such things. Perhaps Quick will write a similar note about "human-style desire to have nice things†when his house is burgled, or "human-style desire to spread his genes†when his daughter is raped.
As Bill Quick at Daily Pundit noted, Fabius is confused about this. Rape is a heritable human behavior. Theft is a heritable human behavior. Honor killing is a heritable human behavior.
This does not make rape, theft, and honor violence "OK." Indeed, confusing a normative finding (which is right and wrong) with an empirical one (which is observed and not observed) is a basic error of logic.
But it does mean that we need to consider the sort of people we plan on providing security for, and the manner in which we provide that security. "Middle class values" are more common in places where evolution has had the time to instill them. They are rarer in places it hasn't.
In other words, providing security to populations which were until recent times (the last few centuries) hunter-gatherers is going to require more attentiont to stamping out theft, killing, and hono-rviolence than when providing security to populations which have been settled, agricultural, and peaceful for the last few centuries.
That is for now. Eventually, we will use eugenics to make the problem easier.


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Cheap and plentiful, wood pallets are used to ship millions of consumer goods from one end of the globe to the other, protecting them from damage. But they're often used just once and then discarded. While some are too worn to reuse, many are made of durable hardwoods like oak and walnut. Here are some of the uses for shipping pallets that reclaim this resource and either recycle it, or put it to work in the home and garden.
Because they're so bulky, and many companies sending and receiving goods use hundreds of them in a single month, pallets can be expensive to dispose of. Environmentally responsible companies are starting to rebuild, reuse, recycle or reduce the number of pallets that they use to cut landfill costs and waste.
Many firms work with pallet recycling companies that pick up used pallets and then use wood from broken pallets to repair others or create new ones. Worn pallets may be ground up for use as landscape mulch, compost or the main ingredient in particle board. At some DuPont facilities, pallets are shredded and made into animal bedding.
Some companies, like Greystone Logistics, are choosing alternatives to wooden pallets that last longer. Greystone now manufactures its pallets from 100 percent recycled plastic made from post-consumer waste like milk jugs, pill bottles and car bumpers.
Consumers are taking advantage of this often-wasted resource as well with DIY projects that transform discarded shipping pallets into upcycled furniture and other crafts. Some creative uses for shipping pallets include upcycled pet beds, rustic bird houses, firewood sheds and vertical gardens.
If you want to take advantage of the many uses for shipping pallets in a project of your own, there are certain safety precautions you should take. Here are six tips for choosing a pallet, cleaning it and preparing it for its new purpose.
How to choose and prepare a shipping pallet for reuse
Check stores that receive shipments of stone or heavy equipment for the best quality pallets. When possible, avoid pallets that have been used to ship materials overseas, since they're sometimes sprayed with pesticides.
Look for pallets that are stamped with "HT," which indicates that they have been kiln-dried rather than chemically treated to make them resistant to pests and rot.
Pass on pallets that look stained or oily, contain a lot of twisted nails or have a bad smell.
When you get your salvaged pallets home, scrub them with soap and water, rinse them well and allow them to dry thoroughly. Immediately remove all nails.
If you're concerned about germs or mold from pallets that may have been used and stored in damp places, spray the pallets with white vinegar and leave them in direct sunlight for a few days before bringing them inside.
Some pallet wood may have a coarse surface that could lead to splinters. Sand the surface smooth before using them to create items you'll be touching on a regular basis, like furniture.


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What is Duba.com
Threat's Summary:
Type: Browser Hijacker
Name: "Duba.com"
Behavior: "Duba.com" can redirect your browser to malicious sites.
Risk Impact: performance degradation of system, malware attacks, cyber theft.
System affected: All versions of Windows Operating System.
We would recommend to use below tool and run it on your computer to remove Duba.com automatically.
How your computer got infected with Duba.com
Via freeware or shareware
Duba.com can be included within some freeware or shareware programs – as a legitimate way of generating advertising revenues that help to fund the development and distribution of the freeware or shareware program
Infected websites
A visit to an infected website can result in unauthorized installation of Duba.com. Hacker technologies are often used to penetrated via a browser vulnerability.
Effects of Duba.com on your computer
• Duba.com Hijacks your current webpage and redirect it to unknown sites.
• Duba.com always bypass security tools through rootkit tactic
• Duba.com is infamous for inserting computer with unknown infections
• Duba.com update your installed application without your permission.
• Duba.com can steal your personal data like IP address, login data and browsing keywords and visited URLs.
How to manually remove Duba.com from browsers
Google Chrome
• Start Google crome.
• Select Tools, then, click on Extensions. It opens a window showing all the installed Extensions and plug-ins of Google Chrome.
• Click on settings to display current configuration of Google Chrome.
• Scroll down to the 'On startup' section with the option 'Open a specific page or set of pages' and click on Set pages.
• Click on the "X" button to remove the unwanted or hijacked startpage from Google Chrome.
• If there is only one startup page and the default startpage is removed, you should create a new preferred web address by clicking Add a new page and type http://www.google.com to set Google as your default startup page.
• Scroll down to the 'Appearance' section and Put a Check mark on Show Home Button and click Change.
• Select 'Use the New Tab page' option. This will disable the new tab option from opening to adware. Click OK to save the current settings.
• Restore the default search engine. Scroll down to the 'Search' section and click on the optionManage search engines…
Mozilla Firefox
• Start Firefox and Press Ctrl+Shift+A to open the 'Add-Ons Manager'. This windows will provide a list of all extensions and plugins installed in Firefox.
• Under Extensions, select the adware or Potentially Unwanted Program items and the click the Remove button.
• restart Firefox and check if the changes you have made are successful
• Press the Firefox button and then select options and reset the default homepage on the General Tab.
• At the top of the Firefox window, click the Firefox button, go over to the Help sub-menu (on Windows XP, click the Help menu at the top of the Firefox window), and select Troubleshooting Information.
• Click the Reset Firefox button in the upper-right corner of the Troubleshooting Information page.
• Click Reset Firefox in the confirmation window that opens.
• Click Finish and check everything is fixed as well.
Apple Safari
• Click the Security icon and select "Block pop-up windows" to stop some types of pop-ups.
• Check your homepage and search-engine settings. Ad-injection software sometimes changes these settings. Click the General icon and make sure that the Homepage field is empty or contains the website you want'
• Click the Search icon and make sure that the search engine setting shows your preferred search engine. In some versions of Safari, this setting is in the General pane.
• Click the Extensions icon and uninstall it.
How to manually remove Duba.com from Windows 7
- Open Windows Start menu.
- Go to control panel-> Open Programs and features and search for Duba.com program and click to uninstall.
- Delete any folders or files related to Duba.com by checking the following locations:
Note:- Manual removal requires high proficiency as it is really tough and risky process. If you are unaware about where its malevolent files are really hiding, it is compulsory for you make use of this potent automatic virus removal tool as it will facilitate you save your time and hassle.
How to install Spyhunter:
- Click on the above link and execute the required actions.
- After installation this program should be updated and scan. Examine the result when the scan will be finished. If you find some useful for you utilities in the list, so you can eliminate the tick near it, otherwise Spyhunter will remove the software. It pertains to the uncommon and special utilities that users install for their work. But generally, there is no need to delete any ticks.
- After that you should click Fix Threats button. If you have already had the license, then the viruses will be removed. In case you did not, then you will have the opportunity to pay for the license key.
Your computer is fully protected now.
For Automatic Clean-up of registry download REgCure Pro (Recommended)
For Automatic Clean-up of registry download REgCure Pro (Recommended)


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Sarah Chang
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Sarah Chang (born December 10, 1980) is an American violinist.
|This musician-related article is a stub. You can help Wikiquote by expanding it.
Korean Quarterly 1998[edit]
- "I remember when I was eight, my friends thought it was a little bit unusual that I was going off to Europe or to Asia, and playing concerts. And they would go to Tower (Records) and see my CD out. So that was a little different! But, I guess they've gotten used to it now, and really could not care less," she asserted. "It's nice because most of my friends are not musicians, and it keeps me grounded."
PBS.org 1998[edit]
- I had this very interesting experience when I was about 13. I went to Finland and it was dead in the middle of winter. It was freezing cold. There was so much snow and I went to Ainola, which is Sibelius' house. It was completely isolated -- just snow and forest, trees and the lake, completely beautiful but very quiet. And very serene. And I thought, well, this is where he was composing his stuff. And his great symphonies and the violin concerto, this is where it basically came from. I also got this little handbook about Ainola and there's a part that says that Sibelius wouldn't allow running water in his house because it disturbed him and his thought processes. So his daughters had to go out to the well which was half a mile away and then bring back water. So I thought, "Wow!" This person was really that much into control and silence. So you go and look at the concerto after that and the way it starts in the beginning: very shimmery. Very beautiful. But in a way it is isolated, and you feel kind of lonely when you're playing that. And gradually of course it builds up into this great big climax when every single orchestra-like instrument known to mankind is clashing and you're trying to break out there and you're trying to play your heart out. But really it did help me realize what he is like.
- Now this is very funny because my brother's name is Michael Chang, I go in for interviews or just talk to people and they say, "so what does your brother do?" I say he plays tennis and they automatically assume that he is Michael Chang, the tennis player, and I don't say anything.
JS online 1999[edit]
- "I hate analyzing stuff. I do the bare minimum. When it comes to interpretation, I just play it and go from there. I think emotion is everything. When you get the notes, you've just scratched the surface. The best things happen spontaneously, on stage. I'm doing three concerts here; I guarantee that none of them will be the same. We're not machines."
- "There are certain moments in performance when I'm hand-in-glove with a conductor and feel I can take risks and try something completely different from what we did in rehearsal. Sometimes we pull it off, and it's magical. Other times you try to get creative, the support isn't there, and you think, oh well, maybe next time."
NEWSWEEK 1999[edit]
- I've worked with a lot of living composers recently. It drives me nuts, though, that they like to change things at the last minute. For example, two years ago I played a piece that had been completed only the day before, in front of thousands of people in a huge stadium in Taejon, South Korea.
- Everything in my life is planned. It adds stability, but it makes me yearn for something that's not planned, that's spontaneous.
- I try not to take my life for granted. I have friends who have tendinitis. That would kill me. A short break from the violin is fine, but if I don't touch it for three or four days, my fingers start to feel funny.
- The ultimate high for me is being onstage in front of an audience. Nothing else can compare.
Interview with Barnes & Noble.com June 2003[edit]
- I've always ranked the Brahms as the Mount Everest of all concertos -- and the Beethoven, of course.
- I like Lenny Kravitz, I like Pink, and for forever and ever I've thought that Whitney Houston has an amazing voice. I really love great voices.
Newsweek September 2006[edit]
- (about concerts)"I love the adrenaline rush you get from having a live audience in front of you. There's nothing like performing live. I like to categorize classical music as one of those really beautiful, glamorous gems from the old era. The men are in tails onstage, the women are in beautiful dresses and the soloist comes out in a gorgeous evening gown. I really, really love that old-school glamour.For me, concert days are always exciting. It doesn't matter if I give 100 concerts or 150 concerts that season. Every concert is magical. Every concert has a sparkle to it. The challenge is to keep myself fresh and to give a spontaneous performance every single night while maturing and growing as a musician every day. The whole art form of being onstage is so mysterious and magical, it fascinates me. "
- (about her beginnings) "People assume I always wanted to be a violinist. It was actually just one of many other hobbies that I had. I had very enthusiastic parents. They gave me swimming lessons and horseback riding and gymnastics and ballet. My mom put me on the piano when I was about 3i. I asked for the violin when I was 4 because I wanted something that was smaller and more portable. I auditioned for the Juilliard School when I was about 6. During the week, I went to a regular school in Philadelphia so I could be with kids my own age." and "I started my career when I was 8 with two debuts in New York and Philadelphia, and then I started recording when I was 9. When you're so young, you don't realize the impact of a New York Philharmonic debut. You're told to do something and you go out and do it and you don't ask too many questions. I think the questions come later when you're in your teens. By the time I was 14, I was spending probably half the year in Europe. So I was out of school a lot. I did most of my homework by e-mail or fax. We made it work because my professors were incredible."
- (about her concert in North Korea) "The concert was full of government officials. Every single last seat. It was invitation only, but it was an unbelievable experience. Frightening and exhilarating at the same time. And I just thought about how lucky I am. I am so fortunate to be a musician, and at that moment, I genuinely felt that music is the one and only universal language."
Guardian November 2007[edit]
Q: Did you know you had talent straight away?
A: Not really. It was only when I auditioned for the Juilliard arts school in New York at age five and a half that I realized I was at least eight years younger than everyone else, so I knew I was on to something. Before that, music was just one hobby among many.
Q: What was your big breakthrough?
A: Making my debut with the New York Philharmonic, age eight. The day after my audition, they rang and asked if I could perform the Paganini concerto the next day without rehearsal. I said yes because I didn't know any better. There's no way I'd have that sort of fearlessness now.


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Is New York's Digital Boom Slowing Down?
Want a job at a digital company based in New York City? You should have been looking earlier this year, says a headhunting shop.
Cook Associates Executive Search says hiring at "pure play" Internet and digital companies in New York has been slowing down throughout 2012.
Cook says hiring at digital companies increased by 3.2 percent in the third quarter of 2012, down from 5.6 percent in Q2 and 6.2 percent in Q1.
Cook offers a variety of reasons for the slowdown, ranging from Web-specific conditions — a tapering in VC funding to global ones — it's the economy, stupid. But some job growth is better than no job growth, and Cook says the 320 companies it surveyed still added some 900 jobs in the last 3 months, bringing total employment to around 26,000.
(And yes, New York City is still no Silicon Valley, and it never will be. And that's OK!)
Cook says Google tops the list of job-adders in the city, which isn't surprising at all, since the search giant has been fueling digital employment in New York for years — that's why it dropped $2 billion on a block-long building in Chelsea two years ago.
But it's worth noting that several of the other top employers in Cook's survey are almost brand-new: Rent the Runway, AppNexus and Warby Parker didn't exist a few years ago, and now they're hiring like mad. Here's the full top 10 list:
1. Google
2. Rent the Runway
3. Amazon
4. AppNexus
5. eBay
6. Facebook
7. LinkedIn
8. Gilt Groupe
9. Etsy
10. Warby Parker


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Brenner Children's pediatric emergency department has moved back to its original location. Learn more
In order to help protect patients, family members and health care workers from the spread of COVID-19, no visitors are allowed at any of Wake Forest Baptist Health's outpatient or inpatient facilities, except in certain situations.Learn moreMore COVID-19 Updates
Tumors are groupings of abnormal cells that cluster together to form a mass or lump. When a tumor develops in the liver, the organ is unable to function properly.
Tumors of the liver — a large, reddish organ in the abdomen that produces proteins and digestive juices, stores energy, and removes toxins from the body — can be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
Most benign liver tumors are present at birth, and are usually the result of abnormal tissue growth while the fetus was developing. The most common type of benign liver tumor is called a mesenchymal hamartoma. Though these tumors do need to be removed through surgery, kids who have them generally do not require further treatment or experience long-term problems.
Malignant liver tumors occur less frequently and typically require more aggressive treatment, such as chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery. The two most common types of liver malignancies are called hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hepatoblastoma is most common in babies and very young children (usually younger than 3). When detected early, this type of cancer usually responds well to treatment.
Hepatocellular carcinoma can occur at any age, but usually affects teens more than younger kids. Because this type of cancer usually appears in several different areas in the liver, it is much more difficult to treat than hepatoblastoma.
The cause of malignant liver tumors is unknown. However, doctors do know that having certain medical conditions can put some kids at risk. For example, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (a genetic condition that causes excessive growth), problems with metabolism, biliary atresia (a malformation of the bile duct between the liver and the small intestine), and hepatitis B infection can increase a child's risk for hepatoblastoma.
Medical conditions associated with an increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma are familial cirrhosis (scarring of the liver that is not due to alcoholism), Fanconi's anemia (a disease of the bone marrow), or infection with hepatitis B or C.
Early on, a child with a benign or malignant liver tumor might have few symptoms — or none at all. As the tumor grows, however, the following symptoms may develop:
A doctor who suspects that a child has a liver tumor will perform a thorough physical exam in addition to these tests:
Treatment of malignant liver tumors depends on staging. Staging is a classification system (usually using Roman numerals l-lV) that helps doctors determine how far the cancer has progressed. It takes into account things like the size of the tumor (or tumors), how deeply the tumor has penetrated an organ, and whether the tumor has spread (metastasized) to nearby or distant organs.
This information, in addition to a child's age and overall heath, helps doctors develop treatment plans that may include the following options, in combination or alone:
The stress of having a child who is being treated for a tumor (whether malignant or not) can be overwhelming for any parent. Although you might feel like it at times, you're not alone.
To find out about support that may be available to you or your child, talk to your child's doctor or a hospital social worker. Many resources are available to help you get through this difficult time.
Reviewed by: Jonathan L. Powell, MD
Date reviewed: October 2012
Originally reviewed by: Lauri A. Linder, PhD, APRN, CPON
© 2019 Brenner | Site Policies & Statements
The information on this Website is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation or care from your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. If you have a medical problem or a health-related question, consult your physician or call Health On-Call at 336-716-2255 or 1-800-446-2255.


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Concerns over producer privacy and waterway control have two U.S. lawmakers vowing to keep the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in check.
The Farmer Identity Protection Act, co-sponsored by U.S. Rep. Rick Crawford (R-AR), is intended to prevent the EPA from making agricultural producers' private information public.
"It deals with the EPA's violation of privacy rights for producers," Crawford tells AgriTalk. "It happened twice last year, releasing personal information of livestock and poultry producers to various environmental activist groups—information that included names, addresses, phone numbers, even GPS coordinates. It was a pretty big net, around 80,000 producers, over 30 states. That includes Arkansas, of course. The information was obtained by EPA through the state environmental quality agencies and then released subsequently to environmental groups through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request."
Click the play button below to hear Crawford's complete interview with AgriTalk.
EPA representatives have admitted they did not review the data to verify that confidential business information was kept private, he says. That poses a threat to individual privacy rights as well as the nation's food supply, he adds.
"I think we need to make sure that there are adequate parameters and that there are some very definitive lines there that they don't cross," Crawford says.
Meanwhile, Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH) says an EPA effort to clarify the definition of U.S. waterways and its jurisdiction over them is concerning.
"I would argue that the intent of the Clean Water Act that was passed in 1972 was to go after and clean up when we had real problems," Gibbs tells AgriTalk. "Here in Ohio, we have the Cuyahoga River, which caught fire twice." The most notable blazes happened in 1952 and 1969 because of pollution, though fires occurred there as early as 1936, according to the EPA's website.
Click the play button below to hear Gibbs' complete interview with AgriTalk.
Gibbs fears extended authority over waterways could include ditches, puddles and areas that only fill with rain occasionally. Hearings on the question of waterway authority are expected this spring.
"It is what I call mission creep on steroids," Gibbs says.


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Jon Bon Jovi and his band took pity on cash-strapped Spanish fans, waiving their usual fees for the show in Madrid next month.
Tickets for the June 27 concert went for as little as 18 euros ($23) -- about half the normal price.
The American rocker told El Mundo they originally planned to skip Spain as the economic crisis made it unlikely the show would sell if fans couldn't afford tickets.
"I didn't want to let fans down," he said. "We did a study and we saw that due to the economic situation Spain wasn't going to be on the roadmap. But I didn't want to leave out fans from a country I love that has treated me well for 30 years."
In other words, the band is performing for free, and the venue is only charging enough to cover costs of staging the show.
The tickets did sell out.
Spaniards are suffering myriad economic woes, including a deep recession marked by staggering unemployment of nearly 27 percent.


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Pounds is from Abilene Christian University, where he finished second in the nation at the NCAA DII Championships in the decathlon.
Pounds has scored more than 7,300 points in the decathlon and ranks fifth on the Abilene Christian all-time list. He was a two-time All-American at Abilene and a member of two NCAA DII National Championship teams.
"I feel honored to be a GA/assistant coach at Lipscomb University and am looking forward to working with coach Taylor and his staff," Pounds said. "As a part of the staff I hope to help improve the program and its athletes to reach individual and team titles.
"I look forward to passing on my experience as a decathlete to the members of the Lipscomb track team. I plan to help the athletes become successful both on and off the track. "
Prior to Abilene Christian, Pounds competed for South Plains College where he earned two NJCAA All-American honors, and won the NJCCAA National Championship in the decathlon his freshman year.
In 2009 he earned his Bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and has worked for the Michael Johnson Performance Center since graduation. He will pursue a Master's degree in Exercise Science at Lipscomb while working with the track & field program.
Pounds is from Angleton, Texas where he competed in football and track & field.
"Campy is a terrific addition to our coaching staff," Taylor said. "He understands the special environment at Lipscomb because he attended our sister school ACU. He has extensive experience coaching every event area, brings instant credibility with his national success in the decathlon, and has organizational experience with the Michael Johnson Performance Center. "
Pounds is the second new addition to the staff. Luke Syverson will be an assistant coach for both cross country and track & field. Both of them will start work Aug. 1. Buford Williams is already on board as a graduate assistant along with volunteer coach Kyle Willoughby.
"I'm really excited about the make-up of our coaching staff," Taylor said. "I've won a National Championship as a coach, Luke has won three State Championships as a coach, Campy has been a part of two National Championship teams, and Buford is a former NCAA DI National Championship competitor. We have a coaching staff that understands what it feels like to win and what it takes to build a winning culture."
Full-time graduate assistant Buford Williams will focus on the jumps this year. Volunteer coach Kyle Willoughby will help with our javelin throwers.
With the flexibility and experience of Luke and Campy in all event areas, we are in a great position to help all of our athletes in every event area, as well as to dramatically enhance our recruiting efforts across the board.," Taylor said. "This is the next step in the rapid progression of this program and another message from our incredible administration that they are extremely supportive of what we are building here."


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- This event has passed.
Bird & Beckett: Which Way West?
February 8 @ 4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 4:30 pm on Saturday, repeating indefinitely
A weekly concert series offering jazz, acoustic Americana, world, and classical music. $10 per adult suggested donation; children free. No one turned away for lack of funds! See birdbeckett.com for performers.
Every Saturday, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Bird & Beckett


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Amuse Society
Flirty Eyes Woven Top
The Flirty Eyes Woven from Amuse Society is a printed woven top with elastic casing at waist and ruffle sleeve detail. We love this cute top especially for its sleeve details and ability to dress up our everyday jeans.
*100% Modal
*Turn garment inside out before hand wash cold
*Hang to dry
Measurements for Small:
Bust: 38 1/2"
Body Length: 32 1/2"
Sleeve Length: 23 1/2"
Orders placed before 11am will typically ship the same day. Orders placed after 11am will be shipped the next business day. Excludes weekends and public holidays.
Shipping within Australia
Over $150 - Australia Post Express Shipping FREE
Over $100 - Australia Post Standard Shipping FREE
Under $100 - Australia Post Standard Shipping $10
Under $150 - Australia Post Express Shipping $15
Delivery is expected between 2-5 business days for Express Shipping or 3-10 business days for Standard Shipping.
*Please note: we are located outside of Australia Post's Next Day Delivery Network so we are unable to guarantee next day delivery on Express Post orders.
Shipping to New Zealand
Over $200AUD - International Standard Shipping - FREE
Under $200AUD - International Standard Shipping - $15AUD
All Orders - DHL Australia Post International Express - $40AUD
Delivery is expected between 3-10 business days or 2-5 business days if you select our Express option.
Shipping Internationally
Over $250AUD - Australia Post International Air Mail - FREE
Under $250AUD - Australia Post International Air Mail - $25AUD
All Orders - Australia Post International Express - $45AUD
Delivery is expected between 5-14 business days or 3-7 business days if you select our Express option (shipping may take longer to some countries).
From 17th January 2020, all items are FINAL SALE under our closing down sale and cannot be returned for a refund, exchange or store credit.
We want you to be completely satisfied with your online purchase. If you change your mind for any reason, we'll gladly accept a return of any full priced or sale item within 30 days of your order date. All items must be returned in original condition, unworn, unaltered, unwashed and with their tags attached.
View full returns policy here.


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XP Labs is the creation of a passionate team of sports nutritionist experts who are relentlessly committed to helping athletes of all levels achieve their maximum physical potential. The foundation of every sports nutrition formula we develop is based on clinical science and real world results. Every ingredient in our formulas is precisely dosed and supported by gold standard, university research to ensure you experience maximum results every time.
The post Keto Store St. Catherines, On appeared first on Eldorado County AAMC.


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be out of kilter(redirected from has been out of kilter)
be out of kilter
1. To be out of equilibrium; to not be straight, level, or aligned properly; to be in a state of chaos or confusion. I've been out of kilter ever since I got that blow to the head during football practice. The economy is still out of kilter in many countries across Europe, even as the global economy has started to recover.
2. To not work correctly or properly; to be out of order; to be out of w(h)ack. It sounds like your car's engine is a bit out of kilter. I'd recommend taking it to a mechanic before you go for any long drives.


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SAXONBURG — A pudding-craving dancing man is headed for trial stemming from a Christmas Eve drugged driving arrest in Jefferson Township.
Benjamin C. Haugh, 20, of Summit Township faces formal arraignment next month on a list of charges including driving under the influence of a controlled substance and drug possession.
State police said a homeowner on Hannahstown Road called about 4:20 a.m. Dec. 24 to report a disabled vehicle nearby. The caller reported the motorist had gotten out of the Ford Bronco and was now dancing in the street.
By the time troopers got there, the defendant was still "dancing around eating pudding from a pudding cup without a spoon," according to court documents.
Haugh told police that he ran out of gas. But police believed he also was impaired.
A pat-down search, police said, turned up a crack pipe and two glassine bags of suspected heroin stamped with Frosty the Snowman on them in his pants pocket.
He subsequently failed field sobriety tests and was arrested for suspicion of drugged driving.
To learn more about this case, read Wednesday's Butler Eagle.


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(CMT Offstage keeps a 24/7 watch on everything that's happening with country music artists behind the scenes and out of the spotlight.)
How does a woman who has made recipes like Gwen's Fried Chicken with Milk Gravy, Mama's Cornmeal Hushpuppies and Bess London's Pecan Tassies famous even begin to think about dropping 30 pounds? Trisha Yearwood has recently gone from what she calls a tight size 14 down to a size 10. "I designed my own plan that's low-fat, low-sugar 90 percent of the time," Yearwood told People magazine. "I'm doing very little sugar. And occasionally I have the mac and cheese." She also takes Zumba — a Latin-inspired exercise/dance class — three times a week. "I fell in love with it!" she said.
Yearwood is really no different from any woman who struggles with weight loss and tries every diet she hears about. "I don't think you can name one diet I haven't done. I'm that girl who buys every magazine where somebody's lost 30 lbs. I guess a part of me didn't want to hear that it's just really hard work," she admitted. Yearwood may be lighter now, but she says she's actually stronger. "I have a strength I never had before. I feel like I can do anything," she said. "I'm not tiny, but I'm happy where I am."


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Given a continuous map $f:S^1\to \mathbb{C}$ from the unit circle to the complex numbers, one can form its Fourier series $\sum_{n=-\infty}^\infty a_n\exp(in\theta)$. I want to stick with those $f$ that give simple closed curves, bounding a closed topological disk, going round the disk in a counter-clockwise direction, and parametrized proportional to arclength. I am happy to add the hypothesis that $f'(t)$ is a continuous function of $t$ and that, for $t\in S^1$, $|f'(t)| = 1$.
Is it then true that $a_1\neq 0$?
If this is true, is $|a_1|$ bounded away from zero as $f$ varies? It may be that some other normalization might make the second question more tractable: for example, instead of normalizing the length to be $2\pi$ by a change of scale, as I have done above, one could require that a disk of unit radius be contained in the disk bounded by $f$. Any such normalization of $f$ would be highly acceptable.
I'm motivated by trying to describe the ``space of shapes'' in the plane, by using Fourier descriptors, a topic of interest both in machine vision and in microscopy in biology.


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A couple of ordinary guys from Mobile Alabama who got tired of the thought of just being good enough. Through scientific research, self experimentation, and some intuitive web design we've set roots to a whole community dedicated to the cause. We challenge you all to step up to the plate.
Email Us: firstname.lastname@example.com


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- This event has passed.
Graduate Council Meeting
Event Description
The Graduate Council is the representative body of the graduate faculty. Council members deliberate and set policy on all matters of graduate education and research, and advise the Associate Vice President for Graduate Studies and Research.
If you will need special accommodations, please contact the event organizer.


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She looks French! Somehow the GMD and KatE Holmes Cruise were able to produce a Gallic heir. Look at that pout! And that adorable overbite… seriously, how can you not love Little Sci! Elle est trop mignone!
From the pages of the new OK! Magazne Tom took his daughter to a local LA playground the other day and somehow these photos were taken unobtrusively. Of course all the yummy mummies at the playground went bananas – according to the article, he melted their hearts. Of course he did.
Problem is – Tom Cruise is no Brad Pitt.
But Suri Cruise is everyone's favourite. She'll be 2 in 2 weeks!
PS. Why do I feel itchy looking at the way he"s holding her?


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What Happens When Weezy Won't Sleep With His Fans? Lil Wayne Says Groupies Shot Up His Bus Because He Ain't Let Them Suck Him Off!
Weezy explains a story, about a time he denied a chick to have fornication after a show. Shout out to Mr. Exclusive
Please click the "Report" button below if the video on this page is not working properly.
Comments will only be displayed by verified emails. No Spamming or Racism.


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- Receive daily inspiration by following the official Church Twitter account.
What Is Twitter?
Twitter is a social networking and microblogging website. It allows users to "tweet," or broadcast, brief messages on their profile page. Users are able to connect with others by subscribing or receiving these short updates by becoming a "follower" of a desired Twitter account.
Overview of Twitter
The Twitter microblogging platform was created in 2006. Like other microblogging sites, it allows users to broadcast information rather than engage in conversations with readers, though the option to converse directly with others exists in the form of Direct Messages and "@mentions." Users "tweet" messages of up to 140 characters at a time. When a user posts a "tweet," the message is posted on the user's profile and is made public, unless the user changes the privacy settings. Most Twitter users interact with the Twitter platform with clients such as TweetDeck or HootSuite rather than directly through Twitter.com.
Twitter currently has approximately 140 million active users who tweet about 340 million times per day. During 2010, an average of 300,000 users joined Twitter each day. To accommodate this growth, Twitter recently moved its technical operations infrastructure to a new data center in the Salt Lake City area. According to a recent survey by the Church's Research Information Division, 7 percent of Church members use Twitter.
The Church and Twitter
The Church has several official Twitter accounts that broadcast information about Church events, news updates, products, websites, and so forth. Twitter users can subscribe to or follow these accounts. New uses for Twitter that the Church is exploring include:
- Sharing scripture passages and general conference talks.
- Using hashtags (pound symbols used to mark keywords or topics) such as #family or #religion to share content with nonmembers.
- Monitoring hashtags such as #lds or #mormon to gather data on community interests.
- Conducting quick surveys of followers' opinions.
- Sharing succinct ideas about how to share the gospel, improve one's scripture study, and the like.
- Finding social media influencers in specific areas of the world.
Official Church Twitter accounts include the following:


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Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult got back together while they were working on the new X-Men movie in Montreal this summer. That's not the hard part. Staying close when your job keeps you close, inside a bubble, is easy. You see each other every day. There's no effort required. It's like playing house. When the shoot's over is when it gets hard. So far they seem to be managing?
Hoult was with Lawrence the other night on press tour in London for Catching Fire. He stayed off the carpet and out of the way of official photographers but was apparently with her at the afterparty. Click here to see the photo. Makes sense to see him in England with her since that's where he's from. But …do you think he went to Spain too?
The Catching Fire crew is there today promoting the film. Now this is a MUCH better dress. It's amazing on her.


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On a recent Monday that was as picture perfect as the day before was miserable and rainy, Steve Jackson was almost certain of what he�d find in the water off Lincoln Park.
VALPARAISO � On a recent Monday that was as picture perfect as the day before was miserable and rainy, Steve Jackson was almost certain of what he�d find in the water off Lincoln Park.
It would be enterococci, bacteria found in the feces of warm-blooded animals. There would be lots of it.
�I have a feeling,� Jackson said just before he waded out to fill a tube with water to be tested at a nearby lab. �After all this rain I�m worried about our results this week.�
As a designated water collector for Okaloosa County since 2010, Jackson knows that stormwater runoff from rain like the day before tends to make local areas dangerous for swimming.
For 15 years the county Health Department has been notifying local governments of the nastiness that seeps into swimming areas from storm water runoff.
Nothing significant has changed in 10 years.
The first time records show that water samples were taken at Lincoln Park in Valparaiso was Jan. 27, 2003. Test results found the quality to be poor and the Health Department issued swimming advisories.
Two days after Jackson took his sample April 15, his suspicions were confirmed when the water once again was found to contain enough enterococci to pose a health risk. As had happened a decade before, an advisory was posted to warn visitors against swimming.
The Health Department rates the areas it tests as good, moderate or poor, depending on the amount of enterococci found. Only when the water is rated poor are swimming advisories posted, Health Department spokesman Shaun May said.
The April 15 finding was the 28th time since Jan. 1, 2012, the park known to some people as �stinkin� Lincoln� received less than a �good� rating from the Health Department. Tests conducted one week later found the water quality moderate.
And Lincoln Park is not the worst.
An agency called the Natural Resources Defense Council compiles an annual Testing the Waters report. In 2011, two local park beaches achieved the dubious honor of ranking among the top five in Florida for �highest percent exceedance rates� of state standards.
Garnier�s Beach Park in Fort Walton Beach was ranked No. 1. It exceeded state standards for fecal material 31 percent of the time, the Defense Council found.
Rocky Bayou at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park near Niceville exceeded limits 19 percent of the time to tie for the third highest in the state.
Lincoln Park�s �exceedance rate� in 2011 was 15 percent.
Since 2011, Garnier�s Beach Park has received less than �good� ratings from the Health Department 38 times. For Rocky Bayou, it was 25 times.
Another local test site, Liza Jackson Park in Fort Walton Beach, has received �poor� or �moderate� ratings 34 times since January 2012.
Local officials know they have problems � the Health Department makes them aware of enterococci hot spots, May said � but have been unable or unwilling to tackle them.
County Public Works Director John Hofstad has been frustrated by the Garnier�s Beach Park situation since 2002, when he worked for Fort Walton Beach.
By 2007, he pretty well had determined the pollutants causing the high enterococci levels were flowing out of Gap Creek, which runs into Cinco Bayou where the beach park is located.
Figuring out the source of the pollution and finding the means � and the money � to stem its flow has proven problematic, however.
This year the county and Fort Walton Beach have joined forces. With funding help from the Northwest Florida Water Management District and BP fine money, they are mounting a major effort to clean up the Gap Creek drainage basin.
�It will help,� Hofstad said. �Certainly, we�re not going to solve it until we can address the entire drainage network, and that will require working with several jurisdictions.�
Among them are the town of Cinco Bayou and the Florida Department of Transportation, Hofstad said.
Fort Walton Beach also has approved a contract with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in which it will receive about $200,000 �to provide engineering design, permit preparation and some construction administration services� for three stormwater projects, according to City Manager Michael Beedie.
All three projects are in the Gap Creek basin, Beedie said in an email.
The retrofit projects include improvements or updates to three stormwater retention areas to provide additional storage and treatment of runoff, Beedie said.
�This will improve the quality of water flowing into both the bayou and bay,� he said.
Fort Walton Beach has also applied for more than $1 million in BP Natural Resource Damage Assessment funds to continue work in the Gap Creek watershed.
Among the requests from the city and county is one for funds to install storm water separators at several saltwater outfall locations. The separators have been proven to prevent a great deal of waste from entering waterways.
The funding application said the goal is to reduce the �enormous concentrations of pollutants (entering) area receiving waters and estuarine habitat during and immediately after rainfall events.�
Okaloosa County has 51 documented storm water outfalls and the Fort Walton Beach has 60, the application said.
In Valparaiso, a study by the Water Management District in 1998 outlined sources of runoff at Lincoln Park and suggested how to improve them.
Joe Morgan, a city commissioner who oversees stormwater issues, said he has learned that some of the Water Management District�s suggestions were heeded over time and others were not.
He said he�s making it a personal goal to revisit stormwater runoff problems at the park.
Niceville has had a stormwater utility in place since 2000 and has �done quite a number of projects� with funds brought in through the utility, according to Public Works Director Bruce Price.
However, the city has not gotten a grip yet on what causes problems at Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park. Price surmises it could be development along the waterways.
�I know the Health Department has been talking to our water and sewer people. They get calls to ask if there are any issues,� he said.
He said the city has applied for BP funding to address stormwater runoff.
The projected windfall provided by RESTORE Act funding and other BP fine moneys could help the county and cities finally take big steps to deter pollution.
County Commissioner Dave Parisot said he hopes enough BP money will come to the region to allow for a comprehensive look at the entire Choctawhatchee Bay ecosystem and possibly action to minimize the impacts of runoff.
May with the Health Department said the BP funds might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do something substantial. It also will take civic will to clean up local waters, he said.
�It comes down to funding. If the public sees a project worth of devoting itself to, if people are passionate about it, they�ll say �let�s see if we can find a solution by working together,� � May said.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Tom McLaughlin at 850-315-4435 or firstname.lastname@example.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomMnwfdn.


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A gift by will or trust is a creative way to help the Garden in the long term, while still retaining full control of your assets during your lifetime. Each bequest to the Garden serves as a legacy for future generations, and helps secure the future of the Institution and of society. Every bequest—no matter what size—provides benefits to our visitors, researchers, and community.
Many donors and friends have already informed the Garden of plans for bequests to the Institute, and many others have undoubtedly also established gifts of this kind. Donors have specified plans to give a gift of cash, securities, real estate, or other appreciated assets through their will or trust. Staff members in our gift planning office are able to help donors and their legal advisors craft bequest language so as to ensure the donor's estate objectives are met.
Many donors find that a bequest is an effective instrument for making a major gift to the Garden, which may ultimately be used for specific programs or be unrestricted to meet the Garden's most pressing needs. Generally, charitable bequests will lower your estate taxes.
If you already have a will and wish to add the Garden, you only have to complete a codicil (a simple legal instrument to modify your will). The following are suggested forms for making various types of bequests:
- Specific Bequest: You leave a specific sum of money or specific assets to the Garden
- Percentage of the Estate: You leave a percentage of your assets to pass through your will to the Garden
- Residual Beneficiary: You name the Garden as the ultimate and final beneficiary of your will after payment of other bequests and estate expenses
- Contingent Bequest: You name the Garden as the beneficiary of your estate only if others named in your will are not living at the time of your death
- Testamentary Trust:You include a provision in your will to provide lifetime income to your spouse and/or other beneficiaries, after which the assets of the trust are given to the Garden
Planned Giving Notification Form
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden conserves California native plants and habitats for the health and well-being of people and the planet.
Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
Our Tax ID number is 95-1644628.


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Sunday School – 10:00 am
Worship Service – 11:00 am
Bible Study – 12:15 pm
Wednesday Bible Study - 6:30 pm
12859 Martin Road Spur
Northport, AL 35473
The previous passage presented Jesus as the all-powerful, eternal God. In this passage, Elder Brian Farley discusses how we are saved by faith alone in Christ. There is much benefit in believers hearing the Gospel preached with regularity. This passage does just that for us. We pray this is a great blessing to you.


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Latest News
RedWolf Airsoft Expands To New Location (2004-03-10)We have moved into a much larger office and warehouse facility to serve you better! With a larger warehouse, RedWolf Airsoft carries the most inventory of any online store. If you see it instock at our online store, then that means the product is sitting on a shelf in our warehouse (as seen in these pictures). Now located in the Lai Chi Kok district of Hong Kong, we are easily reachable by subway train (Mass Transit Railway, or MTR) just four stops away from our previous location. If you are visiting Hong Kong, you can find us at our new address:
RedWolf Airsoft Specialist Ltd.
Unit A-B, 7th Floor, V GA Building
532 Castle Peak Road
Cheung Sha Wan
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Our contact number and fax remain unchanged.
Telephone: (852) 2857-7665 Fax: (852)2975-8305
Click on the ABOUT US link on the left to find a map and directions to our store.


text: Twibright Registrator removes noise and can quadruple the resolution of a camera in software by matching several pictures together. It can be applied to remove noise, JPEG artifacts, rain, CRT stripes, and passersby. It can enhance night photos and provide the effect of long exposure in daylight. Pictures are matched by removing shift, rotation, zoom, and brightness changes. It features high performance bilinear interpolation, automatic adaptive corrective deconvolution, 32-bit float depth, photometrically linear space, and 16-bit depth PNG output.


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Paragliding Accuracy Description
Friday, 08 March 2013 13:47
What is the Landing Accuracy competition ?
This event is a test of the paraglider pilot's ability to fly their canopy to a very small target landing pad. The target point is an electronic score pad only 30cm in diameter with 1m, 5m and 10m diameter circles surrounding it. Pilots launch at 500 to 800 m over the landing area. Then, allowing for any wind or air movements that may affect their progress, they fly their paragliders to the target positioned on a pontoon floating or on a flat grass area in front of spectators.
What do you have to do to win ?
The pilot is scored for each landing according to their first touch on the target area. The closer they touch to the centre of the target, the lower their points score. Six rounds are completed, after which each pilot drops their worst score to arrive at a total. The pilot with the lowest accumulated score wins the competition and becomes the World Games Champion.
How is it scored ?
A team of Judges is present at the target : three 'fichet' judges triangulate the exact spot of the first point of contact. Two 'strike' judges confirm which foot landed first (sometimes the back foot may land first, yet the fichet judges may be tracking the foot being placed closest to the target). A wind speed monitor and scorer are also present. If the pilot lands on the electronic pad, the score will be displayed on the digital display, in centimetres ranging from 0 to 15 cm but if the pilot's first touch is greater but still inside the 10m circle, the judges mark and measure the distance from the centre spot.
Tell me more !
Pilots must constantly assess their distance to the target and the glide angle which they can achieve in the prevailing wind conditions; this is tricky since the wind near the ground can be quite different from that at higher levels in both direction and strength. Thermal activity is another factor the pilot has to consider, as any local rising or sinking air will have a significant impact on the final approach to the target. The pilots use their skill, experience and judgement to land into wind while trying to place one foot in the centre of the target pad. The pilots must not fall over, nor must any part of their equipment touch the ground while they are landing.
Paragliding is a very popular and rapidly growing sport which is practised around the world. The pilot sits in a harness which is attached to a canopy wing similar to a parachute. The wing is double layered, creating cells between the layers which fill with air. This gives the wing an aerofoil shape, enabling the paraglider to fly. Pilots usually fly with a reserve parachute should their main canopy fail, though this is rare. Modern paragliders weigh approximately 15kg and have a speed range from as little as 20kph to 60kph or more for the latest competition designs.
Read a full description on the CIVL website
Paragliding Accuracy at The World Games 2013
Monday, 21 January 2013 13:37
Could you land your paraglider on a coin? Could you do it over and over again in all wind conditions and under pressure from the best paraglider pilots in the world?
The discipline of paragliding accuracy landing requires an enormous amount of skill, experience and judgement. Competitors are winched up to a height of 300m before releasing and steering towards the target area. The aim is to touch down on the dead centre of an electronic scorepad, measuring just 3cm across. Pilots must remain on their feet after landing. This requires nerves of steel as the smallest error could be the difference between a gold medal and 6th place.