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Youve got the tools, youve got the equipment, and youve got the know-how. You have the certification and the license, and people willing to pay you for your services. What seems to be the missing piece in this puzzle is the vehicle to take you and your equipment from job site to job site.
Handling, safety, power, and turning radius are all things to consider when adding trucks to your fleet. Its also important to realize that this isnt a one-size-fits-all situation. The question becomes, what are you going to use the truck for and what kind of truck are you going to need?
Since our business is mobile (we work on-site), we cant afford to lose any downtime. Other than contractors just getting started, most landscaping contracting companies have more than one vehicle. It would behoove you to utilize those vehicles to the max.
Some contractors have trucks dedicated for special uses; a number of contractors use a medium-duty pick up truck for basic irrigation maintenance. They will have the truck equipped with a rack on top to carry pipe; some will customize a bed that will carry fittings, sprinkler parts, valves, and other parts. This same contractor will also use a heavy-duty truck for large landscape installations and maintenance. Depending on your maintenance business, and how it is scheduled, will decide what size vehicle you would use. Look at what you need, and get a truck to fit that purpose. Dont look at trucks as a Swiss Army knife; instead, look at each one as a specialized tool.
The choice of trucks is seemingly endless... the options available for each model become even more overwhelming. Extended cab, crew cab, suspension options, towing packages, upholstery choices, engine preferences--its easy to find yourself perpetually drowning in a sea of data when taking on the task of finding the truck you want.
The good news is that there is no excuse not to get the most ideal truck for your business. Because of all these options on top of options, each model can be customized to have just the features you want and need.
Two generic and broad set-ups that contractors usually choose between using is a pickup truck, or a cab-over.
Some contractors like the pickup-with-a-trailer option, some like the idea of having a cab-over in the back in lieu of having to worry about a trailer. It ultimately will depend on your preferences and needs, and as your business grows, you might find that what once was not a good option is now precisely what you need.
We used to use pickups and trailers, and had no real complaints with them, but the cabover trucks simply made things a lot easier, said Mark Borst, owner of Borst Landscaping and Design, Allendale, New Jersey. Our maintenance trucks can take about 14,000 pounds and have 16-foot long boxes on the back. We also get our trucks equipped with a hydraulic ramp gate that allows you to get the heavy equipment in and out.
Whats out there anyway?
Heres a look at a few of the most popular choices of models contractors can choose from, and a little bit about their capabilities. Take a look at the jobs these trucks can handle, and determine how much of a truck youll need for your company. Bigger isnt necessarily better.
Pickups come in many shapes and sizes, with a variety of features that you may or may not want. Well start with Ford, and the base model that many contractors use is the Ford F-150. The F-150 is used by many contractors as the maintenance truck of choice, and also as an irrigation installation rig.
The F-150 can be had with many engines; contractors interviewed generally recommend that you stick with the V8 options available. The F-150 serves as a basic maintenance rig, and we also use it as a sales vehicle when we have to transport clients around a property, says Rick Angelo, operations manager and president for Stay Green in Valencia, California.
This truck can be equipped to tow trailers ranging from 5,700 pounds with the 4.6 liter V8 to 9,900 pounds when equipped with the regular cab and 5.4 liter V8. Three engines are currently available, the 4.2L V6, 4.6L V8, and the 5.4L V8.
The F-250 and F-350 are used in very much the same way as the F-150, and many contractors sidestep the 150 and go straight to these models because of the standard engine power available and a more rugged suspension and brake set-up. These trucks can be used as a maintenance rig and a basic route truck for simple installations. There is plenty of grunt in these models to handle heavily equipped trailers as well.
The cost of what we put on a F-150 is comparable to what we get standard on a F-250, says Angelo. It has larger brakes, and since we tow a lot of trailers, that safety issue is a very big thing to us.
Conventional trailer towing for the 250 models is up to 12,500 pounds when utilizing a 6 liter V8 diesel or the 6.8 liter V10. The 350 extends towing capacity to 13,400 pounds. Youre probably going to want to get these trucks with a crew cabin; youll be able to carry six people with this option. These trucks have heavy service front springs, and a rear stabilizer bar to add greater handling and stability under heavy loads.
For heavy installations, many contractors go with the monster F-450. This truck can transport heavy material very efficiently, and can tow up to 17,500 lbs. with the 7.3 liter turbo diesel engine. We use this truck to carry all the heavy installation material, plants, and soil, says Angelo.
In summary, the F-series has something for everyone. John Gachina, owner of Gachina Landscape Management in Menlo Park, California, simplified the classification of his Fords. We use F-150s as maintenance rigs, F-250s for pulling trailers, with some designated to be to be used by our enhancement crews, and F-350s and above for our construction crews.
The Dodge Ram trucks, like the Ford models, have a wide array of available options and specifications that you can customize your truck with.
The RAM 1500 comes standard with a 3.7L Magnum V6, but youll probably want to switch that for the 5.7 liter HEMI engine, which boasts 345 hp and 375 pounds of torque. Independent front suspension is standard, and towing capacity for this line starts at 3,300 lbs and goes up to a maximum of 9,200 lbs. It is equipped with rear wheel anti-lock breaks. This line could easily be set up as light maintenance trucks or irrigation installation rigs, but could also be designed to handle heavier tasks.
The heavy-duty line is the Ram 2500/3500 series, which pumps out standard towing capacity at a brutish 9400 lbs., with the capability of being equipped to handle 13,600 lbs. Dodge brags about their 2500/3500 trucks sporting the most towing power in their class. The 5.7 liter HEMI engine is standard with these trucks, and you have the option to go for the Cummins Turbo Diesel engine in the 3500 line that churns out a monstrous 600 lbs. of torque, which should be plenty to take care of heavy installation projects and crews. A 5-speed manual transmission is standard, but a 5-speed automatic transmission is available.
Frames on these trucks are hydro-formed, as in molded by means of high-pressured water. It offers the frame greater strength and impact absorption, and reduces the number of welds, thereby lessening stress points. Also, while the frame is stronger using this method, it is also lighter, helping with fuel economy and maneuverability.
The GMC Sierra 1500 has three engines to choose from, though, once again, youll probably want to stick to the V8s: the 4800 and the 5300 Vortec. The 4800 puts out 285 hp and 295 lbs. of torque, while the 5300 offers an additional 10 horses and five more pounds of torque. The maximum towing capacity with this line of trucks is around 9,000 lbs. The turning radius for the crew cabin models are 46.6 feet for 2WD and 47.3 feet for 4WD.
The next in line is the 2500 and the 2500HD series, which amps things up quite a bit. With a 300 hp, 360 pounds of torque Vortec 6000 engine standard, along with the available Vortec 8100 and 6600 Turbo Diesel V8, this truck could be arranged to be a a more than capable route truck. With the Vortec 6000 engine, towing will be maxed out at 10,000 lbs., but a properly equipped 2500HD model with a diesel engine will haul up to 16,100 lbs. The 2500HD can also be had with four-wheel drive. Manual transmission for this line is standard. The turning radius for the HD is 53.6 feet with the long box.
Trucks equipped with either the Vortec 8100 V8 or Duramax Diesel 6600 V8 have the option of the Allison 1000 Series 5-speed automatic transmission. This transmission is essentially overbuilt, and would be overkill for something that will withstand the wear and tear your trailer will cause. The clutches are hydraulically actuated and spring released, with automatic compensation for wear, and the strong gears and clutches provide added durability.
Finally, for the earth moving work you might be doing, theres the 3500 line, which boasts a towing capacity of 16,800 lbs. with the Duramax Diesel 6600 V8, and a standard 6-liter V8 that produces 450 pounds of torque. The extended cab and the crew cab can hold six people. The Allison transmission is available for this line as well.
Mitsubishi offers the Fuso, and you should probably take a look at the Class 4, which is designed to handle landscape material. The GVWR for this truck is 14,500 lbs., and the FE145 model with the Aisin 6-speed automatic and 4.9 liter diesel engine makes available 175 hp and 391 pounds of torque.
Dual-caliper, hydraulic-disc service brakes with vacuum servo assist are standard at all four wheels, with the added safety of ABS. The 2005 models have increased chassis stiffness, coupled with new laminated leaf spring/stabilizer bar suspension components at the front and rear. This should contribute to better driving stability and improved handling.
Four wheelbase lengths are available, giving you the choice of accommodating 12, 14, 16, and 18 bodies.
Now owned by General Motors, Isuzus N-Series features a tilt cab design that provides easy engine access, service, and maintenance. The unified structure of the exterior eliminates cracks, crevices, nooks and crannies where corrosion could form. Inside, the tilt-telescopic column adjusts up down, fore and aft for drivers convenience, and the truck has power steering.
You have a gas or diesel option, the 6-liter gas delivering 300 horses and 358 pounds of torque, while the turbocharged 5.2 liter diesel is easier more economical while giving 190 hp and 387 pounds of torque.
Depending on the engine and trim you choose, the N-series trucks offer a payload starting out at 6,739 pounds, with the gas engine all the way up to 12,097 pounds using the diesel. The suspension consists of semi-elliptical leaf springs and a front stabilizer bar to provide sufficient strength to haul heavy loads, with added stability for improved handling characteristics.
Trucks have come a long way from the hard riding, rough-around-the-edges vehicles they once were. Now, many of them have better ride quality than some sedans, and can take more of a beating than ever before. Using the right size truck for the right job, your vehicles can give you years of service. Choose wisely.
october 2004


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- This event has passed.
The ISU Planetarium Presents: Ghostly Tales Under the Stars!
Event Description
Prepare for shivers and chills at the Illinois State University Planetarium with "Ghostly Tales under the Stars!" Show times are Friday, October 27 at 7:30 PM and midnight; and Saturday, October 28 at 2 PM and 7:30 PM.
Join the storytellers of the Improv Mafia as they perform frightening tales of the supernatural live beneath the stars. Spooky stories old, new, and maybe true will stand your hair on end! The Friday 7:30 PM, and Saturday 2 and 7:30 PM performances are family oriented and appropriate for all audiences. The Friday evening midnight performance of "Ghostly Tales under the Stars" is more intense and recommended for mature audiences.
Admission to the Illinois State University Planetarium is $4 for adults, $3 for children ages 5-12 and seniors, and $2 for children ages 3-4. Cash or checks only. Tickets may be purchased in the ISU Planetarium Gift Shop, next to the Planetarium, beginning 20 minutes before each show. Seating is limited.
The ISU Planetarium is located in the Felmley Hall of Science Annex, at the intersection of College Avenue and School Street, in Normal. Free parking is available a short distance from the ISU Planetarium in University parking lot F-67, on the east side of School Street.
For more information, please call the ISU Planetarium's Skyline at (309) 438-5007 or visit our web site by Googling the Illinois State University Planetarium.

subset: commoncrawl


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This column article is in the Cedar Street Times this Friday… thanks to Wanda Sue Parrott
Wonder woofers and owners who won't live without them
"Housing First!" If you were a homeless woman, or on the verge, housing would be your top priority.
Alas, affordable housing is so lacking in Monterey County, that "housing first" is the slogan all agencies, both public and private, use in dealing with affordable housing across the board. (Note: Cici and I wish this were true)
A special category of need exists that involves homeless women with pets, a few being cats and the majority dogs. The exact number of Monterey's homeless pet owners is unknown.
Overnight dog housing needed
Landlords don't want pets and agency-housing doesn't usually allow them.
Homeless women don't want to give up their dogs, so they sleep in their cars or on the street to be with their animals.
One reason for temporary suspension of the Interfaith Homeless Emergency Lodging Program for Women (I-HELP) was the fact female guests weren't willing to give up their canine companions in exchange for food, personal amenities and shelter.
Suggestions have been made that an I-HELP for Pets program be devised through which pets can be sheltered at a designated location, then reunited with their owners during the daytime hours.
Between 400 and 500 homeless women were estimated to live on the Monterey Peninsula before the Soberanes Fire dislocated residents who were burned out over the past three weeks. Of this number, an unknown percentage includes pet owners who consider their four-legged friends as more than just canines. They're their Wonder Woofers.
A few words about Wonder Woofers
Cici is a poster-dog for this column. She's a loving Dalmatian-Pit Bull mix seen here celebrating her 10th birthday last month. Cici is a Wonder Woofer. Along with her Wonder Worker owner, Cici is homeless.
Since Cici can't define Wonder Woofer, I'll try.
A Wonder Woofer is a warm-blooded furry friend who speaks from the heart in arfs, ruffs and woofs we humans call barks. A Wonder Woofer is on the job 24/7, never complaining.
A Wonder Woofer likes to snuggle and wiggle and lick, as well as serenade his or her human with love songs sung unconditionally through squeals, whimpers, whines and hums.
A Wonder Woofer's vocal range is extensive, also being capable of issuing protective warnings by yipping, growling and snarling if danger exists.
CeliaSue Hecht, Cici's loving owner, is a former journalist who's so devoted to her pet that she defines herself as a "dog traveler."
Unlike many homeless women who don't know where to turn or how to get started to solve the housing crisis, CeliaSue is a 66-year-old articulate activist. Despite having survived breast cancer and being in need of medical care and housing, CeliaSue is seeking solutions to the housing crisis. A current example is this ad in Craigslist:
RVs for Seniors with Dogs
If you live on the Central Coast of California and have an RV, camper, or trailer or know someone that does and would like to provide a home for a senior or veteran, please call CeliaSue at 702-225-8206…we have a list of those in need of housing.
Hundreds of senior women have been displaced with their pets. Single women without children, women who are not mentally ill, not drug addicts, not alcoholics, with low income, not working or cannot find work, veterans, and other seniors with dogs, over 50 years of age, some ill and whose health has deteriorated without shelter.
Thank you for your kindness.


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Ok! So you have found that perfect bridal hairstyle, your dress is ready, your makeup has been decided and you are all ready to have the trial run for your hair. But before you see your stylist with grand visions of cascading curls and daring updos, the most important thing to do is to check to see if your perfect hairstyle matches your perfect dress.
Your wedding hairstyle is the one thing that makes everything else just fall into place and it's always a good rule of thumb that classic dresses go best with classic hairstyles. Soft and simple dresses deserve a soft and simple style- nothing too over the top or formal and that you should always buy the dress before you select a hairstyle, that way you will get a better idea of how your hair will look with your stunning wedding dress.
When visiting your stylist for your trial, try to bring your headpiece as well as the picture of your dress, that way your stylist can evaluate whether it's a good match.
When wearing your hair down there are a few factors involved before you make your decision that may change your mind completely. Firstly, does your dress have sleeves, a high neck or are you planning to wear full diamond gems around your neck? If so then it may look better if you have your hair up. The reason being is that when you have too much around your neckline and your hair down, it will make your face look too covered and busy. If you really want to wear your hair down, try it with a wedding dress that is somewhat low, like a corset, and that will expose your collarbone so there is nothing covering your neck up.
Having your hair styled up is a great and easy choice as it will suit most dresses and will look elegant and soft. However, if you can't decide between having your hair up or wearing it down, why not pin half your hair up and leave the other half down? This way you can have the best of both worlds!
If you have short hair you may find that traditionally people will tell you that not having longer hair may not look as respectable for a bride. Well, we all know what to tell those people! If you look sexy and smart with short hair why grow it? Changing your style just to suit what other people think you should look like will guarantee that you don't feel comfortable or like yourself on the day. Short hairstyles look great when they are dressed up with gems and flowers, so get those accessories ready!
There are just so many different looks that you can have these days which will look stunning. You can have your hair straight, braided, wavy, curly, up, down, left or right- the choices are endless- and as long as you remember to choose the right style for your dress, you can't go wrong!


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I was skeptical of this iPhone camera tip posted by Alex Wild at Scientific American, and had to try it for myself. Wild claims that using just a drop of water, you can turn the iPhone into a capable microscope, letting you take photos of objects right up to the lens. Obvious concerns about intentionally putting water on an electronics device are warranted, but this trick looked fairly safe, given that the iPhone's water sensors aren't located near the camera lens. Still, water can be unpredictable, so I used an eyedropper and kept a paper towel at arm's reach during the test.
The upshot: it works! My process is documented below, along with photos, if you're interested. Applying a drop of water was extremely simple, and I just had to flip the phone over quickly to avoid the water sliding off the lens ring. Like Wild, I found that a larger drop of water yielded better results--not just higher magnification, but better centering as well--and photos were best when both the iPhone and subject were held still on stable platforms. One commenter noted that using glycerine instead of water also works, since the substance is more viscous and therefore easier to control. But you can't get that from the sink!
For the initial setup, I placed the iPhone on two empty glasses about 5 inches tall. I also adjusted the iPhone to not automatically turn off its screen and go to standby mode after 30 seconds.
From a typical macro distance of about five inches, objects directly under the camera lens are very clear and focused, as expected.
Apple made a big deal about the macro photo abilities of the iPhone 4S, and the camera's 4.28 focal length and f/2.4 max aperture allows it to shoot better photos than most cameraphones (some Nokia models aside). But move an object closer than four inches to the phone and you'll get a blurry subject, no matter how often you tap the screen to adjust focus. That's just a limitation of the camera.
With a drop of water on the lens, you actually have to place your subjects much closer to the lens than you thought possible. Everything further than 1 cm away from the lens will be a blur; I had to hold this button almost up to the drooping water drop to get this shot. But the result was this really cool photo in which you can even see the CMYK dots that make up the colors on this button!
If you try this yourself, please post some photos in the comments below.


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If the glove fits, Peyton is wearing it
Chances are Peyton Manning will be like most of the fans in the stands at MetLife Stadium and will wear gloves at the Super Bowl.
That shouldn't be a cause for concern for Denver Broncos fans. He actually plays better with the sticky-feeling orange-and-gray glove on his right hand than he does barehanded.
Manning never wore a glove in Indianapolis but in his two years in Denver he's worn one on either his throwing hand or on both hands 13 times. He has a passer rating of 111.9 in those games.
Barehanded, his QB rating is 108.7.
It's not just a cold-weather option, as many people think, either.
The glove is actually a concession to the altered feel of his grip after spinal fusion surgery in 2011 affected the nerve that travels into his right triceps.
He's worn the glove the last four games, when the temperatures at kickoff have been 58 at Houston, 70 at Oakland, 41 at home against San Diego, and 63 last Sunday in Denver against New England.
"I've experimented with them throughout my career, even when I was in Indy," Manning said earlier this season. "I never just quite found a pair that I liked, so I finally found a pair that I liked."
Broncos equipment manager Chris Valenti and his assistant Mike Harrington "researched and gave me some options," Manning said. "Found a pair that I liked."
Good thing, too.
Manning has thrown for 33 TDs and five interceptions, including the playoffs, with the glove on his throwing hand in 10 games this season. The Broncos went 8-2 in those games, when he averaged 27 completions in 41 throws for 332 yards with 3.1 TDs and 0.8 interceptions.
BACK TO THE MEADOWLANDS: When they made the trip to the East Coast in December, the last thing anyone in the Seahawks' locker room wanted to talk about was them playing a late-season game at the site of the Super Bowl.
Once they knocked off San Francisco to win the NFC title, coach Pete Carroll and his players were willing to admit there is some advantage to being familiar with the surroundings they are about to enter.
"I always like using those illustrations on where we have been there before and we've done that. We just try to hold back on that at the time, thinking it was too presumptuous, but we're fortunate now," Carroll said. "We'll be in the same hotel, we've been in that locker room, we've played well at that stadium, so hopefully we'll utilize that some. It's just about being comfortable."
Seattle used the same hotel for its trip to play the Giants on Dec. 15 as the NFC team hotel for the Super Bowl. This will also be the Seahawks' third time playing at MetLife Stadium in the past three seasons. Seattle beat the Giants 36-25 in 2011 and then shut them out 23-0 last month.
But it's beyond just knowing the stadium and the team hotel that has helped prepare some of Seattle's players for the Super Bowl. Russell Wilson purposely went to last year's big game in New Orleans, with studying a priority. He wanted to see all of the hoopla so if Wilson ever got there the magnitude wouldn't be a shock to him.
"I watched the whole game and watched the pregame and all that last year at the Super Bowl and I really wanted to get a feel for it," Wilson said. "Just in case we were here and I believed that we would be, and sure enough, we are."
So is Denver, which played at MetLife Stadium in September, beating the Giants.
MILITARY MEN: Fans of the Broncos and Seahawks are winners, too.
Their fans' military appreciation efforts won rewards for their local military communities from USAA, an official NFL sponsor. Both Denver and Seattle were among five NFL teams to earn those rewards as part of USAA's "Million Fan Salute," a season-long military appreciation program. Also earning rewards were fans of the Packers, Buccaneers and Vikings.
Past rewards have included athletic field refurbishment, athletic equipment and support for fitness programs.
The benefiting military organizations will be announced at a later date.
On Sunday night, the NFL announced that Vikings defensive end Jared Allen and Ravens coach John Harbaugh were finalists for the NFL Salute to Service award.
Allen makes homes accessible for veterans who return from war with debilitating injuries through his Homes for Wounded Warriors Foundation.
Harbaugh has taken part in the annual NFL-USO coaches' tour of the Middle East and helped institute Military Appreciation Day, an annual event during Ravens training camp.
USAA provides insurance, banking, investment and retirement products and services to 10 million members of the U.S. military and their families.
NO BLACKOUT GUARANTEED: The NFL can't be 100 percent certain there won't be a repeat next Sunday of the blackout that disrupted last year's Super Bowl in New Orleans. But such a 34-minute interruption, or anything like it, could be totally avoided in the future with LED lighting.
In fact, a company named Ephesus Lighting, has designed the first such lighting for outdoor stadiums; the lights already are used in a dozen indoor arenas in North America, including War Memorial Arena in Syracuse, N.Y. The home of the AHL's Syracuse Crunch became the first sports arena in the United States to be lit by LED lighting.
War Memorial Arena experienced an 87 percent decrease in energy costs during the last year by using those lights. And light levels at the venue increased from an average of 105 foot-candles to 217 foot-candles – more than double 13 percent of so of the cost.
"Everyone learned the shortcomings of the antiquated metal halide lighting at the Super Bowl last year," says Mike Lorenz, COO of Ephesus Lighting. "The electrical problems at the Superdome were resolved quickly, but it took more than 20 minutes for the lights to warm up and be turned back on. Had the Superdome been equipped with our LED lights, they would have been back on with the flick of a switch."
With LED lighting becoming more common at hockey and basketball arenas, Lorenz says Ephesus has "set our sights on NFL, college football and MLB stadiums.
"There is real interest in us solving the many problems they are experiencing with their current lighting systems," he says. "We expect that by this time next year, an NFL, MLB or major college sports team will be playing in a stadium lit by Ephesus LED lights "
SUPER MENU: Looking for some food with a Super Bowl, uh, flavor.
Foley's NY Pub and Restaurant might have what you want.
Perhaps Peyton's Pork Po'Boy. Or Richard Sherman's Big Mouth Burger.
Maybe Marshawn Lynch's Beastly Bangers & Mash, or Wes Welker's Wings.
"We always like to put a fun twist on our big game menus," says Shaun Clancy, owner of the Manhattan restaurant. "With so many fans in town to support their respective cities, we wanted to offer a selection that represents Denver and Seattle. The rule at Foley's is to root for your team, not against the other guy's team."
So fill your face, Broncos fans, with Knowshon Marino's Nachos, washed down by the Orange Crush Cocktail.
And Seahawks followers can get Pete Carroll's Quesadilla accompanied by Russell Wilson's Hustle & Bustle (sparkling espresso and vodka).
AP Pro Football Writers Barry Wilner and Arnie Stapleton, and Sports Writer Tim Booth contributed to this story.
AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org


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Canucks' next wave hits Okanagan
Like the area's fine wines, sparkling rookies to get a taste of spirited action
Bo Horvat: Drafted ninth overall by the Vancouver Canucks this June, he's the only return from the Cory Schneider trade and you can bet all Canuck eyes will be on the London Knights centre.
Photograph by: Mark van Manen , PNG
PENTICTON — Hope is on the way to Penticton, but hope — the feeling, not the town — is really what's happening this week for the Vancouver Canucks and their prospects at the Young Stars Classic.
The Canucks have brought 30 players to the rookie tournament here and they'll be challenged in four games against rookies from the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets and San Jose Sharks.
Canucks management hopes that 2013 first-round picks Bo Horvat and Hunter Shinkaruk are the real deal, that previous first-rounders Brendan Gaunce and Niklas Jensen have grown as players, that Frank Corrado continues to show maturity beyond his years and that goaltender Joacim Eriksson is the winner he was in Sweden last season.
Lots of questions, lots of hope.
"This tournament is an exceptional forum for us," noted Canucks assistant general manager Laurence Gilman. "It gives us a chance to see our prospects play and perform against their peers and it also gives us the opportunity to see them play with each other, particularly in the case of guys who are junior age and will be going back.
"Additionally, it gives players who are coming here for the first time, in some cases from Europe, an opportunity to get their feet wet and get some familiarity with their teammates before the season starts."
This is the third version of the Young Stars tournament. It began in 2010 but was cancelled last season because of the NHL lockout.
"It was a success from the start and everyone who was in the first one, except for Anaheim, decided to stay in," Gilman said. "From what we've been told, everyone is looking to keep this going for years to come."
The Canuck prospects will get down to work Wednesday with a practice, to be run by Utica Comets head coach Travis Green and his assistants Nolan Baumgartner and Paul Jerrard. Their first game is Thursday night against the Sharks, followed by a Friday nighter against the Flames, and then matinees Sunday against Oilers (2 p.m.) and Monday against the Jets (noon).
There will be all kinds of players trying to make an impression, from first-round picks to mid- and late-round picks, to tryout candidates. Here are some prospects, both on the Canucks and the other teams, worth watching:
1. Bo Horvat, 18, drafted ninth overall by Vancouver in 2013. Horvat is the only return from the Cory Schneider trade and you can bet all Canuck eyes will be on the London Knights centre. By the way, have you seen his top-10 goals video? Some beauties in there.
2. Hunter Shinkaruk, 18, drafted 24th overall by Vancouver in 2013. After filling the net the last two seasons for the Medicine Hat Tigers, Shinkaruk will be looking to prove he can score at any level, not just major junior.
3. Cole Cassels, 18, drafted 85th overall by Vancouver in 2013. His dad Andrew, a one-time Canuck, made a living dishing to his wingers with his soft hands. Is Cole an Andrew clone?
4. Jordan Subban, 18, drafted 115th overall by Vancouver in 2013. Like his big bro P.K., Jordan is an offensive defenceman but, unlike P.K., he doesn't have NHL size. Can 5-9 Jordan overcome the 'small' factor and produce from the back end?
5. Joacim Eriksson, 23, signed as a free agent in June by Vancouver. Eriksson comes from Sweden with a winning pedigree after a championship season with Skelleftea. How quickly can he adapt to North American ice? Better still, can he adapt at all?
6. Cain Franson, 20, signed to an amateur tryout by Vancouver. The Canucks have been criticized for never drafting a Vancouver Giant but they are giving this Giant left-winger an opportunity. Franson is a nifty offensive forward who relies on skill and hockey sense, not brawn, to get the job done.
7. Nic Petan, 18, drafted 43rd overall by Winnipeg in 2013. A local product from Delta, the diminutive Petan put up huge numbers last season — 120 points in 71 games — for the Portland Winterhawks and shared the WHL scoring title with teammate Brendan Leipsic. Can he rip it up here?
8. Sean Monahan, 18, drafted sixth overall by Calgary in 2013. The 6-2 centre was selected three spots ahead of Horvat in what is supposed to be an exceptional draft class. So just how good is he?
9. Darnell Nurse, 18, drafted seventh overall by Edmonton in 2013. The son of former CFL wide receiver Richard Nurse, Darnell is a crucial pick by the Oilers, who have plenty of talent up front but need a stud defenceman. He had 41 points and 116 PIMs last season for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
10. Eric Comrie, 18, drafted 59th overall by Winnipeg in 2013. His father Bill once owned the B.C. Lions and half-brother Mike was a skill forward. But Eric stops pucks and is on Hockey Canada's radar for the world junior team.
ICE CHIPS: Two other Vancouver Giants will be competing in Penticton, defenceman Brett Kulak (Flames) and right-winger Jackson Houck (Oilers). Kulak was drafted 105th overall in 2012 while Houck went 94th overall in 2013 ... Dave Gagner has left the Canucks after five seasons as their director of player development. He is joining Bobby Orr's player agency, the Orr Hockey Group. Said Gilman about a replacement: "We are currently considering several suitable candidates."


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Hawaiian Floral Trucker
$ 40.00
This product is currently sold out.
Hawaiian Floral Trucker Hat.
Unisex, UV Protection, light weight, and SnapBack for adjustable sizing with a flexible brim. Due to the nature of this fun print, every hat is unique!
Each hat is hand-made, no two hats will be exactly alike.
Sizing suggestions:
Infant: 0-8 months
Toddler: 10mo-2yo
Child: 2.5-5yr
This item ships in approximately 7- 10 days.


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Posts Tagged 'Data Communications Bureau of the Ministry for Posts and Telecommunications'
Are You VoIP Ready? – The Road to China: Content Filtering to the Max
ChinaNET is managed by the Data Communications Bureau of the Ministry for Posts and Telecommunications, and provides Internet service in all 31 provincial capitals in mainland China. It is one of the two major commercial networks approved by the State Council, the other being ChinaBGN. For this reason, Figure 6 is one of my favorite sites to watch, not because it has great VoIP possibilities – because it does not – but because you can capture the business heart beat of a nation along with the ideology of a government just by viewing this graph over a week s
time. The target site is in a town just south of Shanghai called Hangzhou. The part I find most interesting is that you can tell the moment you hit mainland China (hop 13) because the latency skyrockets from 62ms to 449ms. This is a classic example of Content Filtering that ChinaNet does in order to keep certain things out of their country. Fortunately, ICMP packets are not one of them, so once we get past the censors, you can see that even within the mainland, there is an overall increase in latency to the final destination – this hints at content filtering within the borders as well. Overall, you can see what the average Chinese Internet user experiences in terms of latency over a weeks time. The graph shows a 7 day cycle and within each day cycle you can see a consistent dip just a little past half way which I found out later was when they – you guessed it – took the equivalent of lunch. This also shows that the basic internal data-transport infrastructure is under a severe load and the chances of VoIP running well WITHIN China are slim if you have to go more than a handful of hops. This might be another reason the Chinese government blocks most of the incoming Internet traffic – the network just could not handle it!
As an aside, when I first started watching this site about a year ago, I was able to see ChinaNet in the DNSName column. About 7 months ago they removed any identification other than the IP address.
The client originally asked me to see if they could have a telephone connected via VoIP from California to this site and the answer was an emphatic No! . We considered a satellite solution but found out that there were restrictions on this as well. Besides, satellite in general,
has very high latency (too high for decent voice, in my opinion) and is susceptible to bad weather. So as of this article, they are simply resorting to email and regular PSTN connections to communicate.


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SketchList 3D 4.0.3675 (Win/Mac OS X)
SketchList 3D 4.0.3675 (Win/Mac OS X) | 208 Mb
SketchList 3D is an integrated modeling program designed specifically for woodworkers. As your designs progress all drawings and reports, including an optimized sheet and board layout diagram, are created in the background. Any changes to the design are immediately reflected in all reports.
Other design and CAD software simply automate the tasks of drawing lines and shapes, and in most cases provide dimensions. To move a drawing to the shop you must pull off a parts list, figure out how you will lay out those parts on their source materials, and create a purchasing report. Changes to the design require re-doing the reports and drawings.
SketchList 3D is a visual design tool that allows you to work by manipulating 3D objects on your screen. You work with virtual boards by dragging and dropping, cutting and pasting, or entering specific sizes and locations.
Design and CAD software require you to draw your designs with lines and shapes, connecting them together. This works well enough for two dimensional designs, but moving to the third dimension is complex and difficult.
SketchList 3D contains built-in woodworking functions including joinery, contours, hole drilling, and cutting of shapes. You can put a tenon on the ends of a board with a few mouse clicks. The same thing happens to apply an ogee or mitered edge. Because of the integration, adding a tenon automatically adds the length of the tenon to the cut list and layout diagram.
Design and CAD software require you to apply woodworking functions to your design by drawing them. With CAD an ogee becomes a drawing project involving a series of lines and curves.
SketchList 3D gives you control over every board, cut, angle and hole in your design. True one-off designs can be easily and quickly carried out using the visual virtual board approach. You can meet your design goals, work within the limitations of your project space, and satisfy your clients. Of course with SketchList 3D you can create your own library of objects for repetitive use when that is needed.
For other news, visit my profile every day!
To Unzip the files use 7zip or WinRar.
I recommend to download as fast as you can or you will lose file you need ( Links dead because of Copyright Infringement )


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Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli's Divorce Finalized — Read The Shocking Terms
The '90210' alum and 'Twilight' actor have finally settled their divorce, and the agreement they came to is pretty surprising!
Jennie Garth and Peter Facinelli's 11-year marriage is officially over. After the couple filed for divorce in 2012, they officially signed the papers on June 11, and the terms they came too are quite shocking!
Jennie Garth & Peter Facinelli's Divorced Finalized: Read The Shocking Terms
Unlike every other Hollywood divorce, Jennie and Peter were able to come to a very amicable agreement. They both declined spousal support, and have decided to equally fund a joint bank account to take care of their children and their children's education. Jennie and Peter must trust each other a lot, because they both have full access to the account!
The pair also agreed to share 50/50 joint custody of their three daughters, Luca Bella, 15, Lola Ray, 10, and Fiona Eve, 6. Jennie and Peter also refused to sign a formal custody arrangement because they don't believe they'll need it.
An amicable divorce like Jennie and Peter's is definitely a rarity in Hollywood!
Peter Facinelli & Jennie Garth Take Co-Parenting 'Day By Day'
In an interview with PEOPLE magazine, Peter and Jennie revealed the secret to raising their children together in the midst of a divorce.
"When you're going through [co-parenting] yourself, you have to take it day by day," Peter explained on Oct. 11. "Co-parenting takes two great parents to put their differences aside and focus on the children, and that's what I've been doing."
Jennie also told the magazine that she and her ex are "great parents together," even though they are divorcing.
HollywoodLifers, are YOU surprised by the terms of Jennie and Peter's divorce? Vote below!
— Jenny Pickard
More Peter Facinelli & Jennie Garth Divorce News:
- Peter Facinelli & Jennie Garth Divorce Reason — What Caused Split After 11 Years Of Marriage
- Jennie Garth Divorce Interview — I'll Never Give Up On Peter Facinelli
- Jennie Garth Felt Like A 'Fool' After Peter Facinelli Filed For Divorce


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We specialize in enterprise information technology (IT) infrastructure and networking for everyone from startups to large multi-national corporations, with a particular emphasis on network automation. We do everything from creating IT infrastructures from scratch, to analyzing and improving infrastructures that have been stretched to their limits by a company's growth, to combining existing infrastructures during international corporate mergers and acquisitions.
Netomata Project
We sponsor the Netomata Project, an open source project to develop and support network automation software. Netomata tools help organizations of all types and sizes get the most out of their data networks by making them more cost-effective, reliable, manageable, scalable, and flexible. The tools are used by smart managers and network engineers to design, deploy, upgrade, and manage the networks that best suit their organizations' needs. Netomata's tools were created by Great Circle's Brent Chapman.
We are the home of Majordomo, one of the Internet's most popular free mailing list management packages, which was originally written by Great Circle's Brent Chapman. In addition to distributing the Majordomo software, we host the mailing lists devoted to supporting and developing Majordomo.
List-Managers Mailing List
We host the List-Managers mailing list, which is a platform-neutral forum for discussing issues related to managing Internet mailing lists, including (but not limited to) methods, mechanisms, techniques, policies, and software.
Great Circle Waypoints Blog
We publish the Great Circle Waypoints blog for items of interest to Great Circle clients and friends, with a special focus on network automation.
We're often invited to make presentations at professional events such as user group meetings, conferences, and workshops. Look here for copies of our presentation materials from those events.
Building Internet Firewalls Book
Great Circle's Brent Chapman is the coauthor of the critically acclaimed O'Reilly & Associates book Building Internet Firewalls, now in its second edition. Learn all about the book here, and order your copy today.
Firewalls Mailing List
The Firewalls mailing list is the leading forum for discussions of Internet and intranet firewall security systems and related issues. We hosted the Firewalls mailing list from its creation in September 1992 until April 1998, and still host the list's archives from that period. The list itself is currently hosted by the Internet Systems Consortium.
Other Mailing Lists
In addition to List-Managers and the Majordomo-related lists, we have previously hosted other Internet discussion mailing lists.


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Corporate News
Munich, 6 April 2009 - The technology group The Linde Group has secured a contract with Sinopec Sichuan Vinylon Works (SVW) to jointly build gas plants and produce industrial gases for the long-term supply to SVW's chemical complex. This collaboration will result in an initial investment of approximately EUR 50 million.
This partnership will establish a 50:50 joint venture between Linde Gas (Hong Kong) Limited and SVW in Chongqing Chemical Industrial Park (CCIP) by June 2009. SVW in Chongqing is mainly engaged in producing natural gas-based chemical and chemical fibre products, and is currently expanding its vinyl acetate monomer (VAM) production capabilities.
"We are looking forward to this promising partnership with SVW in Chongqing. This joint venture firmly casts Linde's geographical footprint in Western China," said Dr Aldo Belloni, member of the Executive Board of Linde AG. "Chongqing is a new territory for Linde, and our continued collaboration with Sinopec is a further example of our long-term growth strategy in China, underpinning our leading position in the Chinese gases market that continues to register a growth momentum in spite of the global economic downturn."
"SVW is the only natural gas-based chemicals producer within Sinopec, and the largest gas-based chemical production site in China. Linde, in the same breath, is one of the largest industrial gas suppliers and engineering providers for customers in over 100 countries. This is why our two companies' partnership, Linde-SVW, is truly complementing and compatible," said Xu Zhengning, President of SVW. "This joint project is of great significance to SVW's VAM expansion project. The new joint venture will meet the demands of SVW's VAM plant on schedule and cost-effectively, to strive for best economic and social benefits."
In the first phase of development under this Linde-SVW partnership, a new air separation plant with a capacity of 1,500 tonnes per day of oxygen will be constructed to produce and supply gases by 2011 to SVW's new 300,000 tons/year VAM plant. This air separation plant will be built and delivered by Linde's Engineering Division. In the long-term, the joint venture is intended to expand the capacities of air gases and also construct synthetic gas (HyCO) plants to meet the overall gases demand by SVW and its associated companies.
SVW is 100% owned by China Petrochemical & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and has the largest natural gas-based chemical complex in China. SVW's existing products include vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), methanol (MeOH), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and ammonium. SVW's total investment for its VAM expansion project in CCIP is estimated to be EUR 580 million. SVW's VAM expansion project will include the construction of an acetylene plant unit, which employs a partial oxidation technology that requires oxygen.
VAM is an essential chemical building block used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products. VAM is a key ingredient in emulsion polymers, resins, and intermediates used in paints, adhesives, textiles, wire and cable polyethylene compounds, laminated safety glass, packaging, automotive plastic fuel tanks and acrylic fibers.
The Linde Group is a world leading gases and engineering company with almost 52,000 employees working in around 100 countries worldwide. In the 2008 financial year it achieved sales of 12.7 billion euro. The strategy of The Linde Group is geared towards sustainable earnings-based growth and focuses on the expansion of its international business with forward-looking products and services. Linde acts responsibly towards its shareholders, business partners, employees, society and the environment - in every one of its business areas, regions and locations across the globe. Linde is committed to technologies and products that unite the goals of customer value and sustainable development.
In Greater China, Linde is headquartered in Shanghai and has around 50 wholly-owned companies and joint ventures, and more than 100 operational plants in major industrial hubs across the country, with around 2,500 employees. ´
For more information, see The Linde Group website at www.linde.com.
Further information:
|Investor Relations
Thomas Eisenlohr
Telephone: +49.89.35757-1330


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The Electronic Journal of Combinatorics (E-JC) is a fully-refereed electronic journal with very high standards, publishing papers of substantial content and interest in all branches of discrete mathematics, including combinatorics, graph theory, and algorithms for combinatorial problems. The journal is completely free for both authors and readers. Authors retain the copyright of their articles. Articles published in E-JC are reviewed on MathSciNet and ZBMath, and are indexed by Web of Science. The latest papers are always available by clicking on the tab marked "Current" near the top of the page. You can also locate papers using the search facility on the right hand side of this page.
E-JC was founded in 1994 by Herbert S. Wilf and Neil Calkin, making it one of the oldest electronic journals.


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Model X Reservation Tally
Model X Reservation Tally
Model X number 6,685. US. Ordered 11/11/2013.
Model X Sig #929. US. Ordered 11/15/2013.
Model X Sig #930 US 11/15/2013
6718 and 6719 reported on TMC 11/13/13. Keep 'em coming!
P 6817 South Florida 11/22/13
From the Norwegian EV forum:
#1122, 25 november, EUR/Norway, General Production
From the Norwegian EV forum:
Signature #171, 04 November, EU/Norway
How many signature reservation spots are there in the US? I assume 1,000?
Signature #211
Model X Sig #968
There are 1200 signature for the model X. The model S had 1000 signatures.
Reserved my Model X today. #6874 North Carolina
Sorry. should read reservation
?? >:p
I wish the date said 30th November 2014 and not 30th November 2013. I'm actually rather disappointed with the information level on the Tesla X. The only update have been "Delivery begins 2015" - Norwegian Pages.
Signature Tesla X
upgraded to Sig Model X on 11/25/2013 - now Sig X 969!
Done at Santana Row Store, the same place I signed up for Sig S 2.2 years ago (then Sig S 692).
With any luck, these will be the last, and best, vehicles I will ever need to purchase!
My Model S has been an absolute Joy and I'm pretty sure the Model X will be equally or more Joyful!
Sig S - 692
Sig X - 969
Standard Model X reserved yesterday (12/1/2013) - US #6911
#6874 is is a p
Dec 3
Standard Model X
Two sig X's on order and now a standard X, own an S85 and a P85+.
Love my Tesla's
6,958 as of December 6, 2013
We just upgraded our Model X reservation to a Signature on Dec 12, 2013, and the upgraded number is #1015. We had been standard #6412 before. There will probably be a rush of reservations as Christmas approaches, so the Signatures are bound to be really close to the end of 1200.
I just upgraded to Signature.#1016.
North Wilkesboro, NC
Only a few weeks to sell out the signatures before 2014.
I upgraded to Signature #1030 on Dec. 17.
I thought they were limiting the signature models to 1000. apparently not.
The S model was limited to 1000 but the X is limited to 1200.
What about people who cancel? Do they reissue their reservation number?
Anyone make a deposit for Christmas ?
Dec 21, 2013: EU (Norway). Model X Signature: #202.
I reserved Model X Signature #1039 on December 19th for my wife (I have an S).
I initially had a production Model X reservation number and then upgraded to a Signature X. After Model X was delayed a year, I ended up buying a Model S and bumping back down to a production X reservation. I was given my old reservation number back.
I upgraded to the Model X Signature #1048 on December 24th for my wife. I own the Model S.
I guess TM is allowing "time out to buy a MS". ;)
Just acquired Model X Signature #1059. Get one now if you want it. I'm guessing it will be sold out in less than 2 weeks from today. We will see. Now just have to learn to be patient for the next 12months.
Model X number 7,209. US. Ordered 12/28/2013.
Happy new year model X - this will feel like a long year waiting for you to hit the streets.
Reservation 7,255 on 1/1/14 for my wife. I already have a P85 for myself.
It would be interesting to know how many of the current X reservation holders also have an S. Seems like quite a few from the posts.
jjs - We have 2 Model S' and will sell one when our X arrives in early/mid 2014 (P24XX). My guess is more than half.
Cattledog - Your estimate might be pretty close. I know of 1/2 a dozen Model S owners in my area and 3 of us have X reservations.
#3895. Reserved in June 2013
Upgraded to signature #1070 yesterday.
130 or fewer Signature reservation spots left!
I wonder if it will come in "Sig Red".
Just looked at TMC. Already around 10,200 reservations in total (EU included) and still nearly a year before production begins. With all the Model S Teslas out there, I can't exactly claim that there is no marketing. A Model S is so beautiful that it is a marketing campaign all by itself. I wonder how things will change once the production Model X hits galleries across the country.
Up until about 6 mo ago, the rate had been steady at about 10/day. The last 3 mo it's been 15/day. I expect >20/day by next fall (Sept-Dec.)
#7428 reserved today.
We own 2 Model S, will either sell the sig, or trade in the 60.
If this year goes well for us, financially, we will order the performance this time around:)
I reserved a General Production Model X on 10/14/2013 and was given reservation sequence #6,263. I am curious what is the current US tally?
It is probably close to 7,700 or 7,800 or so for the regular production model. The pace looks to be picking up.
Averaging 15/day thru 2014 would result in 16,000 by year end. With release of prod (Beta) prototype, specs, pricing etc, I'll bet there will be a run up closer to 20k by then.


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Its appearance can easily be changed using standard, widely available Winamp skins or bitmap digits. What's more, it is packed with alarms, atomic clock, calendar, timezones, and other time tools.
Chameleon Calendar creates an active calendar on your desktop wallpaper. Set up pleasant working atmosphere by adding a full-functional PIM on your desktop.
Looking for beautiful and free wallpapers as Chameleon Calendar background ?
Get them on Vladstudio.com
Chameleon Clock 5.1 version released. What's new:
Copyright © Softshape Development, 1999-2010


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OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and clinical significance of anti-Lam332 autoantibody detection from a large series of patients with MMP. DESIGN Multicenter retrospective study.
SETTING Four French national centers for autoimmune bullous diseases.
PARTICIPANTS One hundred fifty-four patients with MMP and 89 individuals serving as controls were included.
INTERVENTIONS Serum samples were analyzed by a new Lam332 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); clinical and immunopathologic data were obtained from the patients' medical records.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The Lam332 ELISA scores were evaluated with respect to clinical characteristics, standard and salt-split indirect immunofluorescence, and bullous pemphigoid (BP) 230 and BP180-NC16A ELISAs.
RESULTS The Lam332 ELISA score was positive (≥9 U/mL) in 20.1% of serum samples from patients with MMP, 1 of 50 patients with bullous pemphigoid (BP), none of 7 with pemphigus, and 3 of 32 other controls. No relationship was evidenced between a positive ELISA Lam332 score and age; sex ratio; oral, ocular, genital, skin, or esophageal/laryngeal involvement; internal malignant neoplasm; or BP180 ELISA score. Salt-split skin indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA BP230 results were more frequently positive when Lam332 ELISA results were positive (P = .04 and .02, respectively). Patients with a positive Lam332 ELISA score frequently had more severe MMP (67.8% vs 47.2%; P = .04).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Results of this novel ELISA showed that serum anti-Lam332 autoantibodies are detected in 20.1% of patients with MMP. Anti-Lam332 autoantibodies are mainly detected in patients with severe MMP but not preferentially in those with a malignant neoplasm. The association between anti-Lam332 and anti-BP230 autoantibodies might arise from an epitope-spreading phenomenon.


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The father-in-law of Bibi Aisha, an Afghan child bride who was brutally disfigured for running away, has been arrested in connection with that crime. Sadly, that fact is more unusual than her treatment.
Aisha had been married to a Taliban fighter, a marriage arranged since birth. When she ran away and was caught, her father-in-law held a gun to her head while his sons sliced off her nose. Later, the father-in-law, Sulaiman, paraded the nose around the village.
Aisha's cause was taken up by Women For Afghan Women, and then by Time magazine, which put her on the cover to make an argument about what leaving Afghanistan would do for women. She's now living in Brooklyn undergoing counseling before getting reconstructive surgery.
Arrest Made in Afghan Disfigurement Case [NYT]
Earlier: A Visual Introduction To An Afghan Woman's Mutilation
Mutilated Time Cover Star Getting Reconstructive Surgery


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LiveWellNYU is a comprehensive framework that combines an evidence-based public health approach with innovative strategies for engagement to help students be healthy. Acknowledging that student health is inextricably linked to student success, LiveWellNYU aims to empower students to achieve their best possible health and to foster a University environment in which students can reach their full potential in all facets of their lives – in and out of the classroom.
The health issues that most impede academic achievement are largely preventable or treatable, which gives the University a huge opportunity for positive impact. LiveWellNYU promotes not only what can be done by individual students and the NYU Student Health Center but also provides strategies for faculty and staff; student leaders; parents, family, friends; and community partners to work together in a united and coordinated effort to improve the health and wellbeing of students. In collaboration with our partners in prevention, LiveWellNYU will create and sustain a healthy, thriving student population that will help build a healthier, more productive community.
The magnificent diversity of NYU's student body—its varied ethnicity, country of origin, socioeconomic background, sexual orientation, and even course of study—makes it especially critical for LiveWellNYU to adapt carefully to meet the specific needs of each individual student. Moreover, as NYU continues to build a leading global university, challenges arise in providing the necessary support to more than 50,000 students at 15 international locations. Yet its very global nature presents NYU with enormous opportunities for LiveWellNYU to create healthful change around the globe. Toward that end, LiveWellNYU has identified six strategic approaches that serve as the building blocks to support NYU students in achieving health and success.
LiveWellNYU promotes collaboration among key members of the NYU community - our "partners in prevention" - who have the capacity to influence the health of individual students. Engaging these partners also contributes profoundly to the formation of a wellness-supporting environment.
Ninety-four percent of NYU students describe their general health as good or better(7) and the majority of students do not seek health services until they are ill or injured. As the World Health Organization defines it, health is "a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."(10) Using this multidimensional view of health, LiveWellNYU strives to support health and wellness across the continuum from prevention to acute illness management and all other relevant issues in between.
Research indicates that modifiable behavioral factors are leading causes of death in the United States.(8) Emerging adulthood, the period between 18 and 25 years of age, can be a pivotal time for establishing lasting health behaviors.(9) LiveWellNYU aims to to facilitate the formation of everyday habits habits, behaviors, and skills among studetns of all ages that will contribute to their overall health and to help them thrive academically and socially.
Through analysis of the behaviors and characteristics of NYU's heterogeneous student population, LiveWellNYU will target health efforts for students in New York City and around the world. Segmenting the student population – the process of identifying subgroups based on shared attributes(11) – will allow LiveWellNYU to direct outreach and to provide focused and pertinent health interventions. Methods will be cultivated based on an awareness of the distinct needs and concerns of specific student populations.(12) This approach to targeting health interventions effectively optimizes prevention efforts.(13)
Although several barriers to engaging college students in health and wellness initiatives have been documented,(14,15) LiveWellNYU aims to overcome these obstacles with creative and innovative approaches using multiple modalities. Building on the strengths of NYU's dynamic and talented faculty, staff, and students, LiveWellNYU will support a wide variety of activities that reinforce healthy behaviors. By incorporating strategies that are not traditionally associated with health into a unique multimedia platform, LiveWellNYU strives to transform the way that students and stakeholders think about health and wellness. In addition, LiveWellNYU will develop a system to incentivize health and wellness among students, a process which has been found to be effective in increasing preventive health behaviors.(16)
LiveWellNYU will harness the power of technology to offer students multiple, customized, evidence-based modalities to improve their health in an integrated and coordinated system. The latest national data on computer use, Internet penetration, and rapid adoption of social media demonstrate the broad potential reach of technology-based interventions to engage students around preventive health and wellness. Emerging evidence demonstrates the efficacy of Internet and other technology-based interventions to increase health knowledge and even change health behaviors.17,18,19 The use of social media and other interactive technologies offers several advantageous features that can support students in becoming more active partners in their personal health and wellness. Students can access digital resources at their convenience, without the constraints of structured in-person encounters and in a manner that can feel largely anonymous. In contrast to other public health interventions intended for large populations, digital resources can be structured to provide highly personalized messages and/or individual feedback based on participants' characteristics and reported behaviors. Technology can be engaging, make use of a vast offering of interactive tools, and still allow for interactivity between students and professional staff – all while remaining relatively low-cost. Web analytics offers a real-time mechanism for professional staff to track the health information students want to learn, which allows for more effective and efficient development and dissemination of relevant information and resources. These benefits will be particularly helpful in addressing the unique challenges that NYU faces as a decentralized, global university in meeting the health and wellness needs of a highly diverse student population located in New York City and throughout the world.
LiveWellNYU places a strong emphasis on assessing the emerging data and research on promising evidence-based practices to shape its prevention strategies. Guiding the development of tactics by research ensures that NYU can adopt the most successful practices to improve student health.


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September 23, 2013 — Jesuit Father General Adolfo Nicolás has set the feast of St. Ignatius, July 31, 2014, as the starting date for the new U.S. Central and Southern Province — a unification of the New Orleans and Missouri Provinces — and has chosen Jesuit Father Ronald A. Mercier as the first provincial. Fr. Mercier will succeed Jesuit Fathers Douglas W. Marcouiller (Missouri) and Mark A. Lewis (New Orleans).
Fr. Mercier currently serves as rector of Bellarmine House of Studies in St. Louis. He is a theology professor at Saint Louis University specializing in theological ethics, bioethics and social ethics. He also does sacramental ministry at the College Church and at St. Mary's Assumption Ukrainian Byzantine Catholic Church.
Born in Holyoke, Mass., in 1953, Fr. Mercier is currently a member of the New England Province. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1975 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1987.
From 2006 to 2009 Fr. Mercier was executive director of the Jesuit Collaborative, a network linking ministries in Ignatian spirituality from North Carolina to Maine. Earlier he had served as dean and professor of ethics at Regis College, the Jesuit school of theology at the University of Toronto. He holds degrees in theology from Regis College and the University of Toronto as well as degrees in Slavic Studies and Russian history from Yale, Columbia and Harvard.
The Missouri and New Orleans Provinces conducted a lengthy and thorough discernment process that led to Fr. Mercier's appointment, which included input from individual Jesuits, Jesuit communities and province staffs. [Missouri Province]


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The Movie:
The 20th Century Fox of the early '40s wasn't taking any chances when they mounted the lavish Blood and Sand, now out on Blu Ray, for its red-hot matinee idol Tyrone Power. The property was already a hit for Rudolph Valentino in the silent era, and why not? This torrid love triangle/bullfighting saga had all the familar elements that audiences craved, while the Spanish trappings added a layer of exoticism. Looking handsome in Technicolor, Power smolders as Juan, the arrogant matador who doesn't realize his own true self-worth until it's too late. The character is paired off with two lovely señoritas vying for his attentions: his childhood sweetheart-turned ever-patient wife (Linda Darnell) and a sexy, wealthy temptress (Rita Hayworth). Glittering stars and impeccable studio craftsmanship have been put in full effect here - for a film that winds up being overlong, ponderous and dated.
Blood and Sand casts a skeptical attitude towards the sport of bullfighting and all the facile hero worship it brings, a message that tends to get buried in the film's two hour-plus sprawl. It's set up immediately with the character of Juan as a boy (effectively played by Rex Downing) idolizing his dead matador father. The boy is determined to follow in Dad's footsteps and become a champion bullfighter, a decision greeted with hostility by Juan's weary mother (silent screen star Alla Nazimova). Ten years later, Juan is on his way towards becoming a champion in the ring, spurred on by his sycophantic little entourage of childhood buddies and an obsequious press (as embodied by a fickle news columnist played by Laird Cregar). He returns home a local hero, marrying his childhood love Darnell, but success isn't all it seems without a solid education. Before long, he's at the top of his game - but the adulation of being a star matador brings out his complacency and arrogance. Juan is eventually seduced by a wanton socialite (Hayworth), and finds his brief time at the top sabotaged by Manolo (Anthony Quinn), his former friend-turned competitor in the ring. Fame, ain't it a bitch.
For all its eye-popping visual splendor (the color cinematography won the 1941 Academy Award, deservedly), Blood and Sand mostly stands out for its turgid heavy-handedness. From a technical standpoint, Rouben Mamoulian directs with a confident if distant touch. The project feels burdened by having too much to say, however; it's the kind of hokey mishmash that results from throwing lots of things at the screen hoping something would stick. The bullfighting scenes are filmed with a curious lack of involvement, shot from a safe distance with the more gory events communicated via audience reaction shots. Dramatically, there's a lot of interesting work from Power, Darnell and Hayworth (looking somewhat average, pre-Columbia Studio makeover). Other characters, like Juan's cautionary fellow matador Nacional (played by John Carradine), have a frustratingly limited function. Juan is joined by a few pallid acquaintances, which include the seen-it-all older matador (J. Carroll Naish) who becomes the man's assistant and the black-haired captain (George Reeves) left in the dust when Hayworth takes a shine to Power. Mostly they serve as window dressing for the constantly changing passing parade in Juan's fevered existence. It's fascinating to watch, yet totally arbitrary. Let's toss in a few religious scenes and kitschy musical numbers as well, why the hell not?
Speaking of those kitschy specialty musical numbers, these interludes contribute to a few of the lighter, better moments in this saga. As if to make up for the mostly Caucasian cast, Fox wrangled some accomplished and authentically Latin performers and musicians for these numbers (which, granted, seem better suited towards a set of short subjects). It doesn't beat the delirious, hallucinatory visions seen in Walt Disney's salute to Latin cultures in Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros, but the music adds a considerable amount of flavor. Even a dubbed Rita Hayworth gets into the act.
Dramatically, Blood and Sand has its fair share of problems, yet for fans of good old fashioned Hollywood studio-craft there's a lot here to admire. Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan's Technicolor photography is fantastic, creating a world that is vivid and alluring without going overboard into tackiness. The art direction is also stunning, particularly in the scene where young Juan escapes through the streets of his village to fight a bull. The combination of beautiful set designs, evocative lighting and matte paintings give it a wonderfully fake feel. It's a feast for fans and students of old-style film craftsmanship, although it also makes one wish the effort was used on a not-so-familar story.
The Blu Ray:
Blood and Sand has previously been issued on DVD in 2007, as part of Fox's Tyrone Power Collection box set. The standalone Blu Ray edition upgrades the picture quality and changes the package design (although why they'd advertise a picture with beautiful color photography using a monochrome photo boggles the mind; the 2007 artwork was much more appealing and period-correct).
The image used here appears to be the same digitally restored transfer used on the DVD. The 1.33:1 picture is pristine throughout, free of reel change marks, and jitters, scratching, dust and other signs of aging. The color used throughout is rich, warm and nuanced, the saturation being a little less vivid than what would normally be expected of '40s-era Technicolor. Those who appreciate stellar examples of vintage cinematography will find a lot to enjoy on this disc.
Unlike the visual component, the mono audio mix presented here is fairly typical of films from that period. The HD Master Audio soundtrack lacks range and sports some age-related wear, but the dialogue is clearly delivered and the musical scoring is decently integrated. Dolby Digital Spanish and French-language dubs are also provided, along with optional subtitles in English SDH and Spanish.
Ported over from the DVD edition is an informative audio commentary from Richard Crudo, D. P. and past president of the American Society of Cinematographers. It's a lively and interesting track; Crudo supplies lots of factoids about the technical hurdles cinematographers faced back then with Technicolor equipment. The photo gallery and restoration demo from the DVD is not included here, however. No theatrical trailer, either.
Final Thoughts:
A lavishly produced hunk of Technicolor bullfighting kitsch from 20th Century Fox, 1941's Blood and Sand serves as a bloated yet entertaining vehicle for gorgeous stars Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell and Rita Hayworth. Sure, the story is corny, but the excellent craftsmanship and cinematography used throughout this torrid drama keep it watchable. Besides a handsome HD transfer, Fox's Blu Ray edition doesn't have too much to offer above their previous DVD version. Rent It.
Matt Hinrichs is a designer, artist, film critic and jack-of-all-trades in Phoenix, Arizona. Since 2000, he has been blogging at Scrubbles.net. 4 Color Cowboy is his repository of Western-kitsch imagery, while other films he's experienced are logged at Letterboxd. He also welcomes friends on Twitter @4colorcowboy.


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Bill Foster is St. Petersburg's weakest strong mayor.
Before city voters cast their ballots, they should pause and compare Foster to his two predecessors. The record shows he does not measure up in credibility or results.
David Fischer was well-suited to be the first strong mayor in modern times after voters changed the structure of city government 20 years ago. He did not make waves at City Hall, and his unassuming demeanor was comforting during the tumultuous 1990s that included racial disturbances, the arrival of Major League Baseball and the deal to build the BayWalk entertainment complex. Fischer refocused on the poor minority neighborhoods now known as Midtown, grew more neighborhood associations and left a legacy of thousands of trees planted along public rights of way.
If Fischer eased St. Petersburg into the strong mayor era, Rick Baker stepped on the gas when he was elected in 2001. He was a dealmaker with political connections, bringing to Midtown a full-service post office, grocery, library and financial institution. He picked the site and helped arrange state financing for the new Dali Museum, negotiated a new home for St. Petersburg College, the Florida Orchestra and American Stage downtown and seemed to be everywhere at once. He increased the city's financial reserves, raised money and recruited volunteers for schools, and had his way with the City Council.
Now Foster asks voters to judge him on his record. In style and substance, he falls short of Fischer or Baker. He is essentially another City Council member with a better title, a mayor who has acknowledged he has no broad vision for the city. He has struggled to maintain the status quo, much less move St. Petersburg forward.
Foster has failed to lead on the big issues. He pushed to tear down the old Pier and build a new one, but he failed to persuade voters to follow him. Now the Pier is closed and there is no clear way forward.
Four years ago, Foster pledged to talk with the Tampa Bay Rays about a new stadium and predicted construction could be under way by 2016. Instead he hid behind the long-term lease for three years, then negotiated privately for a few months before breaking off talks. The Rays are four years closer to leaving, and the city has less leverage.
Redevelopment in Midtown? Stalled.
City efforts to help schools? Diminished.
Vibrancy of neighborhood associations? Declined.
Foster takes credit for trends over which the mayor has little control. Hundreds of apartments are under construction downtown, but that is driven by broad economic forces. The crime rate has declined, but that is a national trend. In fact, crime generally had been dropping in St. Petersburg before Foster took office.
As he did while on the City Council, Foster routinely gauges which way the wind is blowing and then rushes to the front. He gets credit for pushing panhandlers out, although the City Council was in full support. He helped establish the Safe Harbor homeless shelter, but the sheriff found space for it. He showed up at recent events promoting the Walmart grocery coming to Midtown, but philanthropist Bill Edwards' money made the deal work.
Foster had the unfortunate timing to be in office during the fallout from the Great Recession, and St. Petersburg survived without permanent harm. But his management of the city budget often was sloppy. Revenue was overestimated and some proposed job cuts never occurred, creating deficits that had to be covered with tax increases and reserves. He embraced a regressive fee for fire protection, and the council fortunately rejected it.
While other services and jobs were cut, Foster catered to unions for firefighters and police. He resisted efforts by the county to reduce costs of the EMS system, and he let police officers run up expenses for overtime and for driving patrol cars home, even out of the county. No wonder unions representing firefighters and police are endorsing him.
Beyond his lackluster record, the mayor has a reputation for not negotiating in good faith or being candid with the public. He did not build good relationships with the Rays, area public officials or the City Council. He misled voters about the Rays stadium negotiations, the costs of the Republican National Convention and warning signs that the Midtown grocery was in financial trouble before it closed.
There is no hint of corruption, no doubt about Foster's dedication to St. Petersburg and no suggestion he serves his self-interest. He is devoted to his family and his hometown, and he will pull over on the Howard Frankland Bridge to comfort a teenage driver after her accident.
The question before voters, though, is one of leadership.
David Fischer's low-key style reassured voters as St. Petersburg moved to a government led by a strong mayor with broad authority. Rick Baker demonstrated what can be accomplished when the job's powers are fully employed. Bill Foster has failed to effectively use those powers and diminished the office of mayor, and by extension St. Petersburg.
Foster asks voters to judge him on his record. In at least one respect, they already have. A Tampa Bay Times/BayNews 9 poll last month found more than 7 in 10 city voters believe St. Petersburg is headed in the right direction. Yet the mayor barely won the primary and is locked in a tight general election campaign.
There is a reason for that. St. Petersburg did not survive the recession, see construction cranes downtown again and remain a wonderful place to live because of the mayor. It did it in spite of him.


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Here's a true story. A few years ago at Leeds Festival, me and a friend were watching The Charlatans play a hugely impressive set when a couple of guys stood in front turned round and asked "Who are these Oasis wannabes!?!" Aside from being a sad indictment upon the two ill-informed punters, who had no idea that Tim Burgess and co. pre-dated the Gallaghers ensemble by the best part of a decade, it also confirmed a serious misconception often made about The Charlatans: that they're just another ladrock band in thrall to Manchester's musical halcyon daze.
That they're wrong goes without saying. If anything, the fact The Charlatans have outlasted both of Manchester's boom periods - from the initial flurry of The Stone Roses through to Oasis critical zenith and beyond - speaks volumes. As does the fact they've bounced back so many times in the face of fickle musical tastes and fashions, not to mention encountered personal tragedy along the way.
Indeed, when Us And Us Only was first released back in October 1999, it didn't exactly ignite the flames of public interest that its predecessor Tellin' Stories had achieved just two years earlier. Despite widespread critical acclaim, its sales figures proved relatively small in comparison and with the impending birth of nu metal the relevance of The Charlatans in the current climate came into question once more.
Nevertheless, when looking back, few could argue that Us And Us Only represents possibly the last record created by The Charlatans that could boast a fluent level of consistency from start to finish (although last year's Who We Touch gave it a good go), and apart from marking then new keyboard player Tony Rogers full-time debut with the band, it also heralded a musical departure few could have expected.
Not only was it their first release for a major label (Universal), but it also marked James Spencer's first production role with the band, a partnership that would continue for the next three Charlatans records. In hindsight, it perhaps wasn't that much of a surprise to hear them veer off in a more Dylan-esque, country rock direction, but at the time it seemed like they'd recently discovered a parallel universe, or as Tim Burgess recently put it to DiS, "one minute full of bravado, next minute totally fragile."
From the outset, the seven-and-a-half minute opener 'Forever' meanders into a pulsating groove which sets the scene gracefully for what follows. The more plaintive 'Impossible' and restrained acoustics of 'The Blonde Waltz' probably lie at odds with their earlier works such as 'The Only One I Know' or 'How High', yet the maturity on display both from a songwriting and arrangement point of view is breathtaking. Better still is the bluesy lilt 'A House Is Not A Home', arguably Burgess's best ever vocal performance, and the suave orchestral soul of 'Senses (Angle On My Shoulder)'. Delve deeper and one can imagine a youthful Guy Garvey listening intently to 'The Blind Stagger' whilst planning the embryonic stages of his soon-to-be-huge musical project, while the spiralling 'Watching You' closes the original album in incisive fashion. Under normal circumstances, it would be churlish to want more. That this Deluxe Edition offers another 19 pieces of music make this essential listening.
While not listing each and every one of the bonus tracks on this mammoth compendium, both the Jagz Kooner and Lionrock remixes of 'My Beautiful Friend' show that such pursuits needn't just be lazy additions of breakbeats, while some of the b-sides to accompanying singles 'Impossible' and 'Forever' wipe the floor with a lot of the band's more widely revered material. 'Sleepy Little Sunshine Boy' could be the middle ground between The Eagles' mainstream consciousness and Lynyrd Skynyrd's more self-indulgent whims, while 'Don't Go Giving It Up' acts as a preacher's call to anyone and everyone ("All you loving people, don't go giving it up, all you Christian people, don't go giving it up, all you hip hop people, don't go giving it up, all you kick ass people, don't go giving it up" and so on...).
Throw in a couple of radio sessions, live tracks from 1999's Reading Festival and a gospel style take on 'A House Is Not A Home' from an early edition of Later... and you've an essential collection here that every Charlatans fan should own.
8Dom Gourlay's Score


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I say to myself, hey, I wonder what's going on in the rest of the world.
Then I look around me and go, why the fuck should I care what's going on in the rest of the world?
Then I reach for my ukulele.
I say to myself, hey, I wonder what's going on in the rest of the world.
Then I look around me and go, why the fuck should I care what's going on in the rest of the world?
Then I reach for my ukulele.
Which is: if you're an author currently waiting to hear from me regarding scheduling of future Big Ideas, you'll hear from me next week, because this week I'm busy doing Clarion things. So don't panic if you've not heard back from me. You're in the same boat as everyone else. Thanks.
What do the adventures of a young man in a classic of 19th century colonial literature have to do with the adventures of another, entirely different person in the fictional American Southwest of the mid-21st century? If you ask Steven Gould, he'll say: quite a bit, actually. Steve's here to explain why, and how it informs 7th Sigma, his latest — and very cool — science fiction novel.
I wanted to do my own take of Rudyard Kipling's Kim. It is by no means the first attempt to do so in Science Fiction. I first encountered the plot in Heinlein's Citizen of the Galaxy before I'd read the original, and you can see it in the early planetary romances of Leigh Brackett and many other works where humans (stand-ins for the British in India) have colonized other cultures. I had written over half of this book when Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book ,a retelling of Kipling's The Jungle Book, came out and I felt reassured it was still possible today.
However, I certainly didn't feel I knew enough about India to tell the story there, but one of the great appeals of Kim is the vast immiscible swirl of cultures and religious and places that is India. I wanted my book to have at least a feeling of that setting. And so I tried to create one in my own science fictional way.
7th Sigma takes place 30 or so years after the American Southwest, specifically New Mexico and Arizona, suffer an infestation of self-replicating, metal-eating, bug-sized robots. In order of preference these robo-bugs go after crushed robo-bugs (they swarm them and their immediate area), electromagnetic radiation (radios, active-electronic circuits, power lines), and metal (essentially any metal that could be detected by a sensitive, tunable metal detector). They avoid water. Doesn't destroy them, but they avoid it.
Humans are essentially just thicker air as far as the bugs are concerned. If there is metal behind you and a bug in front of you, it will go through you to get to the metal. If you have metal fillings, crowns, braces, prosthetic joints, plates, pins, screws, pacemakers, or any other implantable electronics, the bugs will go for them and you will almost certainly not survive the experience.
Nevertheless, thirty years after bugs have reduced the cities, refineries, powers stations, and towns to bug-covered rubble, there is human occupation of the "territory." These are people who live in new metal-free towns, using very old technology, adobe and rammed earth and obsidian flakes, and very new technology, ceramic blades and high tech glues and composites. Communication is done by very old methods (hand-carried messages), medium old tech (reflected sunlight telegraphy–heliographs), and high tech (Digital communication from buried bunkers shielded from the bugs by dirt, transmitted up fiber-optic cables to balloons in the upper atmosphere where the air is too thin for the bugs' wings, and transmitted to satellites from the balloons with conventional directional radio.)
It was a culturally diverse area before the bugs and it's become even more so groups seeking "simpler" lives without external "contamination" immigrate into the area and form their own communities. Some of these groups are rabidly intolerant. Some are happy to get along.
There is nothing covert about the novel's relation to Kim. I quote from Kipling's text at the beginning and before each section. My protagonist is a runaway, a seeker, an aikidoist, and an agent for the territorial government.
And his name is Kimble.
7th Sigma: Amazon|Barnes & Noble|Indiebound|Powell's
Read a preview. Visit Steven Gould's blog. Follow him on Twitter.


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New severe weather outlook issued by Weather Watch 12
If you have tuned into WISN 12 News over the past few days, you've seen something new in our weathercasts.
The Weather Watch 12 Storm Threat Index is a graphic which will appear at least once in all weathercasts as we advance into severe weather season.
The goal of the Storm Threat Index is to provide viewers with what they need to know about the likelihood of severe weather occurring in a clear and easy to understand way.
The index is a 0-12 value with the most damaging and severe weather impacts reserved for the 9-12 index.
Here's a breakdown of the index ratings:
- 0: No storms forecast
- 1-2: Isolated storms, with no chance of severe weather
- 3-4: Storms are more numerous, but very likely not severe
- 5-6: Storms more likely, marginally severe (mainly hail,wind)
- 7-8: Storms likely, severe possible (hail less than 1", winds less than 60 mph, and possible tornadoes)
- 9-10: Storms likely, severe weather likely (hail 1", winds to 60 mph, and tornadoes)
- 11-12: Big outbreak/widespread severe weather forecast either as tornadoes or straight-line winds/derecho type storms
We of course would love to hear your feedback as it's you the viewers that we are here to serve.
This new severe weather outlook is another way Weather Watch 12 is putting your safety at the forefront as we move into severe weather season.
Meteorologist Luke Sampe