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Travel Blog
First Time Skiers Guide – Part 3
The morning after from getting fully equipped from the ski store is a very exciting time because you get to use the skis and see if you can rise to the challenge, I felt like a kid on Christmas day.
I was fortuitous because the company that brought me out to Morzine also treated me to a ski instructor.
Now, before I go straight into the action I feel I need to give you some valuable advice, as that's my job with this guide. Make sure you have breakfast before leaving your chalet, you will burn a lot of energy very quickly and no one wants to be the weak link or the spoilsport of the group. Please make sure you fill up before leaving. I made a crucial mistake when I went to my first ski lesson and that is I forgot to bring water with me. I'm telling you from firsthand experience that you will crave water whilst out on the slopes. Food and drink is an essential please don't try and skip any of this, you will regret it.
By now you will be in your ski kit and have all your equipment on you, ready to make the climb up to the top of the slopes. You can get the cable carts up there that's not an issue but you need a ski pass to use them, adult passes range from €44.50 – €900 depending on whether you want a 5hour or a season pass, prices can vary depending what region you're in.
When I arrived on the slopes the only information I knew about my instructor was that his name is Grant and that he will be wearing all yellow. Which at the time I didn't realise the complications this could have, and it was only when I seen the hundreds of skiers that it dawned on me.
My lesson was meant to be at 11:00am and I ended up not starting it till 12:30pm because we couldn't find each other but with a bit off luck and a phone call we managed to get it together.
Grant McNaughton is an instructor for New Generation Ski School, who I would highly recommend. We started off putting one foot in a ski and keeping the other one free from the ski. The point of this exercise is to get a good indication of your balance but also to get a feel for the ski.
The next part major part to your ski lesson and the hardest technique for a beginner is the snowplough. This is where your ankles need to spread as far apart as possible but your toes need to be as close as they can without touching, this will then control the speed you go at down the slope. It took me a lot of attempts just to get it at an average standard but with a lot of grit and perseverance I managed to progress. I will admit that it took me a lot of walking up the slope just to go again and your feet start to go numb from the boots after a couple of hours.
Once you progress on you start to learn how to turn and then things start to get interesting because you can really see the how well you're doing.
Grant was very encouraging and I felt that he was with me every step of the way and as an instructor he was faultless. Lessons for beginners in Morzine cost between €79 – €99.
I must touch upon something said in the First Time Skiers Guide – Part 1, I was wrong to ever think that the dry slope for skiing would help me.
Overall the experience of learning how to ski was a most memorable one and I would encourage everyone to at least try it once. You will ache, crash and fall but like the saying goes 'no pain, no gain.' On my last turn down the slope before the end of the lesson, I opened pointed my toes down on the skis too fast and came to a crashing stop where my shoulder plunged into the snow but you just have to pick yourself up and go again.
Morzine really has everything to offer for the best first time skiers holiday, the chalets are beautiful, the town fantastic and the ski resort is up there with the best. Although if you're out drinking avoid the beer Mutzig it's lethal at 12%!
First Time Skiers Guide – Part 2
Once we landed in Geneva and collected our baggage we were greeted by Ollie who is a representative for ChaletFinder. He drove us to our chalet and provided us with a document to go and collect our ski equipment and passes.
But before we arrived at our accommodation we were taken to an iced over lake called Lac de Montriond which supplied us with the most peaceful and breathtaking of scenes. It was just utter bliss.
After settling in and unpacking at the chalet we headed down to SkiSet who are a traditional and local company with stores based all around the resort. You can buy and rent skis, snowboards and mountain bikes from them and they were the ones providing us with our equipment.
The first thing they got me to do after telling them I'd rather ski than snowboard was measure my feet to fit the boots. It's a bizarre feeling when you put them on for the first time because they are very tight, to say they were a snug fit would be an understatement! Also they instantly make you lean forward, which is a good thing, as that will help you when learning to ski. It's like having a pair of ice-skates as boots, that's the best way to describe them. I'm just giving you the heads up now so you know what to expect. Also whilst we are on the subject of the ski boots, I would recommend not trying to walk down steps or anything that can easily put you off balance as I nearly found that out the hard way (phew).
The next step is they determine what skis will suit you best. The way they do this depends on your height and weight and you will find that the length of the ski will come somewhere between your top lip and forehead. Although for beginners they tend to size the ski closer to your chin as it will help with being able to turn. This is what you can expect for your first ski fitting, as I don't think many first time skiers would have a preference.
Last but not least is being fitted with your ski poles. This is still an important piece of equipment but you don't really concentrate on using them much when you're a beginner. The snowplough is the key movement to grasp, as you will come to find out soon enough. Again the poles are based on your height and ideally your arm should be parallel to the ground when you hold the pole.
Going into the shop and being kitted out with all the equipment really is a vital part of your journey to learning to ski. You will never forget this experience.
Part three is the big finale…
First Time Skiers Guide – Part 1
Have you ever wanted to go on a skiing holiday but never had the opportunity to go; yet thought what's all the fuss about and are you truly missing out… well stop searching and indulge yourself into this three-part blog where you will discover my journey. Hopefully you will be encouraged and see that opportunities are always there and it's about taking them and making the most out of it.
Let me give you some background information about me, and how my idea was brought to life. I'm Reece a third year broadcast journalism student at the University of Salford. I seen an advertisement on a social media website offering freelance journalists the chance to go out to France via ChaletFinder. I found this an offer I couldn't resist so I pitched the idea of a first time skiers guide to the company and here we are.
I just want to take this opportunity to thank them for seeing the potential in my idea. They really supported me and provided my flights, transfers to the resort, ski passes, equipment and the most amazing accommodation run by Rude Chalets.
Shall we proceed to the beginning of this adventure?
The day had finally arrived to fly out to Geneva and transferred to Morzine, Portes Du Soleil. I don't think there wasn't a mode of transport that I hadn't taken that day. It took a tram and train just to get to the airport, then a plane to reach Geneva and then I was picked up and driven to the French town. Within the time of five hours I had been in three different countries.
We set off at 6:00am to catch a flight departing at 10:50am; my flight was from Manchester airport. ChaletFinder supplied my flight through EasyJet and before you ask the pictures of me in my bright orange jacket were a coincidence and not planned out. Although they complement each other well, as you will see in the photo below.
After checking in all the luggage and camera equipment, Brad my camera operator and me thought it would be a smart idea to go and exchange our currency. A normal and straightforward process you'd think but that was far from it. Whilst we are at the currency exchange desk we deliberate what currency we should get because in our mind we were flying into Switzerland, so we exchange our money into Swiss Franks, forgetting to take into account that Morzine is based in France… and use the Euro!
That's what happens when you don't start your day off with a coffee.
We only realised that we exchanged the wrong currency when we were halfway from our destination and talking to another passenger on the plane about our journey. I would like to give a shout out to the lady who sat next to us in row 23 a, b and c. You were very polite in enduring us chatting away to you the whole flight and for the offer of an alcoholic beverage.
It still hadn't sunk in that I would be learning to ski in one of the best resorts in Europe. I'm going to be honest and tell you that before going out I felt confident that I would find it easy to pick up as I had done one lesson of dry skiing about five years ago when I was 17. I'm a very sporty natured person and extremely competitive, so in my mind combining these two attributes would surely only help me.
Find out how I got on in my next blog post…


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2011 release, 5 stars, Anna Dressed in Blood, anti-hero, book review, books, dark hero, editing, Escape Club YA Bookclub, ghost hunter, Girl of Nightmares, Kendare Blake, lunar eclipse, POV, Romeo and Juliet, sympathetic hero, tempo, Tor Teen, voice, YA Horror, YA paranormal, Young Adult Fiction
5 Stars!
Carrying on with my lunar eclipse reading, this is another recent favorite, though it was published in 2011. I was turned onto this book by my awesome Escape Club YA Bookclub. Book two is on their 2015 list and I'm playing catch up!
Anna Dressed In Blood is written by Kendare Blake, an American author living in Washington state. She says she "writes dark" and this YA paranormal/horror is no exception. It can be read as a stand alone, but, gratefully, there is a sequel, Girl of Nightmares.
Published by Tor Teen (12 – 18), the premise is simple. Lone ghost hunter boy meets psychotic dead girl and sparks fly. It's a classic Romeo and Juliet, dagger and all, but the tone, voice and tempo of the story is so engaging, you don't think cliché all. Not once. The characters are true to life and they propel the story along with their humor, wit and fear. No jolting out of this narrative. It's tight, authentic and compelling.
Blake has the ability to take a classic star crossed lovers story and turn it into something completely fresh. It's done with sensitivity and the skill to write characters who grow and develop (forwards and back), allowing for a range of conflicting emotions, morals and drives. In other words, they ring true. The supernatural being, Anna, feels remarkably believable, at once repulsive and sympathetic, a true anti-hero/dark hero. Told in the third person from the POV of Cas, a 17 year old high school junior/ghost hunter, the language is at times raw, the imagery gory and the emotions elating to heartbreaking.
I was particularly impressed with Tor Teen's editing and liberal ruling on the tone of the story. There was no watering down, censoring of profanity (well, I didn't see the submitted draft so maybe . . .). The point is, Anna Dressed in Blood treats their readers as the savvy people they are. Well done.
Needless to say, I'm reading book 2 as we speak.
Happy Eclipse!

subset: commoncrawl


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Ball Corporation reported full-year 2013 net earnings attributable to the corporation of $406.8 million (including after tax charges of $82.8 million, or 55 cents per diluted share for business consolidation costs, discontinued operations, debt refinancing costs and other activities), or $2.73 per diluted share, on sales of $8.5 billion, compared to $403.5 million, or $2.55 per diluted share, on sales of $8.7 billion in 2012. On a comparable basis, Ball's full-year 2013 results were net earnings to the corporation of $489.6 million, or $3.28 per diluted share, compared to $483.0 million, or $3.06 per diluted share, in 2012.
"Though worldwide economic conditions have not changed materially, we have adapted well by effectively managing our asset base, leveraging our customer relationships to capture growth in key markets, and implementing programs to drive efficiencies and improve results," said John A. Hayes, chairman, president and CEO. "Specialty can growth in the Americas, improved cost management in our global packaging operations and solid program execution in our aerospace operations led to results that exceeded our expectations."
Fourth quarter 2013 net earnings attributable to Ball Corporation were $124.5 million, or 85 cents per diluted share, on sales of $2.0 billion, compared to $60.6 million, or 39 cents per diluted share, on sales of $2.1 billion, in the fourth quarter of 2012. On a comparable basis, Ball's fourth quarter results were net earnings of $126.8 million, or 86 cents per diluted share, compared to $98.9 million, or 64 cents per diluted share in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Metal beverage packaging, Americas and Asia, comparable segment operating earnings were $511.8 million for full-year 2013 on sales of $4.2 billion, compared to $522.5 million in 2012 on sales of $4.5 billion. For the fourth quarter, comparable earnings were $147.3 million on sales of $1.0 billion, compared to $138.0 million on sales of $1.1 billion in 2012.
Continued excellent operating performance and strong demand for specialty packaging continued in the Americas offset by sluggish 12-ounce can demand in North America. During the fourth quarter, the second production line in the Alagoinhas, Brazil, beverage can plant contributed favorably to segment results. In Asia, Ball relocated beverage can and end equipment from the Shenzhen plant to the company's existing Foshan plant to maximize efficiencies during a challenging period of industry overcapacity.
Metal beverage packaging, Europe, comparable segment results in 2013 were operating earnings of $182.6 million on sales of $1.8 billion, compared to $182.3 million on sales of $1.8 billion in 2012. For the fourth quarter, comparable operating earnings in 2013 were $39.4 million on sales of $427.8 million, compared to $29.6 million on sales of $394.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2012.
Full-year and fourth quarter comparable operating earnings were affected favorably by solid demand for beverage containers across the region and good cost management. Our plans for long-term cost optimization, including the consolidation of the Ratingen, Germany, regional administrative offices, are progressing as planned.
Metal food and household products packaging comparable segment results for 2013 were operating earnings of $177.4 million on sales of $1.6 billion, compared to $167.8 million in 2012 on sales of $1.6 billion. For the fourth quarter of 2013, comparable segment results were operating earnings of $36.8 million on sales of $345.2 million, compared to $36.8 million on sales of $363.2 million in the same period of 2012.
Full-year 2013 results were up due to solid operating performance across all product lines and continued volume growth for global metal aerosol packaging. In an ongoing effort to improve efficiencies, the company ceased operations at its Elgin, Ill., facility and announced the closure of its Danville, IL, steel aerosol manufacturing plant during the quarter. The company is deploying the manufacturing assets from these plants across the North American system to supply its existing customer base.
Aerospace and technologies comparable segment results were operating earnings of $80.1 million on sales of $897.1 million in 2013, compared to $86.6 million on sales of $876.8 million in 2012. For the fourth quarter, earnings were $25.1 million on sales of $222.1 million, compared to $24.2 million on sales of $245.0 million in the fourth quarter of 2012. Contracted backlog at the close of the year was $938 million.
Full-year comparable operating earnings were negatively affected by the U.S. budget sequestration and the subsequent government shutdown. During the quarter, the previously delivered STPSat-3, the Department of Defense Space Test Program's Standard Interface Vehicle (STP-SIV), launched successfully.
Ball announced an increase to its share repurchase authorization enabling the company to repurchase up to a total of 20 million shares of its common stock.
"We anticipate full-year 2014 free cash flow to be in the range of $550 million after capital expenditures of nearly $375 million with the majority of free cash flow being returned to shareholders via share repurchases," said Scott C. Morrison, senior vice president and chief financial officer.
"As we transition into 2014, we are confident in our ability to increase EVA dollar generation and achieve our long-term diluted earnings per share growth goal of 10 to 15 percent," Hayes said.


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ZF India Private Limited was founded in early 2007 and has two plants in operation since 2010, one representing Off Road business (Industrial Business Division) and another handling the On Road (Truck Business Division) products. Having started its localisation activities in the Off Road plant in Pune, the division is gearing up to increase its product portfolio for Local production. In 2010 local assembly of ZF backhoe rear axles was started, in 2011 the company expanded its portfolio to include its full powershiftable Backhoe Transmission."We are continually expanding our product portfolio and the Indian operations would already begin local assembly of ZF Wheel Loader Axle line by the year end," said Mr Strebl, Vice President of ZF India's Off Road division.Construction & Earthmoving drive line business, a part of the Industrial Driveline division is one of the key focus areas of ZF Group for the Indian market."The Indian Government's commitment to increasing infrastructure spending, to the level of 1 trillion US dollars in the next five year plan (2012_2017), will further catalyse the already growing market size. ZF is set to address the growing market demands through design to market applications with a horizon for local production," the company said in a statement."An engineering team based out of India in close collaboration with the German R & D base will support the development of the design to market applications. The team will play a pivotal role in identifying the market requirements and aiding in the development of a suitable product portfolio," said Piyush Munot, Director and Head of ZF India.Having its feet set strongly in the market, the organisation is on full throttle to increase its presence in the Indian market. Currently there are ZF owned service centres in Pune, Raipur, Bangalore and a dealer location in Delhi. The motive is to quicken response time to field requirements and ensure availability of genuine ZF parts.Its customers include OEM brands like Telcon, Ashok Leyland John Deere. The company is a participant at Excon India 2011, to be held from 23 to 27 November in Bangalore.
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How to Laminate Labels at Home for $1
I received quite a few questions on the durability of labels once printed. I must say this wasn't on the forefront of my mind, mostly because I'm one of those ADD decorating types who is prone to switching things around every few months. Truth be told, my pantry will probably have newly designed labels by the end of the year, and so having labels to last a lifetime was not my goal.
That being said, I did want something that wouldn't wrinkle up in the fridge from moisture (which has happened to other labels I've done). I considered going to Staples and asking them to laminate for me when I remembered that I had this small pack of laminating sheets I bought a few years back. I dug them out of my office organizer, and they were the perfect fit! These guys are supposed to laminate business or membership cards (not quite sure why I thought that was something I needed to do at the time of purchase), but really you could laminate anything with them. Anyways, they are from the dollar store, so for $1 you can laminate 8 labels! I only used them in my fridge as they don't look quite as pretty as their naked counterpart, but if durability and everlasting labels are your thing, this just might be the solution for you!
And for those wondering which super powers I use to cut my labels, well, you're in for a disappointment. I do not have special cutting skills. Just me and my dollar store scissors! I'm actually pretty sure anyone could do a better job than I.
Don't leave it looking like that, though. That's kind of ugly. Whip out those scissors again and start cutting. As you can see, the top and bottom are almost flush with the laminate sheet. I just made sure to leave a small border on the other two sides to make sure it stays laminated and so far, so good. Or you could just use a smaller label. But this works, really!
I used my bff the glue runner to stick the laminated label to my fridge, and ta da! If anyone else tries this (or has tried it) please share - would love to know how it worked out for you!


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Clive and Tina Bullivant-bear Hug Bottle Chiller/Ice Bucket
At Design Interviews
Interview with Clive and Tina Bullivant : Frank Scott: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I like designs to be fun as well as practical. Wine coolers come in a wide variety of designs and materials but most of these are either purely functional or in a classical tradition. I wanted something modern for less formal situations. .Frank Scott: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I wanted to use the purpose of the product as a theme for the aesthetic. It is part of a range of work called 'Polar' referencing the arctic and natural world. .Frank Scott: What are your future plans for this award winning design?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I would hope to license the design for further development and production. .Frank Scott: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : The initial concept was completed in a matter of days, however research and development to choose the correct materials and ergonomics meant that the project was completed over 3 months. .Frank Scott: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : This was completed for CNBconcepts as part of a wider range of tableware. .Frank Scott: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I would hope to lease the rights. .Frank Scott: What made you design this particular type of work?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I am an award winning silversmith as well as a product designer and have always specialised in dining and tableware so this type of work is natural tome. .Frank Scott: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I have always admired some of the products produced by Alessi, and have an academic interest in the work of the Memphis group. .Frank Scott: Who is the target customer for his design?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I aimed this piece at a 25 to 35 age group who enjoy wine and social dining. .Frank Scott: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : The use of characterisation as part of the aesthetic is different to other designs, and the use of a polycarbonate shell filled with silicon keeps weigh down whilst retaining the temperature better than glass or metal. .Frank Scott: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : Bear Hug is an obvious choice referencing the polar bear grip and promoting the idea of security when carrying it. .Frank Scott: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : I work with Rhinocerous for CAD programmes and render with Flamingo. .Frank Scott: What is the most unique aspect of your design?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : Visual impact and the thermal properties the design has. .Frank Scott: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?. Clive and Tina Bullivant : This design is entirely mine. .
Clive and Tina Bullivant-bear Hug Bottle Chiller/Ice Bucket Images:
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Anglers from all over the region traveled to Devils Lake this past weekend to participate in the 2013 Angler Young Angler Tournament, but it was a local team that ended up taking home the grand prize.
Anglers from all over traveled to Devils Lake this past weekend to participate in the 2013 Angler Young Angler Tournament, but it was a local team that ended up taking home the grand prize.
After a full eight hours of fishing, the three-man team of Cory Anderson, Wyatt Ziegler and Matt Schindele, all of whom are Devils Lake natives, weighed in with over 16 pounds of walleye in what was the last bag to be submitted to the stage.
The trio has already registered a few top-ten finishes in years past with this being their first time winning the tournament. But according to all three of them, they didn't come in expecting to take first.
"In a tourney, if you fish enough of them, you fish hard, get lucky," Anderson said. "You can always win, and you never know until you come in. So you don't even want to think about that when you're in the boat."
The three-man team had plenty to do while they were on the water, especially in the tournament's latter stages.
Fishermen were given eight hours to fish, either between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., or 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., and according to Anderson, a majority of their keepers were caught with less than two hours to go.
"We were crankin' the weedline," he said. "We weren't doing well early. We went over to the windiest side of the lake and started hitting them there."
Their lures of choice were number-six shap raps, with no particular color preference. Their biggest fish of the day, a 24-incher, was caught on a bleeding hot chartruese crankbait.
Anderson, Ziegler and Schindele were gifted a brand-new Lund A-12 boat, a five-horsepower Mercury engine and aShoreland'r trailer. Additionally, this Devils Lake trio will now be invited to represent North Dakota at the 2013 Angler and Young Angler International Championship in Kenora, Ontario.
Like this tournament, these three fishermen won't be heading up to Canada expecting to become international fishing champions, but like they said, "fish hard, get lucky."
"Hey, anything's possible," Ziegler said.
In addition to the prizes handed out to the tournament champions, dozens of other prizes and awards were handed out to all participants, prizes which included digital cameras, guided fishing trips and resort stays, among others.
The award for the biggest fish caught was given to Marshall, Minn. native Brandon VanOverbeke, who is a five-time participant in this tournament along with his dad and brother. The award-winning walleye came in at over five-and-a-half pounds, which accounted for over half of his team's total weight.
Caught in the south end of the lake in about 23 feet of water, it was the largest fish he'd ever caught for this particular tournament. But according to him, he had an even bigger one on that spit out his hook and got away.
If that had been the case, it certainly could have propelled them into a top-three position. Nevertheless, the VanOverbekes still finished the day with a more than respectable top-10 performance.
Hannah Pierson, another multi-year participant in the tournament, won her second consecutive individual honor by finishing with the biggest fish caught by a female angler. Pierson won the largest fish award in 2012 after hooking a walleye that exceeded seven pounds.
The tournament is something that all involved seem to take a liking to, evidenced by how many of the teams return year after year as well as the volunteers who help organize and execute the tournament itself.
"This event is to give young anglers an opportunity to participate in a pro-style tournament," said Kyle Agre, co-tournament director and vice president of the FM Walleyes Unlimited club. "It's completely dependent on volunteers, and it's all focused on the kids here today."


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The following is a result I feel like I've seen some form of before, but can't figure out how to prove or find a reference for. Suppose you have a map p:E \to B, with B paracompact, and suppose that every point in B has a neighborhood U such that there is a map p^{-1}(U) \to U \times F over U which is a fiber homotopy equivalence. Does it follow that p is a Hurewicz fibration? The converse, if B is locally contractible, is standard: a Hurewicz fibration is locally equivalent to a product.
The answer is no; Allen Hatcher sent me the following:
An example where this fails is the projection of the letter L onto its horizontal base, which I'll call B. The deformation retraction of L onto B is a fiberwise homotopy equivalence. The homotopy lifting property fails: Map a point to the left endpoint of B, then lift this to a point of L - B and take a homotopy that moves the left endpoint of B to the right endpoint.
I think this can be extracted from Spanier's book. In Chapter 2.7, his Theorem 13 says that if B is a paracompact Hausdorff space, then a map p:E-->B is a fibration if and only if it is a local fibration. By a local fibration, he means that there is a covering {U_{\alpha}} of B such that for all \alpha, the map p restricted to p^{-1}(U_{\alpha}) is a fibration. I'm pretty sure that the condition you describe implies this.
$\begingroup$ Unfortunately, the local property fails to imply it's a fibration; see my answer. $\endgroup$ – Eric Wofsey Oct 27 '09 at 17:52


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Trail Ranger by Anjan Cariappa M M
Anjan Cariappa M M Creates The Trail Ranger Pitch+roll+gps Device
Anjan Cariappa M M, the lead designer of the displayed work Anjan Cariappa M M's Trail Ranger Pitch+Roll+GPS device illustrates, Why Are Trail Maps Flat When Trails Are Not? A first in the world concept, Trail Ranger lets you record the climb, descend and roll angles of your off-road vehicle on a GPS map and share it with fellow off-roaders around the world. Powered by our AXYZ-maps platform, Trail Ranger also gives you a customized rollover alert when your rig leans too dangerously. Now show the world the insane angles that you conquered! Because Your World Isn't Flat! For more details about Trail Ranger and to download as an iPhone/iPad app please visit: http://puckerfactors.com/trailranger.
Trail Ranger by Anjan Cariappa M M Images:
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- Products & Supply
- Atmospheric Gases
- Fuel Gases
- Electronic Gases and Chemicals
- Food Chilling & Cooling
- Food Freezing
- Food Grade Gases
- Fumigants
- Gas Mixtures
- Helium
- Packaged Chemicals
- Pharmaceutical Solutions
- Refrigerants - landing page
- Welding and Safety Products
- Speciality Gases Overview
- Supply Modes
We deliver a range of pest control agents, equipment and services to limit the impact of pests and disease on timber and in agriculture. Our crop science solutions reflect years of research and underscore our commitment to providing environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional fumigants with strong ozone depletion and global warming potential.
Our solutions will protect your investment and boost your profitability by prolonging product quality, improving the durability of grains, wood, fruit and vegetables, and creating optimal production conditions.
Find out more about Linde's fumigant products and services:
Carbon dioxide in agriculture
Please Note:
Each fumigant is subject to local regulatory approval. Please contact the global crop science team for details and availability of product for trials or commercial use.


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Additional Project Information
Costa Rica Project Information
Here you will find detailed information about the different areas in which you can get involved on this Conservation & Environment project at Barra Honda National Park.
Automatic Camera Project
Our Automatic cameras use infra-red sensors which activate the digital camera whenever there is movement in the sensor's field of view. The information we have gathered since 2009 has been very useful in giving us background information about the park. It has also updated our species list with several species that had been un-observed for a long period of time.
During 2012 we will be investigating different areas of the park in much more detail. This will help us understand the interaction certain species have in the area during the year. We will be using 6 cameras during 7 day periods in each site and will be working in 4 different locations of the park. Each location contains 16 different areas to give us a highly detailed study of the area. This project will also use data collected from our climate study.
Butterfly Project
Using the same locations as the camera project we will be placing 12 butterfly traps each week to study the different interactions each species has on the area and the varying breeding seasons in the park. Butterflies are very good 'indicator species' because they are very sensitive to climate change, pollution and habitat destruction. This means we can use them to note the smallest changes in the area. We are also investigating butterflies because of their importance in pollinating hundreds of species of flora. Many of the flora rely on just one species of butterfly to breed. This project will also use data collected from our climate study.
From 2012 onwards we will also be investigating the egg and lava cycle. We have found that there is a lot of information on the actual butterflies but not so much on the egg, pupa, caterpillar cycle or the host plants of each cycle. Specimens will be taken of each and closely observed, photographed and noted so that we can build a complete Barra Honda natural history.
Bat Project
In 2011 the years of work with the bat project was officially recognised by the government in Costa Rica. The Chiroptera bats have been placed on a higher protection level. This means that our work is more important than ever and we must continue to explore the park and investigate how this group of mammals interacts with the forest.
Using mist nets we will work in a systematic way through the park trying to identify the species that we have in the area and exactly where they are more abundant.
Each week we will have the opportunity to work with this project, setting the nets up in the afternoon and collecting specimens during that night. This will include taking photos and measurements and of course identifying each individual that we catch, before taking the nets down again. As with all the projects we run we will do this during both the wet and dry seasons to investigate the impact this has on each species.
As with butterflies, bats are very important in the local ecosystem. They control insect populations, pollinate flora and spread seeds and fertilizer around the forest. This project will also use data collected from our climate study.
Climate Study
Although not a very large study, the results taken from the weather station in the park each day are very important for many of our projects and for us to monitor the climate change in the area.
We are responsible for recording rain-fall, maximum and minimum temperature, wind-speed, air-pressure and humidity. We also collect sunrise, sunset and moon phase data for the park. This information is then used to help us interpret what causes changes in animal behaviour and gives us clues to changes in population or movement. This is in addition to the main aim of showing how the climate is changing on a yearly basis.
Scarlet Macaw Protection Program
The scarlet macaw has been intensively hunted in Costa Rica for its brightly coloured feathers and its extreme beauty. In some areas it is even eaten as a rare delicacy! Although it is internationally protected under CITES 1, it still hasn't stopped the relentless search for eggs and chicks to be sold as pets and a food source.
In the park itself we need to work towards reforesting the area with food sources and nesting sites so that the macaws can eventually be encouraged to move into a much safer area. However, the main project is to monitor and protect nesting sites located near the park. We have identified one area in particular that annually has two nesting pairs, but always gets attacked by poachers. We will be there every day from the time the adults begin nesting until the day the young chicks are old enough to defend themselves and fly away. This means that each year there are 2-4 new macaws in the wild!
Bird Monitoring Project
Over the course of a typical month volunteers will also be asked to join our bird monitoring program, which requires two separate activities. Once a month we will work from 5am until 5pm (using two different groups) to capture bird species using the mist-nets. These birds will be identified, photographed, weighed and measured. We will also be doing three early morning walks each month. Starting at around 5am we will walk around the trails to certain points to identify and register as many species as we can see. This is important because birds play a huge role in every ecosystem and population studies are carried out internationally each year.
Habitat Description Project
This project is closely tied in with our other investigation projects. Each area that we work in with the Butterfly, Automatic camera and Bat projects needs to be investigated and described in detail so we can understand why we get the results we do in that area. This means that we have to walk around these areas and measure trees, look for nests, animal tracks, insects and everything else we can see. All of this data is recorded and then using certain formulas we can work out a classification for the area which quickly tells us if we should catch lots of butterflies or see a few species on the cameras.
Intensive Search Project
The aim of this project is to investigate the area in more detail by splitting the trails into smaller transects and investigating 5m into the forest. We literally have to look for everything, so a good eye is very useful here! This includes mammal nests, bird nests, bat nests, insects, animal tracks, type of forest, and species of plant. Everything gets recorded and marked with the GPS so we can map with high detail what we have inside the park. We use this data not only to have a record to monitor in the future but also to help us plan future projects.
Park Mapping
We have already collected a large amount of data on the trail network in the park, with around 75% of the trails mapped with the GPS and around 40% marked with 25m flags. The aim of the GPS mapping is to construct a fully detailed map of the area, trails, rivers, waterfalls, caves and other areas of interest. This information can then be used as a base for the GPS points collected from other projects (Butterflies, Cameras and Bats)
Marking the trails every 25m is very important for the safety of volunteers, tourists and park staff. It enables us to identify areas without the use of GPS and of course to make sure nobody gets lost!
Reforestation Project
One of the main ideas in conservation is planting trees to try and counteract the deforestation that occurs around the world. Here in Barra Honda we have a nursery garden that provides us with many species of native tree that we can then use to help reforest the area in local schools and farms. We also work alongside local farmers and children to reforest areas important to them.
We will also have to work on maintaining and expanding our nursery garden. We currently have around 2000 saplings in the park but many of them are barely large enough to transplant at this time. Therefore, we must constantly be planting new seeds to be capable of making a larger impact in the following years.
Restoration of the Terciopelo and Cuevita Cave Systems
These are the two cave systems which are visited by volunteers and tourists on a regular basis. Due to bad management, lack of funds and resources the cave systems have lost some of their shine over the years with countless people walking in and out with muddy hands and shoes. Our cave restoration project has three stages, starting with the construction of a pathway inside each cave, which is safe for people to walk on without the risk of slipping and falling. Stage two is to close this path in with ropes so that tourists can see the impressive formations within the caves but not be able to move around freely and touch formations which have taken millions of years to form. Finally, stage three is to remove the years of dirt from many of the formations to restore them to the beauty they once had.
Constructing and Maintaining Trail Systems and Fire Breaks
There are tens of kilometres of trails within Barra Honda and new ones are being created each year. Due to the intense heat of the dry season in this area, maintaining clear trails is very important in the prevention and control of fires. Each month we will travel to a different trail to machete and rake everything that is on the surface. This ensures that people can use these trails in full knowledge of where they are putting their feet and helps to slow or stop the passage of fire. So far this has worked perfectly, preventing fires from coming close to the main area of the park.
The fire breaks within the park are exactly the same as the trail systems except that they do not follow the easiest or most interesting route, but instead go in a straight line. The breaks are normally wider than a regular trail and more suited to stopping large fires from spreading.
Environmental Education and Information Displays
Volunteers with special skills or a desire to work in education or the display of information are more than welcome to join us in the park. Much of our work is closely discussed with a spoke's person from the government responsible for environmental education. However, as with many government agencies, she has a large area to cover and only a limited amount of time and resources. Many of the projects we are running can be used to help educate people in the conservation of fauna, flora, and water. We can also simply show them some of the amazing and unique things we have in the area where we live. If you think you can help us design new displays or wish to help in environmental education then please do get in touch. We are always looking for extra help in this area.
General Maintenance
Not all of our work is investigation or education. A large park like ours has substantial installations and these buildings need to be maintained and repaired when necessary. As the volunteer program expands we also need to increase the services and installations we have.
Exploration Walks
Barra Honda national park is a huge area with many amazing formations and processes occurring all of the time. These result in the regular discovery of new geological formations and beautiful areas of land. This can only be done if people walk around the park itself. We always try to make an activity at least once a month where we go on a random walk (which is not to say that the point of the walk is random, only the destination!). Each time we walk in a new area or at a different time of the year we stand the chance of seeing a new species of bird, mammal or reptile. We may also find a new geological or archaeological formation within the park. All of this data is recorded in a separate book, which is processed at the end of the year for an individual report.


text: Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums :: View topic - Nuclear reactor in North Korea --- Sincerity????? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!" FAQ Search Memberlist Usergroups Register Profile Log in to check your private messages Log in Nuclear reactor in North Korea --- Sincerity????? Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current News View previous topic :: View next topic Author Message SNJoined: 16 Jan 2003Posts: 61Location: http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~ii4n-sky/ Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2003 1:33 am Post subject: Nuclear reactor in North Korea --- Sincerity????? Light-water nuclear reactor stops --- its restart depends on North Korea's sincerity On Nov. 4th, The unofficial council of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) came to an agreement that it would stop building the light water nuclear reactor in North Korea with time-limitation. The building began in 1997 according to the agreement between US and NK in 1997. Its aims was that NK would suspend developing all nuclear weapons and that it would help NK to supply enegy to people in exchange that NK would give up its developing at last. But in October last year it was brought to light that NK,breaking the agreement, started on the nuclear development with Uranium enrichment. Additionally NK escalated its brinksmanship by dissolving the nuclear developing freeze, withdrawing from NPT and its declaration to possess nuclear weapons. This makes light weight nuclear reactor plan meaningless. Total building expense is 46 billion dollar, 70% of which was to be paid by SouthKorea. Japan was to pay 10 billion dollar (22%). 13 countries or organasations of Asia and Europe participates in KEDO. It is natural that it suspens the building because NK didn't keep its promise with international society. On this issue,US called for complete cancellation, but South Korea was stick to continueing the building. They finally agreed to the "suspending to build with time limitation" which was proposed by Japan. Next problem is the outlook of this issue. The dicision of the unofficial council was not the complete cancellation to build the reactor. It has possilility to restart building when the nuclear problem is going to solution after one year observation term. Due to that, it is ready to continue to exist the KEDO office and the bureau is ready to visit NK to explain the process if necessary. In that sense, it is appropriate that the problem came to the conclusion of suspension with time limitation. On the nuclear issue, all countries are making efforts in order to resume the six nations talks in this year. It is a meaningful diplomatic card to keep the unity of "dialog and pressure" between US/Japan/Korea and to show the practical goal of a light weight nuclear reactor to NK. China doesn't participated in KEDO. But it has supplied most oil and food to NK. In the process of the mediation toward the reopen of the six nations talks, Japan/US/Korea has to give full explanation about its aim and reason to China. NK has to examin the meaning of the dicision well. It is a coufusion of the order of the things that NK will make use of this issue in the negotiation to resume the six nation talks. NK has to review its promise in the framework agreement and to mull over that its irresponsible conduct led the reactor building to its suspension. This lightweight nuclear reactor affair can become an important footstep to finish the dangerous nuclear proliferation in Korean Peninsula and to build the peaceful order in Eastern Asia. It depends on NK whether the building will be resumed. NK has to cooperate with the resume of six nation talks in order to solve its isolation in the international society and to solve the nuclear issue. Showing its faithful attitude is the best way to get the energy and finantial support which NK wants Back to top Display posts from previous: All Posts1 Day7 Days2 Weeks1 Month3 Months6 Months1 Year Oldest FirstNewest First Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Current News All times are GMT - 8 Hours Page 1 of 1 Jump to: Select a forum Student Forums----------------ComputersCurrent NewsCultureEnglish SchoolsFamilyFilm and CinemaFoodHealth and FitnessHelp CenterHobbiesHolidaysLearning EnglishLiteratureMaking FriendsMusicOpinionsPetsScienceSportsThe Strange and MysteriousTOEFL and Other English ExamsTravel You cannot post new topics in this forumYou cannot reply to topics in this forumYou cannot edit your posts in this forumYou cannot delete your posts in this forumYou cannot vote in polls in this forum Dave's ESL Cafe is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling. 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There are few things in life I enjoy more than watching TV shows about people who risk life and limb while I remain safely ensconced in my recliner. "Deadliest Catch" is probably the most notable of the danger porn genre, and America's love for those crabby crab fisherman is growing by the year. Lynette Rice of Entertainment Weekly reports that the show just got its biggest audience of all time.
A record 5.54 million people tuned into Tuesday's "Blown Off Course" episode of Deadliest Catch, making it the most-watched episode in the show's history. The episode was the first of several addressing the passing of Capt. Phil Harris, the beloved captain of the Cornelia Marie.
Harris died of a stroke this past February, a stroke he suffered while offloading crab in Alaska. His sons are deckhands on the ship he once ran. It's all terribly compelling stuff, which is why so many people tuned in. You will think this a stretch, but it's not unlike when people flocked to theaters to see Heath Ledger's performance in "The Dark Knight." There's something alluring about death in such instances. Sometimes, we LIKE to be haunted by the memory of someone. Crass as it may be, death almost always serves to make certain things in pop culture more interesting.
"Deadliest Catch" has always teased viewers with the potentially fatal risks these men take every time they set out to sea. And while Harris died from something unrelated to any kind of work accident, his death makes the danger his crew (and sons) face that much more palpable. That's why more people are tuning in, for better or for worse.


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Chiefs Sign Former Raiders DT Vance Walker
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Chiefs filled one of their pressing needs by signing former Raiders defensive tackle Vance Walker to a three-year contract on Friday.
The Chiefs also announced the signing of linebacker Frank Zombo, who had agreed to terms earlier in the week. Zombo appeared in 16 games for Kansas City last season.
Walker was a seventh-round pick of the Falcons in 2009, and provided valuable depth while appearing in 58 games for them over his first four seasons. He started 15 games for the Raiders last season, making 29 tackles and three sacks.
Walker figures to replace Tyson Jackson, who signed with Atlanta in free agency.


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Definition of Diversity
We understand diversity as integral to excellence in education and thus as central to our educational mission. We commit ourselves to building an exemplary educational community that offers an inclusive and equitable intellectual climate, an understanding and respect for the range of human diversity.
We understand diversity to refer to the multitude of differences between individuals and groups where those differences possess social meanings that are relative to specific historical contexts. Thus, a commitment to diversity in our historical context in which some individuals and groups have been systematically marginalized or excluded compels special attention to the categories of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, national origin, sexual orientation, ability, age, and religion. Valuing diversity demands a commitment to the inclusion and equitable treatment of all, but in our historical context with special focus on members of these marginalized and excluded categories.
Diversity must also be understood relative to our specific historical metropolitan, statewide, national, and global contexts. At the University of Louisville, the concern to create an inclusive and equitable educational environment centers on Kentucky's historically underrepresented and marginalized groups, with a special focus on African-Americans. This should not be understood, however, to exclude a concern with other dimensions of diversity found within the University and the metropolitan community.


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Stay dry and protected from the sun on those hot summer days with these heathered performance logo polo shirts from Devon & Jones.
Stay dry and protected from the sun with these Pima cotton and polyester performance logo polo shirts from Devon & Jones.
The ways in which men's logo polo shirts could be of value range far beyond a Saturday morning golf game. Embroidered golf shirts are very wearable clothing items since they straddle the line of both casual and business casual attire. These polos can easily transition from the office to a baseball game or tee time.
If men's logo polo shirts are right for your needs, ePromos has quite the selection to choose from. Beyond a bevy of color choices, you also have various options such as short or long sleeves, button or v-neck collars, and solid colored shirt or shirts with simple design elements. You also have fabric options such as cotton, jersey, or technical athletic fabrics that help wick sweat – perfect for sunny days on the golf course. Many of ePromos' embroidered golf shirts that are available for customization are made by well-known brands such as IZOD, Nike, OGIO or Adidas Sport that allow you to order with confidence that even the most particular recipient will enjoy their shirt.
With such versatility, logo polo shirts customized with your logo can be worn by many people. Obviously, employees would be happy to have something as comfortable as a golf shirt be part of a regular uniform, but whatever your company's dress code, a custom golf shirt would be a great gift item as a thank you for hard work or a fun giveaway at a corporate event. A custom golf shirt is also likely to be appreciated by favorite clients as a gift, with an added perk if said client happens to be a golfer. Let ePromos outfit your employees and clients in comfortable, always-in-style custom logo golf shirts. We have the best prices, service and selection, so give us a call!


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Not really a very informative post, but I thought you'd be interested into the following:
I moved most of my computers to systemd. On most of them, the boot process is tremendously faster. I haven't noticed any problem (with somehow heterogenous hardware – but all i686/IA64/AMD64 though). Plus logs got more relevant messages. Have a try!
Also, I finally understood what KDE activities are for. It's, contrarily to what I assumed beforehand, not a bigger subset of virtual desktops. It's some kind of mini-session instead. For instance, each morning, I usually browse 5 or 6 news websites. Before KDE activies, either I typed their URL in my Konqueror page or I used bookmarks. I only created an activity "News" with a Konqueror open on each news website. And, now, I just fire and shut down this activity whenever I want to read news and that's it: it's fast to start and shut down and it saves me lot of clicks or keystrokes. Other example? I also created an activity to watch vidéos. I fire it up and, tada!, I get plasmoids that give me direct access to the relevant directories where I store such files. Really neat. It's fast. It just lack a bit of polishing/KDE integration. But I'm sure that a work in progress.


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Nerdlepoint by außerirdische sind gesund
I did two short presentations on QR codes at InfoCamp and at an ILS user group meeting. I wanted to do a slick presentation with Prezi, but ran out of time to make it work well, so I just presented with images on slides.
Several people have asked for the slides, which are a bunch of images without any context or other content. Here's a list of links that might be more useful.
QR codes — General
The Big Wild – an online conservation movement, sponsored by MEC and CPAWS, where people sign online petitions to protect Canadian wilderness. Big Wild recently launched a poster campaign utilizing QR codes.
Ethical Bean – by scanning the QR code on the bag of coffee, consumers can learn more about where their coffee was grown.
Rollout – company that designs and digitally prints custom wallpaper, created QRious Paper.
Code Unique – a hotel that is being built in Dubai where the building itself is a QR code
Lisa Rabey – recent library school grad who wore this delightfully cheeky t-shirt to ALA
QR codes — Libraries
University of Bath Library – QR codes in their catalogue at the item level. Scanning these dynamically generated QR codes brings up the type of information that users generally have to jot down on a piece of paper: call number, shelving location, title and author. Kate Robinson presented on this at the m-Libraries conference last year.
Where, why, and how we're using QR codes in my library – previous blog post
Contra Costa public library – connecting transit commuters with ebook collections using QR codes.
More examples of how libraries are using QR codes – Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki
QR codes — Creating
I used Kaywa's QR code generator, but there are many others.
QR codes — Scanning
I have an iPhone and use Neoreader (free). Some Android using folks have recommended Barcode Scanner.
See also
Microsoft tags – apparently have great analytics, but you need to use the proprietary Microsoft reader
stickybits – traditional barcodes + social media


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All About the Maos: Charting China's Cash Crunch
A cash crunch in China's all important money markets has hit the headlines, conjuring images of the U.S. after the collapse of Lehman Brothers.
On Thursday, interbank borrowing rates hit a nosebleed-inducing 28% for seven-day loans. Bank of China – one of China's biggest lenders – issued a denial after rumors of a default swirled. The shock has started to ripple out to the rest of the financial markets, triggering a sell-off in equities.
Is this Lehman with Chinese characteristics? The answer is no. The central bank has vast resources at its disposal to prevent a downward spiral. But it does highlight increasing stress in China's financial sector, as growth in the real economy pushes toward a 20-year low. China Real Time charts it out.
Money markets are an essential building block of the financial system, the place where banks lend and borrow to each other to fund their daily operations. In China, they have grown rapidly in importance. Turnover in the repo market has risen from 11 trillion yuan in 2007, equivalent to 42% of GDP, to 136 trillion yuan, equivalent to 263% of GDP, in 2012. A typical repo transaction involves one bank using a Treasury bond as security for a short-term loan from another bank.
Part of the reason for that rapid growth is a deliberate attempt by the People's Bank of China to nurture the money markets as a way to set monetary policy. The past approach was to impose crude controls on how much banks can lend. Now China's monetary policy makers want to use more market-determined means. By steering the rate at which banks can borrow, they can influence the cost of credit throughout the economy.
The current squeeze suggests that events may have run outside the central bank's control. Seven-day borrowing rates touched 28% in trading Thursday, a record high. That sparked rumors in the market of everything from a default by a major bank to a secret injection of liquidity by the PBOC (later denied by the banks).
There are a number of temporary factors contributing to the current squeeze. On the demand side, tax season and a holiday in early June both added to demand for cash. Demand for extra funds from banks to meet regulatory requirements on loan-to-deposit ratios ahead of mid-year reporting is also a factor.
On the supply side, inflows of foreign exchange have slowed sharply. China's banks purchased a net 66 billion yuan in foreign exchange in May, down from an average of 377 billion yuan in the first four months of the year. Rumors of a default in the market also added to counterparty risk, and made banks less willing to lend.
Temporary factors are important. But China's financial system has faced tax season, holidays, and capital outflows before, without such a pronounced surge in money market rates. That suggests there is something else at work.
An overstretched financial system is part of the explanation. China's ratio of credit to GDP ballooned to 180% in 2012, up from 123% in 2008. With growth slowing, it's likely that an increasing share of those loans is non-performing. That forces banks to tap the money markets more aggressively for their daily operations.
The sharp increase in wealth-management products also adds to pressure on the banks. Assets in wealth-management products – investment products that offer some of the security of a deposit but higher returns – have ballooned to 7.1 trillion yuan at end 2012, from close to zero a few years ago.
The problem for the banks is that in many cases the assets in WMPs are long term, but their liabilities to investors are short term. Charlene Chu, China bank analyst at Fitch, estimates that more than 1.5 trillion yuan in WMPs will mature in the last 10 days of June. With banks tapping the money markets to repay investors, that adds to pressure on short-term borrowing rates.
The People's Bank of China actually has multiple options for easing liquidity conditions. There are 19 trillion yuan in bank deposits sitting on reserve at the central bank. A 0.5 percentage point cut in the reserve requirement ratio would release almost 500 billion yuan of those deposits into the system, lowering rates.
The central bank could also make use of its open market operations to inject funds. So far it has done so, but too timidly to have a real impact, with a net injection of 280 billion yuan in the last three weeks.
The rumor Friday is that instead of intervening directly, the central bank has instructed big banks – which typically have a surplus of funds -- to lend to small banks, which typically have a dearth. That might be why the weighted average of seven day borrowing rate has edged down to 9.3%, from 11.6% Thursday.
All of those options would ease conditions for the banks, but at the cost of letting them off the hook for their years of reckless lending. The final option, and the one which the central bank appears to prefer, is to let the banks sweat it out. That will cause some short-term pain. But it should also instill some market discipline, and encourage more rational lending in the future.
The repercussions of higher rates are already being felt across China's financial sector.
In the corporate bond market, yields at the short end of the curve have surged as investors sell off their holdings to raise cash. The yield on AAA rated corporate bonds with a one-month maturity rose to 10% Thursday, up from 5.6% Wednesday, and considerably higher than the yield on longer maturities.
China's equity markets have slumped, with the Shanghai Composite falling to 2084 on Thursday, down 10.3% from the end of May when the stress in money markets began.
In the real economy, even before the surge in money market rates growth has already slowed sharply. Economists have rushed to lower their forecasts, with some now expecting growth for the year below the government's 7.5% target.
The risk going forward is that higher costs for the banks will be passed onto their customers in the form of less abundant and more costly loans. In the long term, slower expansion of credit is exactly what China's economy needs. In the short term, the impact will be to take growth down another notch.
-- Tom Orlik, with charts by Rosa de Acosta and contributions from Shen Hong
For GDP, trade, manufacturing, property and other historical Chinese economic data dating back as far as 1978, visit CRT's interactive China Econtracker.
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text: Bill Murray's soon-to-be ex-wife, Jennifer, has just released a doozy of a divorce filing, in which she accuses the Groundhog Day star of "adultery, addiction to marijuana and alcohol, abusive behavior, physical abuse, sexual addictions and frequent abandonment." The couple has been married for 12 years and have four children. Say it ain't so, Bill! • More break-up news: Ally Sheedy is divorcing her husband of 15 years, fellow actor David Lansbury. • Gwyneth Paltrow works out three hours a day, says Mario Batali, and that's why she can eat whatever she wants. Whatever. [The Smoking Gun, ICYDK via Dlisted, Us]


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| 15°C Dublin
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho believes Liverpool have a big advantage in the Barclays Premier League title race due to their lack of European involvement.
Mourinho's men head the table but fourth-placed Liverpool are just four points adrift.
Chelsea, second-placed Arsenal and third-placed Manchester City are all involved in Europe's premier club competition.
Although Brendan Rodgers' men are 8-1 with most bookmakers, the Portuguese thinks they have to be taken seriously because they do not have the distraction of European football.
Mourinho explained: "When I say we're not the top candidate everyone thinks 'here he is again, with what you like to call the mind games'.
"But it's just my feeling. The league is amazing but Liverpool have a big advantage because of the fact they don't play in the Champions League."
Mourinho does not expect his team or any of their rivals to have an easy run-in.
He added on Sky Sports News: "Every team needs points for their objective - some for relegation, some for Champions League football and some are trying to be champions. It's going to be hard for everybody."
England manager Roy Hodgson this week made a concerted effort to end any talk of Blues central defender John Terry coming out of international retirement.
Terry's form has been so good this year that Gary Lineker, among others, called for the Chelsea skipper to come back to the international fold.
And Mourinho does not believe the subject of Terry playing for his country should be under discussion.
He added: "It's a waste of time to keep speaking about the situation.
"Roy Hodgson is the person to kill the discussion or to feed it. End of story.
"I'd never intervene. He's in charge and has everything in his hand. He has made that decision.
"For me as a Chelsea manager I'm happy players play with their national teams - but at the same time I'm happy an important player like him is fully focused on his work at Chelsea."
PA Media


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Table of contents
About this book
Until recently, building interactive web-based mapping applications has been a cumbersome affair. This changed when Google released its powerful Maps API. Beginning Google Maps Applications with PHP and Ajax was written to help you take advantage of this technology in your own endeavorswhether you're an enthusiast playing for fun or a professional building for profit. This book covers version 2 of the API, including Google's new Geocoding service.
Authors Jeffrey Sambells, Cameron Turner, and Michael Purvis get rolling with examples that require hardly any code at all, but you'll quickly become acquainted with many facets of the Maps API. They demonstrate powerful methods for simultaneously plotting large data sets, creating your own map overlays, and harvesting and geocoding sets of addresses. You'll see how to set up alternative tile sets and where to access imagery to use for them. The authors even show you how to build your own geocoder from scratch, for those high-volume batch jobs.
As well as providing hands-on examples of real mapping projects, this book supplies a complete reference for the Maps API, along with the relevant aspects of JavaScript, CSS, PHP, and SQL. Visit the authors' website for additional tips and advice.
Bibliographic information
- DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4302-0224-0
- Copyright Information Apress 2006
- Publisher Name Apress
- eBook Packages Professional and Applied Computing Professional and Applied Computing (R0)
- Print ISBN 978-1-59059-707-1
- Online ISBN 978-1-4302-0224-0
- Buy this book on publisher's site


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CATHERINE THE GREAT (1729- 1796) Russian
Sophia Augusta Frederica, the princess of Anhalt-Zerbst Bernburg was fourteen when she was brought to Moscow as a prospective match for Grand Duke Peter, the nephew of Empress Elizabeth. She was brought up on the finest traditions of French culture and had a keen mind was married to the slow-witted boy in August 1745. His German wife had become converted to Greek Orthodox Church and received the name Catherine Alekseyevna and became an empress with his elevation into Czar Peter III(1762).
The Empress of Russia won over her subjects paradoxically enough over her husband who was pro-German! In 1762 the untimely death of the Czar opened way for her to become the sole ruler of Russia.
She left her personal mark on Russian history in four ways: as a lover, domestic reformer, as a woman of culture and in her foreign policies.
She began as a reformer championing the cause of the under dog.
Catherine's domestic policy can be divided into two periods: before and after Pugachev's mutiny. During the first period she wanted to create an image of a philosopher on the throne. Enlightened absolutism met with opposition and swung to the other extreme. She crushed the rebellion of the serfs in 1773 and made nobility the most privileged class in the country.
Her foreign policy was based on her relations with Poland and Turkey. She annexed a large part of Turkish territory as a result of Russian-Turkish war and her empire had access to Black Sea, Crimea and the Caucasus. Russia was interested in Poland as a "buffer" country between it and the stronger neighbours. A year before her death she annexed Poland.
A marriage brought Catherine to Russia and a marriage removed her. She was interested in a prospective match for her great granddaughter and Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden refused to sign the contract. She was upset. A week later she died of a stroke.
Catherine as the Patron of Arts
Catherine had a reputation as a patron of the arts, literature and education. The Hermitage Museum began as Catherine's personal collection. She wrote a manual for the education of young children, drawing from the ideas of John Locke, and founded (1764) the famous Smolny Institute, admitting young girls of the nobility.
She wrote comedies, fiction and memoirs, while cultivating Voltaire, Diderot and d'Alembert – all French encyclopedists. Soon after her accession in 1762, having heard that the French government threatened to stop the publication of the famous French Encyclopédie on account of its irreligious spirit, Catherine proposed to Diderot that he should complete his great work in Russia under her protection. Voltaire was another with whom she corresponded with him for 15 years, till his death in 1778. He lauded her accomplishments, calling her "The Star of the North" and the "Semiramis of Russia. Though she never met him face-to-face, she mourned him bitterly when he died, acquired his collection of books from his heirs, and placed them in the National Library of Russia.


text: "I have never been to a reunion. I just really don't feel the need to let anybody know what the hell I am doing because they can pretty much tell what I am doing all day. I really don't care. The people I want to know are there in my life already and if not I can do the Facebook thing that people do, where they upload their entire lives and say things like 'I took a poop this morning'. I don't want to know that much about anybody." — Cameron Diaz.


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Local & Federal Regulations
Cities and Counties in Indiana have jurisdiction over many areas, which can affect small business. Zoning regulations and signage issues are almost always local issues. As mentioned earlier, contractor licensing (for contractors other than plumbers) is also a local option. Some areas also have a "transient merchant" license or some other regulation of those doing business without an established business location. Since regulations vary from city to city and county to county, it is always necessary to contact the local government wherever work id done. Consult a local telephone directory for contact information regarding local government offices. For general information regarding the federal government agency contact:


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LAST UPDATED: May 8th, 2015
This fall we had the opportunity to run the new Archers Choice TV Signature Edition game camera by Stealth Cam through an in-depth series of tests. We didn't just want to do a quick review on game cameras, we wanted to give you, the readers the best understanding and quality review, so that you can make your own decision on what game camera is right for you, and be confident in that decision.
In this review we break the camera down, from the size of the camera, factory specs on the camera, to the warranty and operators manual. We will also look at the cameras mounting system, ease of use, trigger speed, sensor distance, sensor width, IR (infrared) distance test, battery life and many more series of other tests and features of the camera.
The author using the compact Archer's Choice edition game camera by Stealth Cam
Under each category I list a score. The score is based on a system of 1 through 10. The score of 1 being the worst, and the score of 10 being the best. To understand the means of scoring we were very strict about how good a 10 really is, basically a 10 means it is perfect with no room for improvement. We also used feet as well as yards to measure distance. The reason for this is most people have a hard time picturing how far 24 feet is but all bow hunters can picture how far 8 yards is.
At the end of the review we will give you an easy to view break down of the good vs. the bad of the game camera reviewed, along with our overall impression of the game camera. So let's literally break the new Archers Choice TV signature edition game camera by Stealth Cam down to the nuts and bolts.
Test Conditions:
Controlled testing was done on September 20th 2011 in the evening hours with temperatures that averaged around 70 degrees.
Battery life test was conducted in a range of temperature from 70 degrees down to 10 degrees, along with rain and snow.
Make and Model of Game Camera:
Stealth Cam Archers Choice TV Signature Edition Game Camera. Model #: STC-AC540IR
Game Camera Size:
This camera has dimensions of 6 inches tall, 4 inches wide, by 2 inches deep. It is very small, compact and light weight.
Factory Specs features of the Game Camera:
Stealth Cam was really thinking when they designed this camera; it shows by the locations of the LCD screens, along with ease of use. Stealth Cam equipped the Archers Choice edition with the option of selecting 3, 5, or 8 megapixels. It also can capture video along with audio at 640×480 resolutions. The photos are all stamped with date, time, moon phase, and temperature. All of this data can be stored on a SD card with up to 16 GB of memory. With the camera set to take 5 megapixel pictures, you can store 5440 black and white photos, or 3264 color photos. With the camera set to take 30 second videos, you can store 544 black and white (night time) videos on a 16 GB SD card or 224 color videos. (Note that these are approximate number of images)
The Archers Choice edition is equipped with a generous 1.85" black and white LCD Display. This display is located inside the camera and shows you your different settings and menu. There is also a LCD display on the outside face of the game camera that shows the number of pictures taken. This is a great feature so you do not have to open up the camera to view how many pictures have been taken.
Stealth Cam designed the Archer's Choice edition to be easy to use and user friendly
This camera also has the capture options of 1-9 image burst mode. The burst mode takes the selected number of photos in a row. This feature is designed to capture several different angles of your buck's antlers to provide a better judgment of the animal. The pictures are saved to the SD card in a standard JPEG format. The time that each trigger is taken by the camera or also known as the time out feature can be set from 0 seconds to 59 minutes. This is the time in between each event before the camera takes another picture(s).
This camera is also equipped with a time lapse mode. This feature is designed to provide a constant monitor of an area; the camera will bypass the passive infrared sensor (PIR) and take photos (not video) during the programed time frame. For example , it will snap a photo every 10 seconds from 8am to 8pm. Then the entire days' worth of data can be viewed in a short period of time. This feature is handy for monitoring food plots or field where the deer may be out to far to trigger the PIR but can still be captured in the picture.
On the front of the camera it had a red LED low battery light that indicates that the batteries need to be changed without having to open the camera to check the battery status. There is also a green test LED light on the front of the camera to test the range and angle of the camera.
Next, the camera has five buttons under the inside LCD display, these buttons are-the test, confirm, menu, and the up and down buttons for setting up the camera's modes. On each side of those buttons there are two switches, the power on/off and the Posse Mode/ custom switch.
This camera is has a 1.85″ B&W LCD display
The posse mode is a pre-set mode for the camera's ease of use. If you're not a very technologically advanced individual, all that you have to do is flip the switch to on, then flip the other switch to posse mode and walk away. In the posse mode the camera will automatically take 5 megapixel photos, with a two picture burst and a one minute delay until the next event. Or you can flip the switch to custom and program the camera to take video, time laps, or photos.
Both the photos and videos are illuminated by infrared LED's giving it a 50 foot or approximately 16.6 yard range.
Ok, now that we have a good back ground on the specs and features of the new Archers Choice edition game camera by Stealth Cam let's start breaking it down and seeing how it scores.
Initial Impressions of the Camera:
Upon receiving the game camera we noticed that the camera had a very durable housing. The camera is sealed tightly by two heavy duty plastic latches with metal C-bar. Compared to other game cameras that we have used the Archers Choice edition game camera was more durable that most others on the market, and is able to with stand the abuse that the average hunter will put it through. This camera is a camera that can take a licking and keep on clicking.
Initial Impressions of the Camera score: 8.5
Operators Manual and Lay Out, Tech Support, and Warranty:
Stealth Cam's game cameras come with an in depth operators manual. If you lose your manual to your Stealth Cam you can go to Stealth Cam's web site at www.stealthcam.com and print off the manual to your model of Stealth Cam.
On the first page of the Archers Choice edition game camera is all the customer support information for the Stealth Cam Company. Not only does it provide the web address for the website, but also the companies mailing address, customer service number along with the email address to technical support.
The Stealth Cam Company has a one year limited warranty on parts and labor. The warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials.
Operators Manual, Tech Support, and Warranty score: 9
Camera's Mounting System:
The Stealth Cam comes with a nylon web strap. On the back of the camera there are two molded slots for the web strap to slide through to secure the camera to the strap. These molded slots can also be used for other ways of securing the camera to a tree or fence post. An example of this would be if you wanted to secure the camera using bungi straps instead of the supplied nylon strap.
The Archers Choice edition also has a tree screw mounting option on the bottom of the camera. This is designed for use with a tri pod to place the camera on if no tree is available or if you wanted to use a tree screw to mount the camera to a tree and not the strap.
Camera's Mounting System Score: 9.5
Trigger Speed:
Independent test have been conducted on the Stealth Cam Hunters Choice model and has shown to have a trigger speed of approximately 1.5 seconds.
With a 1.5 second trigger speed Stealth Cam is not the fastest camera on the market. This is one area that I would like to see Stealth Cam improve on. On field tests this slower trigger speed didn't affect the number of deer that we were able to capture on the field test as much as I had expected. If a deer was feeding his way or even walking past, the camera does a good job at capturing the deer. If the deer was trotting through or on a run, the 1.5 second trigger speed may have a hard time capturing that image.
Trigger Speed Score: 6.5
Camera Ease of Use:
When the Archers Choice camera was designed you can definitely tell that ease of use was priority number one. All it takes to get this camera going is a flip of two switches. If you're not person who likes to read owner manuals, just flip the power on and flip the second switch to the posse mode. The camera preprogramed to take 5 megapixel photos with two picture bursts and a one minute time out. That's it, just set it and forget it. It's that simple.
If you wish to set the camera to your own custom settings, just preset the different features in the menu mode prior to heading out to the woods. Once in the woods just flip the power switch to on and walk away. Unlike some cameras on the market, you don't have to go into the settings and manually arm the camera; with just a flip of the switch you're ready to start taking photos.
Camera Ease of Use Score: 10
Camera Noise:
We wanted to add this topic into the review because we have tested several cameras that make a "clicking" noise while it is taking the photo. This can be a major problem because it will tip of a mature buck of the cameras presence. Once that buck is spooked and realizes his home has been invaded chances are he will shy from the area of the camera.
No camera noise is improtant so an animal close to the camera does not hear when the picture is taken
While testing the Stealth Cam and taking hundreds of pictures with it, not once did we notice any noise from the camera, so much so the only way we knew the camera took a photo was by picture counter on the front of the camera, or under low light the LEDs lighting up.
Camera Noise Score: 10
PIR (Passive Infrared) Sensor Distance Test:
Under a low light condition we set the camera up and began to walk towards the camera, once the LEDs light up we would measure the distance to the camera. We conducted this test numerous time to be sure we got the most accurate results.
The maximum range we were able to get the PIR to take a picture was 14 yards or 42 feet
The camera would trigger at a distance of forty two feet or fourteen yards. The most effective range for best results is thirty feet or ten yards.
PIR Sensor Distance Test Score: 8
PIR Sensor Width Test:
Again under low light condition we used the distance of 24 feet or 8 yards from the camera. I then walked across the plane of the camera marking the location that the PIR sensor first picked up my motion. We copied this from the other side of the camera.
The PIR sensor width at 8 yards is 5 yards or 15 feet wide
At 24 feet or 8 yards from the camera, we had a PIR sensor width of 24 feet or 8 yards wide.
PIR Sensor Width Test Score: 8
Infrared Distance Test:
We used a 3-D target to represent our deer at the given distance to judge the picture quality and the effective distance of the Infrared flash.
The above picture shows the IR capabilities at 30 feet or 10 yards to the deer target
The above picture shows the IR capabilities with the deer target being 50 feet or 16.6 yards
After testing the infrared at the distances of 30 feet and the recommended maximum range of 50 feet we reviewed the photos. This test showed that we could still identify antler characteristics all the way out to the 50 foot maximum range with good quality.
Infrared Distance Test Score: 9
Picture Quality:
To decide the score for the picture quality we reviewed photos that were taken under both the black and white infrared night pictures and color day photos. We also compared and reviewed both photos taken during the tests and in the field photos.
Stealth Cam takes great night time photos and has an excellent IR range
Some of the color pictures taken in the morning have a blur to them
The Stealth Cam took great quality night time photos, both in the field and under testing conditions. The day time photos taken under the testing were of good quality, however some of the day time photos in the field had a haze to them.
Picture Quality Score: (9 for infrared) (7 for day time)
Special Feature Test:
In the PIR mode the Stealth Cam has different zoom levels to achieve a close up picture at a further distance.
The above picture showing the quality picture set at the two power zoom
The above picture shows the picture quality of the camera set at the four power zoom
During the testing the zoom modes is a great feature, especially when using the camera for home security. The zoom at 4x (the maximum) showed a little bit of blur.
Special Feature Test Score: 8.5
Battery Life Test:
This camera runs off of 8 AA batteries and has the optional connection for an external 12 volt battery pack. Using the AA batteries we had the camera in place set on the PIR photo mode taking 8 megapixel photos. The camera battery life was monitored from the last week of October to the last week of December.
We wanted to test the battery life through this time frame since this is the time when most hunters have their cameras in the woods. Also this time frame gives us a wide range of temperatures. During this test we had temperatures ranging from 70 degrees down to 10 degrees, we also had sunshine along with snow.
We started with full battery power at the end of October, the last week of December we were down to ¼ battery power. Given the weather conditions which this camera was tested in, we were very impressed with the battery life using the AA batteries.
Battery Test Score: 8.5
Final Impressions of Camera:
After running this camera through a strict series of tests, we are very impressed with the Stealth Cam's Archers Choice Signature Series game camera.
This camera is small and compact in size, light and easy to transport. It has many great features that are useful for many different applications. It also has a good battery life, which has shown to be reliable under a variety of weather conditions.
The trigger speed is slower than we would like, however it is not the slowest on the market nor is it so slow that you're going to miss animals walking through.
The picture quality and IR range at night is excellent, we were very impressed with the IR range. The day light photos were good quality with some of the early morning pictures having a slight blur to them.
We were also impressed with the durability of this camera. Stealth Cam did not make a cheap quality camera here; this camera can take a licking and keep on clicking with the quality and durability of the camera body.
Also this camera is very reasonably priced. You can buy several of these cameras for the price of a different company's camera.
If you are looking for an easy to use camera that does not require reading the owner's manual from cover to cover and days to learn, this is the camera for you. You will spend less time reading and learning the camera and more time having the camera in the woods scouting for you. Stealth Cam designed this camera to be a no brainer and is super easy to use.
Over All Score: 8.5
Hopefully this review will help you with deciding which camera is right for you this year. All cameras have their strong points along with their weak points. There is no perfect camera on the market, and we hope that this review helps to assist you in picking out your next camera to get you on the biggest buck of your life.