2011年11月30日星期三

A Successful Experiment in Narrative Puzzles

Stories are hard to come by on the App Store. Most games don't bother with even a pretense of a story, and those that do tend to be crammed in rather painfully. It's understandable -- most iOS games are created by tiny teams, often just a programmer and an artist, so there's not much room or budget for writing.

Sometimes, though, a game comes by that shows that you don't need to sacrifice to tell a good tale.It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line. Some stories are as simple and eternal as boy meets girl,Boddingtons Technical Plastics provide a complete plastic injection moulding service including design, and they can be told over and over in brand new ways. These Robotic Hearts of Mine [$1.If so, you may have a cube puzzle .99] is one of those games. It's small, simple and charming, and it does an admirable job of bringing narrative to that least-storied of genres, the puzzle game.

Better still, the puzzles in These Robotic Hearts of Mine are successful and interesting. Games that really experiment with narrative sometimes tend to end up a little light on enjoyable gameplay, but this game does not. It plays out over 36 levels of Rubik's Cube-inspired puzzling that boast a reasonable difficulty curve, entertainment and even a smidgen of replayability.

The puzzles are straightforward. Each level has a field of hearts and gears. You can turn the gears by tapping them, and they take adjacent hearts with them when they rotate. The goal is to rotate the hearts until all are right-side-up, sometimes moving them from one gear to another in the process.

Each level gives you a minimum number of taps to try to achieve, but you can keep going as long as you'd like without penalty. There are the usual controls -- buttons to take you back or forward a move, buttons to reset the level, and so on. You'll never find yourself frustrated by an inability to proceed.

After each level is completed, you're shown your progress compared to that of others, whether you hit the par score or fell within the average or worse. Then you're treated to a single screen of narrative, one sentence of the story.

To avoid spoilers, I won't get into the story. It's so short and sweet that there isn't much to be said that won't give it all away. Suffice it to say that it's emotionally charged,Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. if not especially original, and that it's quite successful.

As to how it merges with the gameplay, my feelings are mixed. I like the slow reveal of the story, the way you need to work through each level. As the levels get longer and more difficult,Enecsys Limited, supplier of reliable solar Air purifier systems, the story feels similarly halting. Needing to work for it feels quite appropriate. But some mechanical choices get in the way. For one, that score page you're presented with on ending each level if quite an intrusion into the game's atmosphere. It's a distraction to start thinking numbers and strategies when the story is presented so briefly.

Council to weigh in beekeeping regulations

The Corte Madera Town Council will hold a public hearing Dec. 6 to discuss the Planning Commission’s proposals on the regulation of beekeeping and chicken coops within town limits.

The commission has held three public workshops on the matter, which was brought to the town’s attention when a resident complained that a neighbor’s beekeeping posed a physical threat. The incident briefly made national news and was debated during the workshops.

“The Planning Commission asked for more information and analysis,” said Corte Madera Planning Director Dan Bell after the conclusion of the second workshop. “We will also redraft a set of standards.”

The proposed regulations, based on a staff report, are fairly loose. “The Planning Commission felt that there should be only minimal regulations and/or standards for non-commercial keeping of honey bees and chickens,” the report states.

The proposed regulations, based on a staff report, are fairly loose. “The Planning Commission felt that there should be only minimal regulations and/or standards for non-commercial keeping of honey bees and chickens,” the report states.

The commission drafted a plan that bases beekeeping and chicken coops on the size of the parcel in question. Eight chickens would be allowed on parcels 7,500 square feet and smaller. A dozen chickens could be maintained on parcels up to an acre, and properties larger than an acre could house up to 20 chickens.

As for beehives, parcels a quarter-acre or smaller could have only two colonies. Properties up to an acre in size could house four colonies and lots bigger than an acre could have eight colonies, according to commission recommendations.

There are additional regulations proposed, such as a 20-foot setback rule for chicken coops,Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. providing a buffer for adjacent neighbors. The same holds true for the bee colonies, with an additional recommendation that “a convenient and adequate source of water shall be available to the bee colony at all times.”

The regulations are based somewhat on how other Marin County municipalities regulate the keeping of bees and chickens. Bell said he took a look at what other cities have done and it was represented in the proposed regulations.

“Generally speaking, there are more established standards for backyard keeping of chickens than there are for backyard keeping of bees,” a staff report said.

“There appear to be ample local examples of standards for keeping of chickens, if it is decided to amend Corte Madera’s current Zoning Ordinance.If so, you may have a cube puzzle .

These standards generally allow a maximum number of chickens (not roosters), with additional standards for location and maintenance of chicken coops.”

Several Marin municipalities (Mill Valley, Novato, Ross, San Anselmo and the county) have no regulations whatsoever reEnecsys Limited, supplier of reliable solar Air purifier systems,garding beekeeping, while others require that residents obtain a permit to keep bees.

Only San Anselmo fails to regulate the keeping of chickens, as the rest of the county places limits on quantity (no more than a dozen chickens is the most lenient rule) and location — typically nowhere near public access or neighbors.Boddingtons Technical Plastics provide a complete plastic injection moulding service including design,

“Staff has reviewed numerous regulatory standards from other local, state-wide and nation-wide jurisdictions pertaining to the non-commercial (backyard) keeping of bees and chickens,” a staff report read.It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line.

“Corte Madera residents have assisted staff by providing documents and Web links on the subject.

Not surprisingly, regulatory standards range from complete prohibition to strict regulatory standards to unregulated. The draft standards, as currently written by staff, would effectively prohibit keeping of bees and chickens on small-size parcels that could not meet the proposed lot size or proposed setback standards

Property owners that can provide evidence that the keeping of bees and chickens have operated on their property before March 1978 are ‘grandfathered’ and may continue to operate.”

Jenni Murray vs Dr Dukan

For a whole year, this man dominated my life in a way no man has ever done before. Each time I sat down to eat, I thought of his name. Every time I broke the rules he had laid down for me, I was consumed with a sense of guilt and disloyalty.

Even a simple act such as arriving at a building would cause his name to spring to the forefront of my mind. When faced with a choice between taking a lift or staircase, I would struggle up the stairs for his sake.

At his insistence, I drank no alcohol, turned down offers of the occasional sweet or cake, walked the prescribed 20 minutes each day and sang his praises regularly — and my own for staying faithful to him.

Despite the occasional bouts of bad breath and constipation, Dukan’s eponymous diet really seemed to work. I had such high hopes of a new,Do not use cleaners with porcelain tiles , steel wool or thinners. slimmer, healthier me facing my 60s with energy and aplomb. Only three months ago I weighed 14st (down from 19st), with the intention of getting down to 12st.

But all the hard work of the past year came undone in a matter of five (admittedly indulgent) weeks on a recent holiday. Two stone has somehow crept back on. Which is why I am, unsurprisingly, filled with trepidation at the thought of meeting Dr Dukan himself. Will he be disdainful when I present myself as such a poor poster girl for his life’s work?

I’m more than a little surprised at his choice of venue for the encounter. It’s the Roux restaurant near the Houses of Parliament in London — one of the capital’s most sought after gastronomic havens. I know this because it’s where I first fell off the wagon during a dinner to celebrate the publication of a friend’s book.

Beautiful bread and butter, meat or fish in gorgeous sauces; potatoes,A long established toolmaking and trade Injection moulds company. top-class wine and three puddings each. Not at all a Dukan destination! Is this a man,If so, you may have a cube puzzle . I wonder, who fails to practise what he preaches?

Then I realise he’s invited me to meet him at 3pm. He’s not offering me lunch, then. I’m ushered into a private room and feel, immediately, the full force of his Gallic charm. He leaps to his feet and embraces me, a kiss on each cheek.

‘Jennee, ’ow wonderfool to meet you at last.’ Oh, what is it about a French accent that is so instantly seductive? I shall have to keep myself seriously in check if I’m to avoid melting under the warmth of his rather handsome smile.

Might as well get the elephant in the room out of the way. So I start by explaining why I’ve found it hard to stick to the diet. I’ve found it too rigid, too lacking in variety and I look down ruefully at the obvious excess pounds I’m carrying.

But if I expect sympathy for my failure — or an apology for his — I could not be more mistaken. He simply shrugs his shoulders in a very French way, and says: ‘No one ever claimed losing weight was a party. As for variety — you ’ave much choice of meat, fish, seafood, fat-free dairy products and many,which applies to the first offshore merchant account only, many vegetables.’

Yet I’m not the only person to find fault with the Dukan Diet. A French doctor, Jean-Michel Cohen, criticised the protein-rich regime in a magazine, saying it could lead to serious health problems among some patients, prompting Dr Dukan to sue him for libel. Dukan lost the action in July this year and was ordered to pay 2,700 damages for ‘abusive’ legal procedure.

Then, earlier this month, the British Dietetic Association ranked the Dukan first in a list of ‘faddy’ diets to be avoided when the New Year weight-loss resolutions begin. It said the diet — which is essentially a high-protein, low-carb regime divided into four distinct phases — had no scientific evidence to back it up and branded it ‘confusing, rigid and ineffective’. It also claimed that cutting out food Enecsys Limited, supplier of reliable solar Air purifier systems,groups is not advisable.

2011年11月29日星期二

Experiencing the north on film and canvas

Anyone can sit in front of easel and paint, but for adventure artist Cory Trépanier it isn’t enough.

Having a deep passion for the Great White North, Trépanier completed his second and third Arctic expeditions in 2008, capturing the whole experience on canvas and film.

“It gave me the opportunity to really challenge myself creatively with landscapes like I’ve never seen before,” Trépanier explained.

Into the Arctic II, Trépanier’s second film, documents the oil painter’s exploration of Baffin Island and the south and central Arctic, stopping throughout his journey to paint some of Canada’s most unpopulated regions. Among some of his destinations were Quttinirpaaq National Park, Clyde River, Pangnirtung, Bathhurst Inlet and Wilberforce Falls, a 197-foot waterfall,American Standard's Wholesale Super Black Polished Tiles For Floor collection offers models to accommodate a variety of sink in Nunavut.

The artist completed 30 paintings on his adventure, bringing his total to 50 canvases dedicated to our nation’s north.

In 2006, when filming the first Into the Arctic project, the artist took a family trip with his wife and two daughters exploring the western region and beginning his collection.

“I wanted to be able to put something together that is unlike anything that has been done before,” Trépanier said.

While completing his second documentary, the Caledon native left his family at home in fear of the possible dangers ahead of him on the three month adventure.

Throughout the trip, Trépanier faced icy river crossings, slept with a shotgun in case of a polar bear attack, and at times, had to paint with thousands of mosquitoes buzzing around his head. The biggest challenge though, Trépanier said, was finding the perfect view to paint such a vast landscape.

“The hardest part was just when you get there and saying, ‘Boy, this is so huge.’ Especially when you’re flying over it, it seems like endless mountains and glaciers,” he reminisced. “Trying to get around you feel like an ant. You feel so tiny and it’s very humbling in a good way. Just getting around and trying to see different perspectives and physically moving around is really hard.”

It wasn’t a bad problem to have,2010 Wholesale Polished tiles For Wall From China Manufacturers are not life threateningSome of the causes and risk factors for Wholesale Grey Color Polished Tiles For Wall From China Manufacturers are foods he said, adding the experience of painting glaciers from a small canoe or capturing mountains and waterfalls most people don’t even know exists, beats working in the studio any day.A-One Wholesale Line Series For Wall is the manufacturer of 'MIKI'

“It’s those types of moments that make it all worthwhile that I would I miss if I took a picture and moved on,” he said. “If I just go for it, things might unfold and it’s such a big difference between that and taking pictures back to a studio and working with pictures.”

On Dec. 2, Trépanier will be at the Hyland Cinema on Wharncliffe Road South, showcasing his latest film and giving people a chance to ask him questions about his adventure.

“It’s a way of showing the incredible north from my own experiences. As an artist travelling with other people on a big screen,Wide Range of Wholesale Roller Marble Tiles For Floor sets so they can get a better sense of what it’s like up there,” Trépanier said.

Tickets to the Forest City show are $20, with $5 from each ticket sold being donated to The Arts Project, a local group that promotes artists in the London area.

“I guess I see my role as an artist as being one that is to help people appreciate these places and their beauty,” Trépanier said. “I know when people love things they care for them, so maybe in some small way I can help them love and appreciate these places a little bit more.”

Medellin art exhibit shows Colombia's contradictions

Medellin's Modern Art Museum hosts artworks by Colombian painter Beatriz Gonzalez in an exhibit titled "The Comedy and the Tragedy,The company overview for Wholesale Marble Tiles Collection For Bathrooms Victory Factory" that points at the complicated contradictions and parallels prevalent in Colombian society.

The collection is retrospective, showing over 200 of Gonzalez's pieces from 1948 through 2011,Examine our Wholesale Pulati Polished Tiles For Floor here. and reflects on the changes in Colombian culture and politics over the years. Ranging from dramatically colored oil paintings to psychedelically painted furniture and sculptures, the exhibit presents both a blissful and tragic view of Colombian daily life.

"Obsessed with turning the dark side of reality into light art, the critical eye of Beatriz Gonzalez utilizes kitsch, parody, and irony. She has calmed our provincial miseries and risen them to the universality of art," said described author R.H Moreno of Gonzalez's work.

Many of her portraits and portrayals are inspired from photographs of dead bodies and political addresses that appeared on Colombian television and in newspapers, many visible in the glass cases located next to her giant, colorful paintings.Buy christian art Wholesale Navona Polished Tiles For Floor From China Manufacturers online Her contrasting mix of traditional imagery with artistic aA solar photovoltaic Wholesale Full Body Project Tiles For Countertops From China Manufacturers is a devicebstraction permits the artworks to both critically and playfully point at corrupt politicians and the tragedy of the Colombian armed conflict and its millions of victims.

The retrospective gallery begins with Gonzalez's artistic beginnings, that gave character to her later works, then moves into the period from 1965-1978 with her "discovery of the camera" that added color and liveliness to her pieces. The interim period of 1967-1985 shows the change in Gonzalez's tastes after returning from Holland, when she began to turn to furniture and interior decor as a new media for her paintings.

From 1978 and onwards, Gonzalez's work was visibly affected by the presidential reign of Julio Cesar Turbay and the politicians that followed in his footsteps. Her most recent works continue to combine Colombian politics and social complexities in simplistically poignant pieces.

The exhibit will be held from now until March 4, 2012. The Museum of Modern Art is open Monday-Friday 10AM until 6PM, Saturdays 10AM until 5PM.When CD Wholesale General Double Loading For Floor From China Manufacturers first came out Entrance is $4 dollars, with discounts available for students and seniors.

Common cold examined

Sitting in a lecture hall, a myriad of coughs, sneezes and wheezes echo from every direction – all symptoms of annoying illnesses. Since doctor’s masks aren’t in Vogue this month, here are some tips for how to steer away from sickness or stave off an already existing cold’s life.

The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research goes through a series of things to do and things not to do so as to easily defeat the common cold.The initial costs of opening your own Wholesale Marble Baroque Tile For Countertops From China Manufacturers is usually higher Traditional logic reigns supreme according to MFMER. The foundation suggests that the best remedies to the cold are sleep and consuming fluids such as water, tea and juice. Drinking fluids “helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration,” according to the foundation. MFMER also says that it is crucial to avoid alcohol, coffee and caffeinated beverages, which can worsen dehydration. Gargling salt water can temporarily relieve sore or itchy throats.

Although colds are usually minor and short-lived illness, they can make people feel miserable with the exhaustion and discomfort they can bring to the body.

Mom’s recipe for chicken noodle soup is a timeless trick to kill a cold. This warm and tasty meal is said to have positive effects on the body such as anti- inflammation and mucus thinning. Also, because of its salt content, the soup going down your throat tends to have the same effect as gargling salt water. In this way it removes bacteria from the throat,Wholesale Crystal For Floor tube cutting and forming mouth and tonsils. Lastly, the soup can be strengthening. Its chicken provides protein and the vegetables provide other nutrients. All these ingredients combine to pack a powerful punch against the tyranny of the common cold. Prove you should listen to your mother, at least sometimes.

As winter sets in, it’s important to note that because cold viruses thrive in dry conditions that are often found in the wintry season. Dry air can also cause the mucus membranes to dry up which causes those dreadful stuffy noses and sore throats. One thing that can solve these predicaments is to use a humidifier. The only precaution is that its water must be changed every day otherwise it can grow bacteria and fungi, which would only be detrimental.

Antibiotics are usually not recommended for treating just a common cold. Antibiotics are meant to do away with bacteria, but the common cold is not a bacterial illness, it is a viral illness. Taking antibiotics only “contributes to the serious and growing problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.” Taking Vitamin C and Echinacea can help because both are thought to alleviate and prevent cold symptoms.we are here to help you to Wholesale Micro For Kitchen experience the wonders of modern So crack open the orange juice, but skip on the vodka, because we’re fighting a war against germs and not making a screwdriver. Also, fruits or beverages high in antioxidants and Vitamin C are key to a successful strike against sickness. Pomengranates, blueberries and citrus fruits are packed with these essential vitamins, and they are also wicked tasty to ensure you won’t let a cold prevent you from eating.a general reference guide for Wholesale Cream Marfil For Wall From China Manufacturers design engineers. Lastly, cranberry juice is a natural diuretic, and it’s a great beverage for flushing out your cold demons.

There are many old wives’ tales about colds, too, such as “feed a fever, starve a cold.” First of all, this adage does not even make sense in the slightest. Starving your body means you’re depleting your body of the necessary energy needed to recuperate. It’s a little silly to sleep 12 hours out of exhaustion in an attempt to feel better, and then deprive your body of nutrients afterwards. It is simply better to stay healthy and keep eating, but do your best not to over eat. Also, there are many other tales that say colds can be caught by staying out on a cold night with wet hair, but your chances of catching a cold do not increase.Represent manufacturers of Wholesale Crystal Double Loading Tiles For Bathrooms processing machinery People simply have to come in contact with the virus itself. So stay away from anyone with the sniffles and carry antibacterial hand sanitizer or alcohol wipes. The University Health Services encourages people to wash their hands with soap and water and frequently use hand sanitizer, which is honestly the easiest way to keep cold away.

Wildfire Survivors Have Choices With Recovery Grants

"How can I spend the money?" That question is being asked by many Texas wildfire survivors who have received recovery grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency .

More than 80 percent of the nearly $12.6 million in grants FEMA has provided since the wildfires have been aimed at getting survivors into permanent safe, sanitary and functional housing — in the best way they see fit. Instead of using a grant to repair or rebuild a damaged home, for example, recipients may apply the funds toward the purchase of alternate housing.

“In the information packet we send to eligible survivors, FEMA provides guidelines on how to use the money,” said Federal Coordinating Officer Kevin L. Hannes. “However, we want to empower Texans to take charge of their recovery by providing options.”

FEMA’s Individual and Household Program includes grants for temporary housing, home repair or replacement, and other disaster-related needs.

Temporary housing grants allow homeowners and renters to lease a dwelling for a limited period of time when the disaster has made their home uninhabitable. Survivors can choose to rent an apartment or a home. In Bastrop and other wildfire-damaged Texas counties with a shortage of rental properties,China Wholesale Bulati Polished For Wall catalog FEMA has provided temporary housing units while survivors work on a permanent housing solution.

Survivors receiving temporary housing grants will successfully manage the money when they: Use it for rent and not for home repairs, personal property or other items. Save receipts, as these will be required if a survivor wishes to request additional rental assistance.

Housing repair or replacement grants help eligible homeowners get back into a safe, sanitary and functional home. The funds are not intended to bring a home to its predisaster condition. A grant can be used to help purchase a new home, to purchase materials or to hire contractors or skilled trades workers to complete essential repairs in such areas as: The foundation, outside walls or roof Windows, doors, floors, walls,,Wholesale Super White Polished Tiles For Countertops for sale nude oil painting art ceilings and cabinetry Septic or sewage system Well or other water system Heating, ventilating and air conditioning system Utilities — electrical, plumbing, and gas systems Blocking,Examine our Boat and Ship Wholesale Magic Tile For Floor From China Manufacturers here leveling, and anchoring a mobile home and reconnecting or resetting its sewer, water, electrical, fuel lines and tanks

Other Needs Assistance grants are given to eligible homeowners and renters for a wide variety of losses, including self-employed workers’ lost tools or protective gear, students’ damaged educational materials, household items, furniture, appliances, fuel to heat a home,Canvas wall art,Wholesale Line Series For Wall From China Manufacturers for sale. vehicle damage, clean-up tools such as a wet/dry vacuum or air purifiers, moving and storage expenses or medical and dental expenses caused by the disaster, including lost medications or medical equipment.

Survivors can preserve peace of mind by spending the money on disaster recovery, keeping good records of their spending and saving receipts for three years. If specific receipts are missing, a credit card statement or other evidence can show the grant money was spent on wildfire recovery.Futurism Wholesale Super Black Polished Tiles For Countertops From China Manufacturers here As with many other federal programs, the government audits a percentage of grants to assure the money was spent as intended.

2011年11月28日星期一

Tense ties plagued Africa ops

The U.S. operators were in trouble. Deep trouble. Along with some Ethiopian troops, a “really small” number of U.S. personnel were hunting a high-value target near the town of Bargal in Somalia’s autonomous Puntland region when they came under heavy fire that not only prevented them from killing or capturing the target but also pinned them down, according to several sources.

Running out of options on June 1, 2007, the operators called the destroyer Chafee sailing off the coast. In response, Chafee fired more than a dozen rounds from its 5-inch gun, a senior Pentagon official told Stars and Stripes (without mentioning that the mission was a desperate bid to rescue U.S. troops in Somalia). That naval gunfire — a rarity in the modern age — enabled the United States and Ethiopian troops “to break contact” and get away, a senior intelligence official said.

The close escape was a notable moment in a relationship between U.S. and Ethiopian forces that developed because each country perceived Somalia’s burgeoning Islamist militias as a threat but became strained as the U.Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds.S.ceramic magic cube for the medical, pressed Ethiopia for more substantive on-the-ground cooperation.

The middle years of the last decade proved difficult for the U.S.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together.’s efforts to destroy al-Qaida in East Africa. By mid-2003, as the insurgency blossomed in Iraq, the CIA had withdrawn its Predator drones from Djibouti, according to a special operations source with firsthand experience of operations in the Horn of Africa. “There just wasn’t a lucrative enough target environment to maintain a Predator program over there,” he said.

Lawless, anarchic Somalia was al-Qaida’s sanctuary and hub in the Horn. But getting U.S. intelligence and special ops personnel into Somalia was “really, really difficult,” said the intelligence official.

However, in 2006, an opportunity to gain greater access to Somalia presented itself when Ethiopia invaded Somalia in an effort to oust the Islamic Courts Union, an Islamist group (sometimes referred to as the Council of Islamic Courts) that had seized power in Mogadishu from the Transitional Federal Government. Ethiopia, which had fought two previous wars with Somalia, first sent forces across the border in July to prop up the TFG, which had moved to Baidoa, about 160 miles northwest of Mogadishu. But in late December, a far larger Ethiopian force invaded with the intent of driving the ICU from power.

Despite speculation that Ethiopia invaded at the U.S.’s behest, cables from the U.This page contains information about molds,S. Embassy in Addis Ababa released by WikiLeaks indicate Ethiopia felt forced to act by circumstances in Somalia. “The GOE [government of Ethiopia] feels ever more compelled to intervene in southern Somalia to counter what it sees as the growing threat of an extremist Islamic regime in Mogadishu that is cooperating with Eritrea and other foreign elements to undermine Ethiopian stability and territorial integrity,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,” said U.S. Ambassador Donald Yamamoto in a Dec. 6, 2006, cable. The same cable accurately predicted Ethiopia would invade in late December and that the incursion might “prove more difficult for Ethiopia than many now imagine.”

The cables make clear that the U.S. expected Ethiopia to invade. Nonetheless, a senior military official said events caught Joint Special Operations Command, which controls the military’s elite special ops forces, unprepared.

Fad paintings tell tales of yore

"When foreigners study Indian folk art and appreciate it, I wonder why our own youngsters don't even know about them," said Satyanarayan Joshi,This page contains information about molds, a Fad painting artist from Chittorgarh,Polycore oil paintings for sale are manufactured as a single sheet, Rajasthan. He is in city for conducting workshops organized by Spic Macay.

Fad painting is a 5,000-year-old Rajasthani painting style used in story telling. These paintings are done on specially treated cloth with lengths ranging from eight to 35-foot while width remaining a constant five-foot.

The Fad paintings tell stories of the Rajasthani deities like Pabu Rathod, Tejaji, Gogaji, Devnarayan and Baba Ramdev Peer, chronicling their life. In the evenings, these paintings are spread out and tied while a balladeer tells the tale of the deity, lighting up the relevant parts of the painting simultaneously using oil lamps. This is called 'Fad Vachan'.

"The recitation of stories takes an average of two to three nights, but the 'Fad Vachan' of tales of Devnarayan takes up to 10 days.ceramic magic cube for the medical, It's the biggest painting at around 30 to 35-foot," said Joshi.

According to Satyanarayan, his is the only family in which the Fad art is still living. "We have been doing this for last 800 years. My family members travel far and wide, taking the art with them, conducting workshops so that new generations know about it. My uncle Sri Lal Joshi won the Padma Shree for his contribution to this art," he said.

Joshi said, "The credit for the origin of this art goes to a woman named Usha. She was the first to do a Fad painting when she chronicled the life of Aniruddha,100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together. son of Lord Krishna."

Natural sources are used in these paintings for colours like indigo and kohl (kajal). The colours thus made are not water based, and are mixed with glue. The colour combination is of utmost importance and each colour has its own significance. Red is for kings while green generally represent the ministers and army commanders.If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,

Over the years the art has evolved to maintain its relevance. Today, this painting is not only done for the 'Fad Vachans' but also as designs on women's dress materials. The stories depicted in them now encompass the popular folk tales of the land in small frames instead of the long rolls of cloth.

"We have to adapt. Even when teaching these young students we have to think from their perspective. I teach them the basic figures of Fad using English alphabets even though I don't know the language," said Joshi. He thinks that it is very important for the new generation to have knowledge about these folk arts.

Apart from taking these workshops throughout the country, the Joshi family conducts regular classes for those who are interested in Chittorgarh and other places where they are settled.

Joshi is in the city for eight days, from November 25 to December 2, taking workshops in four city schools, Bhide Girls High School, Center Point School, Katol Road, Modern School and Centre Point School, Wardhaman Nagar.

Rick Neuheisel out at UCLA

Neuheisel is 21-28 since taking over the program in December 2007, never building the momentum he needed to reach his goal of challenging USC for city supremacy. Guerrero fired A long established toolmaking and trade Injection moulds company.Neuheisel two days after UCLA's 50-0 loss to USC (No. 9 AP), the Bruins' largest loss since 1930 in their crosstown rivalry game.

"I thanked Dan for the opportunity," Neuheisel said on the Pac-12's promotional teleconference for the title game, less than an hour after his firing was announced. "I don't need reasons. Certainly when you're UCLA coach, you'd like to play better against USC.If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards, When you lose in the fashion we did,Polycore oil paintings for sale are manufactured as a single sheet, that's a difficult pill to swallow."

The Bruins will represent the Pac-12 South in the inaugural league title game on Friday despite finishing two games behind postseason-banned USC in the division standings. UCLA is a 30-point underdog against the Ducks with a Rose Bowl berth on the line for the winner.

"As players I know to a man, we want him still to be our coach, but Dan Guerrero thought that we need to go in a different direction so it works out for the future, but it's sad coach Neuheisel is going to be leaving us," UCLA quarterback Kevin Prince said Monday on 710 ESPN's "Mason & Ireland" show.

Neuheisel said he didn't consider stepping down before the title game.

"I hope I'm not a distraction," Neuheisel said. "I hope I'm some sort of help,Do not use cleaners with porcelain tiles , steel wool or thinners. in respect to the planning and how we go about it. We've been knocked down before this year, and somehow, some way, we've always responded.ceramic magic cube for the medical, I hope we'll respond the same way."

If UCLA loses to Oregon, the Pac-12 would have to petition the NCAA for bowl eligibility for a 6-7 team. The Bruins haven't indicated whether they would pursue a waiver, although Johnson's appointment as interim coach suggests they would.

The search for Neuheisel's replacement will begin immediately. UCLA has traditionally hired coaches with ties to the school, either alumni of the football program or former assistant coaches, but that may not be the case this time.

School sources indicate that UCLA has long been interested in Boise State's Chris Petersen, who turned down the job when it opened four years ago. It's expected that the Bruins will make another run at him, as well as up-and-coming coaches such as Houston's Kevin Sumlin.

Multiple university sources indicate that there is mutual interest between UCLA and former Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable --who was an assistant coach at UCLA under Karl Dorrell and is now with the Seattle Seahawks -- and former defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker, who's now the coach at New Mexico State.

UCLA made it to just one bowl game in Neuheisel's first three seasons, winning the EagleBank Bowl in Washington, D.C., in 2009.

Prince said talk of Neuheisel losing some of the Bruins players isn't very accurate.

"It's just a matter of not being consistent as a team. ... I wouldn't say that was a result of having guys lose confidence in coach Neuheisel," Prince said on Mason & Ireland. "I think it's just part of the development of the team and unfortunately someone's got to take the fall for it and coach Neuheisel was the man for that unfortunately."

Neuheisel's firing before the title game is an ugly end to the 50-year-old coach's self-described dream job. He was a quarterback at UCLA, leading the Bruins to an unlikely victory in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 2, 1984.

"I'm just thankful for the opportunity," Neuheisel said. "This has always been a place that I wanted to have the chance to help bring it to a place that everybody would be proud. Obviously we've fallen short of that. There are lots of things that I'm very proud of that happened in my time here. They don't always make it to the front pages of the newspaper, but I think there was a lot of effort and a lot of good work done in the time that I was here, and it won't be a bitter memory at all."

2011年11月27日星期日

The man behind Solyndra's rise and fall: Chris Gronet

When President Barack Obama visited Solyndra in May 2010, then-CEO Chris Gronet gave him a personal tour in what was the high point of the young startup's meteoric rise.

But behind the scenes, Solyndra was mired in trouble. Gronet, a veteran Silicon Valley technologist who founded the company, had quietly been stripped of many of his executive duties, and Solyndra's board of directors was searching for his replacement.

Little more than a year after Obama's visit, Solyndra filed for bankruptcy, throwing more than 1,000 employees out of work and igniting a fierce debate about the role of government in supporting clean-energy companies.

Two Solyndra executives were called to testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee -- both invoked their Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate themselves -- but Gronet so far has escaped the spotlight. But documents released by congressional investigators and interviews with former Solyndra employees indicate that he, more than any other individual, is responsible for the company's sudden rise and spectacular fall.

Gronet founded Solyndra in 2005 and personally pushed for its $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, which was used to build a new 300,000-square-foot manufacturing facility along Interstate 880. He fired off demanding emails to Energy Department staff members when his company's application hit snags or delays.ceramic magic cube for the medical, He attended a White House meeting hosted by Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, pressed for Chu to visit Solyndra and even suggested talking points for him.

But as Solyndra was racing to build its new factory, demand for its cylindrical solar panels was softening amid fierce competition and a global recession.

Former Solyndra employees say Gronet -- often described as driven and aggressively ambitious -- poured his heart, soul and professional reputation into the company but fell dangerously in love with a solar technology that was expensive to make and had limited commercial appeal.

"Chris is basically a decent guy, but he's like many high achievers in Silicon Valley," said one former employee who worked closely with Gronet and spoke on condition that he not be identified. "There was irrational exuberance about the cylindrical design.If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards, One of the most dangerous things business people can do is fall in love with their pThis page contains information about molds,roduct. There was a lot of delusional thinking that this product was better than everybody else's."

Gronet, who lives in Portola Valley and has kept a low profile since Solyndra's collapse, did not respond to several interview requests. His attorney, Miles Ehrlich, declined to comment for this report because of the ongoing investigations into Solyndra's loan guarantee by House Republicans, who are searching for signs of political favoritism, and the Justice Department,This patent infringement case relates to retractable RUBBER MATS , for possible accounting fraud. Gronet apparently is working on a new venture in cleantech.

Gronet has not been charged with any crime, and he has not been asked to testify before Congress.The application can provide Ceramic tile to visitors, However, emails released as part of the congressional investigation show the intense and hands-on role he played in pushing for Solyndra's loan guarantee under two administrations.

Thousands learning the Irish language in the United States

Madeleine Ni Ghallcobhair, a Fulbright Scholar from an Irish-speaking area of Ireland called a Gaeltacht, set up the projector and faced a class of 12 undergraduate students at Manhattan College in the Bronx. Basic Irish language vocabulary studded the screen: “Is maith liom – I like.”

Ni Ghallcobhair addressed a girl in a green Ireland sweatshirt. “An maith leat e?” she said while gesturing to the male student seated beside her.The application can provide Ceramic tile to visitors,

The girl blushed. “Are you asking me if I like him?” she said. “Um, yes, is maith liom e.”

Every week, Ni Ghallcobhair teaches Irish language classes at three City University of New York campuses, Lehman College, College of Mount St Vincent, and Manhattan College. She came to New York last August as a Fulbright Scholar on the Foreign Language Teaching Assistant scheme. The exchange program was launched by the Fulbright Commission in Ireland in 2006, and is funded by the Irish government. So far, 47 teaching assistants have been sent to the U.S.ceramic magic cube for the medical,

“I’m partly here as cultural ambassador, so I’m trying to teach my students the language, but also a bit of the context, history, and the customs that we have,” said Ni Ghallcobhair. “I’ve been really impressed that a lot of people are really interested in Irish here.”

The enthusiasm for Irish amongst New Yorkers that Ni Ghallcobhair’s experienced is echoed by many Irish-language speakers living and teaching in the city. According to Elaine Ni Bhreinnan, 32, who teaches Gaelic at the Irish Arts Center in Manhattan, “Irishness sells in America. It’s like a brand, and the Irish language, thankfully, goes with it.”

There are approximately 11 institutions that offer Irish language classes in New York City. These are divided between NYU and CUNY, the two universities that offer Irish as a language elective -- or in the case of Lehman, a minor in an undergraduate program -- and cultural centers, such as the Irish Arts Center, or the Aisling Center in Yonkers.

At a conference in Notre Dame last April, the Ireland Fulbright Commission presented the findings of a report about the teaching and learning of Irish in the U.S.

“We discovered that there’s more out there than we know about,” said Colleen Dube, the executive director of Ireland’s Fulbright Commission. Dube added that the Irish Language Learning & Teaching in the U.S. report also revealed a growing need for facilitating Irish classes in non-academic settings.

“There’s a constant crossover between those coming from an academic angle, and someone who gets subsumed in the general culture,” said Dube.

In a classroom setting, Ni Challcobhair emphasizes vocabulary and grammar, with focus on conversation for the first 20 minutes or so of every class. Students are typically placed in partners to discuss a set topic. Hilary Sweeney and Pdraig Cearill’s classes at NYU’s Ireland, or Glucksman, House follow a similar format.

Sweeney, who teaches different levels of Irish to undergraduate students, said that, in addition to teaching the language, it’s essential to provide context.

“I think it’s important that there are connections between what’s going on in academia, and what’s going on in greater world,This page contains information about molds,” Sweeney said at the NYU Glucksman House Irish Language Day last weekend.Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. “When it’s a language, it’s all about communication, and we want to foster communication between anyone who’s learning Irish, whether in a cultural center, at home, or in a formal university setting.”

Irish-born Rebecca McLynn, 21, and Ohio-native Maggie Cardosi,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards, 23, are enrolled in the Irish-American Studies M.A. offered at NYU. Both girls consider knowledge of Irish as crucial to understanding Irish history and general culture.

Anne Dolan, 26, a previous student of Irish at Lehman College, said that pursuing Irish music and singing heightened her interest in the Irish language. Of her class in Lehman, Dolan said that, “it was not exactly a discussion, but it also wasn’t a lecture.”



Bone up for better health

AS women, we are constantly inundated with messages about the importance of bone health.ceramic magic cube for the medical, We are told by medical professionals and the health food industry why we need good calcium intake, especially during our adolescent and younger adult years.

Everything that we know tells us that we must have strong and healthy bones in order to prevent osteoporosis in our older age.

But now, there is an even more compelling reason to look after our bone health – it turns out that strong, healthy bones play a far greater role in our overall health than we had previously realised.

What this means is that if you do not nourish your bones with the proper nutrients they need, you will not only suffer from brittle bones, but there will also be an impact on the other systems in your body, including your immune system, nervous system, insulin sensitivity, energy metabolism and weight management.

In order to understand how bone health affects all these systems, let us look at what we know about bone functions.

We usually don’t give much thought to our skeletal system, even though it is absolutely crucial for our survival and day-to-day functioning. We know that one of its fundamental roles is to provide structural support for our muscles and protection for our internal organs, giving shape to our physique and allowing us to be mobile.If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,

Our bones also act as a reservoir for important minerals,They take the China Porcelain tile to the local co-op market. such as calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. For instance, the bone stores 99% of the body’s calcium and 85% of the body’s phosphorus. These mineral ions are vital to nerve and muscle cell functioning, as well as electrical conduction.

Our bone marrow is also a very important part the body, as this is where our blood cells and lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) are produced.

These three functions of the skeletal system are well-known, but recently, scientists have discovered that there is more to our bones than we know, and it has led them to rethink the importance of maintaining bone health.

One of the newly discovered functions of bones relates to insulin sensitivity and weight management. Bones contain a type of cell called osteoblasts, which are actually bone-forming cells. It has been found that osteoblasts produce a hormone-like signalling protein called osteocalcin.

Osteocalcin stimulates the secretion of the hormone insulin from the pancreas, thus improving insulin sensitivity in tissues throughout the body. This means that the body is able to use a small amount of insulin effectively to convert blood glucose into energy, thus keeping glucose levels in the blood within a normal range.

If a person is not insulin-sensitive, blood glucose levels will start building up, leading to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Osteocalcin is also thought to play a role in fat and weight management. It has also been found to reduce the deposition of fat tissues,Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber.Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. while higher osteocalcin levels are associated with lower levels of a hormone called leptin.

2011年11月24日星期四

Family, Pelham at odds over cleanup of storm debris

When the Casagrande family found their street blocked by downed trees the day after the October snowstorm,This patent infringement case relates to retractable RUBBER MATS , they decided to do the neighborly thing - clear the road.

Now, in a dispute that illustrates the problems facing towns and residents in the aftermath of the crippling storm,Save on Projector Lamp and fittings, the Casagrandes and Pelham officials are at loggerheads over who should pick up three piles of tree limbs. Two of the piles are in front of the Casagrandes' South Valley Road house jutting out onto the road. The third is on the Casagrandes' lawn.

The family says it was trying to clear the road so a family member who plows driveways for a living could get to work.the Aion Kinah by special invited artist for 2011, They say they were also trying to make the street passable for their neighbors, some of whom are elderly.

The town, however, contends that at least some of the debris comes from the Casagrandes' property and has asked the family to remove it. If the town moves the pile, Pelham's chances of receiving federal help for cleanup costs could be jeopardized, officials say. If the federal government decides to reimburse towns for their cleanup costs from the Oct. 29 storm, most debris on private land would not be covered under such a declaration.

The Casagrandes are angry.

"We volunteered our time, made sure our elderly neighbors could get out of their homes and we are now being told we have to move it," said Rebecca Casagrande. "We're pretty frustrated. This is not our brush pile. We took care of our brush pile. This is the town's brush pile and the town needs to take care of it."

She said a small crew made up of family members and neighbors spent seven hours clearing a quarter-mile stretch of street in the direction of Amherst Road. The brush, Casagrande said, was piled by her house to make it easier for road crews to deal with.

But Department of Public Works Superintendent Richard Adamcek maintains that some of the debris came from the Casagrandes' yard.

"There is private brush mixed in with it, the amount I don't know," Adamcek said. "I am not going to jeopardize getting $30,000 back for the town because one irate citizen wants us to chip brush from her lawn."

Pelham Police Chief Gary Thomann, who told the Casagrandes to move the pile,I have never solved a Rubik's plastic card . said the South Valley Road brush is the only debris pile in town that is in dispute.

Adamcek estimates that the town is facing $40,000 in cleanup costs from the storm,The application can provide Ceramic tile to visitors, and is hoping Pelham will be reimbursed for most of that expense by the Federal Emergency Management Administration.

No NBA? Oh WAAH!

Cry me a river. At least until my cable bill jacks up because major networks need that Christmas hoops game.

Seriously, if I ever needed to be reminded just how poor I am, I can do it by watching millionaires half-hearting it up and down the basketball floor for billionaires who sit in glass booths; and in between the two are rabid fans willing to drop half their monthly salaries on a game ticket.

So there is no National Basketball Association season. Waah…

Wait; there is a half season.Detailed information on the causes of oil painting reproduction, No wait, the final offer to the counter offer of the official last offer to the owner’s and player’s demands for offerings was taken off the table and laid upon the legal system of this great land to be determined.

Coffee too hot… sue! Lassie fell down a mineshaft… sue! Take away my Heisman because I acted illegally… sue! We are playing hardball about playing ball and called each other’s bluffs… sue, sue, sue!

And once again, in between, are the fans and the vendors and the restaurant workers and the couch potatoes.

I do feel bad about lost wages. Not lost player or owner wages, as I am sure there are lawyers right now figuring out just how much clients make on write-offs caused by lost games… but the wages of the common Joe and Jill who depended on an extra tip or sale during the season.

NBA basketball was only good when the playoffs approached or when Latrell Sprewell was choking coach P.J. Carlesimo or Ron Artest was going into the stands after some stupid punk that threw his beer because he was drunk and mad about paying so much to watch players loaf and choke each other.

Sprewell, incidentally,The application can provide Ceramic tile to visitors, refused a $21-million, three-year contract offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2005 because (paraphrasing here) “it is not enough to feed my children, you will wind up seeing them in a Sally Struthers commercial soon.”

The NBA stopped being an exciting sport when the black-and-white television images of Walt Frazier helping Willis Reed limp to the sidelines and Reed gimping out for the next game gave way to the colorful screens and more colorful (stick finger down throat here) enthusiasms of various color commentators.

The great matchups and competitions today; the LeBron vs. Pierce, the Celtics vs. the Heat, Kobe vs. the hotel maid, Los Angeles vs. the world… are these truly as good as Jordan vs. Bird or Dr. J vs. Dan Issel? Or Pete Maravich putting a pass off a teammates face, on purpose, because he thought he was loafing?

My take is no. Simply because if you watched Bill Russell, or Jerry West, and even “Air” Jordan celebrate a point or pass or championship, their celebration was not singular.

There was no arms folded pose, no wiggly giggly gyrating walk, no jersey popping, no moon walking, no “my milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, my milk shake is better than yours” mentality.

Old school players actually hugged each other! I know, amazing! They even wrapped their arms around their coaches, not their coaches’ necks.

I know there are players that still play hard day in and day out. The Steve Nash’s, Dirk Nowitzki’s, Kevin Durant’s, Manu Ginobili’s,An Wholesale pet supplies of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby. Tony Allen’s, Chris Paul’s… but a whole team of them? That has proven to be hard even on the Olympic level. We may win, but with class and dignity?

Watch the Women’s National Basketball Association. No, really.

They play hard all game. They play like they may not have another game. I will admit this: I took the most wicked shot of my playing days at a California university from a teammate; not from my men’s team, but from the women’s side. And why? “Because,” she said “This is a basketball game, you play hard, where are you from? Does your momma know you are out?”

And watch professional goon skating, err, ice hockey. You try to over celebrate and show someone up on the ice and there will be blows.

In hockey, the guy that passes the puck to the guy who passes the puck to the guy who scores gets just as much love as the scorer.

And in college, say hoops for instance,There is good integration with PayPal and most TMJ providers, there is some serious sweating going on. I am not just talking about overweight, high-budgeted coaches either. Players know that if they don’t perform they sit down. If they sit down they don’t get television time. If they don’t get television time they can’t gyrate their hips when they perform. Wicked cycle, but at least they play hard.he believes the fire started after the lift's Bedding blew, With red-faced coaches busting out of silk ties that pinch designer shirts they had better; watching a coaches head explode on national TV is not pretty. Can you say awkward?

Organic Farming in China

China may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about places that American organic farmers could learn from. But a group of American advocates of a safe and sustainable food chain learned a few things on their recent trip to organic farms near Beijing.

The chickens at this farm seem happy. They’re outside, with room to move around, and an airy, sunny coop to go into when they want to rest, or lay an egg.

The farmer who takes care of them, Yang Li, is pretty happy, too. He can get three times the normal price for these chickens and their eggs, because ever more Chinese are willing to pay a premium to have free range chickens free of antibiotics and chemicals.

Corby Kummer, food editor for The Atlantic magazine, who’s visiting this farm, comments that these Chinese chickens have it better than most in the U.S.

“In an American chicken house, they’re not allowed to go outside until they’re five weeks old. So they’re afraid to go outside,Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds.” Kummer said.

Another difference at this farm is that they repurpose the chicken manure. Some is used for fertilizer; the rest is put in a methane digester, which creates enough cooking gas for 1,They take the China Porcelain tile to the local co-op market.700 households in seven villages.

Michael Pollan, author of “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “Food Rules,” asked how long it takes to go from manure to gas. He’s surprised to learn it only takes one week. What comes out is a liquid.

“It’s pretty amazingly good, considering,” said Robert Kenner, director of the film “Food, Inc.”

All three Americans food experts were just in Beijing for a US-China Arts and Culture Festival – and no culture is complete without its food.

But as Chinese culture has modernized, it’s taken a more industrial approach to producing food — more pesticides, more chemical fertilizers, and genetically modified crops. Meanwhile, middle-class Chinese have increasingly embraced the American habit of grabbing fast food and soft drinks, and obesity and diabetes in China are on the rise.

Still, Michael Pollan is heartened to see that at least some Chinese are looking for change.

“I think there’s a group of Chinese, still quite small, that’s beginning to question the industrial food system here, largely because of concerns over food safety,” Pollan said. “I’m amazed at the levels of distrust of food. There are people who ask, ‘are you eating at restaurants in Beijing?’ – as though they were talking about unprotected sex.”

Here on this farm, the vegetables are safe – no chemicals, no pesticides – though you might occasionally have to pick off a slug, or eat a leaf with a few holes nibbled out of it. We walk into a greenhouse – they call it a hoop house here because of the arched roof.

“You really just get hit with the aroma,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,” said Kenner, talking about the scent of tomatoes on the vine.Your source for re-usable Plastic moulds of strong latex rubber.

He and the others also notice that on one side of the greenhouse, there’s an earthen wall, 15 feet thick at its base. This helps store heat. The place is toasty, even though it’s in the 40s outside, and Corby Kummer is impressed.

“In Maine, where I live, they’re not as inventive about the architecture,” Kummer said. “There’s a lot New England could learn from this, though I don’t know that they could solve the brick or cement wall problem.”

By that he means that building these sorts of heat-storing walls would be more expensive in New England. Michael Pollan agreed, but said he does see other things that might be replicable.

“I’m really impressed with the diversity of these farms,As many processors back away from hydraulic hose , how many different crops they have, and combining animals and plants, and taking advantage of the recycling abilities when you can produce manure to feed your crops, and produce feed for your animals,” Pollan said. “When you can close that nutrient loop, you can have real sustainable farming.”

2011年11月23日星期三

NYPD raid destroyed thousands of books, Occupy says

What started in September as a few piles of books on a tarp in Manhattan's Zuccotti Park, the de facto headquarters of the Occupy Wall Street movement, had grown into a full-fledged outdoor library with 5,000 volumes and an online catalog by November.

On Wednesday, a group of library workers and supporters of The People's Library, as it's known among Occupy protesters, gathered in midtown Manhattan to discuss what had become of the library during the Nov. 15 eviction of protesters from Zuccotti Park ordered by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The event was held around a conference table covered in library books from the park in varying states of damage - torn,I have never solved a Rubik's plastic card . wrinkled, coverless and even mangled.Save on Projector Lamp and fittings, Among the books visible on the table were a leather-bound copy of the Bible, a collection of Chinese mythology and a volume of selected poems by Allen Ginsberg. The speakers present shared their collective disgust with the raid that had destroyed the donation-supported library in Zuccotti Park.

"Today we are here questioning the appropriateness and the legality of the confiscation of approximately 4,000 books," said former New York Civil Liberties Union director Norman Siegel, who hosted and moderated the event. Siegel said that 1,275 books of the 4,000 books seized had been recovered; of those, one-third were damaged to the point of being unusable. He estimated that 2,725 books had been destroyed.

The self-appointed Occupy librarians said many of the books were not easily replaced, including signed copies, handmade publications and a special edition.

"Our nation's poet laureate, Philip Levine, came in the morning before the raid and donated and signed a copy of his book, 'What Work Is,'" said Stephen Boyer, 27, an Occupy librarian who had been living and working in the library until Nov. 15.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together. Boyer held up the book, displaying its damage. "The NYPD and Bloomberg trashed it," he said.

Bloomberg's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Boyer said he had been at the library on Nov. 15 when the New York Police Department ordered occupiers out about 1 a.m. Besides his personal belongings and an armful of poetry anthologies, Boyer said he was unable to rescue much else from the library.

"I just got what I could in one load, and that was all I could save," Boyer said, adding that once he had left, the police wouldn't let him back into the park to take more books.

In a photo posted to Twitter on Nov. 15, Bloomberg's office showed piles of books, neatly stacked on a table and arranged in plastic bins below. The accompanying message said property from the park, including the Occupy Wall Street library, was being "safely stored" in a sanitation facility and would be available for pickup the next day.

When protesters went to retrieve the books from the sanitation facility the next day, they said the only books they found in good condition were those shown in the Twitter photo. The other books retrieved from a back room by sanitation workers were in much worse shape,This patent infringement case relates to retractable RUBBER MATS , said Michele Hardesty, 33, one of the protesters who had gone to retrieve the books.

"It was clear from what we saw at sanitation that our books were treated like trash,the Aion Kinah by special invited artist for 2011," Hardesty said.

Speakers at the event called on Bloomberg to acknowledge that a wrong had been committed and to guarantee that similar actions would never occur again.

They also asked that Bloomberg replace the books and provide a space for the People's Library to be recreated.

Mandy Henk, 32, a librarian at DePaul University, said she saw the library's destruction as an attempt to silence and destroy the Occupy movement.

Graham skating rink created with mallets, but no ice

After more than an hour of snapping and pounding Tuesday afternoon, there was ice.

It didn’t take long for the staff at Graham Recreation and Parks Department and Public Works to snap together 56 white plastic panels to create a synthetic ice rink in the parking lot of the Alamance Children’s Museum.

The 4-foot by 8-foot polymer panels fit together like a giant puzzle,An Wholesale pet supplies of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby. although they needed to be pounded with a special mallet to create a surface that looked seamless and resembled ice.

“It went a lot quicker than I expected,” said Brian Faucette, program supervisor at the Graham Recreation and Parks Department,Detailed information on the causes of oil painting reproduction, after the rink was in place.

The crew was still lining the perimeter of the rink with rubber mats and creating an area at one end where people can lace on skates. A white picket fence will line three sides of the rink and synthetic glide enhancer will be sprayed on the surface to give it the feel and slide of ice.

“It went together easier than I expected for a crew doing it for the first time,” Faucette said.

The 30-by-50-foot synthetic rink,There is good integration with PayPal and most TMJ providers, rented from Ice Rink Engineering of Greenville, S.C., is the venue for “Fire & Ice: A Holiday Experience,” which runs from Sunday until Dec. 10,he believes the fire started after the lift's Bedding blew, and is sponsored by the recreation department, the Children’s Museum and Alamance Arts Council.

Tickets to skate went on sale last week and will also be available at the rink once it opens.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together.

“We sold out of a couple of complete sessions to after-school programs and did another 150 in pre-sales so far,” Faucette said.

The rink will be open to the public at a cost of $7 per hour-and-a-half session and will include skate rentals. Both figure skates and hockey skates will be available. The money raised after all expenses are paid will be donated to the Children’s Museum.

The crew that installed the rink appeared to know what they were doing. Faucette said that he and Melody Wiggins, director of the recreation department, went to Greenville to see the rink and to learn how to put it together. They also watched an instructional video.

“They showed us a brief demonstration on how easy it went together,” he said.

The rink might become an annual addition to holiday festivities in Graham.

“We’ll definitely see how good the response is,” Faucette said. “If it goes over well, we might consider doing an annual event and possibly purchasing panels and renting some accessories. We just have to see how the community responds.”

Bleachers for spectators will be brought in today along with a small building where the 150 pairs of skates will be stored. The gingerbread house that was used when Graham used to have a living Christmas tree house concessions and ticket sales.

Look at various factors when considering feedlot facility expansion

Cattle on feed numbers have increased in many of the Upper Midwest states,This page contains information about molds, and this is in spite of increasing corn and feeder calf prices. These occurrences, coupled with the large investment involved with a new feedlot facility, make cattle feeding margins very tight, and force feedlot managers to be as efficient as possible when managing their feedlots.

Due to the harsh climate in the Upper Midwest, we are often at the forefront of feedlot design to minimize the effects of climate on cattle performance. This has certainly been evident over the last 10 years with the increased presence of bed-pack facilities, and in particular monoslope facilities.

Facilities like these have been extremely valuable in the past year providing protection from a harsh winter as well as from the extreme heat and humidity experienced this summer.

More recently, there has been renewed interest in slatted-floor facilities. These feedlot facilities offer advantages in that they retain most of the nutrient value of excreted manure, have a smaller footprint than other facility types, and require little if any bedding. The smaller acreage required as well as the improved manure quality are important aspects for the diversified feeder-farmers that make up most of the Upper Midwest feedlot industry.

When considering new construction the decision needs to be based on a number of factors. Among these are what type of cattle will be fed, how much land is available, and what the value of the land is, what the topography of the land is, and what the local feedlot environmental exist.

The basic dirt-surfaced, open-pen feedlot still has a place in the industry, and recent feedlot expansions of this type have been successful. This type is the lowest cost for new construction or expansion, which is likely the greatest advantage while disadvantages such as limited protection from the environment, need for occasional bedding, and partial loss of manure nutrient value due to volatilization need to be considered as well.

This type of facility works well if adequate land is available and the land has some slope,Do not use cleaners with porcelain tiles , steel wool or thinners. preferably a south-facing slope. These facilities typically allow approximately 250 square feet of pen space per head,As many processors back away from hydraulic hose , so a large amount of land is needed to construct this type of facility.Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds.

Bed-pack monoslope facilities provide advantages over open lots in that they provide more protection from the climate. Their cost is typically about twice per head space of an open lot.If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,

These facilities also require increased management in the form of increased bedding, scraping, and manure hauling.

A general rule is to assume that each head space will require approximately five pounds of bedding per day, which equates to nearly one ton of bedding per head space annually. For a 1,000 head feedlot, this means that approximately 2,000 corn stalk bales (or other form of bedding) will be needed each year.

This is certainly an important consideration for this facility type. However, it is hard to argue with the predictability of performance that these facilities allow.

Cattle in monoslope facilities perform relatively consistent throughout the year regardless of climate, whereas cattle in open lots will vary in performance based on climatic conditions. Cattle in these facilities are typically allotted approximately 40-45 square feet per head, or approximately 1/6 of what is allowed in an open lot.

Slatted floor facilities provide an advantage over monoslopes in that they require a smaller footprint and very little, if any, bedding. Cattle in this facility type are generally allotted between 20-25 square feet per head, or approximately half of what is allowed in a monoslope.

Slatted-floor facilities also allow for retention of manure nutrient value in the form of liquid manure, and in most cases these facilities are designed to allow for once-yearly manure hauling.

2011年11月22日星期二

Dolls, blocks, games and more make this year's hot toy list

When you get a toy that you wished for at Christmastime, something magical can happen.

“She does look like me,” said Doristine, 8, facing and holding hands with the doll that was given to her as an early Christmas gift. Doristine’s eyes twinkled as she studied the features on the face of what is sure to be her new best friend. Doristine’s mom, Cassandra, sent the My Twinn doll company a photograph of her daughter and, just like its advertisements claim, it created a doll that resembles Doristine.

“We both got the same eyes,” Doristine said, pulling back the doll’s long hair so she could get a better look at her big brown eyes.

“And smile,” Cassandra said.

“I love this doll,” Doristine whispered, so as only her doll could hear.Save on Projector Lamp and fittings,

Cassandra was pleased that Doristine was tickled with her doll. It reminded Cassandra of the time she got a doll she had wished for as a little girl. “It was big, a little taller than I was. I loved that doll,” Cassandra said, before pausing to reflect on the days of tea parties and make-believe moments.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together.

“I lost the doll, but I’ll never forget it,” Cassandra said.

“Look mom,” Doristine said, showing her mom how she tried to braid her doll’s hair in the same fashion as her mom did for her.

Cassandra grinned and nodded her head.

The price of a My Twinn, creator of the just-like-me doll, and My BFF,This patent infringement case relates to retractable RUBBER MATS , just-like-my-best-friend doll, is $149.the Aion Kinah by special invited artist for 2011, That includes a custom, 23-inch-tall doll and outfit of choice.

Similar in cost and just as popular is the line of American Girl dolls, $100.

“American Girl is awesome,” said Natalie, 11, who toy tested this year’s newest doll, Marie-Grace, and loved being able to brush her long hair. “There are so many accessories like wheelchairs and glasses. Also, there is an American Girl store in Chicago where you can buy other things and get her ears pierced. And if something happens to her, you can send her to the doll hospital to get fixed.”

However, not every little girl wants a doll for Christmas. And in case you’re looking, check out the following list of hot new toys, either tested or suggested by parents who have been to the mall and back, many times over. Prices on toys may vary.

Jack, 2,I have never solved a Rubik's plastic card . really put this toy to the test. He studied it. He banged it. Then he set it down so he could do the hokey-pokey and turn himself around. Jack’s mom is up on all of the newest apps and tablets for children and she said it’s unlike anything she’s ever tried. Even Jack’s dad got a kick out of the tablet. It’s very durable (as you can see by the video) and the volume is loud enough to hear in a noisy restaurant or over Jack and his dad laughing while doing the hokey-pokey. Mom also liked that new apps appropriate for the child’s learning level can be downloaded as the child advances but would’ve liked software that personalized the toy, as with another tablet she tried. It had initial charging problems but that was rectified (just be sure to keep your receipt). As for Santa Claus bringing this toy for Jack? He doesn’t have to because it’s already on Grandpa’s list.

Jasper Cropsey Painting Tops Shannon’s Sale At $252,000

Diversified offerings, along with the usual cast of characters, set the stage at Shannon's recent auction of fine American and European paintings, drawings and sculpture, conducted October 27. "It is a mix-master of things," commented auction house principal Gene Shannon during preview for the auction. "We are pushing forward with a larger selection of Pop and Modern art," he said, along the way adding more of what the auction house refers to as "breathers," living artists, to complement the usual assortment of premium grade paintings.

The auction featured 216 lots and this was the first Shannon's sale in recent memory that did not feature large quantities of paintings consigned in groupDetailed information on the causes of oil painting reproduction,s from corporate collections. "Things came in one painting at a time," said Shannon's daughter and auction house co-owner Sandra Germain. "It was a lot more work putting the sale together, but I think there is a lot of diversity and an excellent level of quality from start to finish," she said.

Modern paintings continued to excel at Shannon's, with the offering of works by Rolph Scarlett, which Shannon commented are "coming out of the woodwork" after several of the artist's works established record prices at the gallery. It is the classic works, however, that continues to make Shannon's a hot spot in the art world, with important paintings such as Jasper Cropsey's dramatic landscape "Greenwood Lake" once again bringing premium prices.

The Cropsey had been consigned from an upstate New York home and when the painting was first viewed, it not only retained the original frame, but the oil on canvas was behind glass. "It was gorgeous," stated Shannon of the painting, and it needed only a light cleaning to bring it back to its original luminosity. The autumn colors dramatically muted by a backlit sunset, the 12-by-20-inch work was termed by more than one viewer as "majestic.100 China ceramic tile was used to link the lamps together."

Bidding opened at $75,000 against a $100/150,000 estimate and two phone bidders immediately engaged in a battle to claim the lot. Progressing initially in $5,000 increments, it was not long before the painting hit the $100,000 mark, where advances jumped to $10,000 at a clip. The two phones pushed each other rapidly until the lot paused momentarily at $180,000, when a third phone bidder jumped into the fray and hit the lot at $190,000. A counter bid came at $200,000 and again the new bidder hit the lot, ultimately claiming it at $252,000, including premium.

Previously sold at Shannon's in 2007, Dale Nichol's dramatic oil on canvas titled "Arizona Twilight" showed a substantial increase in price when it crossed the block this time around. Sold in October 2007 to a private collector, the painting had been reconsigned and sold for $72,000.

A selection of Martha Walter paintings met with mixed results, with one of the three pictures failing to meet reserves. "The Blue Umbrella," however, was hotly competed for and beach scene realized $66,000.

A painting that had hung in New York City's Russian Tea Room for many years had additional interesting history. Howard McLean's work "Mott Street Fiesta" was painted in the Ashcan School style. The talented and successful artist had been friends with George Bellows, William Glackens and John Sloan, yet he "eventually became an illustrator and at some point he just fell off the map," commented Shannon. The moody "Mott Street" oil on canvas did well, selling at $48,An Wholesale pet supplies of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby.000.There is good integration with PayPal and most TMJ providers,

Shannon's has demonstrated strength with paintings executed by Luigi Lucioni, including establishing a record price paid at auction for the artist with a portrait titled "Bob." Shannon was quick to point out another standout work by Lucioni in the most recent sale, "The Pine Through The Birches." "' 'Bob' is as good as it gets in portraits," said Shannon of Lucioni's work, "and this is as good as it gets in landscapes.he believes the fire started after the lift's Bedding blew," Bidding on the lot was brisk, with the painting hammering down at $43,200.

Virginia Pet Supplies Company Develops New Comfortable Pet Scrubs

Scrubs for Pets,Your Partner in Precision Precision injection molds. a small Virginia pet supplies company, has developed a comfortable, washable alternative to the Elizabethan collar, or pet cone for helping pets and their owners protect post-surgical wounds or injuries.
As the company name suggests, Scrubs for Pets look and feel like the same scrubs that surgeons wear, and are designed to fit snugly and comfortably around the pet’s abdomen. This Elizabethan collar alternative prevents pets from licking or biting their wounds, keeps the wound site clean and covered, and yet gives the pet complete freedom of movement so that they do not suffer from the same discomfort and disorientation they experience with the cone.

The president of Scrubs for Pets, Violetta Stephenson, says that her company was founded by pet lovers, for pet lovers. She came up with the idea for the pet scrubs after watching her own dog struggle to recover from surgery with the Elizabethan collar,If any food Ventilation system condition is poorer than those standards,Boddingtons Technical Plastics provide a complete plastic injection moulding service including design, or “Cone of Shame” as she calls it.

“My dog went crazy with the e-collar,The application can provide Ceramic tile to visitors, and I couldn’t stand to see her tortured by it any longer. I looked all over for a viable alternative to the Elizabethan collar and just couldn’t find one. That’s when I decided to come up with my own solution to the problem, and Scrubs for Pets was born.”

The Scrubs for Pets website features a video showing the struggles of a pet wearing the uncomfortable cone, which Stephenson says highlights the many problems solved by Scrubs for Pets as an alternative to e-collars. The video shows a dog struggling to navigate furniture and a flight of stairs wearing the cone, and ultimately removing it out of frustration.Great Rubber offers rubber hose keychains, “As you can see,” explains Ms. Stephenson, “The pet is disoriented and uncomfortable, which is the last thing you want for a pet that has just gone through surgery.

Worse still, a pet will often struggle to get the cone off when you’re not around, then you find them picking at their wound site, which can then become dirty and infected. Our e-collar alternative allows a pet to move around, eat, drink, sleep and do its business comfortably while protecting the wound from dirt, licking and biting.”

Ms. Stephenson also says that Scrubs for Pets relieves stress for pets and their families, enabling the pets to heal and recover more quickly from an injury or surgery. This alternative to E-Collar prevents them from re-injuring themselves by bumping into furniture or wasting a lot of energy trying to get the cone off.

Owners can easily slip the washable fabric scrubs over the pet’s abdomen, securing them with ties in the back so that the pet cannot chew them off. “And the pets usually do not even want to chew them off because they are so comfortable,” explains Ms. Stephenson. She suggests that families who have a pet scheduled for surgery can go to the Scrubs for Pets website to determine the exact size their pet needs, then order a couple of pairs so that the pet has a clean pair ready to wear if the other pair becomes soiled or needs to be changed when the wound dressing is changed.

Ms. Stephenson reiterates, “We just want pet lovers out there to know that they don’t have to watch their pets suffer needlessly with the cone anymore.

2011年11月21日星期一

Kensington AbsolutePower Laptop, Phone, Tablet Charger Review

Kensington Computer Products Group is one of the old-timers in the computerperipheral business having launched their first product (Apple II System Saver) back in 1981. Kensington’s most ubiquitous product is the K-Lock security slot that is found on many laptops. As Kensington is an established company with a history of quality products I felt relatively safe in trusting my high-priced electronics to the AbsolutePower Charger. A bad/incorrect charger can ruin a battery or worse very quickly so it’s always a good idea to double check the power supply you’re going to use before plugging in your expensive gadgets.

While not the only device to have this issue,the Aion Kinah by special invited artist for 2011, the Apple iPad introduced many people to the concept that not all USB ports are equal especially when it comes to providing charging power. Rather than go into a discussion on electrical theory and USB standards those interested may want to check out this article in MacWorld.

For the rest of us, just because your charging cable has a USB plug at one end doesn’t mean that all USB ports will be capable of providing sufficient power to charge your device. However, the Kensington AbsolutePower charger provides enough power to its two USB ports (one micro, one standard) to handle most power hungry devices like tablets (but not all).

Kensington includes 10 charging tips with the charger that work with many laptops by Acer, Asus, Compaq, Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo,It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line. Samsung, Sony and Toshiba among others. For a list of compatible devices check Kensington’s website. Most notably absent from the list are Apple’s MacBooks that use a proprietary connector (MagSafe) which is kept away from other companies by a slew of lawyers.

The AbsolutePower, like most quality chargers works with AC power of 50 or 60 cycles and from 100 to 240 VAC making it capable of handling most “wall” power available throughout the world. There are no international adapters in the box so I can only assume that when purchased in countries outside of the US either an adapter or different power cord is included.

Kensington claims that the charger is the smallest,Whilst RUBBER SHEET are not deadly, lightest, most powerful charger in its class (when compared with similar in-class power adapters). The box lists the weight at 8 ounces (225g) and the dimensions at 4.3” long, 2.75” wide, and .73” high (110mm x 70mm x 18.5mm) or roughly the size (but thicker) than an iPhone 4s.Save on Projector Lamp and fittings, Be aware though that Kensington didn’t include the weight of the power cable in that measurement (you gotta love those “marketing” specs). With both cables connected and an adapter tip in place, the charger weighs 10.8 ounces (306g). That’s still not a bad size or weight for a 90-watt charger.

The first issue I have is with the lack of a suitable case for the device. The AbsolutePower charger is marketed as being small and light and without a doubt it’s meant for use by travelers. Since it comes with 10 easy-to-lose power tips,I have never solved a Rubik's plastic card . a separate power cable, and a micro-USB to USB adapter it would have been nice if they had included a case for storage and transport. I ended up tossing it all in a ZipLoc bag…far from an elegant solution.

Exacerbating the storage issue is the fixed power cable on one side. The input power cable (one that plugs into an outlet) is not attached permanently to the charger making it easy to remove and store, however the cable that connects between the AbsolutePower and the laptop is permanently attached. This means that while the charger is small, the cable must always be wrapped next to it for storage. At $120 Kensington could include a case/pouch that holds all the parts compactly making it easy for customers to toss it into their briefcase or laptop bag.

Opportunities For Partners In The Projectors' Space

The Indian market for projectors is expected to grow significantly during the next three years. According to a research report from Futuresource Consulting, India will sell close to 5.2 lakh projectors by 2014 compared to the 2.17 lakh units sold in 2010; this represents a CAGR of 19 percent. Factors driving this high growth include the increasing affordability of projectors, demand from the education sector,It's hard to beat the versatility of polished tiles on a production line. and demand from governments and enterprises.

“Entry-level projectors which were available for Rs 50,000 a couple of years back are today priced at less than Rs 25,000. This has made them affordable to a large section of businesses, hence even smaller businesses which earlier rented projectors are today buying them,” observes Ajay Sharma, Country Manager, Viewsonic India.

Education is the highest demand sector for projectors,Detailed information on the causes of oil painting reproduction, contributing nearly 45 percent of the unit sales in 2010. “There’s increased competition among schools to adopt state-of-the-art technologies. Till now only a handful of schools have deployed such technologies, but many more are doing it and we expect huge opportunity from this,” says Harish AK, Senior Business Manager, Visual Instruments, Epson India.

Abhilesh Guleria, Country Manager, MMPG & ITPF Business, NEC India, agrees. “The K-12 education segment is the fastest-growing segment in India followed by professional and higher educational institutions. We have closely aligned with some of the leading ICT BOOT players such as Educomp to tap this opportunity.There is good integration with PayPal and most TMJ providers, In the past couple of years we have installed our projectors for 3,500 school projects.”

Besides,he believes the fire started after the lift's Bedding blew, the government is investing in a big way in Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan, wherein there are plans to have at least one multimedia-capable classroom in each of the 15 lakh government schools.

In terms of demand, education is followed by the government sector, which forms 30 percent of the projector market.

Notes Saji Kumar,An Wholesale pet supplies of him grinning through his illegal mustache is featured prominently in the lobby. Head, Product Management, Acer, “In the last couple of years various departments of the government have been spending for modernizing their IT infrastructure which includes the auditoriums and conference rooms which require projectors. In many states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Bihar, to save on time and costs, the Chief Ministers are emphasizing the need for video conferencing rather than physical meetings with far-flung district officials. The Ministry of Defence is also spending huge sums on modernization.”