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In this post, I’ll try to share my thoughts and experience developing applications for the Windows Phone Marketplace.
A simple example showing how to implement encrypted communication between Windows Phone 7 and standalone .NET application.
This blog post describes the implementation of a metro ’tilt’ effect for Windows Phone 7 which causes element to respond to user interactions by tilting in 3D.
This blog post describes a Windows Phone 7 NavigationList control, a list control designed for navigation pages. The NavigationList renders twice as fast as a ListBox and has a slightly simpler API.
A quick write up on location services.
This blog post shows how to implement tombstoning within a Windows Phone 7 application that follows the Model-View-ViewModel pattern.
In this post, I share the “journal” I wrote will porting the app so that you can follow this process with many detail.
How to make the ApplicationBar bindable in a WP7 application.
An iPhone theme for the Windows Phone 7 Emulator!
How to Call a Number in WP7 using the PhoneCallTask?
How to Save Email Address in WP7 using the SaveEmailAddressTask?
This post will allow you to understand the API of Windows Phone 7 SDK. In this post, we will learn about SaveEmailAddressTask class and its API with a simple demo.
How to Share Status from WP7 using the ShareStatusTask?
In this post, I’m sharing the aspects I discovered while trying to port a project from Windows Phone to WinRT.
This sample aims to show how to share code between Windows Store and Windows Phone app.
The Storyboard extension is available for users of Visual Studio Ultimate, Premium and Test Professional.
This article is Part 2 of the series of the article on Windows Phone 8 app developments - Quick Start-up guide with best practices.
When your application gets tombstoned, you get an opportunity to save some state about your application. What should be saved, where to save it, and when?
Metro in Motion Part #3 – Flying Titles!
In this blog post, I look at how to implement the fly-out fly-in effect seen in native Windows Phone 7 applications. This effect is seen in the native mail application; when you click on a message, the title flies out of the list then flies back in as the title of the message page.
This blog post presents an attached behaviour that gracefully slides the contents of a list into view when used in conjunction with a Pivot control, emulating the Windows Phone 7 email application.
This blog post describes the development of a rolling list location indicator.
What I learned while evaluating and integrating XNA ad-network SDKs.
How to Search in the WP7 Marketplace Using the MarketplaceSearchTask?
How to Save Contact in WP7 using the SaveContactTask?
How to Retrieve Contact Information in WP7 using the AddressChooserTask?
In this small post, we will learn how to retrieve saved contacts in WP7 using the Windows Phone 7 SDK APIs.
How to Search for a Contact in WP7 using the Contacts Class?
How to programmatically search for a specific contact in WP7?
How to Save Phone Number in WP7 using the SavePhoneNumberTask?
This small post will help you to understand the basics about the SavePhoneNumberTask API and details about the implementation stuff with step-by-step details.
How to Retrieve a Phone Number from Contacts in WP7 using the PhoneNumberChooserTask?
How can you programmatically retrieve a phone number from an existing contact list?
Data serializer update for Windows Metro.
How to Retrieve Email Address in WP7 using the EmailAddressChooserTask?
How to retrieve an email address from a contact list with a simple example (including the internal implementation of the API).
How to Compose SMS in WP7 using the SmsComposeTask?
SmsComposeTask of the WP7 SDK can be used to create SMS from code.
After playing a lot with Parse over the last few weeks, I thought I’d share some of my findings.
Load image in background thread in Silverlight WP7.
MVVM for Windows Phone developers.
What's New in Windows Phone Developer Tools 7.1 Beta?
This is a continuation to my previous post "How to create a Custom Control in Silverlight".
Recursive delete from IsolatedStorage and other time savers for Windows Phone development.
The custom ProgressIndicatorProxy provides a simple way to harness the new ProgressIndicator from your XAML.
You've got a class that contains data that you want to be able to save and load in IsolatedStorage on Windows Phone 7.
This blog post describes the addition of a two-finger rotation and three-finger pitch gesture to the Windows Phone 8 Map control.
Localize Windows Phone 7 Styles.
A brief introduction to the DynamicSoundEffectInstance class for Windows Phone 7 and a demonstration on how to communicate with the class and control pitch.
How to Share Links from WP7 to Social Networking Sites using the ShareLinkTask?
A simple metro-in-motion behaviour which reduces the Panorama control’s contents while the user slides from item-to-item so that they can really appreciate your fancy background graphic!
Databinding is a fundamental part of the WPF, Silverlight, and the Silverlight for Windows Phone 7 frameworks. It is a powerful concept that once mastered allows you to write concise and elegant code.
This blog post describes how to implement a conversation / messaging style application with Windows Phone 7. It covers how to style the speech bubbles and the scrolling of the conversation list view when the phone keyboard is shown.
Some really nice techniques for handling asynchronous network calls.
How to Launch the WP7 Application Details Page using the MarketplaceDetailTask?
Download Code (1.14 MB)I was thinking about how to write code that will work on both Windows Phone 7 and Windows 8 (Metro). In theory some of the techniques that could be used are well known. But I wanted to try them out. So I decided to try some things out in a piece of throw away code.
Synergy is a platform toolkit that unleashes the power of WPF, Silverlight and Windows Phone 7 platforms. In this blog I will discuss the Windows 7 phone part of this library and how it helps to somehow converge development practices to that of WPF and leverage data binding capabilities.
How to make the ApplicationBar bindable.
An easy-to-use, thread-safe library which works similarly to WebClient!
Additional MessageBox features on Windows Phone 7.
How to serialize a class that is not serializable.
How to get an ApplicationBarIconButton by name.
The Color object doesn’t contain a color called Emerald. So I created a small class to help me out with this issue.
Set custom ring tones in Windows Phone 7.
Whilst Microsoft wants a unified platform, and as I said I understand why, would it not be better to wait and be happy that Win 8 and WinRT is successful with bugs ironed out before rolling it out across all form factors?
AdRotator for Windows Phone Silverlight V1.2 release With the release of what is likely the last version in the V1 branch of AdRotator for Windows Phone Silverlight I’ve gone some lengths to make sure the documentation and samples are also feature complete.
With Rx, events are first class citizens that can be passed around and composed as needed in a very simple way.
Usefel tips for Windows Phone XNA game development.
Using SQLite with Windows Phone 8 apps.
Localize ToggleSwitch in the Silverlight Toolkit.
Using the SpiritManager class to manage the Spirit in XNA.
WP7 Tips: How to Pin an Application to the Start Screen?
The TextChanged event fires twice for TextBox in Windows Phone 7.
Why you need to remove event handler for XNA?


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This Act may be cited as the “Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2017”.
SEC. 2. Energy credit for energy storage technologies.
(a) In general.—Subclause (II) of section 48(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking “paragraph (3)(A)(i)” and inserting “clause (i) or (viii) of paragraph (3)(A)”.
“(viii) equipment which receives, stores, and delivers energy using batteries, compressed air, pumped hydropower, hydrogen storage (including hydrolysis), thermal energy storage, regenerative fuel cells, flywheels, capacitors, superconducting magnets, or other technologies identified by the Secretary in consultation with the Secretary of Energy, and which has a capacity of not less than 5 kilowatt hours,”.
(2) by striking “paragraph (3)(A)(i)” both places it appears and inserting “clause (i) or (viii) of paragraph (3)(A)”.
(d) Effective date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to property placed in service after December 31, 2016.
SEC. 3. Residential energy efficient property credit for battery storage technology.
“(6) the applicable percentage of the qualified battery storage technology expenditures made by the taxpayer during such year.”.
“(B) has a capacity of not less than 3 kilowatt hours.”.
(c) Applicable percentage.—Subsection (g) of section 25D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by striking “(1) and (2)” and inserting “(1), (2), and (6)”.
(d) Effective date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply to expenditures paid or incurred in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2016.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


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One of the interesting things about visiting your favorite films over the years is how different the films feels because you have changed over the years. A film that meant so much to you when you were nine might seem meaningless 25 years later when you sit down and watch it with your own nine-year old child.
It’s probably been 25 years since I first saw The Godfather. While I can’t recall my exact original impressions of seeing the film I’m sure they were in line with being impressed by the acting and the production values. (After all, I was in film school and in acting workshops at this time). I also remember wishing I were Italian.
Having the name Smith seemed rather bland in school compared to my Italian friends. Even before I saw The Godfather movies its impression was felt—all Italians were cool, and some how connected to the Mafia. Over the years I discovered those both weren’t true. That’s what time does. It allows you to add data and experience as you form your own views of life.
But Hollywood does have a long history of creatives who are not only critical of America and capitalism at times, but step over the line into at least flirting with socialism and communism. The United States is not perfect and, yes, we have a love affair with materialism. But let’s not lose site of what a great country this is.
To paraphrase film critic Pauline Kael, I am suspicious of those Hollywood-types who question American materialism while they are not only living in grand homes, but often have second and third homes. I can speak all day about the problems of American capitalism/materialism and the souless lives that it can produce, but history tells me that socialism and communism are not the answer.
Perhaps my views are shaded by the fact that I grew up in a house in Florida without air conditioning.(Working hard for a better life seemed like a good trade off.) But I always find it interesting that some of the wealthiest people in this county are the most outspoken about the system that made them wealthy. Surley they could give all their money and property to the poor and move to a socialist or communist country—but for some reason they never do.
I don’t know what Coppola at age 70 thinks of Castro, Cuba, socialism, communism or materialism, but I do know that he has turned into quite a successful entrepreneur and capitalist with his winery. He’s increased his land ownership & wealth, created jobs, raised a family and along the way had the freedom to create art. He’s lived the American dream.
I’m thankful that when both Coppola and Mario Puzo were talented and struggling artists that they set out to make a commercial success. Because in writing and making The Godfather they not only became wealthy men, they created an artistic masterpiece.
PS. A fun fact about Detroit born Francis Ford Coppola is the Ford part of his name came from the respect his father had for uber-capitalist Henry Ford.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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(Japanese: 新番組！？小さなコイキングのメロディ A New Program!? Melody of the Small Koiking) is the 113th episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 1,052nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on March 17, 2019.
The television host announces the beginning of the Alola Pokémon Quiz, with the first to buzz in having the chance to answer the question. Ash and his classmates watch from the audience as Sophocles competes in the show. Kuwashi is also competing and quickly answers the first question correctly. A Comfey awards him a lei of flowers. Sophocles and Kuwashi prove to be an even match, both answering nine questions correctly. The host poses the final question for the preliminary round, though Sophocles is later revealed to have lost the quiz show to Kuwashi.
Now backstage, the group comforts Sophocles and Togedemaru after their loss. Rotom then notices a familiar face, George Charino, the producer who works on the television series Alolan Detective Laki. Charino invites the group to see the filming of an upcoming drama, and they all agree. They walk outside and notice a gathering crowd up ahead. Sophocles and his friends make their way to the front of the crowd and are left speechless when they see Koi-chan. Ash doesn't understand why everyone is excited over the Magikarp. His friends explain that Koi-chan is a child actor prodigy and famous for the hit TV show "A Tiny Koiking's Melody". Kiawe appears to know a lot about the series, and he admits that his younger sister is a big fan of Koi-chan. Kiawe whispers to Rotom and requests a few pictures of Koi-chan for Mimo, and Rotom takes some photos before Koi-chan's manager orders Rotom off the set. The TV crew begin shooting a scene and urge the audience to be quiet. The Director informs Koi-chan about the scene, its friend Yungoos is leaving, before filming begins. On the first try Koi-chan's voice is too hoarse, and on the second its body begins to glow. Several more cuts, but Koi-chan's voice has drastically changed and is no longer sweet sounding. Koi-chan's Manager takes the superstar away from the set for a moments rest.
George tells the group that he has a shoot to get to, but as he is about to leave Rinka and Kenichi rush over to inform him that the lead actors for "ThreeDri" cannot show up to set. Kenichi explains that a Froslass and Abomasnow whipped up a Blizzard that is preventing the lead actors' plane from leaving the Sinnoh region. George proudly announces that moments of trouble are great opportunity to create something new. He soon spies Lana, Lillie and Mallow, and decides that they will star in the show alongside their Pokémon. Lana and Mallow are keen, and while Lillie is worried about her limited acting experience she also agrees. Soon George takes the three girls over to the studio for their rehearsals. The boys are surprised at George's bold decision, and Ash cries out that he wants to be a TV star.
Koi-chan's Manager returns Koi-chan to the set, and the Producer asks the crowd to be quiet as filming resumes. The scene appears to be going well, as Koi-chan's voice is no longer sounding hoarse. Though Kiawe and the others watch as Koi-chan glows and evolves into a Gyarados. The crowd, except for Ash and his friends, flee the film spot while the film crew are a gasp from Koi-chan's surprise evolution. The Manager approaches the film star and tries to settle it, but Koi-chan rushes away. She as well as Ash and his friends run after Koi-chan. The Producer soon declares the shoot cancelled.
Meanwhile, Meowth and James prepares Jessie, as her alter ego Musabarbara, for an upcoming audition for the 12 hour drama being filmed to commemorate the 55th anniversary of Alola TV. Team Rocket are a little concerned by the competition, several flexing Fighting Pokémon. Though Jessie enters her audition in a confident and graceful manner, declaring it her Alolan debut. In a rehearsal studio, George Charino informs the girls about their starring roles in "ThreeDri". He explains that "ThreeDri" is short for "The Sparkling Trio is Alola DrinKyun", but Lana and the others don’t recognize the title. Charino explains the series' main plot; three girls protect the peace of Alola and use a drink to transform into their superhero selves. He then hands them each a script, and as the trio performs the superheroes main catch phrase, it proves to be a shaky start. George assures them that they did well, and with a little more practice they will perform better.
Koi-chan continues its rampage. Ash confronts the Manager with some questions, and she admits that she did notice that Koi-chan's whiskers appeared to be longer recently. Koi-chan charges through Anna's latest shoot, leaving her in a cloud of dust, before entering the Alola TV studio building. Koi-chan crashes through the filming of an Alola Pokémon Quiz final round episode and interrupts the girls' "ThreeDri" rehearsals. Koi-chan spots George and instantly begins flailing around, and George then realizes that the Gyarados is actually Koi-chan. George calmly parts Koi-chan on its head, and reassures it that everything should be fine. He announces that there is still some time for filming and asks for everyone's assistance. George's ingenuity is later showcased in the latest episode of "The Sparkling Trio is Alola DrinKyun".
Later, Ash and his classmates have gather at Professor Kukui's home to watch Lillie, Lana and Mallow's acting debuts in "The Sparkling Trio is Alola DrinKyun". The episode begins with Mallow rushing to her two friends, played by Lillie and Lana, where the trio are going to be late for class. The three girls notice holes in the main path way when suddenly the Gyarados Devil, played by Koi-chan, crashes down in front of them. Gyarados Devil roars at the trio, so the girls decide to take action. Mallow calls over their companions, and soon Sandy, Shaymin, and Snowy appear carrying drinks for the trio. The girls promptly take a sip and transform into their DrinKyum alter egos in a dazzling display of lights and sparkles. Mallow becomes the pink Tea DrinKyum, Lillie transforms into the blue dress wearing Soda DrinKyum and Lana takes the role of the citrus yellow Juice DrinKyun. The three DrinKyun heroes go on to defeat Gyarados Devil with a powerful rainbow-beamed Alola Salute Sunday Sunrise attack. The episode ends with the superheroes posing while the narrator asks if they will be able to make it to class on time. Ash and the other boys are impressed by their friends' performances and congratulate the girls on their great acting.
Meanwhile, George proudly announces that Koi-chan will still have a future in TV as a villain star. He and the Manager watch the ongoing filming where Team Rocket are fleeing from a rampaging three-headed Gyarados monster. Jessie is annoyed that her Alola debut is so demanding, but Meowth is quick to remind her that she said she was prepared to do anything during her audition. James then questions why he and the others are in the film.
Poké Problem: Where do we go in today's episode?
The Japanese title of the episode is a reference to the Japanese title of the 1971 British film Melody, which was a huge hit in Japan.
The episode number on the clapperboard seen during the filming of (Japanese 小さなコイキングのメロディ The Small Koiking's Melody) is "#113", referencing this episode's number.
This marks the first appearance of a Hitmonchan in the main series since Glory Blaze!, over ten years and 535 episodes ago.
(Japanese: サンサン三人はアローラドリンキュン SanSan Trio Alola DrinKyun), the show Mallow, Lana, and Lillie appear in, takes cues from magical girl anime and manga, such as the Sailor Moon and Pretty Cure franchises.
The motifs of the DrinKyun girls in their transformed personas appear to be based on Roserade Tea, Soda Pop, and Pinap Juice.
The opening animation is updated to include Ash's Meltan.
The man surrounded by Fighting-type Pokémon and wearing a yellow jumpsuit is a reference to actor Bruce Lee and the jumpsuit he wore in the incomplete martial arts film Game of Death.
When being proposed a role in a TV show, Lillie references her role in the school play from Lillier and the Staff!. Jessie also uses her alias (Japanese: ムサバーバラ Musabarbara) from the same episode.
When Jessie is summoned for her auditions, she is referred to as "number 634". Using a type of Japanese wordplay called Goroawase, these numbers can be read as "mu-sa-shi", spelling out Jessie's Japanese name. A similar wordplay was used in The Ultimate Test.


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In my vast and large Twitter stream today I ran across a link to Reddit that was discussing issues with Microsoft and their apps. I always take these kind of things with a large grain of salt, but what I read had me interested. I followed up with someone who I knew would know more about it, and read a few more articles on the subject. I have been using Microsoft products for a long time, but I never knew just how messed up things were inside the company over a decade ago. Furthermore, the damage done by some of the decisions below are mind-blowing.
Here is a snippet of a long post on Reddit.
But if you look at Office, it’s a feature mill. Office hasn’t created any new, interesting technology for well over a decade. Every release adds more eye candy, uses more memory, and is slower. That’s because Office is not run by engineers, it’s run by PMs. Office has never, ever figured out how to integrate with the web. They’ve tried, over and over, but every technology that they have tried has been chosen and pushed by PMs, not by engineers or anyone else who understands how people actually want to use Office these days. So, seriously, you could put the absolute best engineers in the world in Office, and you would still get more of the same – more UI “features”, more bloat, more useless stuff.
There have been numerous internal projects which attempted to branch out in new directions. I’ll never forget seeing a demo of “NetDocs”, more than 10 years ago, at a company meeting. Think Google Docs, long before Google was even a household word. An internal group had basically that working, but it was quickly killed. People here joke that the worst thing you can do is to demo a technology at a company-wide meeting, because it guarantees that someone else will get your project killed. It’s not really a joke, it’s just a grim reality.
I had never heard of NetDocs before, but apparently in 2000 Mary Jo Foley wrote an article about this product. What killed the project is a window into why Microsoft is having the issues they have today.
The battle between the Netdocs and Office teams has been one of the fiercer ones, according to sources close to the company. The challenge has pitted Microsoft senior vice president of Office Steven Sinofsky and his troops against senior vice president of subscription services Brian MacDonald and his forces.
Six years later Steven Sinofky was put in charge of the Windows team. This article was written by Paul Thurrott when this happened. Turns out Paul might have been on to something.
As expected, Microsoft announced a leadership change in its Windows division late last week. The company moved long-time Microsoft Office executive Steven Sinofsky over to the Windows group and put him in charge of planning post-Vista versions of Windows. Although I’ve never met Mr. Sinofsky and his reputation suggests he’s extremely capable, he’s the wrong person to put in charge of Windows. In fact, this reshuffling simply proves that Microsoft hasn’t learned a thing from the problems its Windows division has faced over the past several years.
While much of this information is known by many, going back and looking at a single project like Net Docs is a little surreal. It got me wondering what other great products did Microsoft squash during this time? Microsoft has been living off the inertia of their user base for over a decade, and it shows everytime they have an earnings report. Eventually that force starts to dwindle, and what will keep the train moving? It might be something like Azure, or it might have been one of the many projects that were killed at the company due to mismanagement and hubris.
Lastly the same Paul Thurrott who was correct in 2006 wrote an article last week about the future of Windows and Windows Phone (http://winsupersite.com/windows/its-time-mobile-first-cloud-first-windows-best). He got a lot of blowback from many who read his site. The thing is, he was right once again. If Microsoft won’t feature their own OS and won’t put their OS first, why should anyone else? They aren’t.
Microsoft the Azure company, Microsoft the Xbox company, Microsoft the services company, but don’t call them Microsoft the Windows company. That ship is leaving the dock, and it is going to take a lot to turn it back.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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I've been encouraged to start Tweeting, so I'm setting up my Twitter account now! Once everything is in place, I'll send out a notice on Facebook and here on the website. I hope you'll all become followers!
A nice review for "Sisters"!
SPECIAL EBOOK DEAL FOR MOONLIGHT ON BUTTERNUT LAKE!!
Readers, the ebook for Moonlight on Butternut Lake is now available on Amazon and Nook for $.199. This special offer is available until April 25! Happy reading!!
Here's to the New Year! I'm hard at work on my fifth novel, which means the battle is on to find a quiet (but not too quiet) place to work. There's the local library, a nearby donut shop, and my living room. I have all my characters in place; now I just need to fine tune the story. And write, write, write. More soon!
Yesterday I got final approval for the edited version of the fourth Butternut Lake novel, The Space Between Sisters! Going to celebrate tonight!
Just before Thanksgiving I finished my fourth Butternut Lake novel, The Space Between Sisters. I outlined and wrote and edited and wrote some more. But now it'd done! I'm waiting for final approval. Fingers crossed! I do have an approved cover for the book, which you can find in the Books section. I love the cover! It makes me long for summer and we haven't even had winter yet.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


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Cairns has progressively become more popular over the years and in recent times it has become the city of choice for interstate migrants to call home. Currently home to 159,000 people, the city offers magnificent coastal living, beautiful tropical weather, warm crystal blue waters and a gateway to the largest World Heritage area in the world. It really isn’t difficult to see why people choose to migrate here to grab a little piece of paradise.
Moving to Cairns will ensure you get your dose of vitamin D, with sunshine all year round. The weather is different to most parts of Australia and residents can experience two seasons per year known as the tropical summer (December to April) and the tropical winter (May to November). During the tropical summer, you can expect an abundance of sunshine with hot sunny days with temperatures between 28-32 degrees. Thunderstorms can be expected during the evenings where the level of humidity typically is at its highest. However, tropical winter is where most tourists visit Cairns with temperatures reaching an average maximum of 30 degrees whilst southern states are experiencing cold winter climates.
The Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest are two world heritage listed natural attractions significant to Cairns. The reef is the largest in the world and is Australia’s first World Heritage listed area, there are over 1500 different species of fish and over 300 species of corals. The Wet Tropics is a tropical rainforest located in the north east coast of the state starting from Townsville. It covers close to 900,000 hectares of natural beauty with rivers flowing along gorges transforming into scenic waterfalls.
Cairns has all the infrastructure of a big city without being busy, you have access to several shopping centres, great selection of schools and hospitals. Peak hour traffic is simply non-existent compared to major capitals cities, public transportation is well connected by buses, trains and taxis whilst the airport is less than 10 kilometres from the city and the seaport offers modern catamarans capable of transporting hundreds of passengers. The beaches of Cairns are known as the northern beaches with crystal white sand and clear blue waters offers plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy life itself.
Migrating to Cairns and leaving a place where you once called home can be an extremely testing time. It is important to prepare for any move, the more time you have to plan and organize; the better it will be for your migration. Moving is never easy, however people who choose to move to Cairns see the amazing coastline, the beautiful marina and imagine the endless opportunities they’ll have to spend in the warm waters. If considering moving up from the southern states, it is best planned to not coincide with the influx of tourists during tropical winter, take advantage of cheaper airfare tickets and compare vehicle transport quotes to cover your car or boat transportation requirements.
Cairns is a fabulous place to visit and there’s always plenty to do to keep yourself entertained. To help make your life a little easier, the following are the top 10 things you can do when you are visiting Cairns.
You will need to drive a short distance outside of Cairns to visit, but it is definitely an absolute must-see. You will be visiting a real rain forest. The park covers 100 acres, and has a series of tours along with an impressive koala park. You will really love this if you are a nature lover.
The Aborigines have lived in this part of the world for thousands of years. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense for you to spend some of your time there learning about their culture and history. So you should definitely take the Daintree Dreaming tour and maybe think about going on an overnight safari with guided tours and talks conducted by Aborigine elders.
The Skyrail Rainforest Cableway, located on Cairns’ outskirts, will give you an entirely new perspective on this area. It will take you on a ride covering 7.5m over the rain forest and gorges. It is an absolutely spectacular ride. If you are afraid of heights, then you should avoid it. However, if you do decide to go make sure to remember to take your camera along with you.
Australia has so much wildlife that it really is logical to see as much of it as you can but in a controlled way. There are different wildlife shows at the tropical zoo every day, which includes a chance for you to get very up close and personal with some of the native species. This five star attraction is ideal for all members of your family.
The railway travels from Cairns over to Kurandu. It is quite the understatement to state that it travels through some spectacular scenery. You pass through waterfalls, rain forest, and rugged mountains. Who would turn down an opportunity to see all of this? It might not be a really long journey, but it is certainly a spectacular one.
Although it is a bit of a trek to get there, this is a really cool place that you absolutely must see. It is a huge place with a gigantic waterfall and many different areas for you to explore. It features spectacular scenery and is a great place to hike.
The island is actually a national park situated around 27km south of Cairns. This tropical island is well worth visiting, especially to see the coral reef surrounding the island. The interior always has its very own rain forest, and here is a great resort. The 45 minute ferry ride to and from the island is also very enjoyable.
Located 27km north of Cairns, this is a classical tropical beach with plenty of palm trees. It features amazing sand, perfect weather, outstanding views and is fairly quiet as well. It’s the perfect place to be on your vacation.
If you are going to be visiting this part of the world, then you simply must see the Great Barrier Reef. Seriously considering getting in some scuba diving to check things out closely or go on a boat tour.
The Australian butterfly sanctuary is the prefect place to take your family to. It is located right in the center of Kuranda and is filled with these incredible insects that will leave your children as well as you and your spouse completely speechless and in awe.
30 years ago, CAIRNS iconic Esplanade was used as asbestos dumping ground. The harmful material has started spilling out onto the beach.
A former teacher of Cairns State High School has lifted the lid on the demolition of several school buildings which were later used as landfill near where Cairns hospital helipad is located. Over the last three decades, coastal erosion has caused asbestos to spill out as pictured on the right potentially exposed to the elements.
Russell Geisel (above) who taught at Cairns State High School from 1982-1995 said three World War II era buildings with asbestos roofs were torn down in the mid-80s.
Mr. Geisel said that the sheeting was broken up at the school then mixed in with the rest of the rubble before being dumped on the Esplanade. Four months ago, The Cairns Post revealed that white asbestos had spilled onto the shore opposite Cairns Hospital amid building material dumped about 30 years ago that has been used as landfill.
He said that one day during school hours, he and some few people saw piles of sheeting perfectly sitting there and suddenly someone in a backhoe went and smashed it all up so that they could throw it into the back of a truck.
Two weeks ago, Cairns Regional Council inspected the area but they could not identify any asbestos sheeting. The Cairns Post gathered samples of the material from the Esplanade beach to be tested by experts at SGS Australia and reviewed by Clear Asbestos Removal.
The laboratory analysis confirmed the presence or chrysotile which is white asbestos. Chrysotile has been the most used asbestos in Australia. It comprises of more than 50% of all asbestos used.
Queensland Health says the asbestos fibers can be split by mechanical energy into progressively finer fibers of microscopic size.
Respirable fibers are responsible for adverse health effects caused by asbestos including lung cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. The Cairns Regional Council has said that asbestos remediation works are almost finished at the local Civic Theatre and it will reopen in three weeks.
After finding asbestos in the backstage area last month, the council closed the theatre. It relocated shows. Mayor Bob Manning said there had been extensive cleaning. However, he said it was fortunate that the asbestos contamination levels were very low.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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The Gainesville R-5 School Board will host an informational open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at the high school.
At their Monday meeting, the Ozark County commissioners accepted a bid from the James H.
A memorial service for the Rev. David Lee Rienstra, 79, of Tecumseh, will be held at noon Sunday, March 17, at the Dawt Church of Christ after the Sunday church service.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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The New York Attorney General is suing OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, Johnson & Johnson, McKesson Corp. and other opioid makers and drug distributors in a massive new legal fight against the industry.
“We found that pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors engaged in years of deceptive marketing about the risks of opioids and failed to exercise their basic duty to report suspicious behavior, leading to the crisis we are living with today,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement.
The lawsuit accuses manufacturers of overstating the benefits of taking opioids, encouraging long-term opioid therapy, discouraging alternative treatments and downplaying risks from the highly marketed medications.
In some instances, doctors prescribed more opioids to people who showed signs of addiction. A Purdue senior medical director said patients “were not addicted, but rather simply suffering from undertreatment of their pain,” according to the lawsuit.
The news comes after Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family agreed to pay $ 270 million to the state of Oklahoma after it alleged the drugmaker ruthlessly marketed and misled the public about OxyContin.
The Sackler family denied the allegations, saying they are “inconsistent with the factual record,” according to a statement.
“Government data makes clear that the opioid crisis is growing rapidly because of illicit fentanyl smuggled in from China and Mexico — and headline-seeking lawsuits like this only distract from the important task of identifying real solutions to that crisis,” the family said.
Overdose deaths from prescription opioids are five times higher now than in 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each day, nine people in New York die from opioid-related overdoses, according to the lawsuit. OxyContin became available in 1996.
The New York lawsuit also details the alleged role pharmaceutical distributors played in the national crisis along with the manufacturers.
“Defendants caused this disaster together,” the lawsuit states.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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Register now for the 17th Annual French Creek Iron Tour!
Known as one of the region’s most beautiful bike rides, with well-stocked rest stops and the best volunteers, this scenic bicycle tour takes riders through the preserved lands in the French and Pickering Creeks watersheds. With eight choices, there is a course for everyone – from 11 miles to a challenging century. Our newest course is a 70-mile Gravel Grinder, a leg burning, chest pounding ride for experienced riders.
There are other exciting new additions this year! Chester County blues band Voodoo DeVille will perform toe-tapping music during lunchtime,playing a wide variety of styles from rockabilly to swing. If you’re thirsty after a day of cycling and dancing, our friends at Sly Fox Brewing Company will provide each adult rider with a free cup of Sly Fox SRT (Schuylkill River Trail) beer.
All proceeds from the Iron Tour benefit the mission of French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust to preserve, steward, and connect people to the land in northern Chester County.
The 17th Annual French Creek Iron Tour jersey depicts an original painting by local artist Deb Kuhn.
This artwork features the stone bridge that crosses the Exceptional Value South Branch of the French Creek, a designation given to only the most pristine waters of Pennsylvania.
This jersey design highlights the important work of French & Pickering in protecting open space and clean water.
Riders on the longer rides will view the scenic valley, now preserved forever by French & Pickering, as they approach Warwick Furnace.
are also available for purchase!


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OMGoodness, I simply must give these away to the neighbors before they are devoured.
Process all of the above in your food processor, except for the extra quarter cup of oats…once everything is well combined, transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the remaining oats.
Take half of that mixture and press it into a parchment lined loaf pan.
Strain the soaked dates to remove all of the excess liquid…no need to squeeze them though.
Place them into your food processor with the coconut oil and process until smooth.
Spread over the top of your crust and then cover with the remaining coconut/oat mixture.
Press firmly so that it all comes together and place in the fridge for at least four hours.
This just might be my new favorite!
Process all of the above until well combined and very creamy.
Pour the mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan and place it in the freezer for about thirty minutes.
Remove and slice into bite size squares.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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When you choose to use our skip hire Edinburgh company, you will find that we offer quick bringing of your chosen skip and the best feasible prices on the market. We offer a free pick up service to all customers within the Edinburgh area and can even assist you with obtaining an on road permit for any, skip, at an additional cost.
We have an ample range of skips for rent in Edinburgh. Whatsoever your skip hire needs are – we can help!
When you decide to hire a skip in Edinburgh, we have 6 standard sizes of skip at your disposal.
How long you will be employing a skip for is another factor that impacts the price. You may think that the longer you hire a skip for, the more you need to pay. However, this is not always the case. Many skip hire companies now offer regarding longer periods, but only consider this option if your project is likely to take a few months to end. Keep in mind that if you place the container on public land, you will want license extensions and renewals from the council before placing the skip on the road. Virtually all councils only issue permits that are valid for a fortnight to at 31 days.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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As it is now time to start thinking about selling your prime lambs don’t forget the WAMMCO State Prime Lamb Carcase Competition is on again this year.
Entries for this year’s competition opened on Monday, September 3 and will run through until Thursday, February 28, 2013.
The competition is open to all consignments of 100 or more crossbred lambs born in 2012 and multiple entries are permitted and encouraged. To ensure the competition continues and to keep up with current trends, WAMMCO has made some slight adjustments to this year’s competition.
In addition to last year’s three categories heavyweight, tradeweight and 300 plus consignment there will be a new section for the traditional first cross lamb. Mr Davidson said this traditional first cross lamb category will be for lambs born and reared by a pure Merino ewe. The entry fee for this year’s competition is again $50 and this can be deducted from growers’ account sales.
Download Competition Entry Form Here.
More information: Rob Davidson 0429 380 195 and Judy Cameron on 9821 2000, for lamb bookings.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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More good reasons we love our customers!
What really impressed us was that some of our customers went even further. On their own initiative, they made the commitment to sponsor children themselves through Save the Children. Let’s all salute those Anaheim, California customers who are going the extra mile for children in far corners of the world. The way we see it, these are the real ambassadors of America that the world should hear about.
One thing that really impressed us was that some of our customers went even further. On their own initiative, they made the commitment to sponsor children themselves through Save the Children. Let’s all salute those Anaheim, California customers who are going the extra mile for children in far corners of the world. The way we see it, these are the real ambassadors of America that the world should hear about.
BravoKids is the name we’ve given to a variety of Cash Plus charitable activities aimed at supporting kids. These activities range from sponsoring children throughout the world through Save the Children (see right), providing food through Feed the Children and conducting financial literacy programs for teens through the Orangewood Foundation’s Independent Living Program.
For years I cashed my checks at another store. When I found about the great prices and outstanding service at Cash Plus, I became a loyal Cash Plus customer.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Tufted and looped in nature but perfectly precise in pattern, this one's a real corker.
Whoever designed this stylish, modern carpet tile was definitely present the day they taught colouring between the lines in school. Featuring a flawless linear pattern, this Polyamide range is a great choice for those of you looking for a floorcovering that is going to deliver on performance in a big way and stay look tip-top for many years to come.
Rather ingeniously, the brainboxes over at Forbo have designed Outline to co-ordinate perfectly with their more minimalist Layout range so you can create a seamless style with a perfectly professional finish. Mix and match for a unique full floorcovering or opt for complimentary colours as a great way to demonstrate direction in high footfall environments. As with all of our products, this one is also covered by our handy 365 Returns policy so you can order with confidence.
From Cypress Green to Charcoal Slate and Ocean Haze, Nouveau Linear is as hardwearing as the mossy mountains, the cobbled concrete and the sturdy ocean floor.
x Tessera Outline - Added to your basket.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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Sourcelight Photo Workshops’ Glamour Boot Camp® is a comprehensive 1-day* educational workshop designed to help you create personally rewarding and professionally marketable glamour/boudoir photographs. Featuring beautiful professional glamour models specifically selected for their workshop skills, Glamour Boot Camp is a unique opportunity to learn the glamour/boudoir-photography business from a professional glamour photographer while having the time of your life. With enrollment limited to just 3 photographers, this is a hands-on workshop experience providing extensive personal interaction with the instructor and individual time for photographing the model.
How to design appropriate lighting to showcase the model’s best features and create artistic compositions. Through step-by-step, light-by-light demonstrations, we’ll introduce you to the lighting gear that professionals use to create magazine-quality glamour images, and then show you how to make do with less.
How to improve your communication and create rapport with models, including how to find and schedule them.
Is Glamour Boot Camp for you?
If you are a novice, intermediate, or working professional photographer who has always aspired to learn the insider techniques and concepts of Glamour and Boudoir photography, or you just recognize a great opportunity to shoot beautiful models in professional settings and lighting while being assisted with experienced coaching… then yes, Sourcelight Photo Workshops’ Glamour Boot Camp is for you. Space is limited by design, so early registration is advised.
Working familiarity with your camera’s basic controls, including how to alter and select focus areas and how to select and set your exposure priority mode. You should also understand your camera’s basic exposure metering system.
The workshop fee is $179. Either the full fee or a $75.00 deposit is required to secure your registration. The deposit will be deducted from the total cost, and the balance will be due on the day of the workshop. We accept all credit/debit cards, cash, or personal checks made out to Sourcelight Photography. Click here to register.
Full refunds are issued for cancellations received in writing up to 21 days prior to the scheduled workshop date. Cancellations received after the cut-off date will result in the forfeiture of the deposit.
* A second day is available for scheduling individual sessions with the model. Special workshop pricing is available with the model, but is not included in the workshop fee.
** The model release grants workshop photographers unlimited rights to use images they create for personal viewing or portfolio display, both printed and on-line; it does not grant permission to use any of the images for commercial sale. If the workshop-photographer anticipates using photos from the workshop for commercial sale, dedicated usage rights must be negotiated with the model herself using a separate form.


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This wacky specialty is a favorite tradition on my family's Christmas table. I was wondering if this is something I can make myself, more delicious and less-bright-pink or if it's best left to the experts and bought in jars. Anyone tried it?
I haven't but there are quite a few recipes out there - this looks pretty good, and simple!


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The debhelper compatibility version used by this package is marked as experimental by the debhelper developer. You should consider using a stable compatibility version instead.
The compatibility version can be set by specifying debhelper-compat (= 12) in your package's Build-Depends, by the legacy debian/compat file or even by setting and exporting DH_COMPAT in debian/rules. If it is not set in either place, debhelper defaults to the deprecated compatibility version 1.


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PFM’s Multi-Manager Funds embrace a central tenet of the Multi-Asset Class team’s methodology—using passive index management and multiple highly skilled, third-party investment managers with expertise in their respective markets to build diversified portfolios for our clients.
These mutual funds—PFM Multi-Manager Domestic Equity Fund, PFM Multi-Manager International Equity Fund, and PFM Multi-Manager Fixed-Income Fund—will enable our clients to experience a more optimal solution while seeking better risk-reward outcomes.
* The link above is to a third-party website which is external to the Fund's website. The Fund has not participated in the preparation of the material contained on this third-party website and does not explicitly or implicitly endorse or approve the information contained therein.
**The electronic files are available in XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) format, which requires special viewer software to be read. You can download special Interactive Data Viewer software and also copies of the PFM Funds' XBRL filings on the SEC's website at http://xbrl.sec.gov/. For prospectuses, only the Risk/Return Summary section of it and any updated supplements to that section are available in XBRL format.
These documents are provided in Adobe® PDF format. In order to view, edit and print these documents, you must have access to Adobe's Acrobat® Reader. Click here to obtain a free copy of the Adobe Acrobat® Reader.
This information does not represent an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any fund or other security by anyone in any jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation is not authorized, or in which the person making such offer is not qualified to do so, or to anyone to whom it is unlawful to make such an offer or solicitation, or to anyone in any jurisdiction outside the United States. Investors should consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses before investing in any of the PFM Multi-Manager Series Trust (the “Trust”) portfolios (the “Funds”). This and other information about the Funds is available in the Funds’ current Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information which should be read carefully before investing. Each Fund is classified as diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Each Fund is a series of the Trust that was formed as a Delaware statutory trust on December 21, 2016 under an Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Trust Agreement”). The PFM Multi-Manager Domestic Equity Fund (the “Domestic Equity Fund”) will seek to provide long-term capital appreciation. The PFM Multi-Manager International Equity Fund (the “International Equity Fund”) will seek to provide long-term capital appreciation . The PFM Multi-Manager Fixed-Income Fund (the “Fixed-Income Fund”) will seek to maximize total return (capital appreciation and income) consistent with reasonable risk. An investment in a Fund is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Shares of the Funds are distributed by PFM Fund Distributors, Inc., member Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) (www.finra.org) and Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) (www.sipc.org). PFM Fund Distributors, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PFM Asset Management LLC.
PFM Asset Management LLC (“PFMAM” or the “Adviser”) serves as the investment adviser to the Funds. As part of its management and oversight of the Funds, PFMAM selects investment advisers to serve as sub-advisers, and determines the allocation of each Fund’s assets among the selected sub-advisers. In its discretion, PFMAM may allocate no assets to a given sub-adviser. Each sub-adviser manages a portion of one or more of the Funds.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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If your property has experienced past flooding or drainage issues, or if you are concerned about future flooding, City of Salem staff is available to perform a site visit. Property owners or residents may request a site visit during the dry season, during flood conditions, or immediately following a flood event.
At the visit, a certified floodplain manager, building inspector, or stormwater maintenance personnel will give suggestions on how to best protect a specific property from flood damage. You may also receive recommendations for retrofitting measures, which are changes made to an existing structure to reduce the possibility of damage from flooding.
Other flood-related resources are available, and you can obtain contact information for these programs from City staff. A site visit will usually be completed within one week of your request.


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Is Todd Thompson a Millionaire?
As of 2015, it is estimated that Todd Thompson has a net worth of $15 million, making him a millionaire. Thompson is an American fashion designer.
Thompson designs clothing for numerous brands, including Anthropologie. Thompson is based out of southern California.
Thompson is the husband of celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis. The couple began dating in the 1990s and went on to marry in 2003. The pair have one child together, a daughter named Jade, who was born in 2008.
In December 2014, it was announced that the couple had been separated for some time and were in the process of ending their marriage.


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Your search returned 1233 results.
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Dhaka : Young, 1965Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ মালাপা ১৯৬৫] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : নওরোজ, ১৯৬৭Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ মজিদি ১৯৬৭] (1).
Edition: 4th ed.Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Kolikata : Dej Publishing , 1985Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১ ৪৪৩ ভট্রা ১৯৮৫] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Dhaka : Mawla Brothers ; 1967Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ ইদঅ ১৯৬৭] (2).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Dhaka : Dana prokasoni , 1985Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ ইমাঅ ১৯৮৫] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Dhaka : Bangla Ekademi , 1975Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৩০১ হোসেস ১৯৭৫] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : আহমদ, ১৯৬৪Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ খলীসী ১৯৬৪] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : সব্যসাচী, ১৯৮৪Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ হকদ্বি ১৯৮৪] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: কলকাতা : মিত্র ও ঘোষ, ১৯৮৬Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ মিত্রদা ১৯৮৬] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা ঃ অন্যপ্রকাশ, ২০০৭Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ আহআ ২০০৭] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : বর্ণায়ন , ১৯৯৯Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ পারফু ১৯৯৯] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: টাংগাইল : ক্যাবকো বিসিক শিল্পনগরী, ১৯৯৮Other title: Novel whole /.Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ ঠাকুঊ ১৯৯৮] (1).
রাইফেল রোটি আওরাত / আনোয়ার পাশা.
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : বর্ণ মিছিল, ১৯৭৩Other title: Rifle Roti Aorat /.Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ পাশারা ১৯৭৩] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction ; Audience: General; Publisher: Dhaka : Prothom Prokashoni ; 1992Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ হায়গু ১৯৯২] (1).
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: Dhaka : Jatio sahitto pokash, 2014Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩০৯ রোকেয়া ২০১৪] (1).
Material type: Book; Nature of contents: Publisher: ঢাকা : ন্যাশনাল, ২০০৭Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ রসুএ ২০০৭] (1).
Material type: Book; Nature of contents: Publisher: ঢাকা : তরফদার প্রকাশ, ২০০৮Other title: A desh amar na.Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ আলএ ২০০৮] (1).
by শিউলী , শামীমা আক্তার.
Material type: Book; Nature of contents: Publisher: ঢাকা : তৃপ্তি প্রকাশ কুঠি, ২০১১Other title: Muktijoddhu lal sobojer potaka.Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ শিউমু ২০১১] (2).
Material type: Book; Nature of contents: Publisher: ঢাকা : সৃজনী , ২০১৭Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ মাহউ ২০১৭] (1).
ইলিয়াডের গল্প / আলমগীর জলীল.
Material type: Book; Format: print ; Literary form: Not fiction Publisher: ঢাকা : বাং.লা একাডেমী, ১৯৮৪Availability: Items available for loan: [Call number: ৮৯১.৪৪৩ জলীই ১৯৮৪] (3).


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Today I’ll try to set up a WordPress development environment that’s a bit more robust than my old setup where I download the file I need to change from my website to my desktop, change it, upload it and refresh the browser.
I registered mypersonalblog on Google Code. For now I’ll probably mostly use the SVN features so you can swap out Google Code for any other repository.
I created a wp-themes folder in trunk where I’ll put one folder for each theme I use.
I download the theme I want to use from WordPress Themes. I add -ol to the end of the theme folder to not confuse the themes with the original folder names. Then I check it in. This is done to easily be able to track my changes compared to the version I started out from later. Both to be able to see what I have done but also to easily be able to merge updated theme versions further down the road.
I change the styles.css file and add some information. Here is an example from the Simplr-ol style.css file.
DESCRIPTION: My customizations to Simplr; "The original minimalist one-column, content-centered theme for WordPress. A different type of theme. For WordPress 2.6.x."
If any theme diverges a lot from the original theme I’ll maybe come up with a new name and upload it to WordPress Themes. For now I think it’s good enough to have them all in one Google Code repository.
I installed VirtualBox, created an Ubuntu appliance and installed Ubuntu 9.10 desktop. I installed the guest add-ons and Apache. I changed the VirtualBox network to Bridge mode so it get’s its own IP address.
Update 101118: I recently wanted to make this setup on another computer (using a wireless network card) where I couldn’t get the Bridged Adapter to work. I searched around a bit and it and it seemed like some people had similar issues. Instead I configured VirtualBox to use two network cards. One using NAT (giving internet access) and one using Host-only Adapter.
2 nic setup. The second card using Host-only Adapter to be accessible through my Host system.
With this setup you should access you guest os from your host os with the IP address your 2nd network card gets (in Windows).
I created an Apache Virtual Host and installed WordPress to that folder. The production URL is /wp/ and for the local URL I use http://o/blog. I added the IP for my virtual Ubuntu to the name o i my hosts file. Now I can surf to http://o/blog.
To share files in VirtualBox I use SharedFolders. The folder on my Windows workstation where I checked out the repository is D:CodingMyPersonalBlog and it’s mapped to the name MyPersonalBlog in Ubuntu.
Make sure that the files are visible in you Ubuntu server by running ls -la in the folder.
Note! You need to run this every time you login or you can create a script and make it auto run.
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4096 2010-03-27 11:08 .
drwxrwxrwx 1 root root 4096 2010-01-01 19:09 ..
drwxrwxrwx 5 www-data www-data 4096 2010-03-27 11:48 .
drwxrwxrwx 6 www-data www-data 4096 2010-03-27 11:20 ..
Now I can enable the themes in the WordPress admin panel.
Note! If WordPress can’t see the themes look at the permissions for the shared folder. I set mine to 0777 since it’s a local setup.
I use the build in WordPress feature to export all posts and pages to an XML-file. I import that file to my local setup. I include all attachments. Some minutes later I have all my posts in my local development environment.
If I need to re-import all posts I use the plugin Bulk Delete to empty my current local database. Then I empty the Media Library in the WordPress admin panel. One tip is to increase the number Media items per page via the Screen Options.
I installed Aptana, created a project file and added all my theme files to it. I have never used Aptana before so it’s a test. We’ll see how it goes.


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YUHSpace: Clinical characteristics of late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A multicenter retrospective study in Korea.
Clinical characteristics of late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: A multicenter retrospective study in Korea.
BACKGROUND: There are currently few studies regarding late-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (LO-NMOSD). OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the characteristic features of patients with LO-NMOSD in Korea. METHODS: Anti-aquaporin-4 antibody-positive patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) from nine tertiary hospitals were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups based on age of onset: LO-NMOSD (⩾50 years of age at onset) versus early-onset neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (EO-NMOSD) (<50 years of age at onset). Clinical, laboratory, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) parameters were investigated. RESULTS: Among a total of 147 patients (125 female; age of onset, 39.4 ± 15.2 years), 45 patients (30.6%) had an age of onset of more than 50 years. Compared to patients with EO-NMOSD, patients with LO-NMOSD had more frequent isolated spinal cord involvement at onset (64.4% vs 37.2%, p = 0.002), less frequent involvement of the optic nerve (40.0% vs 67.7%, p = 0.002), and less frequent brain MRI lesions (31.1% vs 50.0%, p = 0.034). Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between age of onset and Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score at last follow-up ( r = 0.246, p = 0.003). CONCLUSION: Age of onset could be an important predictor of lesion location and clinical course of patients with NMOSD.

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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This drainage is rumored to hold many routes. To approach by foot, take the Glenn Highway north from Anchorage and exit at the Glacier Park Resort (milepost 102). Follow the road down the hill and across the Matanuska River Bridge. Park at the fork in the road. Pack your stuff, and head down to the creek drainage. Access in late season would be helpful for a ski on the frozen river. Head up stream for an hour or so until the climbs come into view. Of course, a snow machine would improve the approach but access to the river would be different.
ALERT: Be aware that some of this area could be on or accessed through private property.


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This Tutorial is for the Android/iOS/Amazon version of SWC only. Perhaps it is similar on the Windows version. But i simply don't know.
You have a backup of the game in case your the app is uninstalled or corrupted somehow, your device gets damaged (or stolen) and/or you've to move to another devices.
Another important information is your PlayerID. That is a lengthy code which you find via Settings->About in the game. Take a screenshot/photograph or if not avoidable - write it down. You will need the PlayerID if you contact the Disney support for any reason.
Be very careful when syncing a new device / installation to an existing SWC-Account. You risk overwriting your Account (maybe forever), when you press the wrong button. This tutorial is written from my best memory and knowledge but it may still contain errors. Please always use your brain and don't trust my words.
So when do you need to (Re)Sync/Restore your game?
You uninstalled Star Wars Commander on your device.
Your device was reset & the previous data erased.
You want to continue playing SWC on a new device.
You want to play with your existing SWC account on a second device.
Play the tutorial. You have to choose a (temporary) name, choose your faction and play until the first chapter starts. Open the Play window, but you don't need to play the chapter itself. Just close the window again and you should be the first time in the game without a flashing arrow. (B.t.w. don't hesitate to use crystals for speeding up the tutorial. They don't count against your original account).
Now go to the game settings and login to the platform where you synced to.
The game will now ask if you want to either connect your new game (!!don't do that, this overwrites your original game!!) or to Load the original game.
Select [Load] and acknowledge the choice on the second dialogue (see screenshots below).
The game should now restart and present your original game to you.
Using this mechanism you can play SWC on multiple devices (i.e. phone and tablet). You can also play the android version on windows android emulators like Genymotion or Bluestacks. But beware, never press the red button!
We're recruiting! (Rebels/Android/iOS). Just PM me here/LINE:lleyleber or request in game with a meaningful text. If you want to take part in wars, lv7+ is useful.
Double syncing (i.e. FB and Google) might be even better.
Having the same game on multiple devices - including emulators - (via syncing) is good.
Having a (real) backup of your device (if possible) also helps.
Many people have had difficulties with the last update. Some lost their year-long progress. And even the player-id alone doesn't help much (according to support answers I read) when you lost your game.
So: sync, duplicate, backup what you can.
Better contact the forum (and/or support) first and have some patience.
I think it was removing the memory (microSD)-Card before newly installing the SWC App.
But Stop: Uninstalling SWC ist dangerous!
If you have not synced your account then your account is lost for sure.
If you have synced your account then you still risc much unless you used sync before to have a copy of your account on another device.
When you've got a (useful) Backup you can "simply" restore it as last resort. Backups may also help retrieving important data (i.e. player-id) to help restoring your account.
The downside is that backing up your apps settings can be complicated and unreliable on Android.
The purpose of this FAQ is to help you getting a working backup from your game. It may also help experienced users retrieving their player-id from a backup or the device in case they didn't note it and need it to contact support.
Does this help me when I'm already in trouble with the game?
If your Star Wars Commander app isn't uninstalled yet then: Yes, I advise to backup up the game. A backup can be used to retrieve vital information and may be helpful when other measures of account restoring become available/known in the future.
If you didn't note your player-id, some backups can be used to retrieve your game-settings file containing the player-id. Even if the game isn't working (but still installed) and the device is not rooted.
I already synched my game to Facebook/Google/Game Center isn't that enough?
A Backup is an additional measure of safety. Synching may fail and there's a possibility of accidentially overwriting a snych with another game.
I have an old backup. Is this still of use?
Yes, but be careful when restoring! If this is a full backup of your device then other important data on your device may be overwritten with old data.
Also, if the backup file is in the "AndroidBackup" (*.ab) format, then the player-id can potentially be retrieved from such a backup.
Manually retrieving specific data (i.e. the player-id) from Google Backups is not possible to my knowledge.
Some manufacturers put own backup software on their devices or offer some PC-Software for backup up the device on PCs. These may be helpful but I am not using them so I can't tell.
This software usually relies on the Function "Android Backup" of the developer tool "adb". You also need to enable "USB debugging" on your phone. This backup often requires a link via USB to a Windows/Linux PC or Mac. Backups are then transferred to the PC or to internal memory/SD-Card.
This backup software actually saves what we need. The free version should be sufficient. You can restrict the backup on Star Wars Commander (or "com.lucasarts.starts_goo") only to speed it up.
Personally, I use the Windows software "Total Commander" (a File Manager) combined with the Plugin "Android ADB" to backup android files via USB to a Windows Computer. Total Commander is shareware but is completely usable after acknowledging the nag screen.
Use the following settings: "Include APKs, Do not include devices's shared storage, Do not include all system applications, Backup selected packages: check: 'com.lucasarts.starts_goo'"
A free Backup utility. But beware! The download sources are highly unreliable and downloads may even contain malware!
Backups can be made by PC-commandline after having installed the Android SDK and USB-Drivers suitable for your device.
Backing up data from a rooted Android device is far easier and more reliable but not everyone can or wants to have a rooted device. On Emulators you have the additional possibility of simply copying the whole emulator image (or retrieving it from an older PC backup).
Can I extract my player-id from a backup?
This tool needs a technically able user who can work with command line utilities and archivers (tar). But it allows to access the settings file of Star Wars Commander which contains the player-id.
You find the player-id as "prefPlayerId" in the file "com.lucasarts.starts-goo.xml".
It is most certainly not possible to "implant/edit" an existing player-id (alone) to a backup made of a installation with another player-id.
Extracting Data from other Tools (like TitaniumBackup) may also be possible. But if you've root access on the device you can easier retrieve the player-id from the device itself (\data\data\com.lucasarts.starts.goo\shared_prefs\com.lucasarts.starts_goo.xml).
There are also a number of official Disney FAQ articles.
Backup up and restoring the preferences files seems to definitely work for windows. This file is called playerprefs.dat.
Internal details for recovering Android/iOS accounts.
These informations are meant as help for experienced users.
I can not guarantee that these steps will always help. They're meant as last resort when nothing else helps.
The given information is only helpful for recovery purposes. It is not helpful for manipulation or other misuse of the game.
Basically you "only" need the PlayerId (which is visible in the about screen) AND the PlayerSecret (retrievable from a preferences file) to restore an account. These are comparable to a userid and password which the game uses to log in to your account and retrieve your game data from disneys servers.
I created a secondary (test) account (let's call it "Account1") in a Android Emulator. Played the tuturial, placed some buildings. In that case it is a lv 4 HQ base. This account was not synced b.t.w.
I created another, new Emulator image (=new device). I installed the game again and started it up once. Just clicked once on the base but did not play through the tutorial. I then ended the game and made sure the app actually was stopped. (Dragged it out of tasklist).
Now i opened the preferences file on the same location as mentioned above. Naturally, it contained different values for playerid and playersecret. I then edited the file and changed the values of "prefPlayerId" and "prefPlayerSecret" to the values of the saved file from "Account1".
Then I started up the game and it showed the HQ 4 base and the correct username of "Account1".
Most certainly the login data is also stored in the synch data when the game is/was synched to google/FB. But I have no idea how to access this synch data outside the game (i.e. when it was uninstalled).

industry_corpus2: Gaming


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Creative people make decisions. Lots of them. The more decisions, the more creative. How do many creative people generate brilliant, unique ideas in a short period of time? What if we could harness this power? Read on and find out!
Intentional limitation is needed to promote and develop ideas.
Rationale: Right brain creative idea generating is achieved best with little or no technology and distraction. Also having a visual reminder of what you are brainwriting helps keep you focused. People lose focus within 60 seconds, if they don’t have a visual reminder in front of them. Technology like cell phones and computers can distract us from idea generating task short-circuiting the creative process. Paper is helpful because it’s quick to use and allows you to write anywhere and anyway to get ideas recorded quickly in a visible medium. This gives introverted people a chance to more freely express themselves.
Write the main topic in a circle in the middle of the paper and then write down ideas related to the topic quickly around the circle.
Write non-stop it for three minutes (3:00).
Set a timer that is visible by all working on this project.
Rationale: different perspectives can evolve ideas or see patterns or opportunities where another person may not. This gives extroverted people a chance to more freely express themselves.
Pitch the brainwritten ideas within a small team.
Look for ways to add/refine your ideas.
Do this for five minutes (5:00).
Set a timer that is visible by the whole team.
Add the ideas to a collective brainstormed sheet.
Rationale: Storyboarding is great way to establish your story or the logical flow of an idea. Storytelling is a one of the best ways to present ideas and teach. All presentations should teach something to the audience, even in a job interview. By sharing information through a story you give the audience a way to understand the information (right brain context). By writing your storyboard on paper you create a rough draft you can share easily with others to find ways to improve your presentation or story without having to invest a lot of time on the computer before sharing.
Create a storyboard on paper.
Fold a piece of paper four times. You will end up with 16 small rectangles on one side of the paper.
Use these 16 cells as sample presentation slides, film shots, etc.
Organize non-stop your brainwritten material into chronological order for three minutes (3:00).
Add the ideas to a collective brainstormed storyboard.
Rationale: Voice and body language heavily influence presentation performance. Understanding the principles of effective presentation delivery is fundamental in conveying ideas to others.
How to take a step by step approach to frameworks development.
What skills sequence well for building a diverse skill base for problem solving and creating?
Bribe them with food, chocolate, yummy drinks, etc.
Learning should feel good or better stated, gratifying. The stronger the emotional response the better the learning retention. Let’s take a look at what chemically happens in the brain when we struggle, succeed, and enjoy what we are doing.
Why? Because Stress Kills Learning and Much More!!!
http://www.oxytocincentral.com – Oxytocin affects our feelings and emotions, but oxytocin is also a Super-Hero in the way it impacts our bodies. Oxytocin has been linked to more restful sleep. Lower blood pressure. Reduced stress. Less pain. Improved healing. Weight loss. There are many natural methods by which to release a constant flow of oxytocin. Many of these require human contact, such as gentle touches and hugging. There are also oxytocin supplements available which can increase oxytocin levels in our bodies.
How do we get students to care? To be engaged?
How do we move from apathy to passion?
These questions have many answers, but to affect real, lasting change structural and philosophical changes need to be made in the classroom. Ideas are detailed below in the embedded videos and notes taken at the Deming Institute in Seattle November of 2015.
David P. Langford, senior education facilitator and Advisory Board member for The Deming Institute and CEO of Langford International, Inc, set the stage for understanding the foundation of the Deming approach applied in education. He explained the methodology and show documentation of how Deming theory is affecting all levels of learning worldwide.
Working directly with Dr. Deming before he died in 1993, Mr. Langford developed a powerful understanding of how to put into action processes which are inspiring innovative and visionary world-class learning in classrooms, schools, districts and universities.
The notes below were taken by Scott Le Duc at the conference.
Contact them to find a training near you!
What system are we working within?
Do they empower or neutralize power?
Seldom do we ask what is wrong with this system that is producing poor results? – Change it!
What is your theory of education?
“Bonus” thinking narrows: What do I need to do to get an “A”?
What are going to do with it?
Do we understand the variability within the data?
Do we really understand the psychological effects of our policies?
Tardy policies – 3 absences allowed – why?
Where are the students going after they leave school?
How do you change the extrinsic motivation into intrinsic motivation so people want to do the work?
Ask the question: Do we need other people to get results?
QUESTION: Do you actually need other people to reach your result?
QUESTION: Do we have some method for communicating how students are doing?
Why are we doing this / learning this?
What would cause 165 students to cheat?
Teach students to use Gantt charts, flow charts, and other processes and ways to manage the work load, portfolio assessments, etc.
32:59 Land’s Study Asks Are We Killing Creativity?
Frameworks are the underlying structure of things. In education we build curriculum from them, but how? We build them with standards and verbs! Many examples of online and paper-based forms and techniques are shared in this presentation / discussion.
Building a Quality CTE System with Verbs!
What system are we working within? Do they empower or neutralize power?Seldom do we ask what system is producing poor results? – Change it!
Jim Flatmo and Scott Le Duc started using the Unity game engine and newly minted curriculum from Unity last year. In this roundtable they share their experiences. Game design teachers or anyone interested in starting a game design program are invited to be a part of the conversation.
Jim Flatmo has years of experience in game design world both professionally and academically with many systems and programs.
Scott is new to the game design world but has taught web design and robotics.
Is National Board For You?
What is involved in pursuing National Board certification?
Washington State Support – A Must!
Feedback is needed to improve. Examine methods to increase the frequency and quality of feedback with students. Many examples of online and paper-based forms and techniques will be shared.


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One of the most crucial parts of the development of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the decision to drop George Lucas' original story treatments; the series founder had already taken a step back with the sale of Lucasfilm, but this distanced him completely, a clear sign on Disney's part that the prequel age was now firmly in the past.
George is going to be an executive producer on it with me. Of course I would never make an Indiana Jones film without George Lucas. That would be insane.
So he's executive producer. That's a very vague title and can mean anything from giving it a thumbs up once its finished to acting as a producer in all-but-name, but the way Spielberg talks suggests some creative input. Hardly surprising given that the whole Indy thing is Lucas' baby (you could say he cared for it more than Star Wars), but after Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull, a movie he refused to approve until it had aliens as the MacGuffin, it seems like a poor move.
Indiana Jones 5 is set for release on 19th July 2019.


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Registering for Online Banking is easy!
2. Download and complete the Interactive Services Banking Agreement.
If you do not already have a First Citizens account; click here to open an account.
Overseas applicants are advised to simply complete the registration form and submit. A customer service representative from the E-Business Unit will contact you to complete the process.
For further information to sign up for Online Banking you can call the First Citizens Contact Centre at 62 FIRST (34778). The Contact Centre is available every day from 6am to 10pm.


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This is very cool, the first of its kind! A waterproof diffuser for your shower!
The Shower Diffuser™ Essential Oil Aromatizer™ is bringing the benefits of aromatherapy to your bathroom in a way that has never been seen before. It’s the world’s first waterproof wall mounted essential oil diffuser.
With this new invention you can diffuse essential oils in the shower! Easy to mount and works with essential oil bottles from all major essential oil brands!
Shower time can be a therapeutic experience, the Shower Diffuser™ by Oasis can make that experience even better!
Compatible with bottles from all major brands.
Fits 5ml, 10ml and 15ml bottles.
Holds 2 bottles simultaneously. Diffuse one bottle or both at the same time.
Includes Wall Dock™ that sticks to almost any surface and removes cleanly.
Uses 3 AA Batteries. Shuts off automatically after 8 minutes.
As I was reading customer comments about the Shower Diffuser™ I noticed an exceptionally high number of customers that were extremely happy with this product. A very small number of people said that the scent coming out of this diffuser was not very strong. This could be due to the brand and quality of the specific essential oils being dispersed. I would always recommend using high quality oils from a trusted brand when diffusing oils in any diffuser.
With the Shower Diffuser™ you can have a spa in your own home! Your shower acts as a humidifier creating the perfect environment to diffuse essential oils. This means you will be gaining all the mental and physical benefits of aromatherapy right in your shower! This is fantastic!
With the variety of available oils and the numerous benefits they provide, adding this product to your daily routine will benefit you in a ton of ways. Diffuse peppermint or lemon in the morning to help wake up. Diffuse eucalyptus during the cold and flu season to boost your immune system. Enjoy the scent of lavender to relax before bed. Relax in the tub and take in the scent of Jasmine to settle your mind. The possibilities are endless!
If you are currently using bath bombs or dripping essential oils into your bathtub then the Shower Diffuser™ is a great choice for you. It’s easy to mount and ready to use within minutes. This unit will create a mist for you to enjoy while you shower. Sweet! No more bath bomb messes or slippery tubs!
Since the Shower Diffuser™ fits bottles from all major brands (such as Young Living, DoTerra, NuSkin, Melaleuca, Plant Therapy, and others) you don’t need to purchase special bottles. You may already have some of these brands in your existing oil collection.
I really like that you can blend two oils at the same time or just use one. It might be handy to have a morning oil and an evening oil available and ready to go. No need to switch out the bottles.
Another awesome feature is the auto shut-off (after 8 minutes). This is a great thing, however I can see turning it back on and taking a longer shower sometimes. LOL Having the auto shut-off means you don’t need to worry about the battery running low or wasting your essential oils.
I think this little diffuser would make a perfect gift for almost anyone. Great for any occasion! Who wouldn’t want the spa experience in the comfort of their own home?
Essential oils have been used for thousands of years for a variety of purposes. I use them regularly to boost my immunity and for my physical and mental health. I am so excited about the Shower Diffuser™ by Oasis, what a fantastic little device. This will change the way we think about taking a shower!
I love that you can use two different oils together or separately. Great product! I bought one for my sister, she loves it too! Perfection!
Simple and easy to use. It’s quick and easy to change out the oils when I want a different scent.
I just received it. I’m really looking forward to putting it to use. I love the fact that it comes with a good warranty.
I love my new wall mounted diffuser! My son has trouble falling asleep. Now he takes a shower with Lavender before bed. If you have a cold, it’s great to take a shower with eucalyptus essential oil. I love it!
I use the Shower Diffuser every day. I use peppermint essential oil to wake me up in the morning.
This is the BEST invention ever! I am excited to have an easy way to use my essential oils in the shower. I love the automatic shut-off feature as it saves on the batteries and my essential oils are not wasted.
I give it 5 stars! I love it so much! I highly recommend this diffuser to anyone that enjoys diffusing essential oils.
I hope this review has been helpful. I was excited when I discovered this new kind of diffuser for the bathroom and I just had to share. I would love to hear from you if you have any comments about the Shower Diffuser™ by Oasis. Have a fantastic day! Stay happy and healthy!
Essential oils are very POTENT and should be used with common sense and caution. Always read the labels. If you are currently taking any prescribed medication speak to your doctor before using essential oils. If you are concerned about allergies, you may want to perform a patch test on your skin. Some essential oils are photo toxic. Avoid the sun as necessary when using these oils. Some oils are not recommended if you are pregnant or nursing. Essential oils are considered “complementary and alternative medicines” and are not a substitute for professional medical intervention and advice. If you are experiencing severe physical or mental illness contact a medical professional.
I could not imagine life without my essential oils either. I think the Shower Diffuser is a great invention. I love that you can attach two different bottles and choose to use them together or individually. This would make a fantastic Mother’s Day gift! Thanks for popping by. I hope you have great day!
Wow what a great idea! I use essential oils in my bath and in the shower I block the drain with a washcloth that has a few drops of essential oils soaked in to it. This weird system works OK, however, this shower diffuser is a much better idea.
I love that it has two bottles so you can choose what type of aromatherapy you need. I love rosemary in the morning and something relaxing like petitgrain or chamomile at night. Great idea and review.
I sure think this new Shower Diffuser is a great alternative to dripping oils in the tub or using bath bombs. Thanks for sharing what oils you use at different times of the day. I am a huge fan of using oils for my overall health, I truly believe they can help us in many ways! Thanks for stopping in and sharing your ideas! I hope you have a fantastic day!
My wife and I are expecting our first child. With this my wife has been sick a couple times with a head cold and could not take any medicine.
We started using the diffuser that we got for Christmas and it has helped her quite a bit. She also would sit in our bathroom with the hot water on and use the steam to help clear her congestion. I will pass this onto her as this shower diffuser would be the best of both worlds.
I wish both you and your wife all good things with the upcoming birth of your new child! How exciting!
I know what you mean about being very limited with medications while pregnant. One needs to be very careful. I wanted to say, but you probably already know that some essential oils are not recommended when pregnant. That being said, I think with the right oils your wife might really like using this new invention to fight congestion when she is not feeling well.
I sure appreciate that you stopped by. Again, best wishes to you, your wife and the little one!
What a great idea! I will be looking to buy on of these. Thank you for this lovely idea.
Yes, this is such an awesome invention. Now we can enjoy misting essential oils in the bathroom. I think the Shower Diffuser by Oasis is going to be a hit! Thanks for stopping by!
I love to spray essential oils into the air in my bathroom before I shower. This is so much better. Having the option of two different scents is definitely a great idea.
I’m not really a bath person so I usually use my essential oils as air fresheners in the bathroom.
Peppermint oil would be great first thing in the morning. I usually like to start my morning with rolling a tiny bit on my temples. I find it wakes me up. With the Oasis shower diffuser I might be able to skip this step. The less I have to do to get ready in the morning the better.
The shut off timer would be very handy for me too. I tend to forget to turn things off – or think I have and then worry all day about it.
Thanks for sharing this new invention. I’m thinking the Shower Diffuser Essential Oil Aromatizer is one cool item that should go on my wish list for Mother’s Day.
I think the Shower Diffuser by Oasis is a fantastic thing. I like that it fits most common essential oil bottle sizes too. So, it would probably fit any oils we already have in our collection.
I often worry about forgetting to turn off certain things in my house too, so the eight minute shut off feature is awesome.
This would make an really good gift for almost any occasion, especially Mother’s Day!


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In China, the prevalence of tooth decay among 12-year-olds increased nearly 35 percent from 2005 to 2015. While most parents still believe that good dental hygiene means brushing teeth twice a day, dental professionals suggest that neglecting timely oral care after meals contributes to the problem. Wrigley’s Extra Sugar-Free Gum wanted to inspire Chinese parents to encourage their children to chew sugar-free gum after meals, which can help prevent tooth decay and improve oral health.
We tapped into Chinese school children’s daily lunch routines and created the first interactive lunchbox that encourages children to practice oral hygiene after meals — Extra Care Box. The care box used artwork that playfully changes with heat and reveals cartoon characters who work together to clean their teeth. This fun activation captures children’s attention and encourages them to open a built-in compartment and chew the sugar-free gum inside it after meals, a simple reminder that helps improve their daily oral hygiene — without interrupting their playtime.


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Below are some of the key projects we've been involved in. Although too numerous to list, we've had the pleasure of being involved with 3,000+ projects across Canada.
We'd like to welcome on board to our growing team Sia as an office member and Patrick in production.


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What is nostalgia? It is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. Wikipedia says that it refers to a general interest in the past, their personalities and events, especially the "good old days" from one's earlier life. One can feel nostalgic, while visiting places or even cities where one has spent some time in the past and has happy memories about it.
I have a group of school friends, with whom I meet occasionally over a cup of tea. We really do not have much in common except the fact that all of us belonged to middle class and were brought up in a very ordinary life style. Because of this, the discussions tend to be more on nostalgic side; such as about our school, teachers and general life style of people, when we were kids. But just nostalgic talk can not really be a talking point for long, because it has its limits.
With the new social media like WhatsApp, a new trend has developed, wherein people are forming groups such as school friends, college friends and even kindergarten friends. I do not think, I can ever participate in such groups, because really speaking, all the group members are nothing but strangers unless they have maintained contact with each other all along and can find common interests to talk with each other.
This brings us to the real crucial requirement for feeling nostalgic about a period or a place. As I have mentioned above, one has to have happy personal associations with that period or place to feel nostalgic. If these are missing, a person is unlikely to have “good old days” feeling about that place or period. Let me give you an example. I did my graduation in Engineering from the south Indian city of Bengaluru. I stayed in a hostel and have to-date, extremely happy memories of the period and the friends. These memories include the great time spent in cafes on weekend evenings located on Bengaluru Cantonment streets such as M.G.Road and Brigade road. The superb crispy “Masala Dosas” we ate in “Koushy's” along with cups of fabulous filter coffee and even Saturday night late shows of latest Hollywood films.
The memory of those days always makes me feel sad, more so these days, because I lost one of my good friends a month back, with whom I had fabulous time. Recently I tried to analyze, why I feel so nostalgic and nice about my Bengaluru days. The hard realisation was that I always feel nice about that period because academically I was doing exceedingly well in those days, an achievement which I always remember with pride. This really is the base of my euphoric feeling for that period and all other pleasant memories simply get added to that feeling.
As against Bengaluru days, my memories about my stay in Mumbai, where I was working in a company belonging to one of the top industrial houses of India, are not exactly that nostalgic. I was a research and development engineer then. However, things did not go that well right from start, though I never had a failure of any sorts. I was confirmed in my job on schedule and was given a raise when due. Yet the fact remains that I was doing only about average in my job. At a personal level, I had lots of fun no doubt. But today, in hindsight, I can say that I do not have that kind of Nostalgic memories about my Mumbai days, as I have about my Bengaluru days.
Perhaps by now the readers might have guessed, what I am trying to say. For any one, to feel nostalgic about a place or period, he must have done rather well there or then; may be, its the studies or the job or some other work. Having pleasant memories of just having spent some time in cafes or theaters usually is not enough.
These days, few of us, in the same age group, get together for a chat almost every evening. Leaving one or two persons, I have been acquainted with most members of this group very recently. Even then, the discussions tend to be quite interesting on most evenings for one simple reason. We have common interests but no common baggage of any nostalgia, because we have no common past at all. We therefore find it easy to talk on any subject under the sun.
Wikipedia says that although nostalgia is often triggered by negative feelings, it results in increasing one's mood and heightening positive emotions, which can stem from feelings of warmth or coping resulting from nostalgic reflections. Nostalgia also may help increase one's self-esteem and meaning in life by buffering threats to well-being. I do not think this is the whole truth. Some memories may actually exactly do the opposite and may pressurize a person towards a depressing mood.
Nostalgia has its limits! You can not go very far with it. What do you say?


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With the hottest month of the year quickly approaching, our team of Houston Mortgage professionals has created a list of eight ways to beat the summer heat and save while doing so.
Ceiling fans are the best of both worlds.
Not only do ceiling fans provide a decorative element to any room, but they produce a wind-chill effect that helps keep the room cool. Believe it or not, ceiling fans only use as much energy as a 100-watt light bulb.
With today’s modern technology, they are capable, trendy and more powerful than ever before. Between online shopping and the vast array of home supplies stores, homeowners have countless options when it comes to ceiling fan styles.
Keep your air conditioning unit shaded.
If your air conditioner is in the direct path of sunlight, usually the case if located on the north or east side of the home, consider planting shrubs or trees to shade it. Direct sunlight on your air conditioning unit actually decreases efficiency and can use up to 10 percent more electricity. Also, don’t forget to clean and replace your air filters. A clean filter can lower energy consumption by 15 percent.
Are you in need of a new refrigerator?
Now is a better time than ever to buy a new refrigerator. There are new models available that can be such energy savers that they use the same amount of electricity as a 75-watt light bulb. Even if you are not ready to purchase a new refrigerator at this time, always make sure its doors are shut and well sealed.
A quick tip is if you can slide a dollar bill through the door when it is shut, the gasket should be replaced.
With plantation shutters, you can control the airflow and block out the sun’s harsh rays at the same time. Although insulating shutters are a very expensive form of window treatment, they can reduce heat exchange by as much as 80 percent.
Install high performance windows or glass coatings.
Fact, windows let in 40 percent of the unwanted heat in a home. Installing high performance windows or glass coatings reduce the sun’s heat and glare. It works in a way very similar to tenting your car windows. The sun-control films reduce the light, thus reducing the temperature and brightness. Another option would be installing windows with double-pane thermal glass, providing extra insulation from the sun’s harsh rays all year.
Take a step outside and pick out a couple of areas in which you could add some shade. Install awnings over windows, pull-down shades on the deck or plant a couple of trees. Surprisingly, outside shading is more efficient than indoor shading.
If you are the type of person who needs to be cold when sleeping, consider switching from cotton sheets to linen. Linen sheets typically keep you cooler, therefore reducing the need for the air conditioning or ceiling fan.