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I am officially less than 3 weeks away from meeting my baby boy and to say I am excited is an understatement but I am also terrified of the whole labor process and I guess just the unknown in general.
It’s crazy but it’s almost like I still don’t believe that I’m pregnant let alone will be pushing a little human baby out of me in a very short time.
Things have started to become very real though, the weight I feel of my belly is something that has really started to affect my everyday life especially when making those frequent waddles to the bathroom in the middle of the night.
The leg cramps are a lot more painful than I ever imagined ( also in the middle of the night ) and the whole not being able to sleep thing is driving me crazy!
My stretch marks on my belly and legs are also a lot more prominent and although I would be lying if I said it didn’t affect me to see them creep their way all over my body, it also overwhelms me to see how my body is changing in preparation for this little miracle.
The heartburn I have been experiencing recently is probably the worst thing and I have to say that I am really eager for that to disappear with the arrival of my newborn.
Also small things like finding myself wanting to walk to the supermarket at the pace that I usually do pre pregnancy but realising after mere minutes that I need to slow down to catch my breath.
It’s like my brain still feels like I am the pre pregnancy Jess, always so fast paced in whatever I did in life. So coming to the realisation that my body can no longer keep up with that was difficult to accept but I’m slowly learning to embrace it.
His movements are obviously a lot stronger now and more frequent and sometimes if we are really lucky we can actually see him move the skin of my belly!
Also this constant desire to hold and rub my belly makes me realise how truly blessed I am to be going through such a journey and also how much I’m going to miss my belly when it’s gone … Although I am excited of the thought of being able to see my feet again.
During our last appointment at the hospital we were told that our baby has turned to the ‘birth’ position, ( head facing down ) and we were over the moon.
It is so surreal to be going out to malls and instead of walking into our usual Zara and Cotton On for clothes or whatever it may be, to be visiting Mother care and various other baby stores instead.
Speaking of which we have so many products that we have purchased to use on our newborn and so I can’t wait to share them all with you, ( once we have had time to actually use them on the baby of course ) and to let you know our thoughts and reviews on our baby items etc.
Anyways, I hope all of you are doing well and I truly cannot wait to share the next part of our journey with you when the time comes!
Until then, stay safe everyone!


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Here you can find information about prices for bulk sms (Brazil) depending on the volume of sms sent per month.
To give you a better idea of the scope of our services, we also have included a list of Brazil mobile operators that we work with.
Atomic SMS Sender is the sms sending service allowing for short text messages to be sent right from web browser on your computer to cell phones of your customers or friends in Brazil and world wide.
Atomic SMS Sender is a leading provider of bulk SMS messaging service in Brazil with reliable coverage of more than 700 networks in over 200 countries worldwide.
Basic prices for other countries other than for Brazil can be found here.
Click Send and your message will be sent immediately to Brazil or worldwide.
*Upon creating your account you get 3 free SMS to test how it works in Brazil or any other country . If you like the service, you can buy extra SMS right from your SMS Sender Control Panel or buy SMS right now.
When you send bulk SMS, Brazil can have specific laws that can be applicable. While it’s not generally the case that bulk messaging is illegal in the country, there might be specific regulations that you might want to check out at your leisure.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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Bedroom.Furniture-Storefront suggests the Grove Queen Panel Complete Bed Root Beer P manufactured by Progressive bedroom furniture. Grove queen panel in root beer furniture p think with attitude, grove reveals a Bedroom enhancement.
Copyright 2017-2019 Bedroom.Furniture-Storefront.com. Remodel your bedroom space. All rights reserved.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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Equipment Engineer is responsible for managing the technical aspects of equipment and vendor engagement, planning, scheduling, and implementing new tool installations, relocations, and retrofits as well as optimizing existing tool performance.
Equipment Engineer responsibilities include ownership of tool sets, coaching equipment Expert Team and developing Machine Owners professionalism, leading task force and trouble shooting situations, ensure continuous improvements and breakthroughs of the tools/module. Lead cost saving initiation for maximization factory quality output and cost performance. Adjust to multitasking environment. Possessing basic project managerial skills. Improving area SSM capabilities of ESST.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
...use joystick motion as a modulation source?
I want to modulate one of the vocal formant patches (let's use "vocall" for now) so the Solaris actually says, "Yeeeeaaaaahhhh" as the filter opens up/time advances as I hold a chord.
You'd basically move the joystick manually from around 4:00 to 10:00, give or take.
Is there a way to track this?
What do you mean by “track this”? Automate it?
Manually moving it will work, of course (you modulate the Crossfade position). To have it move without manual operation, you would have to use the 2-D Looping Envelope.
Yes! Perfect! Wanted it to follow/mimic the filter opening up.


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Cape Town – The rigger who died while working on the stage for Johannesburg’s Global Citizen Festival has been identified as Siyabonga Ngodze.
Bob Geldof mentioned the young man’s name while asking for a moment of silence during his appearance at the festival.
“This afternoon in Johannesburg, a rigger working on behalf of a production partner for the Global Citizen Festival, suffered fatal injuries arising from a fall at the site.
Cross-Currents on How Rigger Fell To Death At Mandela Festival – Racism In The Industry To Blame, Abaphenyi Media Group, December 22 2018.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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Ms Talbot received the HSBC Corporate Executives Award at the inaugural WXN Awards presented by the Women’s Executive Network (WXN) and HSBC Ireland on Thursday.
Research was conducted across five categories to identify Ireland’s Most Powerful Women: Top 25 Award Winners. The selection criteria identified the women who hold the most senior positions in Ireland’s largest publicly traded companies on the ISEQ by annual turnover or Ireland’s largest companies, by number of employees and turnover in Ireland. The winners hold a position at director level or higher or report directly to the CEO/managing director.
Ms Talbot’s citation was delivered by Alan Duffy, head of HSBC Corporate Banking and Ireland, who said she was an inspiration to her peers, colleagues, family and friends.
“Apart from becoming the first female group finance director at Glanbia in July 2009, Siobhan is also a breast cancer survivor” and is recognised as “an inspiring first lady in agri-business,” he said.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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The Daily Grommet - "Intimate and Interactive With David Homyk"
Not long ago, Jeanne was fortunate to come across the music of David Homyk and had the chance to get to know him better thanks to Twitter. She then introduced me to David and his music (you might even recognize him from a few T.V. shows!). Right away, I knew he’d be a great fit for Daily Grommet.
Today we’re thrilled to be hosting David on the Daily Grommet blog , and he’s even offered to give a few of our lucky commenters a copy of his album, True Story!
Ok, let’s start with an easy one: Tell us what instruments you play?
I play guitar, piano, saxophone, bass guitar, and I’m a singer (the voice is my favorite “instrument!”) Most importantly, though, I’m a record producer. This means that if I happen to imagine the texture of a new instrument within the soundscape of an as yet unrecorded song, I’ll tinker with that particular instrument until I can play it.
On Christmas day when I was three years old, my dad recorded an interview with me and my brother … He started the tape, spoke into the microphone, and then passed the microphone to us. After a few questions I asked him to play the tape back. When I heard myself speaking, my first thought was “We need to rerecord that, I can make it sound better this time.” This was the dawn of my fascination and obsession with recording.
At age eight I got my first boom box. I had already been taking piano lessons for one year and was now composing and recording my own songs. I learned to dub tracks in and somewhat multi-track on tapes, but by the time I had picked up the saxophone, guitar, bass guitar, and had been writing and singing, I needed more equipment to produce myself playing all the various instruments as well as singing multiple parts on the recordings of my songs. I purchased and learned to use a professional multi-track analog studio recorder.
I recorded my songs and ultimately got them on local radio. At this point, not only was I a singer-songwriter, but a seasoned record producer. I took a cappella tracks of Beyoncé songs; just her voice, and produced rich and very sophisticated pop symphonies underneath them which rivaled the original radio productions. This ultimately let to a meeting and eventual business relationship with Matthew Knowles, Beyoncé’s father, who quickly started throwing other projects at me, capitalizing on my composition and production skills. It was a lot of work but that’s when I really “cut my teeth,” as they call it.
Ironically, the artists who have made the biggest impact on my life and who have shaped my choice to become an artist tend to sound little like me at all. In no particular order: Nirvana, Pink Floyd, John Coltrane, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Led Zeppelin, Mobb Deep, Nas, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Portishead, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and The Doors.
I’m listening to Parachute’s new album “Loosing Sleep,” which is an absolutely excellent record in every aspect; writing, performance, composition, and production. I’m also listening to The Mars Volta, Ne-Yo, John Mayer, Elliott Smith, Peter Bjorn and John, Ashlee Simpson, Mat Kearney, I’m From Barcelona, Uncle Kracker, Evanescence, Lil Wayne, The All-American Rejects, Buddy Holly, Mary J. Blige, Jason Mraz, The Midnight Appointment, OneRepublic, Daddy Yankee, Drake, audio recordings of Eckhart Tolle, Soulja Boy, Clipse, Bellringer, Colbie Caillat, Mastodon, and Yael Mayer.
Do you write all of your own lyrics/music. If so, do you find the process to be easy or difficult for you?
Yes, I write and compose all of my own lyrics and music. On a good day it’s almost effortless. The process can be better understood as a creative experience that’s coming through me, rather than my own arduous pursuit of, and determination to create, something outside of me. The difficulty, however, often lies in the highly specialized art of engineering and producing a hit recording which, unlike writing and composing, comprises myriad tedious steps and formulas.
Who would you collaborate with if you could choose anyone – dead or alive?
I know I would certainly have very fruitful and productive collaborations with Lil Wayne, Jason Mraz, Colbie Caillat, Amy Lee, Lupe Fiasco, Sara Bareilles, Miley Cyrus, Jo-Jo, and Taylor Swift. And I would jump at the opportunity to collaborate with John Coltrane or Jimi Hendrix if they were alive today.
What other interests do you pursue in life other than music? Do you have any other hobbies that you enjoy?
I love hiking, long boarding, rollerblading, skiing, TV acting, and being young in NYC if that counts as a “hobby” – haha!
What’s your favorite thing about social media? Do you tweet? Or is social media just something you have to do?
I love the luxury of being able to connect personally with exponentially more fans and the ability to have many small conversations with fans. The old paradigm of the music industry sequestered the artist behind a veil of mass media produced layer, which exacerbated the feeling of disconnect between artist and fan. Now the long lost element of human connection between artist and fan has returned through the ever developing efficiency with which those connections, even with the most popular artists, can be made.
About your current album – what’s the story you want to leave behind?
My current album is called “True Story,” which details real events in my life which were fertile enough to give birth to a wealth of songwriting, often leaving me in despondent situations of complete loss and heartbreak, as well as situations of ineffable joy, where totally relinquishing attachment to all worry and expectation created a crack in my psyche where all the circuits went haywire and infinite light came pouring through.
You’re working on a new album; do you have anything exciting that you want to share about it?
The themes of this upcoming record span everything from how the human spirit can prevail in the face of maximum and unforeseeable adversity, to progressive and forward-thinking relationship dynamics of the twenty-first century. I’m aiming at a formal release Spring 2010 and will keep you updated!


text: OCM operates two slitting lines to cut wider coils into various narrower coils. OCM can slit coil to the necessary width prior to painting. This allows OCM to repurpose the side-cuts and minimize scrap. OCM can also paint wider coils and slit after painting. This allows for cost savings from the added efficiency of painting wide while still providing customers with narrow strips ready to go into their production process.


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Sorry guys, got really bored in work today hehe.
1. Mk1 Golf, 1.8T about 280bhp will do.
4. Renault 5 Turbo2, the original Rwd rally version.
5. Audi S8 - To take the family about in comfort and speed !

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


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Quickly register to attend this session.
Join us live, online Wednesday, March 20, 2019, starting at 7 PM ET for this instructor-led session, Exercise Through Laughter with a theme of World Happiness Day!
This session is led by laughter yoga instructor, Lynn Lizarraga, who also has inclusion body myositis.
Myositis patients can do this sitting down in a chair or wheelchair. Caregivers and Spouses are welcome to join as well.
Numerous studies show that laughter has proven health benefits. For those living with myositis, it is important to incorporate exercise to help combat potential complications and associated conditions. What are some of the physical and mental health benefits of laughter?

industry_corpus2: Health & Medicine


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The Body Shop UK - Do you provide an allergy detection service?
How do I know which mask will work for my skin type?
What ingredients are in the Amazonian Saviour™ balm?

industry_corpus2: Others


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WHY ONE CALL JUNK HAUL?
One Call Junk Haul was founded in Salem, MA in 2011 and has been providing professional junk removal services to households, businesses, and construction sites ever since. Nicknamed the “Witch City”, for its long and storied history of the infamous witch trials of 1692, Salem is home to 43,000 citizens and 19,130 households.
If you live in Salem and are beginning the process of moving, or are just fed up with a cluttered home, One Call Junk Haul is the local solution to your junk problems. We offer Estate Cleanouts, Property Management Services, Garage & Attic Clean outs, and every other home junk removal service you may need. No job is too big or too small for One Call Junk Haul. Give us a call today and we can have your junk problems over and done with!
Tourism is a large source of income for area businesses in Salem, MA. Over 1 million tourists visit Salem annually to explore Salem’s witch history. For area businesses looking to clean up for tourist season, One Call Junk Haul is the solution. Our large trucks can get your business, shop, or property cleaned up quickly. For contractors looking for an easy clean up to a job site in Salem MA, One Call Junk Haul is a fully insured junk removal company.
Ready to clean up your cluttered space? Contact us today to book your junk removal project!


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Morsekode is a Minneapolis based creative agency offering creative and strategic services for exciting brands, corporations, foundations and organizations. Our team of strategists, designers, content creators and web developers is committed to composing solutions that help you achieve your communication goals in a smarter, more compelling way.
Morsekode conducted an in-depth competitive analysis to help improve the client's brand strategy and positioning. They held an internal marketing workshop for employees, produced a manifesto video, and outlined a final strategy.
Morsekode provided the client with good content, which they are using to update their website and develop new branding ideas. Morsekode was praised for how well they listened to the client, their project pace, and their realistic timelines.
I work for Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation & Affiliates on the Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc. side.
I’m the Director of Marketing and Communications. I oversee several different teams for internal communication, compliance documentation, and our external communications team that works on communication with the student loan borrowers whose loans we service. I also have a client communications team that focuses on the schools and lenders to which we provide different services and products.
What business challenge were you trying to address with Morsekode?
We needed to work on brand strategy and positioning. We wanted to tell a better overall story of who we are, not only in our current business but with the potential of extending into new business lines in the future.
They began with a deep dive into our company, industry, and background, along with interviews. Then, they did an in-depth competitive analysis by first seeing what our key competitor's online presence is and the strength of their brands. This gave us a great understanding of where we were with regard to our competitors. Morsekode held a workshop for about a dozen of us in marketing and sales, to get a better idea of how we see ourselves and where we want to be in the future. They created a final strategy recommendation presentation for us with some positioning grids which included the key messaging hierarchy to take forward. They also produced an internal manifesto video to use to start telling our story better.
How did you come to work with Morsekode?
I had worked with Morsekode with a previous employer and engaged with them on several projects while I was in that role. Being very comfortable with the quality of the work that they had done for us there, led me to engage with them again.
We are wrapping up. You could call it completed at this stage.
So far, we've gotten good content to position ourselves well. To accomplish that, we're updating our website, to line up with that positioning and thinking about other branding ideas.
How did Morsekode perform from a project management standpoint?
Their project management has been really strong and they do a terrific job of listening. Morsekode is very in tune with what you're asking for and your expectations. They're very good at keeping the project moving and are realistic about timelines.
What distinguishes Morsekode from other providers?
The biggest thing for us was how well Morsekode listened to us. The end product we got is quality work. I've worked with them on higher education finance and law enforcement biometric tools – both with no problem understanding the material. Morsekode gives great measured opinions to help make the product better.
Is there anything Morsekode could have improved or done differently?
There's really nothing I can think of.
"They’re very responsive, attentive, and have helped us meet all deadlines."
Morsekode developed a position paper to detail the client's role in the marketplace and the ways in which they can influence new markets. Morsekode is also producing a corresponding video.
Morsekode completed a customer journey mapping that has received positive feedback which the client intends to use for website improvement. The client has been extremely pleased with Morsekode's account management.
My organization is called 3M - we’re with the Traffic Security Division within 3M. We work on materials for transportation agencies. We’re selecting sheeting, pavement markings, and license plate sheeting. We primarily work with government agencies.
My position is Communications Manager for those product lines.
We wanted to understand what our DOT [Department of Transportation] customer needed through experience mapping. Additionally, we needed video production and a position paper for a project I can’t talk about specifically. We’ve done a couple projects with them now.
Morsekode helped us develop a white paper – although we are calling it a position paper. They’re helping us work out how we want to position ourselves in the marketplace, showing our expertise within 3M, our long history in the transportation industry, and how we could influence new markets that we’ll be working in.
They’ve interviewed a number of technical people within our company. That coupled with supporting data, creative writing, and design work will culminate into a video. The purpose of that 2-3 minute long video is to come up with a high-level summary that we could show people explaining what we’re all about.
A colleague of mine was working with Morsekode on a customer journey mapping project in a different market, and she highly recommended them.
The customer journey mapping project was $50,000. For the video, we’re partnering with an illustrator as well, but Morsekode’s part is between $30,000 and $40,000.
We are currently working with Morsekode.
For the customer journey mapping that we did, we’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback within the company. We want to improve our website and its content so this feedback is good news. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback within both our division, the company generally, and corporate.
Morsekode performed excellently. We meet on a weekly basis which keeps us on track. Our account manager is very attentive to our needs. He’s become very knowledgeable about our business, so it’s easy for us to interact with him and for him to understand what we’re requesting.
One of the biggest things that distinguishes Morsekode from other providers is how our account manager has become part of our team. They’re very responsive, attentive, and have helped us meet all deadlines. The status meetings we have each week are great to keep us on track and make sure all questions are answered, so we can keep moving forward.
I can’t think of anything. They’re very helpful in giving us ideas of things that we can do differently, things that we may not be thinking of. Suggestions like that are always helpful.


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I have defined a metadata key (metadataTest) in a base report and setting to 'base value' as value.
I have defined the same key (metadataTest) in a variant of the mentioned base report and I have set metadata in definition as 'variant value'.
As far as I have understood, second attribute should output the data stored in VARIANT i.e. 'variant value' but it is showing the BASE data value.
I don't quite get what you are trying to do. Why did you set the same key for two different reports (the base report and the variant)? This seems not correct. Each report ( and variant ) should have a unique key defined. Or what do you mean with "metadata key"? Could you post some screenshots ?
which patch are you using ? Please post the exact reportserver version.
For this, please post the complete "rsversion.properties" file.
I suppose you use patch 6001, can you please confirm?
* In patch 6001 you have the behavior you observe while executing the base report: you get NULL for your _RS_METADATA_md_report_variant column.
* In patch 6002 you should get an error while executing the base report: "Cannot find property _RS_METADATA_md_report_variant". This happens since in this version we throw an error if a property is not being found (a more strict behavior).
I corrected the bug you sent in this thread. The problem was that the variant only contained _RS_METADATA_md_report_base. That's why you are getting a NULL in _RS_METADATA_md_report_variant when executing the variant.
This will be included into the next patch: 6003.
* If you execute the base report, you get an error: "Cannot find property _RS_METADATA_md_report_variant". This is correct, since in the base report you don't have this property. You can of course add to the base report md_report_variant with an empty value. Then you will not get this error.
* If you execute the variant, you will get both columns: _RS_METADATA_md_report_base and _RS_METADATA_md_report_variant.
About 6003 it is ok thanks.
ok, the behavior in 6000 and 6001 is the same with respect to this, so it makes sense.
Eduardo one more question please.
If I would like to install the release 6002 , should run a complete installation donwloading from https://reportserver.net/en/download/, or would it enough just donwloading reportserver.jar and replacing file in lib folder ?


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D.B. Smith, the author of The Inexquisite Eye , exhibits particular skill in defining the dynamics of dysfunction in the American middle-class. Self-obsessed Elissa is one of five siblings in a codependent family of achievers. She is a well-paid attorney who unfortunately works through her constant dissatisfactions within the context of her career. Seen in the bosom of her family, Elissa's behavior is hardly more bizarre than the rest of the family unit. A group of well-educated East Coasters, her siblings and parents have grown accustomed to critiquing every detail of their days, a habit that consistently influences Elissa's self-perception and need for control.
Luckily, Elissa meets Warren Boyd, a young man who offers her not only unconditional acceptance, but a challenge to the status quo of a cautious life. Warren enters like a breath of fresh air, and without him the emotional construct of the story would be unbearable and depressing. But Warren injects hope and possibility into Elissa's life, tossing a lifeline to this floundering young woman. Can Elissa stop thinking about herself long enough to accept Warren's generosity of spirit?
Elissa's world is stunted and insular, potentially fatal flaws, as she is unable to live in the moment. It is Warren who offers redemption from her self-obsession, which leads to Elissa's ultimate dilemma: the pain and joy of everyday interaction, or a constant grieving for imaginary loss. Will her emotional parsimony dictate her future? Is Elissa even capable of sustained growth and interaction with another person?
Warren desires to draw Elissa into a more widened view of the world and offers the opportunity to move beyond the confines of her very structured days. However, Elissa may not be a woman who can tolerate ambiguity. This beautifully crafted novel clearly delineates the difference between the narrow confines of tedium and the willingness to experience change. I keep hoping that Elissa will "do the right thing" as she and Warren come to their denouement. The author's cleverness assures that I am never able to predict the outcome.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


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Rooted in a 2007 project to grow organic fruits and vegetables at the Massoud family farm in Batroun, North Lebanon, for their own consumption and distribution to relatives and friends, Biomass has since become one of Lebanon’s biggest producers and distributors of organic products.
Soon after establishing the company, the Massouds found that their farm was too small to meet market needs for more volume and a wider variety of produce. To remedy this, they established collaborations and partnerships with over 40 organic certified farms in Lebanon whereby they supply these farmers with raw material, such as organic seedlings, depending on the particular agreement with each farmer, in exchange for produce.
Today, Biomass covers the entire chain of operation: farming, packaging, sorting, production and distribution in retail spaces. They have four lines of products – fresh produce, fresh eggs, dry grocery goods and frozen goods – with 95 percent of their items produced in Lebanon and the remaining five percent of goods, such as cocoa, quinoa and organic frozen chicken breasts, imported from abroad.
Having been credited with promoting the organic sub-sector in Lebanon, where fresh organic produce now has its own shelf space in supermarkets, Executive sat down with the executive manager of Biomass, Mario Massoud, to understand how their business model works and how organic farming can help the development of the agricultural sector in Lebanon as a whole.
E Organic produce, largely due to its higher price when compared with conventionally farmed produce, is still somewhat niche in Lebanon. What drives the price up?
Today there are two main factors which affect the price of organic produce. The first is that the yield at the farm level is relatively low, which is normal for organic but can be improved through modern farming techniques which we should be applying. The scale of the farms is another issue. Today most of the 40 plus farms we work with are small scale farms, from 1,000 to 10,000 square meters, so you don’t have big operators at the farming level operating organic farms. Also, most of the farms are multi-crop farms which reduces the risk of losing one’s entire harvest, but at the same time drives the costs a bit higher. This affects the volume of crops produced, while the more volume is generated, the less costly the product will be.
E What is your target for closing the price gap?
Today, depending on the season and the crop, the gap varies between 50 to 300 percent price-wise. Ideally, we would like to have a gap ranging between 30 to 70 percent.
E Are you trying to add more farms to your portfolio?
We are adding three to five farms each year, and many of these farms are bigger in terms of farmed land. But when organic farming was launched in Lebanon, it was introduced to the very small farms so that they could generate value in their farms when competing with the bigger farms.
E Quality wise, how big is the gap between an organic operation and conventional Lebanese agriculture? Is there a prevalence of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) products used by Lebanese farmers?
I don’t know what conventional operators use and do. In my opinion, conventional farming should be more controlled, and you have different systems for conventional farming that should be used in Lebanon which allow for the use of chemicals and pesticides but in safer ways.
E How much has the overall market for organic foods developed in terms of total market share?
I don’t have market share but I estimate it to be roughly five per million. I don’t believe that we are in the 1 percent level yet.
E Can you specify the growth rates here at Biomass?
We’ve been growing at an average annual rate of 30 to 40 percent, which is especially interesting since there is a growing awareness of the benefits of organic produce among consumers. We’re actually producing less than what the market is demanding for organic products.
E On the margin side, for the farmer, how much can they expect in terms of percentage of the retail price?
It depends on the crop and the season. Today, we buy from the farmers at 50 to 300 percent more than they would sell in conventional farming produce.
E When you compare that to the cost the farmer has in raising the crop, how high is the cost of entry?
If you have virgin land, which has not been conventionally farmed before, the cost of entry is relatively low. There are no pesticides which means you don’t spend on costly pesticides, so effectively it’s cheaper since the farmer doesn’t pay that much to enter. But since the yield generated is lower, it drives the cost up and the farmer also has to pay for the annual certification fee.
Our products are tested when we take them from the farmers and again when the product is sent to the supermarkets. We operate the entire chain.
E How much did you invest in all this?
The investment is quite big and until today not profitable. Our objective as a company is to grow the organic sector in Lebanon for companies like us to have a space in the food sector and be sustainable and profitable.
E So how do you balance your financing?
Until today we have raised several rounds of capital to finance the company and have just completed our second round of capital increase. We are also hoping to increase the volume at the production and export level to generate enough volume for us to reach profitability.
E Where does the increase in capital come from?
From investors. So far we haven’t had any fund related to the company, though we have looked into [private equity] and venture capital funds. But the capital was mainly from private Lebanese and foreign investors who believe in the organic sector. We tell our investors that it is a long term project whereby we are creating an industry in Lebanon that was virtually nonexistent seven years ago.
E What is the growth potential of the market?
Back in 2010 when we started we were present at not more than 20 stores. Today, we are present in 250 outlets divided between supermarkets, dedicated organic shops, delicatessens, small groceries, hotels and restaurants.
E How much of the share is specialized restaurants and hotels?
It’s not big; they’re 5 percent of the total market but they are growing. It is expensive to have all organic items in the kitchen, so what we are trying to do is create one dish in the kitchen that is organic or use a small number of ingredients; whatever is most feasible for the kitchen operator.
E In terms of your exports, what are your current rations and potentials?
In 2015 we exported 60 percent of our supply in value to the Gulf. We try to export to new countries, and exported once to France, but mainly focus on the Gulf. Export is a real issue with the Syrian crisis because of the extra rush on all the air freight cargo space making it difficult to find the space to export. We need this space because our products are fresh and so exporting is quite a challenge.
E From your perspective, how much of a role could the organic sector play in Lebanon by the year 2020?
We hope to get 3 to 4 percent of the market share, which is six times the growth of my current estimate. I believe there is a lot of room for growth in the organic sector in Lebanon. For the past five years, our role as Biomass was to introduce an organic produce sector to Lebanon and now we are moving on to the next step which is to make it more accessible.
E At the level of integrated operators that have both farming and distribution, do you have competitors?
We have competitors although we don’t really believe we’re competing since the market is growing and there is enough space for everyone there. There’s a lot of collaboration between these operators, but you have companies other than Biomass producing organic.
E Over 80 percent of cereals consumed in Lebanon are imported. On an overall agricultural level is there food security?
I think Lebanon can increase the contribution agriculture makes to the overall economy. There is a role for the government, which needs to make farms more modern and in line with international best practices and techniques, such as the use of pest control. I think it will result in a good economic model in addition to serving the Lebanese people’s interests.
E Are you exploiting yourself? Meaning the opportunity cost of how much more you would have made had you considered a career other than the executive officer of Biomass?
I never thought that I would be in this role, but now I really believe in it and love it. It’s a new challenge for everyone on the team because there’s no organic expertise in Lebanon so we’ve created through trial and error and are learning from our own mistakes. It’s also a challenge for all of us to succeed in what we are doing now and that’s the exciting part. So, am I exploiting myself? Yes, I am.
There are a lot of Lebanese product available in Dubai but I am not sure if BioMass is also there.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


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"Doxy" is an early composition by jazz saxophonist Sonny Rollins. It first appeared on the 1957 Miles Davis album Bags' Groove, performed by Davis on trumpet, Rollins on tenor saxophone, Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. When Rollins eventually established his own record label, he named it Doxy Records. The chords are from Bob Carleton's 16-bar song, "Ja-Da".
"Doxy" has become a jazz standard, a frequently performed and recorded part of many musicians' repertoires. "Doxy" was written by Sonny Rollins during his stopover in England on a European tour. Its name is given after a bread-spread that the band was eating in the hotel.
↑ Fox, Charles; McCarthy, Albert (1960). Jazz on record: a critical guide to the first 50 years, 1917-1967. Hanover Books. p. 62.
↑ Martin, Henry; Waters, Keith (2010). Jazz: The First 100 Years. Cengage Learning. p. 248. ISBN 1-4390-8333-9.
↑ Fox, Charles; McCarthy, Albert (1960). Jazz on record: a critical guide to the first 50 years, 1917-1967. Hanover Books. p. 15.


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by Dobble and Jungle Speed!
they are feeling, adding a unique element that is often neglected in games.
out of mazes, amongst many other tests!
Challenge is sure to tax the mental abilities of players both young and old!

industry_corpus2: Gaming


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Would you know where to find the logo used in this year's fairs or the video material that was used to make presentations?
Being able to locate each item quickly and ensuring the entire file is ordered logically results in a more efficient management system allowing the marketing team greater time to focus on other tasks.
This is a Digital Asset Management system.
What type of company needs a DAM?
Your company may very well appreciate a Digital Asset Management system if it has a considerable volume of digital materials and wants to centralize them and provide a uniform image across all its channels and geographic networks.
Of course, if a business is still very small and only has one folder with a logo version, it must first focus on growing. Then you can think of high-end software, such as a Media Asset Management system.
All your audiovisual resources in one place.
Saving time and production resources.
Limitation of management of visual content.
Insufficient for product content management.
A PIM and a DAM are not tools with the same objective or with the same power and, therefore, you should not choose between one or the other.
If your business is oriented towards the sale of products or eCommerce, a DAM may be convenient for you to facilitate the general organization of your company's audiovisual resources, but a PIM will be essential for the development of the tasks of managing, updating and distributing products.
Write it down: Digital Asset Management handles visual and creative corporate and marketing content, but not product information.
that will appear on websites, applications, catalogues...), a Media Asset system would not help you to edit, standardize and distribute the product content in every channel. Product Information Management is responsible for these tasks.
That's why in Sales Layer, we help you with both goals: we offer a PIM with DAM functions. This way you will get the maximum quality in your product information while adding all your visual materials and media assets.
Because our Product Information Manager is not content with organizing what you already have, but with getting closer to perfection.
What types of files does a Digital Asset Manager accept?
Any kind, as long as they are visual or creative materials, but you can also centralize access to other non-visual files, such as audio, documents or even spreadsheets, in a DAM. Don't forget that only these files are collected here and their access, tracking and retrieval is facilitated, but the DAM does not integrate, enrich, update and send them to any eCommerce channel.
Can I integrate a PIM in my company if we already have a DAM?
No problem at all. Both software systems don't hamper how the other works nor do they share tasks or servers. A DAM system may be useful to immediately locate visual materials that you may need in a PIM system, for example, the appropriate logo to design the product sheets of a catalogue or application for a business fair.
Is there a difference between Digital Asset Management and Media Asset Management?
Although their functions are the same, some software solutions draw a line between the DAM and MAM, capable of managing much bigger files, especially video. If you are wondering which one to choose, don't look at the name: always go for the option with greater storage and processing power.


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Barcelona have entered the race to sign Thomas Lemar from Monaco.
French outfit, L’Equipe, reports that the La Liga side are eyeing Lemar to replace Neymar, who has completed a €222million move to Paris Saint-Germain this week.
It is believed that Liverpool and Manchester City, have also made their interest in the 21-year-old winger known in the past few days.
Lemar, “who has yet to bat an eye” on his transfer situation, is set to change tact with news of Barcelona interest, as he realises a move to Camp Nou now could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
However, Arsenal have not given up on landing the France international.
Lemar is Arsene Wenger’s No1 target, following the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette, but the Ligue 1 champions are reluctant to allow the France international leave.
The Gunners have seen a third €50million offer turned down this week.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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first solar Archives - Page 5 of 5 - Solar Love!
Another big name in the solar energy space is Desertec, an initiative primarily aimed at producing a massive amount of solar and wind power across North Africa and the Middle East and then sending much of it up to Europe. Desertec is about a half-trillion-dollar initiative that has garnered much attention, hope, respect, criticism, and skepticism — the whole gamut. It suffered a rather big blow recently when Siemens decided to pull out of the partnership. However, things are looking up this month, as First Solar has stepped in to fill Siemens’ place.
100 MW of utility-scale solar power plants are reportedly headed to Indonesia courtesy First Solar, a leading solar product company based out of the US, and PT. Pembangkitan Jawa Bali Services (PJB Services), an Indonesia company. An MOU was signed this week by the two companies.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


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Service you can trust. Customer focus. Attention to detail.
When you think of home it's more than just a place to hang your hat. Home is where you gather with family and friends to share good times and make memories. It's where you plan for the future and dream your most inspired dreams.
The purchase or sale of a home can be a daunting experience. I pride myself in educating my clients in order to ease the stress of the process and make it less intimidating. By managing the details and providing you with sound, honest assistance I will help you make informed decisions. Your needs and objectives will be my top priority, and I will work for your best interests at every stage of the process.
Buying or selling your home is one of the most important decisions you will make in your life. If it takes some extra time to get there, that's all right with me. I have the patience to help you get it right.
Dedicated to excellent service - attentive to details.
Committed, full-time agent serving the entire Wichita metro area for 10 years.
Free, computerized Cost Market Analysis.
Member of National Association of Realtors, Kansas Association of Realtors, South Central Kansas Association of Realtors and Multiple Listing Service.


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With so many sights, adventures and ways to have fun, it’s no surprise that Cuba is one of Canada’s favourite vacation destinations. From the cobbled streets of Old Havana to the endless shimmering sand, and gorgeous tropical landscapes, a vacation here is everything you could ever ask for.
Air Canada Vacations flies to five of the best areas and offers resorts for every style and budget, including great options for families. So, don’t wait. Pack your bags and head to all the sun and fun of Cuba, the Great.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) will officially expand its common tower provider partners to five as it is set to sign with three foreign companies this week.
Nigeria’s IHS Towers and Malaysia’s Edotco Group are scheduled to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with DICT on Thursday (January 17), while China Energy Engineering Group is set to ink the same deal on Friday (January 18).
The three will enter the same scenario that ISOC Infrastructures Inc. and Singapore’s ISON ECP Tower Pte. Ltd. agreed last December, where the DICT will support their company in facilitating permits, right of way, and provide other government support for infrastructure should they secure a contract with any of the telco operators.
The development came at the heels of the DICT opting for a market-driven approach in accelerating the build-up of more cell sites.
“This goes to show the confidence of the (tower provider) industry in the direction we are heading right now, which is to introduce more competition in the market,” DICT Acting Secretary Eliseo M. Rio said.
“We will welcome more parties in this venture as it will address the country’s backlog on telecommunication towers,” Rio added.
Rio noted that the Philippines, with its less than 20,000 towers, has the smallest number of towers considering its land area and population compared to other countries in the neighboring region.
The common tower policy is also seen to aid the new major player –Mislatel consortium—in its roll-out plan to quickly compete with the incumbent telcos once it starts operating.


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COLGATE-PALMOLIVE EXPANDS THEIR PNEUMATIC TRANSPORT LINE IN THE SÃO PAULO UNITY.
Colgate Palmolive Industrial Ltda is a word renowned toiletries and cleaning supplies manufacturer. Founded in USA, is a global corporation, with a lot of buyers spread around the world.
The information world has changed, where with the advent of mobile devices such as smartphones, information began to flow with greater speed and ease. Customers need quick interaction with companies, because "time is money", and with that it is noticed that these invest well in the development of digital platforms area. Zeppelin was not far behind and embraced this new reality like never before.
JOURNEY OF SOLIDARITY, DO YOU KNOW WHERE ARE GOING PARTS OF OUR DONATIONS?
September 13, 2018 was a normal day in many people's lives. But for Peter Gerstmann, Chairman of the Management Board and Alexandra Mebus, HR Director of Zeppelin GmbH, it was a very special day, as they both had the opportunity to visit, experience the project and have a personal chat with Friar Hans Stapel and Father Christian Heim.
A large dairy company located in the North of Paraná became a benchmark in the production and commercialization of fine cheeses, curd cheese, yogurts, fermented milk, among other products in the state region.
In the country since 1965, NISSIN FOODS DO BRASIL, a company of the group Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd., is consolidated in Brazil as leader of the category of instant noodles. This consolidation was due to the use of high technology and the development of exclusive products for the Brazilian market.
Zeppelin Systems LA again attends the largest event in the food and beverage industry sector, Fispal Technology, held in São Paulo Expo from June 26 to 29, 2018.


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Peter Tse, Business Manager, Sustainable Construction Group, BSRIABSRIA is delighted to again be supporting the Offsite Construction Awards which celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery. The winners will be announced on Tuesday 6th March 2018 at ExCel – London. BSRIA is sponsoring the best use of MEP (mechanical electrical plumbing)Technology category. Deadline for submission is Friday 19th January.
Now in its fourth year, offsite manufacture removes much of the construction process from the construction site, leading to far-reaching and vital benefits. Across key sectors of UK construction, the awards will showcase innovation, celebrate best practice and recognise overall expertise in offsite construction through landmark projects, influential people and material and manufacturing excellence in this dynamic arena.
“These awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise innovation – especially at a time when the construction industry is looking for unique and fresh solutions to address the challenges and opportunities arising from the sector’s commitment to delivering more, better quality new homes.
BSRIA supports forward thinking and finding complementary ways to provide a step change in delivery and performance of the built environment. The awards will provide a glimpse into what is achievable and presents a unique opportunity to celebrate the best in precision building design and delivery.
New categories have been added for 2018 and include: housing project of the year; best use of POD technology; product innovation award; offsite pioneer of the year; and engineer of the year. This is a great opportunity where industry specialists get the chance to showcase their inspirational achievements first hand to a panel of leading industry figures.


text: In compliance with the duty of disclosure included in Article 10 of the Law No. 34/2002 of July 11, 2002 on Information Society Services and Electronic Commerce, the following information is reflected: the holding company of https://www.eurostarshotels.com is Agincourt 2008, S.L., entered into the Commercial Registry of Barcelona, Volume 40703, Sheet 196, Page B-372183 and Tax Identification Number B – 64930910. The phone number for contact issues is 93 268 10 10. The contact email address is: info@eurostarshotels.com. To get more information about other contact forms, visit our main contact page.

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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There are some situations which simply cannot wait to be resolved later. Such situations qualify as an emergency. Locked out of your car in a deserted highway? Can you wait it out till your car is towed to the nearest dealership? Instead of pushing the panic button in such circumstances, stay calm and avail emergency locksmith opening services. Designed to address critical lockout issues, these services can help you redeem yourself from a potentially vulnerable situation. But how do you find it in Fan District, VA area?
Where will I find it in Fan District?
If you happen to live in or around Fan District, you don’t need to look beyond Fan District VA Locksmith Store for your emergency locksmith opening needs. With super fast response, and an amazing track record of heeding to client requests over the past ten years, you will be assured of prompt assistance when you call us.
Give us a call on our 24/7 helpline 804-326-4987 anytime you require our services.


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HOW DID IT TAKE ME SIX MONTHS TO READ THIS BOOK. I am obsessed with Colleen Hoover. She is one of my favorite authors of all-time, which is definitely saying something seeing as I have read A LOT of books. So the fact that it took me so long to read this book is mind-blowing. But let me tell you, it was AMAZING.
Auburn Reed has moved to Dallas with a life plan that she intends to live out. What she doesn't plan for, though, is walking into Owen Gentry's art gallery and finding herself attracted to the mysterious artist. Auburn let's herself follow her heart, but Owen has some pretty big secrets that could make their relationship utterly impossible. Can Owen reveal his secrets without risking losing the only real thing he's ever had?
Holy moly. Seriously, from the freaking prologue of this book, I was on the verge of tears. THE PROLOGUE. I knew that this book was going to steal my heart and Colleen definitely delivered. The relationships are just so perfect and you really feel the connection between Auburn and Owen. But Colleen has this way of making you absolutely love the main couple, only to make it pretty much impossible for them to be together. I was rooting for Owen and Auburn this whole book, but there were circumstances that made their relationship pretty much impossible and it broke my heart. They NEEDED to be together but couldn't but I didn't care because they just had to be together. Does that make sense?
Not only was the relationship amazing, but there were so many secrets that drove you completely mad in this book, but in a good way. There are secrets that are hinted at and are slowly revealed as the plot moves forward. Colleen does this is a lot of her books and, while it drives me crazy, it makes me so addicted to the story and I can't put the book down. I had all of these theories and, of course, was only kind of right by the end of this book. Colleen knows how to reveal just enough to keep the reader in the story and begging for more. And I was definitely begging for more with Auburn and Owen's story! It was passionate, emotional, and even humorous at times. I had some laugh out loud moments and on the verge of tears moments. So many emotions in one book and I loved every second of it.
I could go on and on about how amazing Colleen Hoover's writing is. Seriously, I have loved every book that woman has written and Confess has just been added to my favorites. Auburn was lovable and I enjoyed her character and Owen was just perfection. Seriously, can a guy be any more perfect?? What made this book, though, were definitely the confessions. They were so raw and perfect for what Auburn and Owen have gone through in their lives. I have never read anything like this book and if you plan on reading this, which you all should, get ready for some serious emotions and a new, adorable book boyfriend.
I loved the prologue too, but wasn't really a fan of the book. Confess was my first Coleen Hoover read, so I;m going to try another one of her books and see if I like it better.
I love Colleen Hoover too! Maybe Someday made me want to crawl into a whole while I was reading it because there were so many feels! I have to read this ASAP!! Thanks for the review. I now have a purpose this weekend.


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“Great communities are built first from within,” according to Brent Sanford, Mayor of Watford City, North Dakota.
Sanford, along with President Lyn James of Bowman City Commission, Linda Svihovec, McKenzie County Auditor, Gene Veeder, McKenzie County Job Development Authority, and Gary Greff, Enchanted Highway sculptor from Regent are a few of the speakers at the Red River Regional Council’s (RRRC) first ever Ideas to Actions Summit scheduled for November 4, 2015 at the new Grafton Public School auditorium.
Keeley wants to bridge the gap of east versus west when it comes to leadership and the potential of communities to thrive.
She also points out that both regions have weathered the extremes of boom and bust economies and continue to work towards greater economic diversity.
The potential for the growth of the Unmanned Aerial Systems and tourism industries in eastern ND are examples of industry sectors that are poised to become major economic drivers.
“It takes the kind of teamwork and commitment demonstrated by our western North Dakota colleagues to make these efforts a success,” says Keeley.
The RRRC wants to recognize and reward the leadership and commitment already demonstrated in communities across the Red River region through a new award program sponsored by the Council. Three awards will be presented at the Summit – the North Star Award will go to an idea that illuminates opportunities or creates a guiding light for progress within a community; the Catalyst Award will recognize an individual who acts as a kickstarter for an idea or a project; and the Determination Award will recognize a successful project that created a significant impact on a community. Several nominations for these awards have already been received.
The overall purpose of the Ideas to Actions Summit is to provide an opportunity to inform the public of the goals and activities of the Council and partner organizations, to create excitement about the potential of our region’s communities, and to recognize the excellent work of the region’s communities. The agenda includes a 4:00 pm roundtable discussion with western ND leaders, moderated by Bruce Gjovig of the UND Center for Innovation, followed by a 5:30 pm networking social with music by Sneaky Wild Oats. The keynote event will begin at 6:30 pm and will include the awards presentation. All events will be held at the auditorium at the Grafton Public School complex and are free and open to the public.


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Dwarf cattle, with pronounced sexual dimorphism on body size, the females being generally larger. They are compact and have a well-fleshed body with dressing percentage as high as 64%.
Inhabits the Benue plateau, and smaller populations in the south-west Oyo and Kware. Interbreeding with zebu resulted in declining numbers.
A strain of the Savannah Shorthorns in Nigeria, but the distinction is not clear from the Forest Dwarf strains. Since the second half of the first Millennium BC the Muturu cattle are thought to have been the most widespread breed in Nigeria until the spread of the Fulani since 1820 (Felius, 1995).


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Please select options for Flowmaster Outlaw Cat-Back Exhaust (05-10 GT, GT500) at the top of this page.
You should check out the Flowmaster Outlaw cat-back if you're looking for a budget-friendly, stainless steel cat-back that's going to be loud. The cat-back features the Outlaw mufflers, which are known to deliver on sound, and they're some of the most affordable on the site at this time. When it comes to the install, you can expect this to take [you] an hour or two, and it's going to be a one out of three wrenches on the difficulty meter. Sound is going to be one of the most important things here when it comes to this system, and the Outlaw mufflers are race-oriented mufflers that are more resonator tubes than actual mufflers. These produce a sound that has a low decibel, but it rumbles and has a good amount of volume to it. Even though these are race-style mufflers, Flowmaster does tune the mufflers, so you're not just going to get a ton of noise. The tuned sound means that you'll get a good, controlled sound on the outside of the car, and little to no drone in the interior, which will be nice for those daily drivers. This cat-back doesn't produce a high-pitched raspy sound. It does have some popping on the decel note, so you're not looking at a flat sound. Overall, I'd rate this cat-back as a four out of five on the loudness scale, with one being a quiet upgrade and five being a very loud upgrade. Now, just make sure you keep in mind that if you ever change your headers or your mid-pipe down the road, this could open up even more noise for you. As far as materials, you're looking at 409 stainless steel for the majority of this system here, and 304 stainless steel tips. The fact that the tips are stainless steel means that they're going to keep that nice polished look to them, even over time. The entire cat-back is mandrel-bent, and it's two and a half-inch most of the way. So it'll bolt right up to your factory mid-pipe. The mufflers, which are coated black, have a three-inch diameter, and the tips are four-inch. Price-wise, you can expect to pay just over the $600 mark for this cat-back. This isn't the least expensive option out there, but it is one of the most affordable, especially when it comes to stainless steel options. If you're really on a budget, though, Pypes does make the Pype Bomb Super System, that's loud like this cat-back is, for about $50 less. This is a direct bolt-on item, so you're looking at a very easy install. I'm going to call this a one out of three wrenches on the scale when we look at difficulty. Overall, you're looking at about one hour to get this all done. A lift would certainly make things easier for you here, but the job can be done on jack stands as well, if you don't have access to one. All that you're really going to need is a socket set when it comes to tools. This cat-back will come with new hangers and all new clamps for you, so no need to transfer over anything from your stock exhaust. The whole cat-back can be dropped as one big piece, so an extra set of hands can really help here. When you go to install your new setup, it very simply bolts right up into the stock location, so you won't have to cut or modify anything. It'll probably be easiest to leave everything loose until you have it all lined up, and then tighten it down. That's going to be it for the Flowmaster Outlaw cat-back exhaust, fitting the 2005 through 2010 GT and GT500. But you can check it out more online right here at americanmuscle.com.
Look Great and Sound Great. Your 2005-2010 GT or 2007-2009 GT500 looks great rolling down the street. But if you're not getting that legendary Mustang rumble to go along with those great looks, here's the answer. The Flowmaster Outlaw Cat-Back Exhaust System provides that incredible, low decibel rumble that makes Mustang owners and admirers so loyal. To top it off, the 4” diameter polished stainless steel tips makes your Pony look as powerful as it feels when you're out enjoying the ride or just taking a quick peek while she's waiting in the garage.
Specifications. The Outlaw Cat-Back Exhaust features 2.5” diameter, mandrel bent tubing constructed from race proven, 409 stainless steel. This Cat-Back is finished off with two black outlaw style mufflers and two 4” polished stainless steel tips embossed with the Flowmaster Logo. All Flowmaster exhaust systems are tuned to make sure the sound is great both outside and inside your ride.
Installation. The Cat-Back Exhaust System comes with all clamps and hangers for a complete upgrade from your factory cat-back. This Flowmaster system uses factory mount locations, making installation very straight forward. The kit is covered by Flowmaster's Lifetime Warranty to make this upgrade an easy decision.
Application. This Flowmaster Outlaw Cat-Back Exhaust is specifically designed to fit 2005-2010 GT, Bullitt and GT500 Mustangs equipped with the 4.6L and 5.4L engines.
What's the Comparison of these Flowmaster Outlaws to the Magnaflow Competition Exhaust Sound?
The outlaws offer one of the loudest exhaust tones. The outlaws are more comparable to the Roush and Corsa Xtreme exhausts in terms of how loud the exhaust is. The Magnaflow will offer more of a mild exhaust tone.
I have a 2007 GT, will this work with everything stock and without deleting my cats? I plan on purchasing the Pypes Catted X-Pipe later on but wanted to see how these fit and sounded first.
This cat-back is going to install onto 2005-2010 GT and GT500 model Mustangs without the need for other modifications.
I want to upgrade to long tube headers and off road H-pipe. What can I use or are there specific combinations?
Are the flowmaster outlaw cat-back louder than the flowmaster outlaw axleback?
Generally speaking, when comparing a cat-back and axle-back of the same model & manufacturer, the cat-back will be the louder of the two.
Yes, this exhaust will fit with the Pypes x-pipe.
The Flowmaster Outlaw Cat-Back Exhaust will work with Long tubes and a shorty X-pipe.
Hello, You will be able to fit this to your factory mid-pipe without any issues.
You would be able to hook these right up to your stock H-pipe yes!
You will need to purchase either an H-pipe or an X-pipe that has the same 2.5" piping size as this cat-back exhaust as well as purchasing an exhaust hanger kit to keep these from dangling and/or dragging.
I just finished with the installation of my Flowmaster Outlaw Exhaust and i couldn't be happier. The fit and alignment of the exhaust components was great, hanger rods lined up perfectly with the original and the sound OMG does this sound great. A really nice throaty growl at idle and a nice sharp rap when you get on it.
Another great Flowmaster product. Quality construction and just the sound I was looking for on my 2008 Mustang GT.
Love the sound. I wake up the neighborhood on every cold start. I turn heads every time I drive through the city. No cabin drone. Very loud. My car speaks for itself and will not shut up. She knows what to say and how to say it.
Another great product from Flowmaster, nice aggressive sound.
Paired these with BBK long tubes and off road X-pipe and the sound and performance is just what I was hoping for.
I paired these with some Pypes longtubes and off road x-pipe and this sound is loud! I love it, I just bought a radio a few weeks before installing the exhaust, no longer can hear my radio at WOT. WORTH IT!
Definitely a loud upgrade from the stock exhaust. Had it professionally installed at a exhaust shop.
Excellent product!! Now my V8 sounds loud and neat!! BTW, No dents or scratches from the delivery.
This is exactly what I wanted my mustang to sound like. awesome.
Your neighbors will hate you!
These puppies are 100x louder than stock! They really make the 3v come alive, love the pops and gurgles. There is a noticeable drone around 2k RPM so consider yourself warned. I haven't used my radio since the install too busy listening the exhaust note. Another warning, will decrease your gas mileage as you will be inclined to drive around in lower gears (higher rpms) to let the whole world hear your primal roar!
I installed these on my 07 v6 with magnaflow xpipes. Everyone thinks my car is a GT. Turns heads and sounds better than my friends GT. Everyone says a v6 will never sound like a v8 but man... these are loud. These give my sixxer a really deep and solid growl. And these are loud. This is how a mustang should sound. BUY THEM.
System sounds great (as expected), however it was shipped with large scratches on the mufflers. For that, I had to give 2 stars for fit and finish. I assume that during processing the pipes were drug across them, creating the big scratches. Had my shop repaint the scratches with black engine paint.
I love flowmaster i had 40s on my old gt now I have 2006 gt and it sounds great. it pops at high rpms. I plan to put pypes off road X pipe on next then it will really sound nasty. only negative I have for this product is I had trouble installing them. the passanger side hanger wasn't lineing up right so I had to have a shop welid the camp on, other wise great product great sound and fast shipping.
I love my new exhaust!
This exhaust fit exactly like factory and looks and sounds amazing! Every day i start my car now i get a smile on my face because the exhaust tone. I could not have made a better purchase!
Just what I was looking for....Flowmaster did an incredible job with these !!! They spent alot of time on perfecting these. They even do these purge/pop sounds on my manual shift Stang when im coming to a stop or downshifting.....its hard to describe but was an unexpected added bonus. These sound awesome when cruising and they sound like a monster when you open it up. I truly am stunned at how good these are. Great quality, sound, and fit !!! Well worth the money. I am very pleased.....thank you Flowmaster !!!
Just installed and sounds great. I thought it would be a little louder, but either way, they still produce a great tone. I would have given it a 5 star, just wish they were a bit louder.
Sounds amazing ! I like the sound of flowmaster. They really bring out the beast in the mustang gt.
Perfect aggressive sound. Great look. Easy install.


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the greenback on Thursday as a slide in equities and weak U.S.
of C$1.0672 to the U.S. dollar, or 93.70 U.S. cents.
close at C$1.0707 to the U.S. dollar, or 93.40 U.S. cents.
the Ivey Purchasing Managers Index report for September is due.
Thursday and the more key jobs data for September on Friday.
C$120.00 to yield 3.822 percent.


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The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is the Council’s watchdog, ensuring that the Cabinet is held to account and is carrying out the Council’s aims as well as getting the best value for money as a result of its decisions.
Scrutiny is Member-led and independent of political party arrangements. At North Norfolk District Council the Overview and Scrutiny Committee is chaired by a member of the opposition.
You are welcome to attend any of the Council's public committee and panel meetings. Meetings are held at NNDC's offices, Holt Road, Cromer, NR27 9EN.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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Please join us in asking U.S. Representatives to support the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2790) and put an end to cosmetics testing on animals in the U.S.
Using animals for cosmetics testing not only harms and kills millions of innocent animals, but it's bad science. Non-animal alternatives are the present (and future) solution — they are modern, humane, and more predictive of human health and well-being.
I believe using animals in cosmetics testing is unacceptable. Not only does it inhumanely harm and kill millions of rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, and other animals, but it is unscientific and not predictive of human response. Please consider supporting the Humane Cosmetics Act (H.R. 2790).
The Humane Cosmetics Act provides the perfect opportunity for the U.S. to catch up with the E.U. and numerous other countries, which already use modern, non-animal alternatives to test cosmetics. Once passed into law, the HCA will ban cosmetics testing on animals in the U.S. within 1 year, and end the sale of animal-tested cosmetics in the U.S. within 3 years.
The Humane Cosmetics Act means a kinder world for animals and a safer world for Americans. The changes we are seeing worldwide will provide incentives for U.S.-based researchers and companies to accelerate the development of new testing methods, generating momentum that will spill over into biomedical research as well.
Yes, I would like to receive periodic updates and communications from NEAVS.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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Traditionally, the word, “beneful” means “full of goodness”. However, according to the Urban Dictonary, “beneful” has also been used as a slurred version of the word, “beneficial”.
However, today, the word “beneful” is mostly associated with the Nestle Purina dog food. In 2012, it became one of the most popular, grossing about $1.5 billion in annual revenues. It was introduced to the public market in 2001. Back then, it was considered to be the basis of dog nutrition. It contained beef pieces and resembled stew. By 2006, the brand was grossing over $300 million in annual revenue. That same year, the brand invested $36 million to make its facilities friendlier for producing wet dog food. The company now produces both dry and wet canned food as well as dog treats.
Starting in about 2010, Beneful attempting a number of unusual conditioning by association avenues. In Germany, they distributed posters containing the scent of the food meant to attract dogs. In 2011, in Austria, they released a television advertisement which included a high-pitched noise that only dogs can hear. In 2012, videogame-like billboards were released in New York, which allowed people to play mock fetch in the subway station. The dogs are designed to encourage passersby to interact with them. These same billboards have since been installed in St. Louis, Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles.
Beneful also holds an annual Dream Dog Park Contest. So far, this has helped to install the parks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Alabaster Alabama, and Johns Creek, Georgia.


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No one likes running out of hot water in the middle of a pleasant shower. As the name implies, a tankless water heater heats water in your home without the use of a tank. By delivering a hot water on demand, you only pay to heat the water you need, and never waste energy keeping a full tank of water heated when you don’t need it. This product has a number of benefits, both for your plumbing system and your water bill.
Is it time for water heater replacement in your Longmont or Denver home? Rather than a less-efficient, traditional model, consider a more innovative solution. Tankless water heaters provide one of the most effective methods of supplying your home with hot water. Since these heaters operate without a storage tank, they use significantly less energy maintaining reserves of water at high temperatures. This saves your Longmont home money that would otherwise have been wasted on the water bill for a less efficient unit.
Despite their higher initial out-of-pocket costs, tankless water heaters are cheaper in the long run for your home, as their life expectancy exceeds that of traditional water heaters by up to 5 to 10 years. Additionally, tankless water heaters have more easily replaceable components, enabling you to further extend their life even longer.
Tankless water heaters from A&E Comfort Pros here in Longmont can be installed for your entire Colorado home, or near the unit requiring hot water, enabling you to heat even those water taps in remote, difficult to access locations. Giving you the most out of your water heater without the hassle of manual adjustments or that pesky pilot light.
What you get when you work with A&E Comfort Pros for your tankless water heater here in Longmont, you’ll find can’t be matched by any other company. Not just because of our state of the art equipment or Longmont certified staff, but with only the best in premium service and installation from start to finish. On call here in Longmont and the Denver metro area for your every repair or replacement need.
A&E Comfort Pros has been servicing Longmont and Denver’s water heaters for over 15 years. Now let us bring you the next step in water heater technology with our tankless water heaters. We guarantee that you’ll be satisfied with the quality, efficiency, and longevity of your heater. Call us today to discover what we’re all about including our services and packages.

industry_corpus2: Water Resources & Marine


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The scope of this SOC report includes the SAP Integrated Business Planning services as offered for the live productive customer systems that are hosted in SAP SE's data centers, St. Leon–Rot, Germany; Moscow, Russia and Newtown Square, USA, as well as in the co-locations Sydney, Australia and Ashburn, USA.
SAP Integrated Business Planning has prepared SOC2 Type 1 audit report by an independent 3rd party accountant. This version of the report covers the audit period 1. May 2017 to 31. October 2017, the locations St. Leon–Rot, Germany; Moscow, Russia and Newtown Square, USA, as well as in the co-locations Sydney, Australia and Ashburn, USA and the trust principles Security and Confidentiality.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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Food Education for People with Serious Psychiatric Disabilities is designed to guide rehabilitation practitioners in helping people with psychiatric disabilities to learn good nutrition and healthy eating practices and to empower people with serious psychiatric disabilities to achieve nutritional health as a resource for recovery.
This curriculum guide has bundled several evidence-based practices and modified the information relevant to preventing and reversing the metabolic syndrome and promote healthy weight in persons with psychiatric disabilities. It is designed to provide practitioners with nutritional lesson plans that can be used in a single session or together as a cohesive skills group. We encourage practitioners to use the lesson plans as frameworks from which the topic can be personalized to meet individual, cultural, and environmental needs.
Another goal of the curriculum is to promote of independence in making healthy food choices. Lesson plans are provided that teach strategies for healthy choices in three situations: food shopping, dining out, and meal/snack preparation. In addition, the curriculum presents healthy eating strategies in response to emotions.
Handouts and recipes are included to prompt use of the skills, provide information, and support nutritional practices. The handouts and recipes that are recommended for student use are included following each lesson plan. They can be printed or reproduced as needed for individual group participants. To make it to easier to reproduce the handouts and recipes for individual students, they also are available to purchasers of the curriculum in a password protected PDF file that can be downloaded from the Center’s website. It is recommended that students be provided individual binders to organize the completed handouts, particularly if a number of lesson plans will be taught. A cover page is provided that can be printed or copied and distributed to individual students to serve as a cover for their binders. The curriculum also directs leaders and students to user-friendly nutritional websites that can be used in adjunct.
NOTE: The Food Education curriculum includes an instructor’s copy of the student handouts.
Citation: Books, A. (2009). Food education for people with serious psychiatric disabilities: An evidence-based recovery curriculum. Boston, MA: Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation.
While the handouts are interspersed within the curriculum, they also may be downloaded as a complete set for your students. After your purchase has been processed of either the printed format or the download format of the curriculum, you will receive an instruction letter for the registration procedures to access the handouts online.
Alison Books, MS, RD, LDN is the Director of Hunger & Nutrition at Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Boston (JF&CS), where she helps alleviate hunger and nutrition concerns among vulnerable groups of people, including people with serious mental illness. Since 2004, Alison has devoted a significant part of her career to helping people living with mental illness improve their nutritional health. She authored the Food Education curriculum while working at the Boston University Nutrition & Fitness Center (NFC). This work represents a partnership between the Boston University Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation and the NFC. Alison earned her B.S. in Dietetics and M.S. in Nutrition from Boston University.
The Division of Recovery Services at the Center has been in existence since 1984. Guided by the non-negotiable values of personhood, choice, self determination, and respect, people who have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness are invited to collaborate with staff, many of whom self-identify as recipients of mental health services, to begin the process of recovery and healing from the many consequences of a psychiatric disability. Services are delivered using education as a framework as it immediately gives people a valued role that of a student, rather than a patient, consumer, client, or a diagnosis. The outcome of Recovery is a given here. It is not debatable or an outside possibility. We are not a traditional clinical environment, but we maintain the highest ethical standards. We share power with our student, have high expectations and learn with our students as we support their quest to be full citizens as healthy adults.
…The University of Arizona RISE Health and Wellness Center’s Camp Wellness is successfully using the Food Education Curriculum to support students living with serious mental illnesses to acquire and use nutrition knowledge and support healthy food choices. Students and staff enjoy the recipes and are learning what good nutrition is, what choices to make and how to cook healthy, nutritious meals that are low cost and affordable. We love it!


text: Stunning Wildlife Splendor UK wall mural from Wallsauce. This high quality Wildlife Splendor UK wallpaper is custom made to your dimensions. Easy to order and install plus free Australia shipping.


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Home Advanced Topics Advanced Resources How much did the US spend on Imported Oil in 2014?
My previous blog posts about the US spending on imported oil are finally making a difference. At least a lot of people seem to be asking how much the US spends on importing oil. Earlier this year, one of the leading United States Presidential Candidates stated that the US spent about $300 billion on importing oil in 2014. The Census Bureau reports lower numbers but only includes crude oil. My calculations are based on the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data and includes all petroleum imports. My calculations show that candidate was not far off.
Using the method I have used for several years (2013, 2012, & 2011) I estimate that the United States (US) spent $333 billion importing oil in 2014. That represents 1.9% of the US GDP for 2014 of $17.4 trillion. Last year we spent $388 billion, part of the $55 billion decrease is due to a 6% decline in the amount of oil imported and part is due to the almost 9% decrease in the price of imported oil from 2013 to 2014. Over the same time, we see an 8% increase in the domestic oil consumption in the US. Unfortunately for our planet, that means total consumption of oil by the US rose by almost 1% from 2013 to 2014.
Here is how I calculated it.
I took the monthly import numbers of barrels as reported on the EIA – US Imports of Crude Oil report and multiplied those by the average monthly price for oil on the Brent Crude Oil Average Price. I use the Brent (European) average price for oil instead of the Cushing, Oklahoma WTI price because the Brent is more appropriate for imported oil.
While consumption has remained steady, the amount of money the US spent on imported oil has dropped 28% over the past 4 years.
To put that in to perspective, as a nation, we spent $634,000 every minute on foreign oil in 2014.
To put all these numbers in perspective, the entire world was on target to spend $233 billion on all renewable energy projects for 2014. What would happen if instead of importing oil, the United States instead invested that money in renewable energy?
Of the 388 billion the article says we spent on foreign oil, how much of that was used on gas/diesel consumption?

industry_corpus2: Petrochemicals


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I dont know if I'm one of the only ones who didnt really find anything bad with this song, I mean hell look at most other artists, they dont know the language but they tend to sing it anyway, I obviously heard that she didnt really sing it as if it was a first language, but hey, I didnt really care, I actually appreciated the song, and well I liked every minute of it, so I dont know why people are getting so upset by this fact, when in fact it is a remix, and if someone wants to make one the way they'd like it, by all means go ahead, but for now, I want to enjoy whats been given to me, namely this remix, so good job, I liked it alot!
What? I didn't comment on this?
This is one of my favorites off of OCR, probably because it's the kind of stuff I love. I think Japanese singing works better here than English would. Granted, I generally don't like Japanese Pop, but this isn't pop, this is more classical, and for that Japanese works better than many languages in my opinion. Or at least, it works better for me.
I didn't notice anything wrong with any of the pitches or anything like that, and Pixie pointed out why perfectly in her post a couple pages back.
awsome song im defenitly burning this to a disk and i was just wondering i cought some beats from garageband did you use garageband?
She did, in fact, use Garageband. Good ears.
Come to think of it, I haven't thanked pixie yet for ReMixing one of the most haunting melodies from Ocarina of Time and turning it into an even more beautiful piece. So... thanks, pixie!
You're welcome! Haha... wow, I can't believe this mix is still getting comments. Thanks guys.
Same here. Pixietricks I LOVE YOU.
I like this remix alot! The japanese lyrics are cool.
I'd just like to add to my earlier comments that pixitricks is an inspiring young artist whose voice carries with it an otherworldly weight that cannot be denied nor ignored. The presence in her songs is unique.
As a brief prologue, I'll state that I like on a fairly heavily treed street, and I work fairly late.
I'd just gotten off the bus on my way home today, and this song came up in my mp3 player.
It's a nice night, but quite dark aside from the occasional streetlight. Also, there happened to be a light rain tonight.
As I was walking home, this song just fit the mood perfectly.
Only shortly after it ended did I remember that this also happens to be quite akin to the mood in the Forest Temple itself [only with more ghosts and hands falling from ceilings].
I think when a song can either provide perfect background music for a situation like that or make you recall moments like those, it's succeeded in what it's trying to do.
Ooo, I very much love this. It captures the ambience of the temple, but manages to make it more holy sounding than creepy. Very good work. It would be cool to see what you could do with the Fire Temple theme.
I was just going through old review threads again and noticed this post. Checked it out and I have to say the resemblance is uncanny...literally note for note, except for a key signature change. And the other dude remixes game music too! Perhaps it's some sort of GarageBand preset?
I think this remix is excellent, Jill has a very nice voice which suits this track perfectly. I always liked this theme in OOT, it set the atmosphere nicely, and this has only been amplified by the great work that has been done here. The Japanese lyrics (very beautiful by the way) add a holy, slightly foreign feel to it, and it's all very true to the original, including the sound effects.
Good guess, but not quite the proverbial tobacco.
Although I just realized the mix was actually direct-posted, so it doesn't really have a place in a discussion about the judges. My bad, carry on.
He's saying "Prayer" by pixietricks.
Ah yes, another display of cunningly site (staff) criticism from Dhsu. He really could have picked a better example, as we've passed more coverish things.
Ah yes, another display of cunningly site (staff) criticism from Dhsu. He really could have picked a better example, as we've passed more cover-ish things.
I can get annoyed, but I still like when David does that; nothing wrong with keeping us in line. I could be wrong on the track implied, but we'll see. For the 1500 lockdown though, we voted on "Prayer" and let it stay due to having some interpretive merit, but myself and the panel at the time came to the consensus that we wouldn't have passed it in the first place had it went on the panel.
Yeah, but it's not really 'keeping us in line' when we didn't evaluate it to begin with. Not to mention that objectively speaking, it's not a MIDI rip with vocals on top, so those would be two reasons why it doesn't defeat my statement that you can't sub a MIDI rip with vocals and have it pass.
I would have backed him up if he was hatin' on AmberTrance though.
Yeah, but it's not really 'keeping us in line' when we didn't evaluate it to begin with.
Which I already admitted. Again, I apologize for bringing it up, since it was no fault of the judges per Larry's elaboration.
Not to mention that objectively speaking, it's not a MIDI rip with vocals on top, so those would be two reasons why it doesn't defeat my statement that you can't sub a MIDI rip with vocals and have it pass.
You're right. It's a MIDI rip with a GarageBand preset and vocals on top.
I can get annoyed, but I still like when David does that; nothing wrong with keeping us in line.
Even still, I feel that if we'd known this was a GB preset, since it was already close, it probably wouldn't have been posted. I love the melody Jill added, but I think this is a case of the standards evolving, and I don't think it would be posted today. However, it's not egregious enough to remove, either, and was spared by the last and hopefully final lockdown, if I recall correctly.
Well, you won't get an argument from me on that front.
Woooooaaaaaaah this mix has a lot of reviews.
So uh yeah! Forest Temple is a bitching song from Ocarina of Time. So it's great that it got coverage.
I really really really love ambient songs, so I love this mix as well! The staccato vocal things caught me off guard at first, but they've since grown on me. Nice work!
It's not a MIDI rip; there was no MIDI involved whatsoever. I sampled the rolling mallet percussion background from the game, and wrote an original melody to carry the piece somewhere other than strict ambience, interspersed with different re-hashed sections from the source.
It's the exact original melody with a looping preset over it.
Actually, the only "melody" in the original lasts about four bars, and there are layers upon layers of tracks in this remix even excluding my vocals, so you can't boil it down like that.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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The Briscoe Center recently acquired a 1948 letter from President Harry Truman to former vice president John Nance Garner. It was written in September while Truman was campaigning for a second term in the White House. With the economy in trouble and the Democrats openly split between progressives, “dixiecrats,” and moderates, Truman was widely expected to lose to Republican candidate Thomas E. Dewey.
Buoyed and buttressed, Truman promised to return to Uvalde within 10 years. And despite the fact that the election was a cliffhanger in terms of the popular vote, Truman ended up winning the electoral college with ease. The unlikely victory, one of the greatest electoral upsets in American history, was due in a large part to Truman’s tireless campaigning. However, Garner’s endorsement was significant, giving Truman credence in Southern and conservative circles.
Upon the conclusion of his second term in 1952, Truman retired, but in 1958 he fulfilled his promise to Garner, showing up at his 90th birthday party. Rayburn was there too, as was future Texas governor Dolph Briscoe and future president Lyndon Johnson. During the celebration, Truman called Garner “the greatest presiding officer that the Senate ever had.” It was a fine compliment, but also a not-so-subtle salvo at the current vice president, Richard Nixon. To make sure everyone understood, Truman added “unlike that squirrel head we have now,” which brought a guffaw from Garner. For the sake of the reporters within earshot, Truman added, “I’m talking about Mr. Nixon if you’re wondering.” The dig was widely publicized.


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(CNN) — As North Carolinians were preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Florence earlier this week, Rachel and Levi English were anticipating another arrival. They were expecting a baby girl.
The couple were evacuated from their home in New Bern, North Carolina, on Tuesday, according to CNN affiliate KYW, the day before English’s due date.
“It was really scary knowing we were expecting a baby really any minute and potentially unable to get to the hospital or left without electricity for days and days with a newborn,” English told KYW.
The couple drove eight hours to Haverford, Pennsylvania, where her family lives.
Not long after they arrived the contractions began, so they went to Lankenau Medical Center in Wynnewood — the same hospital where English was born 29 years ago, KYW reported.
Friday morning, while Florence was battering the Carolina coasts and New Bern was inundated with floodwater, Rachel and Levi English welcomed their little girl, Matilda, into the world.


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I'm coming for your womb!
To the long, irrational list of substances I despise, allow me to add champagne, that celebratory bathwater better suited for spraying than sipping.Though bubbles can be as invigorating as a Coney Island plunge come January, I find champagne’s dry sourness as noxious as Glenn Beck. When toasting, I favor effervescent Stoudt’s Pils—a lively low-alcohol beer that doesn’t cause a temples-crushing hangover—to champagne’s morning-after gift.
“Babies are…great!” I said, mustering all the enthusiasm I’d have for a proctology exam. At 31, I’ve watched a growing number of married friends drop like dominoes into family life, popping out newborns with assembly-line precision. On one hand: Puppy dogs! Rainbows! Dolphins leaping in the ocean! Completing the circle of life is a marvel, made doubly special by your intimate relationship with said friends. On the other hand: Oh, no! Birth is the death of your old life and the beginning of a new one. Daddy no longer has time to slug pints with his pals, especially with diapers to be changed and colicky infants to soothe—darn good reasons to drink.
You could say I’m selfish. And that I’m frightened of fatherhood. Ding. You’re correct on both fronts. New York City is a land of arrested adolescence, of gelled-hair men in their forties hitting the clubs in search of women young enough to be their daughters. If I were back in Ohio, I’d be an old maid, my girlfriend’s womb looked upon like the barren Gobi Desert. But in New York, there’s nothing wrong with delaying marriage or baby making. Hell, after three-plus years of coupledom, my girlfriend and I are only now entertaining the idea of owning a dog. It’s baby steps, minus the baby.
Back to Bati: We arranged for dinner at The Islands (803 Washington Ave., betw. Eastern Pkwy. & Lincoln Pl., Brooklyn, 718- 398-3575), Prospect Heights’ finest Caribbean canteen. At its core,The Islands is a takeout joint, where lamb, chicken and shrimp are jerked fiery and flavorful. But up a narrow flight of stairs awaits a lowceilinged hideaway with seating for 15.This intimacy, combined with the restaurant’s BYOB policy and service as slow as the shifting Tectonic plates, makes for long, alcohol-lubricated affairs. It’s normal to polish a six-pack before meals arrive, creating a scrum for crisp chicken, tender oxtail and fluffy mac ’n’ cheese.
Upstairs, our nine-person crew sat in our customary spot near the window. Outside, snowflakes swirled down as if God suffered serious dandruff. I grabbed a Dale’s Pale Ale, a nicely hopped brew that debunks the notion of crapped canned beer. “Put that down,” Bati ordered. “We’re celebrating.” He brandished champagne and uncorked it, releasing a puff of pressurized air recalling a smoking gun. He filled eight glasses, leaving one empty.
Perhaps someone else doesn’t like champagne, I thought, reaching for a full glass.
Though I dislike the hooch, it’s a littleknown fact that the eighth deadly sin is wasting booze. Bati hoisted his goblet as if it were the Olympic torch. We followed. “It means a lot for everyone to come together tonight,” Bati began, his voice cracking like broken glass. “It’s so great to see everyone’s faces.” We clinked. We sipped. I teared up. If nothing else, at least alcohol allows me to express my emotions.
My gut instinct was to make snide, inappropriate comments such as, “Someone’s firing with a loaded six-shooter” or “You hit a hole-in-one.” But Emily beamed like a thousand-watt light bulb. Here was happiness in its purest state.Why spoil it with rotten words spoken out of insecurity? I smiled and finished the champagne, its taste, for once, slightly sweet.
Vote for the story on the Press site!


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New Zealand, To Its Eternal Credit, Exemplifies The Decency & Dignity I Ascribe To Cricket Playing Nations.
Cricket civilizes you. Plain and simple. Sportsmanship is paramount in cricket. Hence, the above expression: “It isn’t cricket”.
So, I, who watch cricket, on a large screen TV, nearly every day, and have been a fanatic all my life, strongly believe that cricket playing nations tend to be more decnet than those that don’t play cricket.
By ‘cricket playing nations’ I am referring to the 12 countries permitted to play 5-Day International Test Matches. Yes, cricket at the highest level, is played between countries and a match can last up to 5-days — and still end in a draw. That is the beauty & charm. That is what civilizes you. No crash, bangk, wallop. Very dignified.
Right now there are 11 countries that are Test nations: India, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, England, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The ‘West Indies‘ also play Test cricket but they are a conglomeration of small states that come together to play cricket. 105-countries, worldwide, play cricket. But, I am talking just about the 11 Test playing countries — New Zealand one of them.
I am so proud of New Zealand. Way to go. Obviously, it would have been better if this unfortunate incident never happened, but NZ showed us how to rise above and prevail.
And their 38-year old Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern. WOW. WOW. WOW. What class. What courage. She is exemplary.
I have thought about immigrating to New Zealand! I, however, have never been. Not even close. I also don’t have any NZ friends. Dealt with a fe, but I can’t say I interact with any Kiwanis right now. My loss.
One of my all time heroes, Edmund Hillary, is a New Zealander.
I know NZ from all the cricket I watch — and some rugby. I count Richard Hadlee, Glenn Turner, Bev Congdon, Ross Taylor et. al. among my favorites. Bev Congdon made my Summer of 1973!
So, I have always had an affinity with dear Ol’ New Zealand — a British Commonwealth member no less.
How they have behaved and prevailed over the last few days has been brilliant. So, inspirational.
The Picture Of The Day (Google Pixel 2) + 6 Also-Rans — March 21, 2019.
Immerse Yourself In The Detail & Serenity Of This B&W Mandala — By Teischan (Nearly 13).
I purposefully set out NOT to do justice to this b&w mandala with this picture!
It is too precious to be captured in its full glory by a photo that I am going to share. SORRY.
The detail on this is quite amazing.
Taking Selfies My Way — Day #13 Post-Knee Surgery — March 20, 2019.
As I said in the prior selfie-post, I am sure I am just trying to convince myself that I am still alive — albeit a hopeless cripple on crutches. You can actually see my crutches in the 2nd picture.
This was taken at home. I am not getting about much for obvious reasons. We have four bathrooms in the house, and this was the mirror in one of them.
44th post in this “Taking Selfies My Way” series.
Search ‘Selfies‘ using blog’s search function.