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Jennifer gave a great rundown of things for you, Thanks Jennifer!
Like Robin, I have also had good success performing queenless splits, where the queenless bees create emergency queen cells using normal brood cells from larvae of an appropriate age as determined by the queenless hive. The two queens I have reared in this way both returned from their mating flights and did a great job with nice laying patterns.
Emergency cells can produce viable queens, as I have observed, and it is the natural (meaning evolutionarily devised) method bees use to handle an injured or missing queen. There is the potential of getting a smaller queens out of emergency cells since they didn’t start out intended for a queen. In some circumstances, once an emergency queen returns mated, the hive will choose to perform a supercedure to replace her if they deem she is not fit for the job, with a queen emerged from a supercedure cell purpose built for raising a queen (sorry I don’t have a reference handy for this statement, pretty sure it came out of either the Crowder and Harrell “Top bar beekeeping” or “The Beekeeper’s Handbook” by Diana Sammataro and Alphonse Avitabile.
At the ‘Born and Bred’ workshop last weekend, (put on by the NCSBA) I was impressed to hear how many of the speakers repeated this theme, in multiple ways, that we need to encourage stronger, regional genetics and get away from keeping bees on life support with treatments and imported queens from different regions.
Several of the speakers also went on to say in a nutshell that, the more we work _with_ the natural process bees use to perpetuate themselves, not only will our job be a lot easier, but we’ll wind up with healthier, regionally robust genetic stock which can including natural varroa resistance!
Hives not resistant to varroa that die can no longer spread their weak genetics–sad for the hive, good for the species (this is why I have no problem with ‘bee havers’ or ‘ornament hives’–natural selection dictates they will ultimately die, OR benefit the species by spreading healthy genetics).
How can you tell if your bees are naturally resistant? If you treat without careful monitoring, you can’t.
If your varroa population only increases a few percent in the lat summer and levels off, ‘winner winner chicken dinner’ you’ve got a queen with varroa resistant characteristics!
But this is something you won’t know if you chemically treat your bees at the first sign of increase in varroa numbers.
Now if you’re varroa % in the hive increases substantially above baseline in the fall with no indication of leveling off, you’re going to need to take action by some form of management and re-queening if you don’t want to lose those bees. This doesn’t mean you have to chemically treat, you can make the hive queen-less until all your brood have hatched to break the varroa reproductive cycle before re-queening. Or, if you’re ok using toxic chemicals on your bees (and yourself) you can treat the hive to kill the mites and then re-queen.
What is really important regardless of your management choice, is to re-queen–preferably with a hygienic queen of local stock.
Why re-queen if you’ve treated the bees to kill the mites?
1). Because you don’t want the weak genetics of your non-varroa resistant hive spreading via drones to your neighbor’s apiaries, weakening the genetics of the entire region.
2). no ‘treatment’ is 100% and the mites that survive are the strongest of the bunch. Soft or hard chemical, all treatments push the evolution of mites to a stronger condition.
Introduced species represent a challenge best resolved though natural selection. Unlike huge commercial beekeepers who admit openly that they don’t have time to monitor their colonies, we as smaller beekeeping operations can substantially improve the genetics of the species by pushing evolution in the right direction through management practices that include re-queening when we don’t have a varroa resistant queen.
Hope all this helps and good luck for the summer.
In March 2017, I spent two weeks working with two separate ‘apiculteur’ operations in the South of France, a large honey producer operated by Victor Kohut and a queen rearing operation manned by Dr. John Kefuss.
I had heard about ‘breeding bees resistant to Varroa’ and thought, ‘I really need to learn this new thing…’ Turns out breeding bees for Varroa resistance is anything but new, and the more articles and papers Kefuss pushed across the table for me to read late in the evenings after long days of setting up hives with elaborate custom feeding systems, inspecting colonies, and grafting varroa resistant queens, the more I realized that not only was selecting for disease and mite resistance NOT a new thing, but that people had been having success with it for decades and for some maladies, more than a century!
Turns out creating varroa resistant queens is a lot easier than you might think, doesn’t need an isolated breeding yard, and if performed on a club level, can improve the genetics of the entire region. Also, it’s not necessary to be as extreme as killing off the entire colony. Careful monitoring and some form of treatment to knock down the mites followed by immediate queen replacement (with a VSH, resistant, or local queen) will get the region on track to nudge evolution in the right direction.
The key is to carefully monitor for resistance, re-queen hives that are unable to maintain a low population on their own, and when you get a hive resistant to disease and mites, don’t crush your swarm cells, rather share them with your local club and make sure there’s drone comb in the hive to help spread their genetics!
If everyone adopts these common sense practices, we’ll no longer need to expose ourselves or the environment to dangerous chemicals by propping up weak bee populations with chemical ‘life support’. We’ll stop producing supermites that out evolve our ability to come up with the next new treatment band aid, and help the honey bee return to a level of genetic strength and diversity that will allow it to better cope with current and future challenges!
One of Victor’s many ‘ruchers’ or out yards.
In response to Rusty’s recent varroa mite post (her comment form apparently didn’t like the references included in my reply so I posted it here and sent her a link).
Maybe not ‘let mites be mites’ but perhaps ‘let bees be bees’…?
Initially I skimmed your post and though ‘oh dear, another ‘you must treat’ preachy post’, but I see from reading through your responses to comments that you also carefully monitor your colonies and only treat those that need it to survive.
And now he simply doesn’t have a problem with mites, and has done quite well selling mite resistant queens in Europe, with proven breeder queens going for more than $600…he even published a paper supporting his findings and made it open source for everyone to read (http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00218839.2016.1160709) and there’s plenty more evidence supporting natural selection as the way to resolve the ‘bee crisis’ (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/eva.12448/full).
One point he’s made clearly is that, as local backyard bee keepers, we can influence the genetics of regional stock simply by making sure the good genetics get out there while at the same time minimizing the spread of genetics that don’t cope well with mites–in essence, giving natural selection a little nudge in the right direction. We can do this by encouraging drone production in our strongest, most mite resistant colonies, and re-queening colonies that don’t show natural mite resistance with resistant queens.
I’ve recently read a lot of opinions stating that ‘breeding programs are too complex and don’t work in open conditions,’ and I have to disagree. As an introduced species, Varroa Mites are clearly a problem, but it seems extremely unlikely that we will resolve a genetic problem with a chemical treatment–which may actually be making the mite problem worse–regardless of our good intentions.
Apis Cerana co-evolved with the mite, and knows how to maintain low mite levels. Apis Melifera can (and is) doing the same in diverse geographic regions (both hot and cold) around the globe, and not only in apiaries secluded away from all other bee-keeping operations or feral stock (http://www.resistantbees.com/krise_e.html).
I, at times, get frustrated when folks fail to mention that chemical treatments remove the environmental pressure required for bees to naturally evolve, and perhaps more importantly creates selective pressure which drives the evolution of mites more rapidly to a stronger condition (which they can do much faster than Apis melifera with their 10 day reproductive cycle!).
So while I agree with you that breeding operations designed to encourage a specific trait are complicated and need isolation, I don’t believe that it’s impossible for local bee clubs to simply start a queen sharing program, where each active member encourages drone production, and grafts or saves queen cells to share, from their strongest, naturally mite resistant hives, therefore improving the genetics of the entire region.
This will of course take time, and an important component is to minimize the spread of genetics from hives that don’t show natural mite resistance.
Yes, individuals with ‘hives as yard ornaments’ are a problem for the spread of mites through horizontal transmission by robbing of weak colonies or drone migration. However, I believe individuals who blindly treat their colonies may actually be doing an even bigger disservice to bee keepers and the natural evolution of mite resistant honey bees by allowing the spread of weak genes from drones in colonies which would otherwise not be able to survive on their own, without treatment.
At least the yard ornament hives won’t have the chance to spread weak genes as they will die out on their own, and if you ask Dr. Kefuss, I expect he’ll tell you that the more mites we have in the region, the faster we’ll see the evolution of mite resistant, feral colonies, which will in turn share their stronger genetics with our open mated queens, in essence creating ‘varroa black holes’ where mites imported by the infested colonies are absorbed and destroyed by mite resistant, feral colonies in the region.
1. Monitor your mite levels carefully (at least monthly).
3. Encourage drone production in strong colonies that show natural mite resistance (they are out there!).
As mentioned in Coombs letter, resistance to many honey bee ailments has been achieved decades ago through a combination of breeding and natural selection–from tracheal mites, to even American Foul Brood! If we all work together to nudge natural selection in the right direction, I believe we will one day be able to look back on the Varroa mite problem as something in the past, just as we can now, for the most part, about tracheal mites.
But if we continue to ‘prop up’ weak colonies with chemical treatments, allowing those genetics into the wild, we do more of a disservice to honey bee evolution than even the abandoned ‘yard ornament’ colonies, which ultimately will push the species to a stronger condition by spreading mites and eliminating colonies that can’t survive in a world full of varroa. Simply put, evolution works if we allow it to.
Thanks Rusty, for all you do for the bee keeping community, and for allowing comments to your posts so that we can all learn more through the process of openly shared ideas and information.
Samples are accepted from the United States and its territories; samples are NOT accepted from other countries.
To the best of my knowledge these bees died in early January 2017. Several cups of bees were dead on the bottom of the hive and a few lethargic live bees were on the comb which are included in this sample. They had plenty of honey in the hive.
Thank-you for your lab analysis.


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Guest Information - Dress Code, Cell Phone Policy & GratuitiesWelcome to Morris County Golf Club. In an effort to assist you while visiting our Club, our Professional staff has highlighted a few traditions of the Club that we ask you to observe.
Proper attire is required at all times while on Club property. Business attire is always appropriate. Women may wear pants, slacks, Bermuda-length shorts, skirts, and culottes (no more than three inches above the knee), and appropriate shirts. Men must wear collared dress or golf shirts. Shirts must be tucked in at all times. Golf attire and shorts is permitted on the Covered & Open Terrace, Raynor Room and Pub Room. Tennis and Paddle attire are only permitted during Lunch. Jacket are preferred when dining in the Sun Room. Hats are only permitted on the Open Terrace. All children should be dressed consistent with the guidelines.
Golf attire is required on the golf course, putting green, and practice areas. Soft spikes only in golf shoes. Whites are required on the tennis courts. Swimsuit attire is permitted only in the immediate swimming pool area.
Inappropriate Attire: Jeans (and all denim attire), abbreviated shorts, tank tops, tee shirts with printed slogans, and net or mesh-type shirts are not considered proper attire on Club property. Military cargo over flap shorts, cargo pants & shorts, and camouflage attire are also inappropriate Club attire. Flip-flops that are plastic and foam are not permitted in any dining area of the Club, including the Open and Covered Terrace.
Speaker phone is not permitted on Club property.
Please consider our members when having a verbal conversation in the presence of others; such as sitting on the lounge chairs at the pool or grassy areas.
Private; non-conversational use of PDA’s (Blackberry, Treo) and Text Messaging may be used anywhere on Club property. However, guests are expected to ensure that such use does not infringe upon our members. Such infringement would include distractions from dining, recreational activities or affecting the golf pace of play.
Morris County Golf Club adheres to a strict NO TIPPING policy for its members and their guests.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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The lawful bases for processing your information is ‘contract’ – we will need to process your details in order for us to get in touch with you, following an initial enquiry from you. This will be with the view of discussing your requirements and, if you decide to go ahead, entering into a contract with you in order for us to fulfil your booking.
Information that you provide to us for the purpose of enquiries, email communications and bookings, including your name, email address, phone number, DOB, address and bank account details.
Information that you post on our website or social media platforms including your user name, profile pictures, comments and reviews.
If you have entered a contract with us then we will need to keep your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
Through certain actions when otherwise there is no contractual relationship between us, such as when you browse our website or ask us to provide you more information about our products and services, you provide your consent to us to process information in a way in which you would reasonably expect us to reply.
You may withdraw your consent in these circumstances at any time by emailing info@salcombewaterlimo.co.uk – however, if you do so, please note you may not be able to use our website or services in the most efficient and conducive way.
We may disclose your personal information to our insurers, accountant, or professional advisers, only as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this policy. We may disclose your personal information to legal authorities if we are required to do so by law or in connection with any ongoing or prospective legal proceedings or in order to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights. Except as set out within this document, we do not share, or sell, or disclose to a third party, any information collected.
We will retain documents containing personal data to provide you with the services you have requested, to comply with legal obligation including for the period demanded by our tax authorities and insurance provider, to support a claim or defence in court. For our business categories, this obligation is currently set to a minimum of 7 years. Except as otherwise mentioned in this privacy notice, personal information that we process for any purpose(s) shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for the purpose.
We take the protection of your privacy and confidentiality seriously. We will take reasonable technical and organisational precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of your personal information. All hard copy files will be stored in a secure, locked cabinet. All electronic files will be protected by secure passwords and firewalls. You acknowledge that the transmission of information over the internet is inherently insecure, and we cannot guarantee the security of data sent over the internet.
To obtain a copy of any personal information, you may send a request by emailing info@salcombewaterlimo.co.uk. After receiving the request, we will tell you when we expect to provide you with the information, and whether we require any fee for providing it to you. If you wish us to remove personal information from our website, you may contact us by emailing info@salcombewaterlimo.co.uk Please note, this may limit the service we can provide to you. When we receive any request to access, edit or delete personal information we shall take reasonable steps to verify your identity before taking any action.
This version was last updated on 18th June 2018.

industry_corpus2: Others


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Empire State Association of Two-Year College Biologists | An organization dedicated to fostering excellence in biology education.
Welcome to the Empire State Association of Two-Year College Biologists (ESATYCB).
Where two-year college biologist meet to discuss ways to enhance biology education and the current biological research.
Latest News: ESATYCB sponsors CCURC.
The Community College Undergraduate Research Initiative was created to support community college faculty in their efforts to incorporate an undergraduate research experience into their science curriculum.
Copyright © 2016 Empire State Association of Two-Year College Biologists. All rights reserved.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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Are you our next digital star?
Henley Business School provides rigorous, challenging and career-oriented programmes that set high standards of learning. As one of the oldest, most respected business schools in Europe, Henley has developed leaders for over 70 years. We are among an elite group of business schools to be triple-accredited for the quality and capability of our faculty and output.
To strengthen our team, we are looking for a Digital Marketing Specialist – a marketing professional with a true passion for digital.
Digital marketing – including everything from optimising websites to email marketing and social media – is your territory. You should bring experience, strategic insight and execution capacity to us.
We are looking for a data-driven marketer and content specialist with a good understanding of inbound marketing concepts and tools, CRM systems and website platforms. Experience in event marketing is an advantage. We’d love you to be a strategic thinker with an eye for detail. Excellent writing skills, both in Finnish and English, are a must for this position.
We hope you have 3–5 years of experience in a digital marketing role and have already delivered measurable results.
You should be willing to work in a small team in Finland but also be part of a wider international organisation. We appreciate if you have a strong can do-attitude and are innovative and willing to take initiative. You work at your best when your schedules are filled. Applicable education from a relevant field is preferred.
We offer you an interesting position within a small, energetic team in Helsinki. Because higher education is what we do, we also offer opportunities to develop your personal and professional skills at one of the best schools in the world. We believe in fairness and doing things together, using common sense and finding joy in our work. If you have the right background, we can offer a unique opportunity to work in an exciting international environment.
Is it you we are looking for? Then please apply by sending your CV together with a cover letter and salary expectation no later than 4 of October 2018 to careers@henley.fi. Please write Digital Marketing Specialist in the subject field. For further information, please contact Sabine Doms, +358 50 9126955. As we want to fill the position as soon as possible, we will start processing applications already during the application period.


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Why do you think the author chose to write the story from three points of view rather than a single narrative? Why do you believe she chose to write three fictional characters rather than selecting a historical figure to document?
France was in a period of relative prosperity during the era of the ‘King’s Daughters’ program, yet there were scores of women who wanted to participate. What do you feel were their motivations and aspirations?
What did it seem were the main difficulties French women, particularly those who lived in cities, most acutely suffered upon arrival in New France?
Rose’s situation was terribly common; women could be imprisoned for the rest of their lives by their families for slight offenses. We see that the “charity hospital” where Rose lives is an abysmal place, but when offered the chance to leave the Salpêtrière Rose hesitates. In fact, many women offered their freedom chose to stay in the hospital. Why do you think a 17th century woman would opt to remain imprisoned?
Elisabeth seems to have the easiest time adapting to life in New France. She claims she “had less to leave behind”, though the truth of that statement is questionable. What about her personality enables her to make the transition more easily than her peers and to embrace the tumultuous changes in her life?
Many of the women who agreed to become ‘King’s Daughters’ spent a good amount of time in convents, boarding houses, and with ‘sponsor families’ before marriage. The Sisters made sure their domestic skills were up to muster and gave them plenty of advice on selecting their husbands. What do you imagine the key pieces of advice were and do you think Nicole followed them?
Rose decides fairly soon after her arrival that she wants to enter into religion. This decision could have been socially ruinous for her, despite the revered status of the Church in the colony, especially after she rejects a promising suitor. Why do you think this is, and why was Sister Mathilde so hesitant to let Rose take orders?
Aside from the emotional heartache of her miscarriages, Elisabeth and Gilbert also face some social stigma for their childless state. This is especially true because of their openly affectionate nature toward one another. What do your feel are the reasons for this social pressure and what does it say about the expectations of marriage in 17th century Quebec?
We see Nicole transition from the shy farm girl to the capable social maven during the course of the book. What enables this transformation and growth?
How does the fire symbolize Elisabeth’s relationship with her mother, and what else could it symbolize about her future?
What are the reasons for Manon’s departure, both stated and implied? Do you feel she was justified in her decision to leave?
In the end, Rose is able to overcome her trauma to enjoy her marriage, but she will always carry the scars. How do you think this will this affect her relationship with Henri and her children moving forward?
The depiction of the clergy throughout the book is varied. The nuns are depicted as industrious and motherly, while Father Cloutier in particular, is depicted as petty and scheming. What do you feel is the reason for this contrast?
Alexandre could have used his pull to influence the judicial system in the Beaumonts’ favor when the bailiff decides to enforce the king’s edict on the bakery. Why do you feel the women took this more subtle approach, and do you think the women’s backchannel approach ultimately as effective?

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


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My wife likes to say “happy, lively and vivacious” because the word “gay” has taken on a different meaning.
Marie Antoinette was the Queen of France during the French Revolution. Marie Antoinette has gone down in history as the arrogant and apathetic monarch who said “let them eat cake” when told the peasants were starving because they had no bread. The daughter of Francis I and Maria Theresa, Emperor and Empress of the Holy Roman Empire, Marie left Austria for France in 1770 to marry the prince of France. As the revolution swept Paris in 1789, Louis and Marie tried to flee but failed. Marie and Louis XVI were stuck as prisoners at the palace at Tuileries. They tried to get help from royal supporters in England, Prussia and Austria, but in 1792 they were arrested and charged with treason. Louis was beheaded 21 January 1793 and Marie was beheaded 16 October 1793. According to legend, Marie’s last words were an apology to the executioner for accidently stepping on his foot.
An anachronism is an error in chronology, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other. The item is often an object, but may be a verbal expression, a technology, a philosophical idea, a musical style, a material, a custom, or anything else so closely associated with a particular period in time that it would be incorrect to place it outside its proper domain.


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Don't smash your television set just yet.
Jeb Bush, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton - these are just some of the big names that cropped up on the election-year 2016 Emmys. Still, diversity was a major theme, unlike at recent Academy Awards. While award winners might not have accurately reflected U.S. demographics, an underlying anti-Trump tone might have resonated with blacks, hispanic-latinos and Asians.
Florida Gov. Jeb Bush returned to the public spotlight as Emmys host Jimmy Kimmel’s Uber driver. "I'm in between jobs right now," Bush says in Kimmel’s opening monologue which shows the ABC late night host en route to the ceremony.
Bush: Wow, what's that like?
Kimmel: It's nice, it's nice.
Bush: You think you can win?
Kimmel: There's a lot of competition. And, probably not.
Bush: Well, here's what I know. If you run a positive campaign, the voters ultimately will make the right choice.
The ceremony celebrates television’s top talent, from best lead actor/actress to outstanding hairstyling and sound. Kimmel had presciently quipped early on that anyone without a dragon or White Bronco in the show might as well leave. "Game of Thrones" and "The People v O.J. Simpson” took home a combined 18 awards. “Game of Thrones” won 12 for the second year in a row. Politics was on the minds of many.The host made cracks about deporting “The Apprentice” producer, U.K. born Mark Burnett if Trump wins the 2016 election.
Mr. Kimmel added: “Thanks to Mark Burnett, we don’t have to watch reality shows anymore, because we’re living in one.” Many other winners and presenters expressed they don’t endorse Trump.
Winner of outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, Kate McKinnon thanked Hillary Clinton - who she plays on Saturday Night Live - in her speech. "The People v O.J.'s" Courtney B. Vance closed his speech with, "Obama out. Hillary in.” Writer Aziz Ansari, awarded for his Netflix show "Master of None," joked about deporting Muslims and Hispanics.
"Transparent" star Jeffrey Tambor and series creator Jill Soloway spoke to improve the plight of the transgender community. Soloway asked Hollywood to hire more transgender talent.
“Topple the patriarchy!” yelled Soloway, while receiving her award for directing her comedy episode “Man on the Land”. “Liberal Hollywood,” as usual, the conservatives will cry.
“The cultural ubiquity of TV was a theme of the night,” James Poniewozik wrote in his Emmys review.
‘Games of Thrones’ broke an Emmy record with a second consecutive win in the best drama category. No other program has won as many awards. ‘Thrones’ has won altogether 38 Emmys, surpassing “Frasier” as most won by a scripted series. Like usual, HBO dominated the Emmys with 22 wins. “Games of Thrones” will likely pass “Saturday Night Live”, the all-time champion with 45 wins with two years left on its contract.
HBO programs earned best drama and comedy -- two of the night’s biggest honors - for repeat winners "Thrones" and "Veep," respectively. "People v O.J.'s" took home three acting wins for the show’s attorney roles: Vance, Sarah Paulson and Sterling K. Brown.
John Oliver won variety talk category for “Last Week Tonight,” the first year the award was handed out in post-Stewart-and-Colbert era. Fargo, after 18 nominations, won just two awards. An Emmys snub?

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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A NASA research plane, as part of Operation IceBridge, captured this photo as it flew over a portion of the West Antarctic ice sheet in 2016.
Earth-orbiting satellites are watching Antarctica thaw.
Eighty scientists from over 40 earth sciences agencies, including NASA and the European Space Agency, used satellite data from between 1992 to 2017 to find that Antarctica has lost three trillion tons of ice to the oceans over this 25-year period.
Their research, published Wednesday in the journal Nature, confirms a troubling trend, as much of the world's fresh water is frozen away in Antarctica. It's accelerating melt will likely play a primary role in swelling Earth's oceans two or three feet higher this century, or perhaps as much as six feet.
The most vulnerable masses of ice are in West Antartica, where NASA has already witnessed an accelerating melt.
"They're melting like gangbusters," Josh Willis, an oceanographer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in an April interview.
"These are massive rivers of ice that are dumping just huge amounts of ice into the oceans."
Perhaps most worrying, said Willis, is that this melting is unprecedented. Scientists are watching this thawing for the first time. They can see the melt is already accelerating — and it's unknown what's exactly to come.
"We have long suspected that changes in Earth’s climate will affect the polar ice sheets," Andrew Shepherd, a climate scientist and one of the study's lead authors, said in a statement.
"Thanks to the satellites our space agencies have launched, we can now track their ice losses and global sea level contribution with confidence," said Shepherd. "According to our analysis, there has been a steep increase in ice losses from Antarctica during the past decade, and the continent is causing sea levels to rise faster today than at any time in the past 25 years."
Over this 25-year period, scientists measured around 7 and a half millimeters of sea level rise from the ice-clad continent.
This might not seem like a lot, Robin Bell, a marine geologist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, said over email. But, the more recent rapid loses in Antarctic ice "indicates Antarctica can change faster than we thought," said Bell.
In fact, 40 percent of the total rise, or about 3 millimeters, came in the last 5 years. That's when things really started to change.
Until 2012, the study's researchers found that Antarctica had been shedding 84 billion tons of ice into the sea each year, incrementally boosting sea levels by around 0.2 millimeters annually.
But beginning in 2012, Antarctica began to lose nearly 240 billion tons per year, largely from two giant West Antarctic glaciers, Pine Island and Thwaites.
The West Antarctic ice is particularly vulnerable because these massive ice sheets sit over the ocean, and even slightly warmer ocean waters can eat away at them from the bottom.
The locations of the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, which alone have enough ice to raise sea levels by 4 feet, says NASA.
"The largest mass loss is observed where relatively warm ocean waters are melting floating ice shelves from below," Steve Rintoul, a study coauthor and physical oceanographer from the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Center, in Australia, said in a statement.
These masses of ice, which sit on the edge of the continent, act as a plug, holding the continent's thick sheets of heavy ice back.
"As the ice shelves thin and weaken, they provide less resistance to ice flow from the continent to the sea," explained Rintoul. "This increases the rate of mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet and therefore the rate of sea level rise."
This leads to a foreboding future. Once these melting ice sheets on the coast go, nothing is left to hold West Antartica's ice back. And as the authors note, "The ice sheets of Antarctica hold enough water to raise global sea level by 58 meters."
Certainly, no one is suggesting this will all dump into ocean — not nearly. But only an insignificant amount needs to melt into the sea for coastal dwellers, where billions reside and many more are expected to live, to be impacted by rising seas, flooding, and surges of stormwater. Around 40 percent of Americans, for example, live directly on the shoreline.
To better grasp exactly how much ice is lost each year — and more critically, how fast these losses are accelerating — space agencies will continue to peer onto the thawing continent. And down on Earth, scientists will even depend on seals, fitted with data-collecting devices, to dive under this melting ice.

industry_corpus2: Aerospace


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Sharing thoughts and hands-on experiences about helping myself, people and teams make our workplaces and lives more productive with Agile and Lean.
Well in shape into 2013 after the end of the Great MayanCycle, let’s continue the posts thread talking about how to help a Product Owner team work effectively.
We talked already about how to setup the team and how we build the Product Backlog collaboratively.
Let’s touch today the way our team grooms and orders the backlog and I will start telling you the story of a failure.
A “good” failure indeed: one of those you learn something out!
Some months ago, facing the development of customer requests based on the business priority order, the team realized that implementing a new feature would have required moving to the new version of a 3rd party we integrate in our system.
No big deal: they said!
And everything would have been ok, except for the fact that, after some weeks, we realized that the new version of this product was not actually properly working with our new operating system.
Result, as you can imagine, was: a lot of troubles, blaming games, fights, time wasted and, finally, the decision to roll back to the previous version.
The question is that requirements are prioritized according to business value, but Product Backlog is ordered instead, taking into account other factors than simply customer priority.
Otherwise, what would be the added value of a Product Owner?
My 10-years old son would be perfectly able to do tasks strictly following a prioritized list given by someone else.
Of course, I oversimplified the question a bit.
But not too much indeed!
However, out of this failure, we learned how to arrange our backlog better, putting into it competence and brains, not only from Product Owners, but from developers and managers as well.
So, before giving the backlog a certain order, we evaluate the business value ranking coming from Product Manager, we consider the Product Anatomy and rate both the technical and non-technical risks we see associated to the requested MMFs.
So the PO team defines the backlog order, putting high in the list not necessarily the most valuable items, but obviously the ones which the others are dependant from. We give special attention to the riskiest features, many times splitting them and touching them first, so that we can have an early feedback and take actions accordingly.
Actually there’s a fourth parameter which comes into play many times, that is cost: since the goal of a Product Owner is maximizing the Return on Investment, one could choose to anticipate cheaper features, given a certain business value.
That’s the kind of brain we have to put in, to move from prioritized requirements to an ordered backlog.
What else would you suggest to consider in order to get a proper backlog ordering?

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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For oil and chemical containers, see Barrel.
This kind of drum is called a snare drum.
A drum is a musical instrument that is struck with the hands or with a drum stick (a stick for hitting a drum). A collection of drums and cymbals is called a drum kit, or drum set.
Drums are used to keep a steady beat in a song. They give music of many kinds a sense of feeling. For example, to make a song to be slow or fast, the drums play slower or faster.
A drum is a percussion instrument, which means it makes a noise by being hit. There are many types of percussion such as cymbals and cowbells; even a simple piece of wood can be considered percussion.
The drum kit is a group of drums & cymbals to make beats for music. Drum kits are used in most types of popular music, including rock, jazz, country, blues, and many others.
Drums are usually played by striking with the hand, or with one or two sticks. A wide variety of sticks are used, including wooden sticks and sticks with soft beaters of felt on the end. In jazz, some In many traditional cultures, drums have a symbolic function and are used in religious ceremonies. Drums are often used in music therapy, especially hand drums, because of their tactile nature and easy use by a wide variety of people.
In popular music and jazz, "drums" usually refers to a drum kit or a set of drums (with some cymbals, or in the case of harder rock music genres, many cymbals), and "drummer" to the person who plays them.
The shell almost invariably has a circular opening over which the drumhead is stretched, but the shape of the remainder of the shell varies widely. In the western musical tradition, the most usual shape is a cylinder, although timpani, for example, use bowl-shaped shells. Other shapes include a frame design (tar, Bodhrán), truncated cones (bongo drums, Ashiko), goblet shaped (djembe), and joined truncated cones (talking drum).
Drums with cylindrical shells can be open at one end (as is the case with timbales), or can have two drum heads, one head on each end. Single-headed drums typically consist of a skin stretched over an enclosed space, or over one of the ends of a hollow vessel. Drums with two heads covering both ends of a cylindrical shell often have a small hole somewhat halfway between the two heads; the shell forms a resonating chamber for the resulting sound. Exceptions include the African slit drum, also known as a log drum as it is made from a hollowed-out tree trunk, and the Caribbean steel drum, made from a metal barrel. Drums with two heads can also have a set of wires, called snares, held across the bottom head, top head, or both heads, hence the name snare drum. On some drums with two heads, a hole or bass reflex port may be cut or installed onto one head, as with some 2010s era bass drums in rock music.
On modern band and orchestral drums, the drumhead is placed over the opening of the drum, which in turn is held onto the shell by a "counterhoop" (or "rim"), which is then held by means of a number of tuning screws called "tension rods" that screw into lugs placed evenly around the circumference. The head's tension can be adjusted by loosening or tightening the rods. Many such drums have six to ten tension rods. The sound of a drum depends on many variables—including shape, shell size and thickness, shell materials, counterhoop material, drumhead material, drumhead tension, drum position, location, and striking velocity and angle.
Prior to the invention of tension rods, drum skins were attached and tuned by rope systems—as on the Djembe—or pegs and ropes such as on Ewe Drums. These methods are rarely used today, though sometimes appear on regimental marching band snare drums. The head of a talking drum, for example, can be temporarily tightened by squeezing the ropes that connect the top and bottom heads. Similarly, the tabla is tuned by hammering a disc held in place around the drum by ropes stretching from the top to bottom head. Orchestral timpani can be quickly tuned to precise pitches by using a foot pedal.
Several factors determine the sound a drum produces, including the type, shape and construction of the drum shell, the type of drum heads it has, and the tension of these drumheads. Different drum sounds have different uses in music. Take, for example, the modern Tom-tom drum. A jazz drummer may want drums that are high pitched, resonant and quiet whereas a rock drummer may prefer drums that are loud, dry and low-pitched. Since these drummers want different sounds, their drums are constructed and tuned differently.
The drum head has the most effect on how a drum sounds. Each type of drum head serves its own musical purpose and has its own unique sound. Double-ply drumheads dampen high frequency harmonics because they are heavier and they are suited to heavy playing. Drum heads with a white, textured coating on them muffle the overtones of the drum head slightly, producing a less diverse pitch. Drum heads with central silver or black dots tend to muffle the overtones even more. And drum heads with perimeter sound rings mostly eliminate overtones (Howie 2005). Some jazz drummers avoid using thick drum heads, preferring single ply drum heads or drum heads with no muffling. Rock drummers often prefer the thicker or coated drum heads.
The type of shell also affects the sound of a drum. Because the vibrations resonate in the shell of the drum, the shell can be used to increase the volume and to manipulate the type of sound produced. The larger the diameter of the shell, the lower the pitch. The larger the depth of the drum, the louder the volume. Shell thickness also determines the volume of drums. Thicker shells produce louder drums. Mahogany raises the frequency of low pitches and keeps higher frequencies at about the same speed. When choosing a set of shells, a jazz drummer may want smaller maple shells, while a rock drummer may want larger birch shells. For more information about tuning drums or the physics of a drum, visit the external links listed below.
Drums made with alligator skins have been found in Neolithic cultures located in China, dating to a period of 5500–2350 BC. In literary records, drums manifested shamanistic characteristics were often used in ritual ceremonies.
Macaque monkeys drum objects in a rhythmic way to show social dominance and this has been shown to be processed in a similar way in their brains to vocalizations suggesting an evolutionary origin to drumming as part of social communication. Other primates make drumming sounds by chest beating or hand clapping, and rodents such as kangaroo rats also make similar sounds using their paws on the ground.
Chinese troops used tàigǔ drums to motivate troops, to help set a marching pace, and to call out orders or announcements. For example, during a war between Qi and Lu in 684 BC, the effect of drum on soldier's morale is employed to change the result of a major battle. Fife-and-drum corps of Swiss mercenary foot soldiers also used drums. They used an early version of the snare drum carried over the player's right shoulder, suspended by a strap (typically played with one hand using traditional grip). It is to this instrument that the English word "drum" was first used. Similarly, during the English Civil War rope-tension drums would be carried by junior officers as a means to relay commands from senior officers over the noise of battle. These were also hung over the shoulder of the drummer and typically played with two drum sticks. Different regiments and companies would have distinctive and unique drum beats only they recognized. In the mid-19th century, the Scottish military started incorporating pipe bands into their Highland Regiments. During pre-Columbian warfare, Aztec nations were known to have used drums to send signals to the battling warriors. The Nahuatl word for drum is roughly translated as huehuetl.
The Rig Veda, one of the oldest religious scriptures in the world, contain several references to the use of Dundhubi (war drum). Arya tribes charged into battle to the beating of the war drum and chanting of a hymn that appears in Book VI of the Rig Veda and also the Atharva Veda where it is referred to as the "Hymn to the battle drum".
Drum Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.


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(CNN) - As the Trump administration recalls tens of thousands of government workers to restart operations previously closed during the partial shutdown, one expert says the law allows fairly wide latitude to decide which government functions are essential.
On Thursday, the State Department announced that its employees would return to work in the coming days.
Alice Rivlin, who directed the Office of Management and Budget under the Clinton administration, said the guidelines were not particularly clear and that officials could revisit their assessments as shutdowns dragged on.
"The law itself is pretty vague," Rivlin told CNN. "It's a question of what's essential and what isn't. ... In the end it's a judgment call."
The Antideficiency Act, which guides many of the decisions around a government shutdown, provides this broad guideline: "emergencies involving the safety of human life or the protection of property." It does specify that language cannot be used to justify "ongoing, regular functions of government the suspension of which would not imminently threaten the safety of human life or the protection of property."
Those decisions are generally the domain of the Office of Management and Budget.
"Our mission from the President has been to make this shutdown as painless as possible, consistent with the law," Russ Vought, the current deputy director of OMB, told reporters earlier this month.
He ticked off some of the administration's adjustments to make that happen, such as recalling IRS workers to process tax refunds, reversing plans to stop issuing flood insurance policies and bringing back rangers to clean up national parks.
"In some cases, activities and performance would not qualify for continuation during a very brief funding lapse ... but they would qualify if the duration of the funding lapse became longer," reads a December guide from OMB to federal agencies.
Rivlin, who led OMB during a 21-day shutdown that had been the longest until the current one surpassed it, said she believed it was appropriate to include flexibility in the laws and guidelines, as it allowed the administration to adapt as circumstances changed.
She had urged her Clinton administration colleagues to make decisions that visually reminded Americans that their government was closed, such as by cutting power to the National Christmas Tree.
"I said I didn't think the Christmas tree was essential. That one got a lot of screams and a lot of volunteers" to keep it lit and operating, she said. "I thought that was unfortunate. I thought we wanted to make as clear as possible that the shutdown was inconveniencing people."

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


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Kyler Murray had a signed contract with the Oakland A's, but the former Oklahoma quarterback has made the right call in deciding to pick the NFL.
Now comes a fascinating experiment.
Kyler Murray has chosen football over baseball. His timing is perfect – and not because he was due to report to spring training this weekend. It’s the right move, and despite his coy non-answers in those interviews before the Super Bowl, no one should really be surprised.
He’ll forgo that $4.7 million bonus from the Oakland Athletics. He’ll likely become the first athlete ever chosen in the first round of both the Major League Baseball and NFL drafts.
And never mind his size, no one should be too surprised if he excels.
Murray’s talent is undeniable. The Heisman Trophy winner is blazing fast, sure. Pay close attention to what he runs in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine (if he runs, and boy, we hope he does); he might not just be the fastest quarterback in Indianapolis – he’ll be among the fastest players, period. He has an NFL arm and the accuracy to go with it. But yes, we know: he's tiny.
Murray’s spectacular impact is outsized.
Sure, but can he do it at the next level? The question will dominate the next few weeks, during the run-up to the draft. And once a team has made him a first-round pick and bet on him as the face of the franchise – pretty clearly, this is going to happen; it’s only a question of which front office falls in love – the story line will only grow.
Murray is not exactly a wisp, by the way. Oklahoma listed him at 195 pounds. Whatever his official weight in Indianapolis, he’s solidly built, especially in the lower body. Go ahead and cringe at the vision of a defensive end crushing Murray from the blind side – or in the open field, a safety blasting him at full speed – but it’s worth noting how few hard hits he actually took at Oklahoma. That’s in large part because of his awareness, but also because he is possibly the best quarterback at sliding, ever (he drops, then pops up like he’s just stolen second base).
It’s at least as tantalizing to envision Murray escaping the pocket, then rifling the ball to a receiver downfield. Or taking off, leaving defenders grasping at a vapor trail.
In baseball, he’s a five-tool prospect. But emphasis on the noun. Murray might one day become a baseball superstar, but he’d first have to work his way up through the minor leagues. He showed promise on the diamond a year ago with Oklahoma, but it’s a hard road and there are no guarantees.
In football, despite bigger risks, the payoff could be immediate. Murray arrives at the perfect time, with NFL front offices growing gradually more open toward quarterbacks who don’t fit their preconceived notions of size – and at least as important, suddenly enthralled with wide-open college offenses like Oklahoma’s modified Air Raid, which Murray took to another level. Ten years ago, or maybe even five, it’s likely scouts would have been far more skeptical of someone like Murray. He’d have gotten questions like, “Would you consider a position change?” And he’d probably have chosen baseball.
But there’s now room in the NFL for a guy like Murray to move. And boy, can he ever do that.


text: You are viewing American Expedition's collection of wild bear themed home decor. Here you can find wall clocks, coat racks, artwork, sculptures, night lights, and assorted home decor accessories featuring illustrations and artwork of American Black Bears and Grizzly Bears. These home decor items make exceptional gifts for bear lovers, outdoorsmen, and people who appreciate the majesty of the America's wild bears.


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Female wolf spiders provide both their eggs and young with a considerable amount of maternal care. They actually carry their egg sac around with them, attached to the spinnerets at the end of their abdomen, as they hunt for food and go about their lives. Careful to keep her egg sac from touching the ground, the mother makes sure it receives a sufficient amount of sunlight each day, presumably to enhance incubation. She also mends any tears that appear in the sac. The eggs hatch in one to two weeks, and 4 to 22 days later, the mother perforates the egg sac either part way or all the way around the seam by rotating the sac with her legs as she makes tiny holes in it with her chelicerae (mouthparts). Within three hours of this, spiderlings crawl out of the sac through the holes made by the mother, climb up onto her abdomen (see photo), and remain there for days or weeks, depending on the species.
This entry was posted on June 11, 2014 by Mary Holland. It was filed under Arachnids, Chelicerae, Egg Sacs, June, Spiderlings, Spiders, Spinnerets, Wolf Spiders and was tagged with Lycosidae.
Awesome pics. I always open your email first to start my day. Thank you so much!
Now I’m even more curious about how you find your photo opportunities. Do you have something (like this) in mind as you head out on a given day? Perhaps more so with flora than fauna subjects, I suppose? But how do you manage to notice these tiny critters at such perfect moments?
I’ll let you in on a secret…I come up with topics for my blog by taking walks, seeing what’s happening, and photographing it… I usually don’t have any particular goal in mind when I set out, other than to find something hopefully interesting to myself as well as others. If I’m lucky enough to notice more than one thing, and get a half decent photograph of them, I then I select one for use the next day, and perhaps use the others later on, if they are still current. So glad you enjoy them!
I’m not afraid of spiders but wolf spiders are not allowed to live in the house. Too big and fuzzy for me. I put them in the yard.
Who ever would have thought that spiders would be so nurturing of their young!


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And the saying "mens sana in corpore sano" means not only keeping your body in shape with a healthy sport, but also taking care of ourselves and above all in terms of food.
The right balance between healthy food and authentic flavors makes of feeding a real beauty ritual, a daily celebration of the very meaning of our existence and an opportunity for a real experience in what for us is a true lifestyle.
The choice of the ingredients, which are almost entirely imported from Italian controlled and certified producers, preferring organic products when possible, and an almost ascetic will in preparing everything that’s possible "in house", from pasta to bread to sauces to jams, sweets and so on, really makes of Davvero a point of reference for those who wish to enjoy an authentic, genuine moment, fully immersed into a coziness which is all Italian.
An atmosphere that doesn’t risk fall into a cliché, but conveys a kind and smiling modernity, an international evolution of being-Italian, between tradition and innovation, in the wake of our cultural heritage, which stays unique and immense, and at the same time completely included in the present, along with the great global changes, that we keep on challenging with our attention to "local", without forgetting our innate joy and passion, features which are now inherent in our DNA and of which we could never do without.
A sumptuous wine list rounds up the offer of Davvero.
We import wine directly from Italy to Holland, and the selection criteria of the companies only confirms our business philosophy: an obsession with quality that must be affordable for everyone, small and medium producers who make of excellence their trump card, attention to organic and anyhow to the craftsmanship of the products.
We introduce unusual blends, mostly unknown to the public northern Europe, with the intent to educate the taste and train our customers to recognize the difference between a glass and another. We suggest a correct pairing with the dishes, thus demonstrating correspondence between the type of food and the type of wine, both in the organoleptic system and in the digestibility one, including the beneficial properties of the substances we ingest, as well as active principles per se and as a result of the interaction between the two elements.
A dinner at Davvero is about all this and way more. Because when we are up to something, we do it Davvero (for real)!

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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Processing and handling time for all offers is 1-2 business days. Once your order is processed you will receive a confirmation email with the corresponding details of your order. We provide worldwide shipping and here are some estimated shipping times for after your order has been processed.
Rest of the World: 21 to 45 days.
If you made several purchases in one order you might receive your items in separate packages/deliveries. Check with local custom authorities about your country's specific importing rules.
Contact us at contact@mrstorkey.com if you have any further questions.


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The City currently has eighteen parks that are designated as Neighborhood Parks consisting of 134 acres of City owned property.
Bent Creek Park: 4 acre park with play equipment, t-ball field, garden plots and trails.
Clearwater Mills: 2 acre park with play equipment, garden plots and trail access.
Fountain: 1 acre park with fountain and benches.
Fox Run: 2 acre park with play equipment, a ball field and trails.
Hilks Lake: 1 acre park with playground equipment.
Interlaken: 65 acre park with playground equipment, tennis courts, trail access, grills, garden plots and benches.
Lakeview Terrace: 6~1/2 acre park with play equipment.
Legacy Village: 1 acre park with playground equipment and benches.
Oakpointe: 2-1/2 acre park with playground equipment, a tennis court, picnic area, basketball court, and walking paths.
Old Towne: 1/4 acre downtown park with benches.
Pheasant Ridge: 1- 1/2 acre park with play equipment and trails.
Pinehill: 1 acre park with playground equipment and benches.
Sudheimer: 25 acre open space park area.
Sugarbush: 4 acre park with play equipment, a ball field and trails.
Vista Point: 5 acre park with drinking fountains, benches and a gazebo.
Wildhurst: 1/2 acre park with play equipment and trails.
Waterford: 12 acre park with play equipment, walking trails, covered picnic area, garden plots, grills and benches.
Windmill Creek: 1/4 acre with play equipment.
In addition to city parks, recreational facilities, play equipment and open space are maintained by ISD 110. Southview Elementary School has play equipment, a ball field, and football and soccer fields. Bayview Middle School has ball fields, an outdoor running track, and a football field. Laketown Elementary also has play equipment and ball fields. The school forest, a 12.5 acre open space area with unimproved trails, is accessible from Bayview. Contact the school district for use requirements and availability.

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


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Computer technologies increase reliability and efficiency in the investment industry, reducing the risk of a human factor in making investment decisions.
The main objective of the platform is to create a know-how conveyor for the implementation of profitable and reliable investment algorithms in a decentralized economy.
The Role of Smart Contracts and Blockchain Technology in Trading AlgorithmsBlockchain technology makes it possible to consider a trading algorithm in conjunction with smart contract, which allows you to automate the financial processes on the platform.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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Imagine if your politicians were more data driven. Imagine if you could make sure your needs and your preferences were right there in front of your MP so every decision they made were backed by facts and evidence instead of being influenced by lobbyists and personal biases. This app puts your needs in the middle of the political process.
We believe that politicians don't like dirty business any more than we do. So we want to provide them the evidence they need to be able to tell friend from foe. We understand these are busy people, constantly having to make quick decisions and think on their feet. My MP is the information superweapon that will give the truth a fighting chance.
With this kind of quick information display, we are raising the bar on anyone trying to "pull a swifty" with sweeping statements and generalisations.
The citizen dashboard is a way for individuals to safely and anonymously interact with their MP. My MP allows politicians to engage more effectively with the people of Australia while keeping their eye on the big picture. The citizen dashboard includes based information about your local member of parliament so people will always be able to know who is representing them, and what they are currently engaged in. The current activity of the MP is shown in a simplified display which allows people to discover new information about current activities. MPs can put our polls, surveys or general questions when they would like to get rapid feedback on the views of their electorate.
Let's look at how this will contribute to the challenges laid down at GovHack and the datasets presented. Consider how valuable it would be to make sure that the data from your organisation or department made its way directly into the hands of key decision makers at just the right time. Rather than focusing on implementation of the technology, I have chosen to highlight how powerful this kind of information summary can be. Nothing is more important than empowering a decision-maker in the moment they are making a choice, and that is really the story to tell here.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


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The .BIZ generic top-level domain extension was set up in 2001 with the design to turn into a substitute to the widespread .COM and to provide businesses with their own domain name extension. .COM was launched with the same thought originally, but because everybody commenced reserving .COM domains and no registration regulations were imposed, tens of millions of domain names were registered by persons and establishments, giving business enterprises not much of a pickings in terms of vacant .COM domain names. To dodge this type of troubles, the .BIZ Registry now and then verifies if dot BIZ websites are in truth commercial ones and if this is not the case, registrations may be contested.
With the exception of this, there do not exist any particular conditions for acquiring a dot BIZ domain, so each and every person or establishment can register one. Our company is a partner of ICANN-accredited registrars, so we can propose to you cheap prices and hasty domain registrations. You can reserve a dot BIZ domain for any time interval between 1 and 10 years, and if you already have one, you can move it over to our company if you halt the domain security lock and take its EPP transfer key from the current registrar company. We will renew your domain the moment you move it over to us, regardless of how many years are left until its expiration.
We also offer Whois Privacy Protection services, so if you book a dot BIZ domain name through our company and do not desire your factual details to be openly obtainable, we provide a solution that is literally solely a click away. In this way, you can make sure that there will be no private info leakage or identity theft.
If you are searching for a new home for your .BIZ domains, the Domain Manager interface we supply is a great option. Being both convenient-to-use and fully featured, it allows you to have full control of all domain name administration duties. You can change all the essential DNS settings with a click and update the WHOIS information related to any of your domains comfortably. If you have multiple domain names, managing all of them from the very same place isn't just possible, it's in fact super easy.
Also, for those who have a hosting account with us, then you are already aware that, aside from the Domain Manager itself, our Web Hosting Control Panel includes a web site management section as well. In this way, you can seamlessly switch between the two, without the need to use various Control Panels or to adjust to new interfaces.


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StarNavPilot: navigation software and PC based chartplotter with AIS.
Trial version limitation: Only one chart in the library. If you want to install a new chart you must remove the old one. The program stops after 15 minutes and you have to wait 5 minutes before restarting.
All software functions are available you can install your charts, instrument connectivity is available.


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Economists as Political Philosophers: A Critique of Normative Trade Theory.
Lepenies, Robert. 2014. Economists as Political Philosophers: A Critique of Normative Trade Theory, EUI Department of Law Research Paper No. MWP 2014/11.


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Global law firm Clyde & Co has once again been ranked by The Lawyer's Litigation Tracker as the most active law firm in the English and Welsh courts in 2018. The firm has topped this ranking every year since it was launched in 2016.
The tracker ranks Clyde & Co as the most active firm by number of cases (51) and number of case days (147) for work across dispute types, including contract disputes, insurance, arbitration related disputes, personal injury and negligence, and employment.
Clyde & Co is ranked as most active firm in the Commercial Court (advising on 15 cases in 2018) and one of the most active in the Court of Appeal, the Queen's Bench and the Supreme Court.
Emphasising the firm's global reach, it was ranked fourth for disputes for international clients, with 23 cases (45% of the total).
Ben Knowles, partner and chair of Clyde & Co's Dispute Resolution Practices Group says: "This ranking demonstrates the huge scope and scale of the disputes work we're doing in the UK across disputes types and courts, assisting clients from across our core sectors and beyond in everything from once in a generation, precedent setting Supreme Court decisions to professional negligence cases and employment disputes.
"While this is a ranking of activity in the UK, it also emphasises the international nature of a lot of our work as well as the enduring role of London as a forum for settling disputes, something that is likely to remain whatever the outcome of Brexit."
Clyde & Co cases mentioned in The Lawyer's Litigation Tracker 2018 include two favourable Supreme Court rulings for the firm's clients in Chevron North Sea Limited v HM Inspector of Health and Safety and Volcafe Ltd & Ors v Compania Sud Americana de Vapores. Other cases included the firm representing Glencore PLC & Ors v Space Shipping Ltd in the Commercial Court, CSSA Chartering and Shipping Services S.A v Mitsui O.S.K. Lines in the Civil Division, Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust in dispute with Gerard Joseph Parkinson in the Administrative Division, and Dentons LLP v Lee Victor Addlesse in the Chancery Division.
Clyde & Co is one of the world's leading disputes law firms operating across the world carrying out complex national, international and cross border litigation, arbitration and mediation work across jurisdictions and arbitral centres in emerging and developed markets and on all types and size of dispute. One of the world's top 25 disputes firms by revenue and with the largest disputes practice in London, the firm draws upon its deep sector roots to provide focused dispute resolution services in the construction, energy, marine, trade and insurance sectors.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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Horizon Landscapes is not your typical landscaper. Our unique approach to creating the perfect space is driven by our focus on creating one of a kind areas to entertain, relax and unwind. Whether you need a front or backyard, an indoor or outdoor room, our design, construction and maintenance service will make you never want to leave home. This custom work will make you the envy of your neighbours, increase the value of your property and create the perfect space for you to make memories with your family and friends.
Proud winners of a 2017 LNA Award!

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


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The Australian construction industry is currently experiencing a windfall in investment, which has significantly increased construction projects. Infrastructure and residential construction projects, in particular, have increased the most. Subsequently, this heightened demand has also boosted the number of job opportunities available for construction workers.
With a booming construction industry, and higher volumes of positions to be filled, recruiting the right workers for the available positions is of the utmost importance. Construction companies can be hesitant to outsource their recruitment and employment processes, however, the benefits of employing the services of a labour hire agency outweigh this doubt.
Recruiting a new worker can be a long and arduous process. It takes a lot of time to craft a job description, read all the applications, filter through the applicants, interview the chosen candidate pool, filter that pool down further, potentially conduct another interview, and then finally choose the worker that you believe will be the best fit. When you use a labour hire agency, this entire process is done on your behalf. All you have to do is provide the details of the position and when you'd like them to start, and the labour hire agency will supply you with a quality worker when you need them. This will help to optimise the operations of your construction business, as you won't have to waste time and resources on recruiting temporary/casual workers, and you can focus your efforts on completing the actual project.
When you use a labour hire agency, you can be assured that the worker that has been supplied has undergone a rigorous pre-screening and vetting process, prior to being placed. Since labour hire agencies are experts in recruitment, they ensure that the labourers that are supplied to their clients meet the requirements that were specified, are reliable, hard-working, and able to complete the work to a high standard. The vetting process of labour hire agencies can include, but are not limited to, interviews, background/police checks, reference checks, medical assessments, drug and alcohol screenings, and resume reviews.
Another benefit of using a labour hire agency to find and recruit workers for you, is that it can reduce costs for your construction business. Recruiting an employee has many ongoing costs associated with it. This includes payroll tax, superannuation, sick leave, annual leave, worker's compensation, training costs, and so on. Since labour hire workers are temporary and only hired as they are needed, construction companies can save on employment costs by having only core staff on their books.
Also, all the costs associated with finding, recruiting, and training the worker are eliminated, as it is the responsibility of the labour hire agency to find the worker.
Labour hire agencies, live and breathe recruitment, so they are highly skilled in being able to find you a quality worker that fits the job description. Labour hire agencies have their own extensive databases filled with a vast pool of workers, with varying skills and experiences. This means that they will often already have someone available on-hand to fill the vacant position straight away. However, if there isn't an appropriate worker registered in their database, labour hire agencies have the expertise and experience to be able to quickly find you a worker that matches the brief.
Labour hire agencies allow businesses to scale their businesses up or down depending on the fluctuations in demand. For instance, if your current staff are not equipped to handle additional unexpected workloads, labour hire allows construction companies to quickly take on board extra workers to lend a helping hand and get the job done. Also, since the work tends to be temporary in nature, there is no obligation to keep the workers on once the demand has slowed. This allows construction companies to scale their team down, back to its core members, which effectively saves money. The flexibility that comes with using labour hire helps construction companies maximise their output through the efficient use of workers.
Labour hire enables construction companies to have the necessary man hours to ensure that a project is able to be completed within the designated timeframe. This is because workers can be added as they're needed and will be able to shoulder the additional work that arises. Staying within the timeline is very important when it comes to construction projects, as this can have a very negative impact on how potential clients of the construction company may perceive them. If a construction company develops a reputation for its inability to deliver a project on time, another construction company may be considered. Labour hire allows construction companies to quickly build a team that is able to deliver a construction project within the given timeframe.
Does your construction business require additional workers to help ensure that the project is completed on time? Are you having difficulty finding workers that possess a particular set of skills? Contact us at Workfast Labour Hire and let us help you get connected with quality workers that match the job description! Call 1300 824 403 or fill out a staff request form.


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Agree DVD Audio Ripper is an up-to-date DVD to audio ripper and DVD audio extractor which provides a simple and fast method to rip audio from DVD, convert DVD to MP3, DVD to AAC, DVD to AMR, DVD to M4A, DVD to OGG, DVD to WAV.
An all-in-one DVD rip software which supports almost all popular video and audio formats, such as rip DVD to AVI, MP4, WMV, MPEG, 3GP, PSP, FLV, MOV, etc, and rip DVD to all popular audio formats including MP3, AC3, AMR, AAC, M4A, OGG, WAV.
All DVD Audio Ripper is an up-to-date DVD to MP3 audio ripper and DVD audio extractor which provides a simple, fast method to rip audio from DVD, convert DVD to MP3, WAV, WMA formats.


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On September 22nd 2018 I had the absolute pleasure of capturing Rachel and Duncan’s wedding.
I first met this couple in the summer at one of my mini sessions I held in Sylvan Lake. I immediately connected with them. When we finished our session I rushed home and told my husband that I had just met the coolest couple ever and that I wished I could become friends with them! Well my wish came true! After I sent off their gallery from their mini session, Rachel messaged me and asked me if I would be interested in being their wedding photographer. Of course I said yes!
The day before their wedding, mother nature gifted us with a huge, fluffy blanket of snow! It’s not what Rachel had in mind for their fall wedding, but we made it work and the day could not have been more beautiful! Duncan’s dad took his snow blower and plowed the whole park where the ceremony was held. Last minute they set up a coffee and baileys bar (um hell YESSSSS), rented two big heaters, and supplied all their guests with blankets to wrap up in. The ceremony was simply stunning. Light flakes of snow fell down as they exchanged their vows.
Rachel & Duncan had decided on doing a first look before their ceremony, and I am so glad they did! First looks are my absolute favorite! The day is so stress free when you have all the time in the world for pictures and are able to relax. We even had time to go to Hudson’s for some beers and of course a ski shot! Nothing says Canadian like drinking a shot off of a ski!!
Their reception was held at the Red Deer Golf and Country Club. This venue is stunning. Huge windows surrounded the room and over looked the golf course, They strung up lights and made a HUGE dance floor. The food was mind blowing and they even had a donut bar.
Rachel & Duncan, I am so grateful for the opportunity to photograph your beautiful day. It was like something out of a fairy tale, a true winter wonderland! I wish you both nothing but the best and cannot wait to connect with you again!


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In 1969, a high school Boy Scout by the name of George Lucas walked up and down the aisles at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, Missouri selling Coca Colas to the fans. By doing so, he earned money for an upcoming trip to camp. He was earning money in the stands where his favorite team, the Mizzou Tigers, was playing on the field. What could be better? He was in a hurry as he ascended and descended the steps selling his sodas because the faster he sold his allotment of trays, the faster he could sit in an empty seat and watch the game.
Today, Terry is a Chase Oaker himself and George’s LifeGroup Leader. He laughed at George’s commentary on the past. “I had a lot of talent around me,” he replied with humility.
He was the Mizzou quarterback making the plays on the field as George looked on with enthusiasm. Although Terry did not play football in high school, he decided he wanted to play in college. So he did what boys with no high school experience did back then…he played at a junior college to get noticed by the scouts. His natural talent landed him the quarterback position with Mizzou and during his tenure, he and his team def eated Alabama when Bear Bryant was the coach. (Yes, Jeff, that Alabama!) George eagerly related other details of Terry’s football career with obvious admiration of his friend’s God-given gift. Terry, however, finds his gift insignificant and instead spoke of his esteem for George’s MU PH.D. earned by perseverance, discipline, and intellect.
The mutual respect between the two friends with a connection to Mizzou is clear. The two view their connection as part of God’s plan, placing people in your life at various points that will make an impact in your life in a positive way—if you seek Him.
So how did these two Tigers land at Chase Oaks and finally meet one another? For Terry, Chase Oaks has been his church home for a long time. Having relocated from Colorado to Plano, he and his wife Darlene visited several churches in the area, but none felt as comfortable as Chase Oaks. That was back in 1985 when Chase Oaks, or Fellowship Bible Church North as it was called at that time, was led by Dr. Gene Getz. In their quest for spiritual growth, Terry and Darlene committed to a LifeGroup. The group they joined evolved over the years, growing & dividing. This provided an opportunity for Terry to lead a LifeGroup of his own.
“God has a plan for each one of us. If we seek Him, He will use us,” Terry remarked.
Terry remains devoted to his leadership role in a LifeGroup that has been together for many years. “The goal is to get everyone playing a role, everyone involved,” Terry stated. He believes the purpose of the group is not just spiritual growth but to make a difference, and they do that by working together.
George and his wife Kelly arrived in Plano approximately two-and-a-half years ago from Memphis, Tennessee. Like Terry and Darlene, they visited a number of churches in search of a church home. The Faith, Family and Friends Special Adults LifeGroup attracted them to the Legacy Campus given that their son, Austin, is autistic; and it made Chase Oaks stand out from the others. It met the needs of the entire family.
“You feel like you’ve always been here,” George declared. They quickly immersed themselves in the Chase Oaks culture, committing to Coffee Bar duty to serve God by serving those who attend services at the Legacy Campus. The next step was finding a LifeGroup.
George remembers Kelly arriving home one night and informing him she had information on a group led by Terry McMillan. “Terry McMillan? You mean Terry McMillan the Mizzou quarterback?!” George exclaimed. “Like I would know that!?” Kelly questioned. To his delight, George, an avid sports fan, discovered it was the very same Terry McMillan—Mizzou’s greatest quarterback ever. On the eve of their initial visit to the group, Terry asked the question he asks all who visit the group. “Will you tell us a bit about yourself?” The answer startled him.
“I know more about you than you know about me,” George responded with a grin on his face.
Terry discovered he had an adoring fan from the good ol’ days as a hot shot college athlete in his company—a fan who had seen him throw passes and duck and weave to avoid being tackled in the very place where the two started their journey into adulthood.
The connection was strong, and from that night forward, the two alumni Tigers have developed a close friendship, as have their wives Kelly and Darlene. George and Terry work to be transformed by God’s love together.
“We both struggle and want to be changed. God has put someone in my life who makes himself available to help me along the way,” Terry attests. George agrees wholeheartedly.
Oh, what a friend we have in Jesus, and Jesus blesses us with friends in our quest to seek Him just as He masterfully orchestrated this friendship beginning about 40 years ago some 550 miles away using Mizzou as a tool in His work!
Where are you receiving your gift of meaningful connections? Are you connected to a LifeGroup or service team at Chase Oaks? If not, you may be missing out on the blessings of friendship God wants to give you if only you would commit just as He did for Terry and George. Visit the Groups and Team area in the lobby of your campus to get started and discover the blessings God has in store for you as you seek Him.


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There are so many talented artists working in the world today. Let us help you get connected to them in easy, inviting and educational ways. Our goal is to encourage the relationship between artists and their audiences (you!) to THRIVE.
See art exhibitions that deeply interest you.
Contact us and let us know what you like, and we’ll help you plan your self-guided tour to galleries and museums. Or better yet, we can show you around personally. Not sure of what you like yet? We will give you guidance to experience a great overview of contemporary art in New York City.
Collect art work for your private or professional collections.
You want to enrich and beautify your environment and have the curiosity to learn more about contemporary artists, emerging and established. We’ll get to know you, what you like, and share what’s new, exciting and important in the art world. Together, we will grow your own unique , insightful, art collection. We work with: individuals, stylists and creative directors, interior designers and corporations.
Learn about contemporary artists and their processes.
We are happy to present at your business, club or social gathering. We specialize in connecting with our audiences so that they can learn more about how viewing and experiencing art can fit into and enrich their lives. Contact us to let us know about your group and we can tailor a talk just for you.
*Remember: We are based in New York, NY but available to help you globally via Skype and email.


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We all know the election was very close. Hillary Clinton had slightly more of the popular vote, but Donald Trump had the edge in the electoral vote, thereby winning the election for the Presidency. In a sense, then, both candidates’ supporters have something to celebrate. The losers in the electoral vote, those who supported Hillary Clinton, were the winners in the popular vote; my advice to them is focus on that victory. But we don’t elect presidents by the popular vote, hence President Donald J. Trump, and his supporters can rightfully focus on that victory.
When the voting is so close it focuses our attention on how divided our country is. The task for Donald Trump is to unify by his words and deeds, not to act in a way which will enthuse his supporters and cause despair among those who voted against him. We are divided as a nation; his task, and it is not an easy one, is to cross the boundaries and bring unity through words and deeds. We will soon find out if he can (or wants) to do it. Let us hope so together.


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The words Join, Enter, Attend and Go can be used in similar ways, but there are some strong differences. For today’s English lesson, let’s have a look at how these words are used in everyday conversation.
Ichiro joined the Yankees in 2012.
I joined the gym with my sister.
It’s quite expensive to join that golf club.
I entered Colombia University in 2011.
Jack is entering medical school in the spring, so he’s very busy preparing for that.
Sue met Frank just after she entered college.
(NG) I entered my company in 2010.
(NG) I joined my company in 2010.
(OK) I started working for my company in 2010.
I attended Jack’s wedding. How lovely!
Are you attending the meeting tomorrow?
The boss asked me to attend the workshop on Tuesday.
I went to Jack’s wedding. How lovely!
Are you going to the meeting tomorrow?
The boss asked me to go to the workshop on Tuesday.
Jenny and I are having lunch. Would you like to join us?
We’re having a party for Tom’s birthday next Saturday. Can you join us?
I’m going to get a cup of coffee. Can you join me?


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This superbly located, fully furnished 2 bed apartment is situated within La Recoleta Phase 2 of the Senorio de Punta Prima development on the Southern Costa Blanca. The sea is only 50 metres from this property, and a variety of bars, restaurants and shops can be reached in an easy walk.
This project is located within the attractive district of Punta Prima, near to the neighbouring resorts of Playa Flamenca, Cabo Roig and La Zenia. Together, these resorts offer absolutely everything at your disposal, with plenty of shops, supermarkets and emenities, together with easy access to nearby golf courses and the international airports of Alicante and San Javier.
In addition, for those seeking to maximise the property's investment potential, there is a company on-site that handles the management and rental of the property.
This 2 bed, 1 bath apartment is located within La Recoleta Phase 2, one of Senorio de Punta Prima's several phases. It includes a large terrace, fitted kitchen, air conditioning, alarm and undergorund parking, and is a superb option for those looking for beachside living at a superb-value price.


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Genghis getting ready for his day at the vet.
Good smells at the vet's office.
Genghis with PJ and Trish (dog rescuer extraordinaire).
Meeting No-Name (now Rudi). The pitbull in the next kennel was SO SWEET, broke my heart. She will likely be euthanized today, she's in the euth ward and she has mange.
Rudi, walking with PJ inside MCACC, meeting people and dogs. He was listed as a stray and as human aggressive.
Saying goodbye and thank you to Jimmy at MCACC, who held Rudi an extra day for Trish to pick him up.
Rudi, making the rounds inside MCACC.
PJ with Rudi, leaving MCACC.
A little walkabout before loading in to Trish's van.
Rudi, day one. from Hundewanderer on Vimeo.
Rudi (foster dog) At Home, Day One, Integrated In To Our Pack from Olive on Vimeo.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: Compatible Brother Toner Cartridge, Black, High Capacity 7,500 page yield. Replaces Brother part number: TN670. Laser Toner Cartridge compatible with Brother HL-6050.


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There are so many decisions that go into characterizing the protagonist in your novel. In addition to profession, personality, and life history, there’s this immensity called “background.” What’s the character’s race or ethnicity? Gender? Sexual orientation? Socioeconomic status? Religious affiliation (and position on the faith-doubt spectrum)? Physical abilities and limitations? Neurological tendencies and diagnoses? Family structure?
Let’s say you’ve found that perfect main character. Chances are you didn’t review the above list to construct said character. Certain things came to mind and certain things didn’t. That’s normal. We can only focus on so much at once as writers. Readers need some details in the foreground and others in the background as well.
Now let’s say that the main character isn’t exactly like you in one or more of the above ways. To inform your writing and do your best, you read and research. When it’s time to beta, you bring in some sensitivity readers to alert you to any red flags.
From this point, the book could go on to publish. It could get rave reviews, like Joe Hill’s The Fireman, which I love, even though Joe Hill has never been a pregnant woman a day in his life. Still, some people might be angry that Joe (and you) wrote beyond his (and your) experiences.
But maybe you’re worried that by writing someone else’s story you’re commercializing and capitalizing on said story. Or that someone with the personal experience that qualifies them to write that story is losing the job to you. Or that by telling that story you’re implying that you have more voice and authority to do so, thus perpetuating the White Savior Complex.
Can White Authors Write Characters of Color?
And I have totally done that, written from the perspective of persons of color. Then I read Justine Larbalestier’s post and realized that I had my own stories to tell–stories that I was actually qualified to tell.
List any area in which you have not been traditionally privileged. For me, I can’t tell the story of racial or transgender barriers firsthand, but I can tell stories of women, anxiety, and lower-middle class living. I chose to feature all but anxiety in my current manuscript.
List the hard stories of which you have deep firsthand knowledge. By deep, I mean you lived with it for an extended period of time. I have not been a single mother, but I lived with my own (see how this is an iteration on a female story–which I am qualified to write?). I am college-educated (probably over-educated), but I grew up code-switching between my hometown tongue and my academic tongue. When I’m in a room full of teachers (like me), I feel most comfortable carrying on a conversation with the custodial staff. I haven’t held a wage job since college, but because I straddled both worlds for so long, I have enough nearby experience to approach these stories without trying to save or patronize the people they represent. I love these people because I lived with them, and so I attempt to capture their stories with respect and humility.
Because you have enough to tell. You really do. It hasn’t “all been done.” Stick to your work. Let someone else do theirs. But what if you’re a white, cisgender, straight, rich, college-educated male? You need to focus completely on the answer to the next question.
‘Whiteness,’ like ‘colour’ and ‘Blackness,’ are essentially social constructs applied to human beings rather than veritable truths that have universal validity. The power of Whiteness, however, is manifested by the ways in which racialized Whiteness becomes transformed into social, political, economic, and cultural behaviour. White culture, norms, and values in all these areas become normative natural. They become the standard against which all other cultures, groups, and individuals are measured and usually found to be inferior (Henry & Tator, 2006, pp. 46-67).
This is hard work for us writers with privilege, who are already doing the hard work of writing. Making reparations is always hard and always costly. That’s what makes it worth doing.


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The first step is "I don't have a problem, I can stop whenever I want", right?
This week I purchased some "gaming" input peripherals, because "gaming" has come to mean "good" in the eyes of peripheral manufacturers. I wasn't disappointed by that assumption.
Logitech really has no competition for mice. My previous mouse, an MX1000, was, when I purchased it, by far the best mouse I'd ever used. My only complaint about it, aside from the "doesn't work well on reflective surfaces" problem that many optical mice have, was that it was getting to the point where the (internal, non-replaceable) battery was run down all the time, and the transmitter / stand was slightly warped after much usage, so the contacts no longer directly lined up where they were supposed to and I had to spend 20 minutes fiddling with it every time I wanted to get it to charge.
Given this previous problem with stand-charger-based mice (the MX1000 is not the first wireless mouse I've had this happen to) the G7 was impressive right out of the box. There are 2 battery cartridges: one stays in the charger at all times, one is in the mouse. That means the charger is smaller, doesn't have to be located on my desk, and when the mouse does need charging, I have 30 seconds without a mouse instead of an hour and a half. The charger, while itself small, also has a tiny, detachable USB transmitter, making it a cinch to pop this mouse into my laptop bag for short trips.
What else can a mouse do? Comfortable in my hand: check. Tracks smoothly: very check. I have no objective way to measure it but it certainly feels at least as smooth as any other mouse I've used. Works on glossy surfaces... check? Color me impressed, it worked on at least 3 different surfaces, including my Wacom tablet, that caused my MX1000 grief. It still gets upset if I put it on a mirror, though.
The feature that impressed me the most, and that gives it a real claim to being a "gaming" mouse, was that it has a speed shifter. This never would have occurred to me. Two buttons under the scroll wheel increase and decrease the mouse's speed (in hardware, so it works with linux) from "slow" to "fast" to "crazy". Playing Quake 4 this weekend, this feature was super-handy when getting into an armored vehicle that slows down the mouse to simulate a feeling of weight . Even using regular applications, it's handy; with 2560 pixels to cover on my desktop from edge to edge, it's nice to be able to crank up the speed, rocket over to my left desktop, slow down to pinpoint emacs's title bar, then speed up again to yank it all the way over to the right.
This keyboard is probably the largest that I've ever seen, let alone used or purchased. The IBM model M, named the "desk-dominator" for its unnatural size, is 492 mm x 210 mm (19.4” x 8.3”). This thing is 546mm x 267mm (21.5” x 10.5”).
So far though, the size seems to be worth it. It has the best tactile response I've gotten from a membrane keyboard ever, blowing even the previous front-runner in that category, the Eclipse, out of the water. I can routinely do slightly better than usual in gtypist, even after only having used this keyboard for a day. The "squeak" I've mentioned in previous reviews is completely absent.
The basic layout is a no-nonsense PC-104 key, Everything in the right place, with escape offset slightly - I find I don't mind, but I suspect die-hard Vim fans will likely have a more intense reaction, whether they love it or hate it.
It also includes some special features, which are an annoyance on many keyboards, but which I am generally pleased with on this one. It has a standard set of media keys and a volume knob, all of which worked out of the box on Ubuntu. There's also a switch to turn off the "windows key". It's handy when playing games on Windows; although obviously not a terribly useful feature in Linux when Windows => Hyper and won't magically break you out of a running game. Nevertheless, it works in Linux as well.
It also features backlit keys, a first in a Logitech keyboard. The backlight is subtle, and when it's off, the keycaps are almost black. There's a switch to toggle it on and off, and between two levels of intensity.
The G15 also includes 2 USB ports, which is a welcome addition, and something I've wished every USB keyboard has done since I stopped using a Mac as my primary machine. I now have somewhere convenient on my desk to plug in my USB SSH key and camera. Unfortunately Windows seems to (wrongly?) believe that the keyboard hub doesn't have enough power to drive the thumb drive. Linux powers it without complaint. There are also 2 small grooves to run wires under the keyboard, which is great as they allow me to run my headset cable underneath the keyboard without it rocking slightly where it balances on the cord.
The special "G" keys on the left side of the keyboard are the main attraction. On Linux they are just repeats of F1-F12 and 1-6, which isn't great, but at least the keys provide some default behavior and they're not totally dead, as many special keys are. Since I regrettably must boot into Windows for the majority of gaming these days anyway, this lack of functionality didn't disappoint me too much.
On Windows, with the included driver software (which I will note, did not ask me to reboot!) the G key functionality really shines. They can be bound to any other key, or any sequence of keys, including delays. There is a Macro Record (MR) button which allows you to quickly and easily configure any key to be a timed sequence of keystrokes. This means that in World of Warcraft, I can script a sequence of attacks, including cooldown times, simply by hitting MR, a G key, doing the attacks, then the MR key again to finish. Unfortunately it's unlikely that this functionality will be useful in anything other than a MMORPG, but given how useful it is there, I think it's worth the extra few inches of desk real estate.
Finally, the keyboard also includes an LCD display. I wish I had more to say about this, since it seems like it could be a really killer feature, but the included applications are really sparse; a clock, a CPU meter, a volume meter. I'll be watching g15mods.com to see if anything interesting comes out (not least of which, Linux drivers).
The G7 is definitely the best mouse I've yet used, gaming or no; I think I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a good wireless mouse.
I can't be quite so unequivocal about the G15, but I'm still pretty pleased with it. The tactile response is good; the frame is incredibly sturdy, it looks cool, if massive, the USB ports are handy and the G-keys are really useful in the place where they're supposed to be, to wit, a video game. The jury's still out on the LCD display, and lack of linux support is always a problem with funky features, although offering the Windows SDK on the CD with the keyboard was a nice touch.

industry_corpus2: Gaming