text:
Each child that arrives in school before the Registration closes receives a Morning Star on a chart which is displayed in the Classroom. At the end of the term, the number of stars collected over the term will be counted and the Class with the most Morning Stars will receive an Attendance Award. This could be a film and pizza, pancakes and toppings, picnic in the woods or whatever the Class wish for their Reward.
If a Class has every child in on time during the week, a point is awarded to that Class. Each class is a team, so by working together, they can achieve more points by all getting to school on time. Don’t be that weak link!
This does what it says on the tin! Every class with every pupil in school on a Friday gets a further point.
Every week the attendance percentages of each class is calculated for Foundation 1 and Foundation 2, Year 1 to Year 3 and Year 4 to Year 6. Whichever class has the highest attendance for that week in each category receives a further point and a piece of fruit for each member of that class. The little ones receive an individual box of raisins. Each class that is identified as having the highest weekly attendance is awarded another point, a cup to keep for the week and a Certificate to put on the Classroom wall.
At the end of every term, the points for each class are added up and, whoever has the most points, is then entitled to a treat which they choose. This could be a film and pizza, a teddybears picnic, a water fight or a visit out of school. It is for the Class and their Teacher to decide.
Every pupil who has achieved 100% for the whole academic year receives a trophy and a 100% Certificate. All the pupils that have achieved 99% attendance over the academic year also get a medal. There is also a Life Time Achievers Award, which goes to the pupil who, from the start of their school life at Rosslyn Park Primary School, has achieved 100%. This is a fantastic achievement and is rewarded with an extra special Trophy and, this year, we have secured a Kindle, kindly donated by Aquinas to be given as the prize for this award. All the 99% and 100% pupils are placed into a draw. This year Aquinas have donated a mountain bike as the prize for the draw winner.
In addition, all the 100% achievers from each year grouping are taken on a trip which Aquinas kindly pay for. Last year the year 2 to year 6 pupils enjoyed a full day at the Lost City Crazy Golf in Nottingham and the younger ones (F2 and Yr1) were treated to a session at Jungletastic. This was a great success!
There is no entitlement to time off in term time. Under the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006 Head teachers may not grant any leave of absence unless there are exceptional circumstances.
If you wish to take your child out of school for any reason you should write to the Head teacher explaining why this is necessary. The letter should be handed in to the school office, and you will receive a prompt reply as to whether it will be authorised.
There are rarely any closure days at Rosslyn Park Primary, however if Rosslyn Park should close due to serve weather conditions, parents will be notify by text message and the closure will also be announced on Radio Nottingham.
Each class is considered to be a team. If one child is late in the week then this affects the whole class. Similarly, if a child has unauthorised time off, this affects the whole class. May I remind you that it is your lawful responsibility to ensure that your child attends school every day and on time. Please don’t let your child be the weakest link in the team.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


text: If you’re craving a hearty steak meal made with culinary finesse, look no further than the experts at Elements Bar & Grill! Serving up sizzling sirloin steaks cooked to perfection and superb sides, you’ll want for nothing after your visit to this Darlinghurst favourite. Gather up three of your nearest and dearest and prepare to be spoiled!

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


text:
I receive information about new and existing funding streams for theatre and dance (and other art forms) from a variety of sources; direct emails, social media, independent research and word of mouth. At times it can be overwhelming to keep up to date and manage it all. I wondered if there was a spreadsheet that existed where I could all see the list of upcoming opportunities in one place….
I didn’t find one, so I made one myself and wanted to make the information public. Thanks for stopping by. The document is fairly basic in this current format and it’s up to you to sift through. All info correct at time of editing, but it’s advisable you double check with the relative funding body.
DONATE – if you find this a useful resource, consider a small donation. A kind gesture of thanks is appreciated.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


text:
Lesser known Imperial skins that could work.
Here is a list of Imperial skins from all sorts of Star Wars media I think could work for customization are are not as known as some others.
Thrawn's Stormtroopers for Assault. Stormtroopers who served under Thrawn wore his insignia on their pauldrons. This is from Rebels so it is already canon.
501st Stormtroopers for Assault and Heavy class. These guys are from the PS2 and Wii version of the Force Unleashed game and given that Imperial Shock Troopers kept the color scheme of their republic predecessors I think these wouldn't be too far fetched.
Magma Trooper for Heavy class. From last game and since the heroes where outfits from other planets maybe troopers can too.
Backpack Stormtrooper from Jedah for the Heavy class. These guys are just like the Heavy except for their packpack. Seems like an easy thing to add.
White Battle armor for the officer class. Thrawn wore white battle armor in Rebels and given that quite a few other imperials where white this doesn't seem too far fetched.
Wookie trophy for the officer class. In the Force Unleashed game an imperial officer wore a wookie pelt on his uniform as a trophy. This could be a challenge to get "Kill 25 wookies as an officer" or something.
Imperial Medic for the officer class. Theseguys are from the PS2 and Wii version of the Force Unleashed game again and look like the current imperial officer but are grimy from the jungle.
Hoth Scout Trooper for Imperial specialists. Again troopers could also have the ability to where outfits from other planets anywhere.
Death Trooper without Pauldrons. Some death troopers didn't where pauldrons and this seems like another simple add.
TIE SIGMA 3 for Iden Versio. Prior to being in Inferno Squad Iden served in Black Sqaudron under the callsign SIGMA 3. This would just be a standard Tie pilot uniform for her.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


text:
Welsh six piece rock outfit The Blackout will play a small warm up show at Fibbers in York in preparation for their appearances at the Reading and Leeds Festivals. Currently lighting up the Warp Tour in the States this is a rare chance to see one of the UK's biggest bands in such a small venue!
Go to http://www.fibbers.co.uk for more information.


text:
Smashwords – Books Tagged "bible allegory"
These results show books which have been specifically tagged with this keyword. You can also try doing a general search for the term "bible allegory" .
This book sheds Biblical light on basic theological issues that have been a stumbling block to many Christians over the centuries, have caused pain and bloodshed to humanity and allowed followers of other religions to deride Christianity.
This book is aimed at addressing ten of the most common myths about Christianity. It does not make any claims to address all topics about Christianity or the Bible.
Garron tells the first of many stories as he and his son travel the path of terminal illness. The planet Azalia is the first creation with life. And on this planet a choice is given, a choice that must take place. One, which will see evil unleashed. Six students must fight against Zared’s dark powers in an epic battle that could see Azalia destroyed by the very one who created it?
Re-Conditioning your mind to begin to accept, express and Imagine your Reality. I have found before we can become those things we wish to be, do or have, we must first condition our minds to accept new ideas, thoughts and beliefs. Much as one would prepare soil to plant a beautiful garden, one also needs to prepare their minds for new experiences.
Using evidence from the Bible, Mythology and Archeology, this book sheds new light on the birth and the nature of biblical religion. An unprecedented deconstruction of the biblical narrative that proves beyond any doubt that the “miracles” of the patriarchs were premeditated crimes disguised as theology.
How does a pacifist survive in the presence of violence? Forsaken, the preacher lives alone. No one wants his message. No one wants him. He preaches peace and love, but that message grew old long ago. Bloodshed is all these people understand. As we speak, men are gathering against him. Will they drive him from this place? Or make him a martyr?
Based on the story of David and Goliath, there is trouble in Farmer Goodly's barnyard. Little Peeper faces the bully, the Great Hawkins of the High Peaks. He is not afraid, for he trusts in the good farmer to protect him.
People who suffer deeply often turn to the Book of Job in the Bible. There they look for answers to their suffering, suffering that is often seemingly for no reason. But this book of prose and poetry is a long read and sometimes hard to understand. It’s helpful to have a guide with you. This is mine for you.

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
Sound good to you? Share this page on social media and let your friends know about Chromeo at The Greek Theatre Berkley.
Please note: The term The Greek Theatre Berkley and/or Chromeo as well as all associated graphics, logos, and/or other trademarks, tradenames or copyrights are the property of the The Greek Theatre Berkley and/or Chromeo and are used herein for factual descriptive purposes only. We are in no way associated with or authorized by the The Greek Theatre Berkley and/or Chromeo and neither that entity nor any of its affiliates have licensed or endorsed us to sell tickets, goods and or services in conjunction with their events.


text: I am unfamiliar with ASRock motherboards, but if you're looking at the Gigabyte B450M DS3H I would assume yes. I owned a Gigabyte motherboard years ago and was able to use its motherboard to OC my i5 at the time. So I don't see why you shouldn't be able to on a modern Gigabyte MB.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


text:
Vibe Classic Brown Base contains a blend a dark bronzers and ingredients to offer that extra dark spray tan.
Our unique formulation offers the fastest drying spray tan available without needing to use Petro chemicals; this means it is so much less drying on your skin so less irritating.
Wash Time 5-8 hours, you choose how dark you want to go.
Vibe Contains No Fragrance – we mean no smell. No odour, yes it’s true!
Petrochemical Free, no alcohols for drying agents.
Did we mention No Smell, yes we did but it’s worth repeating again.
Vibe is a professional only solution.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
Grades 1-3. Join other kids to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the children’s Information Desk.
Girls in grades 4-6. Join other girls to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the children’s Information Desk.
Grade 7 and up. Whether you like shojo or shonen, or don’t know the difference yet, come read and discuss your favorite series and find new favorites here. Watch anime episodes after the book discussions. Pick up a copy of the book at the children’s Information Desk.
Presented in collaboration with Brooklyn Center Schools 21st Century Grant Program.
Girls in grades 7-9. Get together to talk about great books with other girls! Pick up a copy of the book at the children’s Information Desk.
Grade 6 and up. Whether you like shojo or shonen, or don’t know the difference yet, discuss your favorite series and find new favorites here. Titles for each month will be selected by the club at the previous month’s meeting.
Registration required; began March 9; limit 15. Girls in grades 4-6. Join other girls to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the Information Desk after March 16.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Eden Prairie Library.
Girls in grades 4-5. Join other girls to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the Information Desk.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Excelsior Library.
Grade 6 and up. Come explore the literary worlds of fact, fiction and adventures! Share your ideas and creativity along the way.
Join us for a stimulating morning of reading and discussion of some of the great plays of our heritage.
Presented in collaboration with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.
Join us as we read and discuss the works of significant nonfiction writers.
Grades 4-6. Join other kids to talk about a great book! No pre-reading required! We will share a book and discuss.
Girls Only Book Club: Meanicures!
Registration required; began March 4; limit 20. Girls in grade 5 and up. Get a mean manicure while chatting with author Catherine Clark about her book “Meanicures.” Pick up a copy of the book at the children’s Information Desk.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Ridgedale Library and Egmont USA.
Each week, hear a U of M Osher Lifelong Learning Institute member present a book that tackles a challenging subject of the day. Then discuss the issues involved.
Grades 4-5. Join other kids to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the Information Desk.
Grades 1-3 and their grown-up. Join others to talk about a great book! Pick up a copy of the book at the Information Desk.
Stimulating book discussions facilitated by local authors and literary volunteers. All books and dates are chosen ahead of time so you can pick and choose what works for you. Meetings alternate between the Southdale Library and the Barnes & Noble bookstore, Galleria.
Presented in collaboration with Barnes & Noble, Galleria.
Girls in grades 7-9 and their mothers or other female adult. Get together with others to talk about great books! Pick up a copy of the book at the second-floor Information Desk.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Southdale Library.


text:
Extra cash from cost savings in the Department of Education have gone to finance special programmes, the Minister of Education said.
Diallo Rabain told the House of Assembly that there was no increase in the department’s $114 million budget, but it had found $2.3 million in savings and reallocated the funds.
Extra money has gone to finance autism spectrum education, the continued implementation of standards-based grading, and science, technology, arts and maths programmes.
Mr Rabain said Steam classes have been added to primary schools, with eight more to be added this year.
He added the department would release annual reports on progress on the Plan 2022 blueprint for the education system.
He also told the House work was under way on succession planning for the island’s principals. Mr Rabain said that although the budget for substitute teachers had decreased, the change was offset by increased funding for teaching assistants.
The Minister highlighted the Government’s intention to phase out middle schools in favour of specialist signature schools and promised that a round-table group will be set up to help introduce the change.
Cole Simons, the Shadow Minister of Education, said he was happy to see Government make progress on Plan 2022, and that the budget for the Ministry showed “signs of financial discipline”.
Mr Simons said it was a “perennial problem” that had to be tackled.
Mr Simons also asked for more information about how many pupils required special needs education and how many high-risk pupils were being treated by school psychologists.
Mr Rabain said there were 706 pupils on individual educational programmes.


text:
University of Toronto quantum physicists Jeff Lundeen and Aephraim Steinberg have shown that Hardy's paradox, a proposal that has confounded physicists for over a decade, can be confirmed and ultimately resolved, a task which had seemingly been impossible to perform.
"For nearly a century, the widespread interpretation of quantum mechanics suggests that everything is uncertain until it is observed, and that observation inevitably alters reality," says Professor Steinberg. "However, in the 1990s, a technique known as 'interaction-free measurement' seemed to promise the ability to 'see without looking,' as a Scientific American article put it at the time. But when Lucien Hardy proposed that one could never reliably make inferences about past events which hadn't been directly observed, a paradox emerged which suggested that whenever one attempted to reason about the past in this way they would be led into error."
"Until recently, it seemed impossible to carry out Hardy's proposal in practice, let alone to confirm or resolve the paradox," he says. "We have finally been able to do so, and to apply Aharonov's methods to the problem, showing that there is a way, even in quantum mechanics, in which one can quite consistently discuss past events even after they are over and done. Weak measurement finds what is there without disturbing it.

industry_corpus2: Technology & Research


text:
The School of Computing Science offers two different introductory first year streams. Which stream you choose depends upon your previous programming experience.
Little or no programming experience: enroll in CMPT 120 (1st semester) and CMPT 125 (2nd semester).
Previous programming experience: enroll in either CMPT 126 or CMPT 128 only (1st semester) and CMPT 225 (2nd semester). Note: CMPT 126 and 128 are equivalent.
How do I know if I have enough programming knowledge?
Click here to take the CMPT 120 or 126/128 Self-Test.
This test will help you determine whether you should register in CMPT 120 or 126/128. See the end each part for information about how to interpret your results.
For the "Programming" part of the evaluation, hopefully you already know if the programs you wrote are correct. If you're not sure, you should try some more examples to check your program's output. You must correctly answer five out of six questions.
For the "Knowledge" part, have a look at the solutions and determine the number of questions you got correct. You must correctly answer four out of eight questions.
You may enroll into either CMPT 120 or one of 126 or 128, regardless of how many questions you completed correctly. Previous computer science knowledge is assumed in either CMPT 126 or 128 and the material in either 126 or 128 will be covered much faster than in the CMPT 120 and 125 course combination. Whether you choose to enroll into 120 or one of 126 or 128 should depend on how well prepared you consider yourself to be.
Students who have a final grade of less than 70% in Principles of Math 12 will be required to enroll into the FANX99 course within their first three semesters at SFU and achieve a final grade of C or better OR pass the Q-Placement Test to obtain the Q designation needed to enroll into any Q course. Most CMPT and MATH courses are Q courses. Please refer to the WQB site for more information on SFU's Q requirement.
Students not achieving a pass on the Q-Test by scoring at least 20/30 must enroll themselves into FANX99 within their first three semesters at SFU. To apply for the Q-Test and to try the practice Q-test, please visit the Math Department.
Note. Some courses, such as MATH 150 or 151, require students to have the Q designation AND also have a certain grade in Principles of Math 12. Students who have more than 70% in Principles of Math 12 but less than the required cut-off for MATH 150 or 151, must first pass MATH 100 with a minimum grade of C- prior to being allowed to enroll into MATH 150 or 151. For complete MATH 150 or 151prerequisite information, refer to the SFU calendar course catalogue.


text:
For a healthy snack under 100 calories, these Banana, Raspberry And Chocolate Chip Muffins are perfect.
There’s no need for a muffin to contain vast amounts of sugar like the ones you find in cafes or at the supermarket – check the label as often there is as much sugar as there is flour.
These muffins are sweetened with fruit and a small amount of maple syrup, making them a much healthier choice.
Want to make these muffins nut free and lunchbox friendly? Swap the almond milk for regular milk or oat milk instead.
Enjoy these muffins as a snack as part of the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
Preheat oven to 180C / gas mark 4, and line 14 holes of a muffin tray with patty cases.
Mash banana, then add the egg, vanilla, milk, yogurt and maple syrup.
Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix gently until combined – don’t over mix, it will make the muffins tough.
Fold through raspberries and choc chips.
Spoon mixture into patty cases and place in the oven for 15 minutes or until cooked through and slightly browned on top.
Cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container.
Recipe makes 14 muffins at 97 calories each.


text:
The Deanwood Recreation Center is a modernized facility of spacious classrooms, meeting rooms, program areas, regulation field and gym. Deanwood is equipped with an awesome swimming pool great for instructional classes and aquatics fun.
In addition, this “Super Center” has a fitness room which is available to support member's health and wellness needs. Programs are facilitated by site staff as well as volunteers with specialized skills. Deanwood Recreation Center is a place for your leisure and recreation enjoyment!


text:
LOS ANGELES (JTA) – Rabbi Marvin Hier has known Charles and Seryl Kushner – Jared Kushner’s parents and Ivanka Trump’s in-laws – for decades. The Hiers and the Kushners have gone to the same kosher-for-Passover resort, the Arizona Biltmore, over the years. The Kushner family, prominent real estate developers, have also been generous donors to the Simon Wiesenthal Center founded by Hier, which he now serves as dean.
Critics within the Jewish community, however, insist that this time is different – saying Trump’s presidential campaign targeted minorities and at times invoked tropes that many, including the Anti-Defamation League, considered anti-Semitic. The Wiesenthal Center’s own 2016 report on global anti-Semitism noted that a prominent group of neo-Nazis has embraced Trump and that Jewish journalists critical of the Republican presidential candidate were frequently targeted with anti-Semitic tweets.
“They are not going to change my mind,” he said, noting that while he did not agree with everything Trump did in the course of the campaign – proposing a registry for all Muslims, for example – the presidential inauguration is a time for all Americans to celebrate the peaceful transfer of power.
“There are no tanks, no planes, no guns and that’s the way it is, so I was deeply honoured and I accepted,” he said.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
Our second morning in the glorious town of Jianshui began with a visit to a small Chinese Muslim joint, where we feasted on thick Hui noodles, in spicy tomato broth. Our bowls were served on a table that had been mostly converted into a large barbecue grill. As we sat down to the noodles, the owner of the shop took a seat opposite from us and began to make small talk over the large grill. On the grill were a great number of semi-fermented bits of tofu.
He shoveled a small pile of these over on to the section of the grill that was hot, and they began to slowly sizzle. He continued to chat with us as he poured a mixture of chili oil, vinegar and a salty orange powder in a couple of small bowls.
He handed us the small bowls of spicy dipping sauce and began taking the piping hot bits of tofu off the grill and giving them to us.
So as we ate our soup, we now were able to punctuate the experience with little spicy bits of oily crispy tofu. The meal was stupendous, and it turned out the tofu bits were a free and standard addition to any meal at this restaurant. With full stomachs, we felt compelled to execute a savage wheel.
We began by heading up and out of the old city, toward the western outskirts of town. On our way, we passed a large market at the opening of which was a gigantic crowd of mostly young men in the midst of an even more gigantic crowd of red Honda motorcycles.
After some in-depth investigation, we found that this was not what we had first guessed – some kind of a red Honda rally – but a mixture of bikes for sale, and motorcycle drivers who were offering their services as couriers of goods purchased inside the interior vastness of the Jianshui Sunday market.
We decided that such a hubbub at the entrance to the market certainly warranted some exploration inside. It was, of course, no Kashgar Sunday market, but it was certainly lively and filled with all kinds of interesting goods. We wandered the interior for some time, keeping our eyes peeled for possible project K9 purchases, but eventually settled only on a small 15 cent pair of folding scissors. These scissors would later prove to pay for themselves one thousand fold over the remainder of the journey.
We exited the market and headed farther uphill, cresting the highest point of the city of Jianshui, where we turned left and headed down toward the other side of the fertile valley which surrounded the place. Jianshui itself is on a hill, which rises like a fortress out of the fertile surrounding valley.
We began our descent into the valley, which took us through a large cluster of stonemasons, all of whom seemed to be in the tombstone business. Perhaps because of the proximate availability of stone, or because of elaborate local burial customs or perhaps even because of the centralization of industry by the Chinese government, it seems Jianshui had become a hub for complex and ornate tombstones, sarcophagi, and the like.
We wheeled down an endless street of masons, feeling compelled from time to time to cover our ears against the shrill cry of a circular saw or electric sander. More often than not though, the stonework was done by hand, at great expense of time, simply using a hammer and chisel.
Once we had made it through the street of stonemasons, we came upon a giant snarling traffic jam. The road was small and packed to the brim with buses and cars. All the vehicles seemed to be burning oil like crazy, and try as we might, there was not even room enough for a bicycle to make its way through the mess.
In place of a sidewalk, there was merely a sandy drop-off into an open (though rather dry) sewer. It looked like we were stuck. So we waited and sucked exhaust for about a half hour, as the traffic slowly worked its way along. Then finally there came an opportunity for a lichtenschtein.
We took it, and followed a tiny concrete path, much too small for anything but the tiniest of cars. Our road fell steeply from the main road, and then leveled off as it ran along the wet flat floor of the valley. We wheeled past a group of old women and men seeking shelter from the mid-day sun beneath the canopy of a solitary tree. A man straightened up from his water pipe to bark a greeting as we made our way past.
Now we were alone in a sea of green rice, wheeling along the brilliant white arc of this small concrete road. The colors seemed almost too intense for reality. The complexity of the rice and the blue of the sky all the more brilliant behind polarized lenses.
We could see the traffic still raging in a gridlock to our right, so when the concrete strip turned back toward the main road, we set out once again on the small raised-dirt pathways that separated plots of rice. From these, we found our way to a low-lying thick brick wall that acted as a separator between the rice fields and the stream of rubbish that came from the highway. We hoisted our Speed TRs onto this wall and made our way along it, eventually ducking under the highway.
In the space below the overpass, we encountered two Chinese children. It appeared we had interrupted a romantic encounter, and we apologized, quickly making our way onto a new road. This new road wound by two large swimming complexes, one was a vast and crowded chlorinated pool, complete with diving board and water slide. The price of entry was about 40 cents. The other was a large green pond, which sported a great deal of algal and lily-pad growth. Entrance to this swimming zone was only about 7 cents. However, lacking swimming trunks, we refrained from both of these tempting options.
From there we headed on, out of the greater Jianshui urban block and out into the open tranquility of the rice paddies. We now rode on a large, brand new, completely empty two-lane concrete road, which was suspended over an expanse of deep green agricultural land. The green of the crops was so saturating, and the fragrance of rice so thick in the air, that there was little we could do but allow the beauty of all that was around us to carry us forward.
We came around a corner and could see, nestled in the arid hills ahead of us, an ancient Chinese town. Once spotted, it seemed obvious this was to be our next waypoint. Taking only a few false turns, we successfully made our way into the center of the old quarter of this city. Inside the old quarter, we found a set of giant gates that marked the entrance to some kind of ancient walled compound.
Looked like an interesting wheel… We parked our bikes in the shade of the large wall and began chatting with a group of uniformed fellows to investigate whether or not we might wheel into the ancient walled compound. The answer was resoundingly “no.” Furthermore, we would be charged to enter, even if we followed their rules and did it on foot. Our interest in the ancient citadel diminished rapidly upon hearing this news.
So we took a water break in the shadow of the wall, and headed back out in search of more adventure.
Outside the ancient city, we decided to take a left and strike out on an old road that ran parallel to the highway which had brought us to Jianshui.
We were not sure of our next waypoint, but we were confident there would be Chinese villages scattered along this road, some of which would contain establishments that were serving up noodles.
So on we rode. The first hamlet that we came to was very small and very poor. There were no restaurants in town, and we saw only two signs of life (apart from livestock). One was a group of old men, smoking water pipes and playing Mahjong, the other was a lone, totally naked, elderly woman, who was wandering the streets in an obviously drugged haze. We rode by her unsure of which way to look, and continued through the remainder of the town, which put us back onto the sun-drenched road, running roughly parallel to the large toll road that had brought us into Jianshui.
By this point we were becoming quite hungry and thirsty. We could see signs on the distant road, which declared to the traffic heading our way that there was another town, by the name of Ba Xin (坝心), not far from us. It would likely take less time to ride on to this city and find more food and water there than to turn around, so we headed on, through a cleft in the mountains. Soon enough, the road we were on swung hard to the right and became very sandy, the concrete mostly crumbled into gravel.
We wheeled under the highway and began traveling parallel to it on the other side now. The reason for the sorry state of the road became apparent as we approached Ba Xin. A large stone harvesting operation was in full swing outside the city. We wheeled past huge crowds of men, breaking stone by hand using repeated strikes of a sledge hammer. They all had cigarettes clenched in their mouths and frowned into their work. Most of them took a break to scrutinize us as we rode by. Some waved.
A brief uphill section took us into the heart of Ba Xin.
There we found ourselves starving, rather parched, and quite thrilled to have arrived. The first problem we solved was the starving one, though it was initially more of a stop-gap measure. We called a waypoint at a local bakery, and for less than 25 cents purchased five pastries.
These hit our systems with a thrilling burst of blood sugar and lucidity, and propelled us on to the grocery store, where we purchased some similarly priced bottles of drinking water.
At the grocery store, we asked for directions to a street where we might find noodle shops, and armed with that information set out. Our search took us to the center of the city, where there was a vast round-about, in the center of which was what looked like a giant flying saucer skewered by a flagpole. From there, we were able to head up to the street of noodles. There were three or four restaurants to choose from, most of which were empty or contained only one or two people; but a restaurant at the end of the street seemed relatively crowded, so we chose that one. Outside was a small group of old men who appeared to be oscillating between smoking from a large steel water pipe, and engaging in schtick with one another. Inside were a group of school girls slurping huge piles of fried noodles from a plate.
We were warmly greeted by the advance guard of old, water pipe-smoking men. They paused from smoking 50 cent packs of Chinese cigarettes through the giant metal pipe, and smiled at us. They seemed a bit shy, and we were hungry, so we politely acknowledged them and passed on toward the kitchen, from which the tempting smell of fried noodles was emanating. The smell was intoxicating. I did my best to order a couple of the same. In the meantime Scott sought out a table for us.
As we waited for our noodles to arrive, we chatted with the school girls sitting next to us. They seemed interested in practicing their English, and even more interested in blushing, giggling nervously, and pushing each other. We did our best to be amiable, and after a short while, the children departed and our noodles arrived. In my supremely bad attempts at Chinese/pantomime communications, I had failed to order the school-girl special, but had successfully ordered two totally different dishes of cold spicy peanut noodles. The noodles were delicious and startlingly cheap, likely hand pulled in the back of the shop.
Once we had finished the noodles, we rejoined the gents outside, to chat and do bicycle schtick with them. They were very interested to hear that the Speed TRs were, in fact, made in China, and glad to hear that we enjoyed the local cold noodles. We explained that we had come from Jianshui, and they tut-tutted about city folk, while heartily congratulating us on having made it this far. When the time was ripe, we bid them farewell, and climbed back on the Speed TRs headed for Jianshui.
The ride back was glorious. It was hard and fast, with some very good stretches of long downhill, followed by gnarly climbs. The sun was sinking low and the dry heat of the day was quickly being replaced by the comfortable temperatures of evening in the desert. We encountered a bit of traffic again in the same stretch of road we had on the way out, just before the street of the stonemasons. It was less thick, though, and we were able to take advantage of the small size of our steeds and weave through the traffic, passing hundreds of cars, and capitalizing on the breaks in traffic made by motorcycles. Soon we were through the worst of it, and climbing back up into the city.
We crested the highest point in Jianshui just as the sun was setting. I paused at the top to wait for Scott and watched as a dog that had just killed a chicken walked by with the corpse in its teeth, leaving a trail of blood drips on the pavement. Just then Scott arrived.
There was only one question: where to feast? And the answer seemed pretty straightforward. So we coasted downhill toward the same restaurant where we had eaten the night before. Our friend was thrilled to see us. Once we ventured with him over to the cooler where all the ingredients were on display, he insisted that we get four dishes rather than our usual three. This we were happy to do, since after such an incredible wheel, we were starving. And at the end, the bill was a fraction even of what it had been the night before. We tried our best to pay him more money but he became offended and gruffly refused us.
Once again, as new customers came in, he would show us off as his two American friends who were so Chinese. It felt great to be such a VIP.
We parted with warm regards, and headed back to the hotel for some much deserved sleep.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 6th, 2010 at 3:09 pm and is filed under Asia, China, Pictures, Scott, Wheeling, Woody. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
FANTASTIC and well done! that noodle dish looks absolutely delicious, pls see if you can get the recipe or remember the ingredients.
Many nice photos! And now we know the cost of chlorinated water in China is about 33 cents.
Do you mean bottled water? If so, totally agreed. If not, where do you get the information for that calculation?


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One of the newest additions to the Trex Elevations Steel Framing System is an Adjustable Mid-Span Block. This adjustable component eliminates the need to cut a piece of scrap track in order to make blocking, and it requires only #10 x 3/4" hex head fasteners rather than using angle brackets. As a result, important mid-span blocking can be installed in bays between joists in a fraction of the time. Please note, proper installation requires mid-span blocking in every joist bay for joist spans greater than 8'-0".
(Width x Depth x Height) 10" x 3-3/4" x 4"

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


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Making the web a better place—or were we?
Since day one, the Blueriver team has believed we were "making the web a better place" one project at a time. By eliminating distractions, eliminating worry of failure and providing clear goals, our M.O. has always been to create Flow in the digital experience. It's why we do what we do.
We were at once keeping up with, and helping to shape the constantly evolving digital landscape, carefully crafting experiences for a wide variety of clients around the world. We understood that we were designing for people. What we didn't understand was the importance of adopting web accessibility (AX) earlier into our workflow and the benefits in doing so.
Quite simply—we misunderstood who really benefits from better web accessibility: everyone.
Recently, I had the opportunity to read Accessibility For Everyone where I was introduced to the concept of Universal Design. While it is a concept generally applied to the physical world—it helped shape my understanding of the importance of web accessibility and inclusion. Suddenly every line of code had a lot more impact and purpose.
We Are All Just Temporarily Abled. Disabilities are a spectrum that we all experience—from permanent to temporary to situational.
What did I learn? Empathy + Awareness. Through learning more about web accessibility I had an opportunity to shape internal processes and truly make the web a better place for everyone. What finally sank in: when accessibility goes from an afterthought to part of a workflow—everyone wins.
Many people experience the benefits of accessibility (AX) without even realizing it. This is part of what makes great UX invisible—why would it be any other way?t just works.
Ever watch a video somewhere that was loud or couldn't have audio playing? Did you read a transcript or captions? Turns out that is Guideline 1.2 of WCAG 2.0: Providing alternatives for time-based media (audio and video). How about another one: Try using your phone in the bright sunlight. Good thing we have guideline 1.4.3: providing sufficient contrast.
There are numerous tools and assistive technologies to help create a fantastic experience for everyone, no matter what the impairment is.
If an end goal of UX is for wide appeal and easier for everyone to use, doesn't AX = UX, then?
A substantial amount of people have some sort of impairment—and there are numerous tools and assistive technologies to help create a fantastic experience for everyone, no matter what the impairment is.
But you know what else I learned?
Google is blind, deaf and doesn't use a mouse.
So by the nature of making a more conscious effort to build accessible solutions—we get the added benefit of SEO.
Let me say that again: AX = SEO. Make the world a better place while improving SEO for your site. That's a win-win by any name.
While there are countless tools to facilitate making a more accessible web, it takes a person to help people. AX is a process and practice of understanding. Put yourself in someone else's shoes—it's easy.
Enable VoiceOver or a screen reader of your choice—close your eyes and attempt to navigate your website.
Experience navigating without a mouse. Use only keyboard functionality to navigate your website.
You've just experienced first hand the importance of AX.
Did you struggle? What did you learn? Did you "learn more" without context? Did you find the information you were looking for? Thankful for being temporarily abled?
Web accessibility training can feel like an uphill battle and a burden at first—but like everything in life, the more you practice—the better you get. Don't feel hindered by AX. Feel empowered by the opportunity it offers. Have some empathy and get excited about becoming a leader in making a commitment to web accessibility and creating digital experience Flow for everyone.


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3M's thinnest Privacy Filter helps keep confidential information private. Provides an optimized viewing experience for high resolution displays, and is designed to fit your Apple® MacBook Pro® 15-inch with Retina® display screen.
- 3MT Privacy Filters blackout side views quickly, delivering privacy and helping keep visual hackers in the dark.
- Attaching, removing and reattaching is simple and easy.
- Thin yet durable 3MT Privacy Filters help protect screens from dust and scratches.
- Reduce 35% of blue light transmission from the display.


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Ronda is a unique city. Built on a 100 metres high buttress of rock emerging from the high plains 40 kilometres north west of Marbella the old and new towns are deeply divided by a canyon spanned by a bridge that took twenty nine years to build. At a height of 750 metres above sea level Ronda has snow in winter and is scorchingly hot in summer. Spring and autumn are the best times to visit.
Most people will have seen a picture of the ‘new’ bridge across the ravine, El Tajo Canyon, that divides Ronda in two. It was built because the other two, lower, bridges had a habit of being washed away when the river flooded.
The lower bridge is known as the Moorish Bridge although very little of it is actually Moorish since it has been repaired many times over the centuries due to damage caused by flooding. It probably sits on the same site as a Roman bridge since this is the only access to the town from the north.
The centre bridge is called the Old Bridge. Not because it is the oldest bridge in Ronda, that honour falls on the Moorish Bridge, but because it is just a little older than the New Bridge. The Old Bridge was built in the 16th Century and links the old Moorish settlement and the new urban area growing up around the Small Marketplace, El Mercadillo.
Permission was granted for the building of a new bridge in 1542. It was completed in 1733. You think you have problems getting your villa finished? The bridge lasted six years before a design defect was discovered and it collapsed. In 1758 the bridge you see now was started and took twenty nine years to complete. A visit to the bridge museum costs 2 Euros and is worth every centimo.
Beneath the bridge and built into the side of the gorge is a water mine and garden. Access to the pools 100 metres below is through the Casa del Rey Moro and a steep set of steps in a tunnel. Carrying water up must have been a hard task, I counted over 300 steps before I lost count.
Just within the gorge and spreading out onto the flatter land to the west there are a number of, now ruined, water mills. These date back to the Moorish period (711 – 1485). You will also see the remains of the 13th and 14th Century Arab baths.
The outcrop of rock on which Ronda sits has been occupied since Roman times but it was the Moors that established Ronda as a town and it became one of the capitals of the five coras of Al Andalus. Their architectural influence is very obvious in the old part of the town. In 1485 the town was taken by the Christian kings and the Andalucian character took over. Immigrants to the town wanting to start a business found the taxes and customs duties a little onerous so they established their own town on the other side of the gorge. The open-air free market became El Mercadillo and soon attracted permanent residences built in a unique style called ‘Enlightenment’. This tradition of free markets lives on in Andalucia, as does the tax avoidance ethos.
On a more cultural note Ronda has a number of fine museums, two in the old part of town are well worth a visit. The Municipal museum is in the Mondragon Palace. The building itself is a wonderful example of Moorish architecture and costs 2 Euros to enter. The second is Museo Tematico Lara, again in the old town. This houses an eclectic private collection of cultural exhibits said to be the most important in Spain.
Nearby is the Museo de Bandolero, the Bandit Museum. This could only exist here, basically it is a celebration of the lives of various highwaymen, smugglers, thieves and vagabonds who lived in the area from the 16th Century right through to the mid 20th Century. The museum manages to portray these rogues as a romantic, chivalrous cross between Robin Hood and Al Capone. The museums’ serious message is reserved for two small rooms right at the back. Here there is a brief history, almost a footnote, of the Guardia who were originally established to wipe out these bandits. And they did. Or did they? Maybe the survivors just moved to the Costa del Sol.
Although bullfighting is now pretty much non pc throughout Spain Ronda is still proud of its heritage. The museum within the bullring is well worth a visit if only to view the elaborate, ornate, richly decorated and impossible tight costumes worn by the matadors. The art of bullfighting in Ronda originated in an unusual manner. In 1572, Philip II founded the Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Ronda. Its purpose was to provide horsemen for the defence of the area. Part of the training involved pitting bulls against horsemen. The training also provided entertainment for the local population.
What has this untypical history done to the inhabitants of Ronda? Well they are perhaps the most friendly, welcoming people in Andalucia. Visit the tourist information office opposite the bullring. Here a charming young lady with perfect English will give you maps, itineraries and tips on places to see. Also in El Mercadillo are dozens of restaurants and tapas bars that all welcome you. Ronda is famous for its Rabo de Torro(Oxtail Stew), on the menu everywhere. It is also famous for its range of tapas. Many places offer you a selection for a fixed price but the more adventurous can just choose what they want from the bar itself. For the best value go in the places crowded with Spanish. Hnos. Macias on the street opposite the bullring is recommended. Either way you will not go hungry or break the bank.
At the turn of the 19th century a British Company built the Algeciras to Ronda train line. In 1906 the Reina Victoria Hotel was built to welcome the officers, gentlemen and their ladies who travelled to Ronda from Gibraltar. The hotel is still thriving today. Although refurbished in 2012 it still manages to retain much of the colonial atmosphere of the original. Sadly the polished oak balustrade that swept down the grand staircase is now no more.
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industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text: One of the defining British apparel brands of the 21st century, Fred Perry - named after Tennis champion Frederick 'Fred' John Perry, is best known for producing contemporary yet classic apparel, footwear and accessories. This season the brand presents the Track Top Bomber Jacket in a Maroon shade with a water resistant construction, featuring the classic Laurel Wreath embroidered at the chest. This zip-up style jacket is completed by two front pockets and a bomber collar.


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• No transfer fees… ever!
You just need to click the “Register for a Currencies Direct Account” button and fill in a simple online form.
Registering with Currencies Direct gives you access to their online system so you can easily send or receive international funds. You’ll also have access to one of their account managers who can give you a live market quote over the phone. There’s no catch to registering if you don’t want to make any payments you don’t have to. Registration is free.
How is my exchange rate calculated?
The exchange rate that you see on the news is called the ‘interbank rate’ – it’s not a rate available to companies or individuals. Currencies Direct are able to buy currency at a wholesale rate and pass the savings they receive from buying in bulk to their customers. You will always get quoted a price for the currency you want to buy or sell whether you trade online or over the phone. The exchange rate changes every few seconds but once they agree a rate with you – that’s the rate you’ll get.
There are no charges for most transactions and no hidden fees or commissions – 90% of transactions for free!

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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Vail vacation rentals! Villas, condos, cabins and cottages. Even a castle or two!
Our Mission at CafeGetaway is to provide the highest quality vacation rental properties available. Our vacation rentals are cabins, cottages, villas and condos, and even a castle or two! If you are looking for a rental for your family vacation in Vail then you've come to the right place!


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We offer a wider variety and lower prices compared to Dura-Grader and other competitors. Our New design incorporates Higher Side Panels, less overall width with radiused wear skids which outperform Dura-Grader's design by allowing better flow through action, eliminating unwanted berms, and eliminating slight chattering which promote corrugation or washboarding. Our family developed and patented "The Twin Blade Flow Through" design in 1978 that has revolutionized the grader attachment industry and we are always developing and testing new designs to offer more efficient affordable grading solutions. We also custom build units to fit any machine or application. Please call 601.799.6300 or fill out inquiry for info or prices.
Copyright © Grade-Max All Right Reserved.
Luke 3:5 "and the rough ways shall be made smooth"


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Colorado has been a celebrated destination of choice for avid hikers, skiers, and foodies. Since state-wide referendum approved increased tourism marketing spending in 2005, Denver has been breaking visitor records for twelve consecutive years, outpacing national sector growth threefold. Now, the Mile High City is positioning itself as a major cultural hub, beyond the Rockies. Here are three new reasons to set your sights on Denver. Come for the high fashion, enjoy contemporary art, stay for haute cuisine.
John Galliano for Christian Dior, Gold embroidered triple organza jacket and skirt. Haute couture Spring-Summer 2004. Dior Héritage collection, Paris.
Denver Art Museum has hosted a 70-year retrospective of Christian Dior’s impact on global fashion. Dior: From Paris to the World was curated by Florence Müller, the Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion. This was Müller’s sixteenth Dior exhibition since 1987. Turns out, Denver has had a foothold in the haute couture world all along. Thanks to this professional relationship, about two-thirds of the dresses have never been displayed before! Featuring over 200 garments, accessories, original drawings, and other historical material, the exhibition focused on how Dior’s successors Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri continued his visionary legacy. While the House of Dior has built one of the biggest archives in the industry, tracking many original pieces decades later was no small task that took two years. “Fashion is still seen as a secondary subject in museums. In this exhibition I’m presenting Dior as the paramour of the globalization of fashion,” said Müller. It was the phenomenal success of the earlier Dior blockbuster in Paris that prompted the idea to bring it to the United States for the first time.
Denver may have seemed an unlikely stage for such a grand debut, but its fashion scene had been undergoing a transformation in recent years. Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design is cultivating a new generation of talent. Its alumni are becoming more visible in the style community. Denver Fashion Week, currently in its latest edition through March 31, is one of the fastest growing American fashion platforms. It showcases dozens of local designers vying for national spotlight. Some, like Taylor Ross of Ricky King Clothing or Aldo El Creator of Dark Denim, are attracting a cult fashionista following thanks to their unconventional streetstyle take on Western-wear. The Dior exhibition heads to Dallas, Texas next. However, there’s plenty of cool fashion to catch in Denver.
Denver Art Museum is now hosting Treasures of British Art. This impressive new exhibition spans centuries of classical painting since the 1400s. However, it is contemporary art that is putting Denver on the art lovers map. The Dairy Block micro-district is radically transforming the city’s art scene. Located in the heart of Denver’s historic LoDo neighborhood, home to popular restaurants and boutiques, it serves as a walkable art gallery. Few urban locales have successfully managed such engaging infusion of public creativity. The pedestrian alley that runs between Blake and Wazee and 18th and 19th Streets is curated by NINE dot ARTS. The block showcases pieces by thirty-one artists; each with some meaningful connection to Denver itself. Artists Sandra Fettingisand Michael Ortiz pay homage to kind of “classic” street art murals. A collective Ladies Fancywork Society that has been “terrorizing your neighborhood with garish yarn crimes since 2007” is responsible for fun crochet installations.
An interactive display by Nikki Peel allows visitors to activate music and lights by turning the cranks connected to butter barrels. The illuminated pathway by Jen Lewin brings technology and art into public space. There is a type of artwork for almost every taste. The surrounding area with the Milk Market food hall, The Maven Hotel and the Office Lobby is home to 715 pieces of public art, including 275 site-specific commissions! Everywhere you go throughout Denver, it’s not just the dazzling mountain skyline that is fascinating to look at.
It’s not all steaks and BBQ out West anymore! The culinary revolution sweeping the nation has a stronghold in Denver as well. New establishments and varieties of cuisine are flourishing. Perhaps, the best place to witness the trend is the 100,000-square-foot Zeppelin Station in RiNo’s art district. Its immersive “Made in the City” program allows visitors to experience culture of other places without having to leave their own. It’s like the Sister Cities concept, but with delicious food! The first showcase was Montreal, followed by Reykjavik (now through April 10), the capital of Iceland, with Mexico City confirmed as the next gourmet destination.
According to Mathieu Mudie, Head of Retail Experience, dinning customers aren’t the only ones benefiting from this. By bringing in international chefs, Zeppelin affords its kitchen staff the chance to work and grow professionally alongside their global colleagues. Developer Justin Croft found huge potential for growth in Denver. “I was drawn to come West because of such an emerging market. The food and beverage and retail scene is really growing here,” he said. The “Made in Reykjavik” edition has received a lot of support from Icelandic businesses, including Iceland Air and Iceland Naturally.
“The guys from Zeppelin Station visited us back in Iceland few months ago and told us about the project, which immediately grabbed our attention,” said Chef Gísli Matthías Auonsson of a Michelin starred Skál!. “We run a small place in Iceland’s first food hall, but although we are a small place we serve a lot of people. We source as much as we can locally and work with the seasons, and that was also the idea when we got the opportunity in Denver – use local produce but still combine it with Icelandic spices and methods. And we get fresh Icelandic fish shipped every day. I think you can really get the feel of Iceland by just visiting Zeppelin Station!” Food really does bring people together.
Most of other vendors featured at Zeppelin Station are locals with two-year contracts to ensure quality and diversity of cuisines available at any given time. Fridays bring pop-up bars, tattoo artists and local bands for one of the liveliest atmospheres in town. “People coming in here are really stoked about everything,” notes Mudie.
This winning combination of high fashion, street art and global cuisine that mark Denver’s rise as an up-and-coming North American fashion tourism destination.


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Latin America and the Caribbean are rich in energy resources including hydrocarbons, hydroelectricity, and biofuels, yet many countries in the region face energy shortages due to under-investment in supply infrastructure and the rising price of imported fuels.
As global companies invest in tapping resources and developing infrastructure to meet energy needs, Tetra Tech is there to help study, plan, design, and oversee construction of our clients’ most important energy projects.
Energy is critical to economic development and social equity. The Inter-American Development Bank, however, estimates that 34 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean lack access to modern electricity. Tetra Tech is working with our clients—policy planners, investors, financial institutions, and international development agencies—to improve the energy sector’s reach and performance. We are assisting with commercial enterprise and government regulation and integration of renewable and other low-carbon-generation options into the energy mix to help mitigate climate change.
Tetra Tech and our staff are supporting USAID in strengthening Central America's energy institutions.

industry_corpus2: Power & Energy


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...or was it the other way around? In any case, the CTM bus station in Marrakech is a pretty chilly place to hang out at 3:30AM.
Our arrival in Marrakech, at the ungodly hour of 3:30AM, was the result of the vagaries of the CTM bus schedule and our haste to leave the city of Guelmime sooner rather than later. We decided that hanging out in the Marrakech CTM station until sunup, when destinations like hotels and restaurants were opening up, would be our best bet. But it's cold at that hour in Marrakech, so Kate had to augment her passive warming system, consisting of all available clothing layers, with some active warming courtesy of a tiny stray puppy she found wandering the bus station, whose intense shivering gradually subsided after he settled into her lap and snoozed off. The inauspiciousnous of our arrival was compounded by getting thoroughly lost in the early-morning rush hour traffic trying to find the downtown hotel district - navigation by dead reckoning works only if you know your starting point, which in our case was not the bus station identified on the Lonely Planet map. 10km later we were finally oriented, breakfasted, and then checked into our room at the cheap and comfortable Hotel Toulousaine in the Gueliz section of the ville nouvelle.
The verdant courtyard of our cheap and comfortable home away from home.
balance of our 10-day sojourn in Marrakech followed similarly inauspicious lines. One of our main goals in Marrakech was the receipt of a package Kate was having sent from the States by UPS, an enterprise that, with help from the local AMEX office (the original receiver), we spent many days trying to achieve, dealing Moroccan Customs in Casablanca and the incompetent and possibly corrupt local agent used by UPS in Marrakech. But though we finally got UPS in the States to take an interest in the problem, and even called upon the good offices of our old acquaintance Ahmed (the Air Force General we met back in Mohammedia), we eventually had to write the whole effort off as a bad job. Another big chunk of time was chewed up negotiating the purchase of sufficient airline tickets - using Frequent Flyer miles, just to make it interesting - to get Kate back from Marrakech to North Carolina in time for a family gathering at the end of March.
and the roasted sheep's head, we did have a decent meal of beans and kabobs from one of the many food stands that materialize to fill the plaza in the evening - after having been 86'd as cheapskate troublemaking tourists from one stall after declining to pay an additional 25dh for the bread and olives that are normally served gratis in every Moroccan restaurant. (With the Place's intense competition among food vendors we easily bargained their inclusion for free at the next stall.) The sour aftertaste from this incident was reinforced by an unsuccessful pickpocketing attempt while watching one of the Place's many steet performances, foiled when the perpetrator clumsily tried to tease apart the velcro flaps holding closed the front pocket of my cargo pants. After a verbal confrontation and an intense stare-down - liberally sprinkling my English tirade with the word "gendarmes" , just in case - Kate and I quit the plaza and, with a paranoid look or two over our shoulders, hoofed it back to our hotel in the ville nouvelle.
After dark the Place is filled with performers and storytellers - but watch your wallet!
extend beyond the expiration of our walk-in 3-month tourist visas. After investigating the visa extension process (possible, but we'd be constrained to staying in one place during the extension period) we decided to get entirely new entry visas by taking a quickie trip to Spain. This technique, crossing the frontier by land at one of Spain's North African enclaves, staying a day, and then coming back across the Moroccan border, was reported by other travellers to work - at least most of the time.
The view out our train window of the unknown territory east of Fes.
The train left, and continued to run, right on time, and we shared our 1st class compartment - the differences from 2nd appearing mostly cosmetic - with only one other passenger. Initially, the flat geography glimpsed from the window was not particularly compelling, the most notable aspect being the relatively rapid change from the dry landscape surrounding Marrakech to the verdant green of cultivated fields as we neared the coast at Casablanca. What was more interesting as we continued through Rabat, Meknes and Fes, was seeing landscapes and landmarks we'd passed on the bikes from the new perspective of a speeding train, and feeling a sense of familiarity - unjustifed, really - that we were re-encountering trusty, well-trod territory. After Fes, however, we were in a previously unseen region and until the sun finally set we payed much closer attention as the train continued east towards Oujda, past lakes and rivers and through a long valley increasingly wedged between the Rif Mountains to the north and the trailing end of the Middle Atlas to the south.
One of the labyrinthine passageways through Melilla's old Portuguese walled city.
caravansarai that grew and thrived for centuries on trade with nearby Algeria - that is, until the border was closed in 1995. Still, relying as it does today on an economic base of zinc mining, it seemed fairly propsperous and cosmopolitan, relative at least to our preconceptions of a North African frontier city. Though arriving in a strange city after dark can be problematic, with the help of a policeman we easily found our way on foot from the station to the cheap and cheerful Hotel Angad, Kate's choice picked from the Lonely Planet. After breakfast in the morning we hoofed it down to the bus station with one eye on the threatening weather, but with no delay we caught the 25dh bus to Nador, a 3 hour ride that put us in position for the final 15km taxi shuttle to the seaside town of Beni Enzar that actually shares the border crossing with Melilla.
This small Spanish enclave is surrounded by the Mediteranean on one side and Morocco's Rif mountains on the others.
no-mans-land between Moroccan and Spanish checkpoints. Though we and the few other European tourists stood out from the larger majorty of Moroccans at the crossing, the exit procedures were relatively perfunctory, consisting of a form and a few questions concerning our next destination and culminating in the loud thwap of the exit stamp hitting our passports. And even though we'd been concerned that it's technically illegal to export dirhams, there was no currency check at the border and we walked through with the small amount of Moroccan cash that we were keeping for the sake of convenience on our return. Strangely, no one on the Spanish side even looked remotely in our direction as we pushed through the swinging gate - less scrutiny than we'd had crossing back into Spain from Gibraltar, though we probably would have been checked again boarding the Malaga ferry - and found ourselves deposited once again back on European soil.
Melilla has quite a number of 30's-era Deco buildings designed in the spirit of Barcelona's Antonio Gaudi.
modern highrise that houses the local government offices, the sleek new ferry terminal, some period architectural edifices like the Plaza de Toros as well as various 30's-era buildings in created in a fanciful, Gaudi-esque Deco style. Positioned above it all we saw the Melilla La Vieja, the original fortified town built on a high coastal promontory and occupied by one armed force or another since the times of the Phoenicians.
The immaculately kept parks and gardens in Melilla Spain were a real change from Morocco.
All aboard the Marrakech Express!
The state ONCF agency operates the trains in Morocco to nearly European standards.
due to board the city bus back to the frontier, the rain squalls blew themselves out and we were treated to glorious panoramic vistas of the city and the sun-drenched Mediteranean.
Our return trip back to Oujda and Marrakech was an uneventful reversal of our original journey to Melilla, with our re-entry papers carefully but cheerfully scrutinized and approved by the English-speaking Moroccan border agent. An added wrinkle to the trip was that we had booked 1st-class "cc/lit" tickets on the late-departing train running overnight from Oujda to Marrakech, which to our pleasant surprise entitled us to a private sleeping compartment with two bunks, individual reading lamps and a fold-out washbasin - too fun! We figured this was about as close to the fabled "Marrakech Express" as we were going to get, even though we did have to make an early-morning train change in Casablanca.
We were pleasantly surprised to find we'd booked a private sleeping compartment for the trip back to Marrakech.
scouring of the Lonely Planet - as well as some liberal tea-leaf reading - to try and figure out what we were getting ourselves in for with our anticipated attempt on the Tizi n'Tichka, the highest paved pass over the High Atlas Mountains.


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Thank you for supporting Georgia Bikes!
With your membership, we will continue and expand our important programs, and we will improve policies and funding opportunities for better bicycling conditions.
Thank you for your Georgia Bikes membership!
Your commitment to better bicycling Georgia is very important. We are working hard to make Georgia a truly bicycle friendly state, and we couldn't do it without you!
The Board and staff of Georgia Bikes sincerely thanks you for your continuing support of bicycle advocacy in the Peach State.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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The Federal Trade Commission's Telemarketing Sales Rule puts consumers in charge of how they want to receive telemarketing communications. Beginning Sept. 1, 2009, Federal Trade Commission regulations will require that automated sales communications can only be delivered to recipients who have already provided their express written consent to receive them. Here, Knowledge Center contributor Mark Friedman explains how to create a successful preference and opt-in program for more targeted, effective marketing communications.
In 2008, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) adopted an amended Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) citing consumer protection against unwanted marketing communications. As of Dec. 1, 2008, all prerecorded telemarketing sales calls must provide an automated, interactive opt-out feature for consumers. More significantly, beginning Sept. 1, 2009, automated sales communications can only be delivered to those recipients who have provided their express written consent to receive them.
Having an existing business relationship (EBR) will no longer suffice as sufficient approval for organizations to attempt to sell a good or service via an automated, prerecorded message. The FTC's telemarketing amendment is a unique opportunity for organizations because it combines both critical and strategic issues: the urgency of a time deadline (that is, they must obtain permission by September 1, 2009) and a strategic opportunity that can impact long-term success by enabling more targeted, effective marketing.
The FTC's amended TSR is a game changer. Organizations need to act quickly to maximize the percentage of consumers that they will be able to cost-effectively reach via automated calls to sell their goods and services.
Companies establish a brand impression with their customers; the better and stronger the brand impression, generally the more profitable the relationship for the organization. Customer communications plays a major role in forming that brand impression. Yet how many organizations really know how each one of their customers prefers to be contacted? And under what circumstances?
For example, if you are running a special sale on an item your customers might be interested in purchasing, would they prefer to find out via e-mail? Voice message? Text message? Direct mail? Some combination of these? What if you wanted to make a special offer to members of your loyalty/reward program; how would your customers want to hear about this offer?
Each consumer has his or her own communication preferences. Some consumers want to receive e-mails; others would prefer voice or text messages, and still others would prefer to be called on their mobile phones. And many would prefer to receive communications through a combination of channels. It is important to ask consumers directly how they want to be communicated with so that you can develop a communication strategy that encompasses their preferences.
Communications are all about getting consumers to act. And here's the point: if you know in advance what their preferences are, you will be in a much better position to have your communications break through and be acted upon. This will mean more market share, more revenue and more profit.
Once an organization determines the individual communication preferences of its consumers, it can then secure express written consent (that is, their permission) from these consumers. As a result, organizations will be well positioned to deliver relevant information to consumers who have expressed an interest in their goods or services.


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Without a doubt, this is our most popular hand painted chess set and has been for many years. It continues to achieve record sales figures worldwide and is a "must" for every chess enthusiast and collector. Shown here on board H400, priced separately. Made of Ground Stone. KING HEIGHT 3 1/2"
Requires a board with 1-1/8" to 2" squares (not included).
Suitable boards include"#H400, #H500, #H805 and #H607.


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This week has been crazy. Having a holiday in the middle of the week is not ideal. Not only did I have to work but I forgot it was a holiday and couldn't keep track of all the closing and different openings. On top of all the road closures, it was pure madness.
So happy that the weekend is here. Heading to the beach tomorrow! Can't wait.


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CHICAGO (AP) _ Tribune Media Co. (TRCO) on Friday reported third-quarter net income of $54.1 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.
The Chicago-based company said it had net income of 61 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were 63 cents per share.
The operator of the WGN America network and local TV stations posted revenue of $498 million in the period.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, an independent agency, said Thursday that a White House official called to talk about a proposed merger between Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and Tribune Media Co.
Ajit Pai told a Senate panel that Don McGahn, the White House counsel, called for a "status update" on the agency's action on the deal.
He said McGahn "saw something in the news and wanted to know what our decision was," but did not express an opinion.
CHICAGO (AP) _ Tribune Media Co. (TRCO) on Thursday reported second-quarter net income of $84.4 million, after reporting a loss in the same period a year earlier.
The Chicago-based company said it had profit of 96 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs and severance costs, came to 99 cents per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 59 cents per share.
Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. will sell three local TV stations as part of its purchase of another national media company with area ties.
Sinclair will sell 23 stations across 15 states, including Fox 56 WOLF-TV, The CW-affliated WSWB and MyNetworkTV-affiliated WQMY, as part of the company’s acquisition of Tribune Media Co., owner of WNEP-TV.
One of the last buildable riverfront stretches in downtown Minneapolis is on the verge of being redeveloped.
Opus Group unveiled plans for a six-story, 200-unit apartment building on the site to the planning and zoning committee of the North Loop Neighborhood Association on Wednesday night.
The Minnetonka-based company is on the verge of acquiring the site, which is at the corner of Plymouth Avenue and West River Parkway, from Star Tribune Media Co., which has its printing plant adjacent to it.
A nearly $4 billion deal to create a nationwide TV powerhouse is attracting a growing group of critics.
Hunt Valley, Md.-based Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest U.S. broadcaster with 191 stations, is seeking regulatory approval for the $3.9 billion acquisition of Tribune Media Co. and its 42 stations.
CHICAGO (AP) — A 36-story Chicago landmark, the Tribune Tower, has been sold — gargoyles, flying buttresses and all.
Tribune Media Co. announced Wednesday that it closed the sale of the tower and two other properties this week. The company has received $430 million in gross proceeds for the assets, and may receive up to an additional $45 million in contingent payments.
The Tribune Tower, purchased by CIM Group, sits on three acres along Chicago's Michigan Avenue.
NEW YORK (AP) — Tribune Media has completed the sale of several real estate assets, including the Tribune Tower in Chicago.
The Chicago-based company announced last month that it was selling the 1925 neo-Gothic tower to CIM Group. The sale is part of Tribune Media Co.'s ongoing efforts to sell its entire $1 billion real estate portfolio.
Tribune Media said Wednesday that it also closed on the sale of Los Angeles Times Square and Olympic Plant.

industry_corpus2: Media & Journalism


text: If you're looking for a place to get away, look no further than Černiv. Whether you're planning to stay for a night or for the week, the area around Černiv has accommodations to fit every need. Search for hotels in Černiv with Hotels.com by checking our online map. Our map displays the areas and neighborhoods around all Černiv hotels so you can see how close you are from landmarks and attractions, and then refine your search within the larger area. The best Černiv hotel deals are here with our lowest price guarantee.


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Are you looking for a list of ZuluTrade supported brokers to figure out what is best to choose?
We have created a very useful list.
There are about fifty brokers around the world with which you can use ZuluTrade, but some of them are not regulated and authorized by any authority. This does not mean you cannot or should not absolutely use them, but that they should be the second choice, because regulated and licensed brokers are definitely preferred.
What we did in the first place was to create a list excluding all the non-regulated ones.
Next, we have divided the list between the three major categories of regulations: Europe, USA, and other various countries in the world (eg Switzerland or Russia).
At the bottom of this post we will also reveal the most important factor you must pay attention to in order to correctly choose your ZuluTrade broker.
This is, in our opinion, the most important list, namely that of the brokers supported by ZuluTrade that have the authorization to operate in Europe.
Among them you will also find what we believe is the best broker for ZuluTrade.
Three of the brokers regulated in EU are also regulated in the US by the NFA (National Futures Association).
Finally, there’s the large list of all those brokers that are regulated by institutions of countries that are neither EU nor US, such as Switzerland, or Russia, or the Arab countries and others.
The things to check when you have to choose a broker are many, and there are several resources on the web to find out what they are: the quality of the platform, the assistance, the presence or absence of certain tools, and so on.
When, however, we have to choose a broker to be connected to ZuluTrade to use the copy trading service, then the main factor is definitely one.
The loss in value that on the copied trades, otherwise called Slippage.
The best thing, of course, is make sure you have the lowest slippage possible, in order to replicate as closely as possible the signal provider operations, and thus replicate with precision his performance.
To help you analysing this important parameter, ZuluTrade provides a useful table, which you can find in each signal provider’s profile (you can find it and observe how it works with the demo account).
In this table ZuluTrade shows the slippage values that users have achieved with their respective broker by replicating the operations of that specific trader.
This way you can know in advance if with a particular trader, and with a particular broker, you may have more or less distorted performance.


text: Welcome to Couture House Interiors where interior design is tailored to fit your lifestyle. Designing your home or business is an extremely personal process, and we are looking forward to helping you create the interior environment you desire. As we evaluate your space and interpret your needs, our goal is to create a stunning and functional space that meets the demands of your lifestyle.


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I managed the game design team on Fantage, an MMO for teens with over 35 million players.
– Organized and led a team of 5 designers and producers, in a studio of 50+ developers.
– Trained and mentored junior staff and interns.
– Released several dozens of games, features, and events as the lead designer or lead producer.
– Contributed design or production to dozens more projects.
– Designed product and strategy on core projects.
– Designed monetization and user engagement features.
– Established data-informed design practices.
– Established user experience standards.
– Established documentation, production, and technical design process and pipelines.
– Acted as cross-team liaison between development, business, and stakeholders.


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The next time you get a craving for something crunchy, instead of diving headfirst into a bag of chips, try these kale chips instead.
Pro tip: Watch Beachbody Super Trainer and Ultimate Portion Fix creator Autumn Calabrese and her brother chef Bobby Calabrese teach you how to make crunchy nachos using kale chips on FIXATE, the exclusive Beachbody On Demand cooking show.
Want an easy way to get kids, and adults, to snack healthy? Kale and a little olive oil are all you need to make these healthy, crunchy kale chips.
Line large baking sheet with parchment paper, if desired. Set aside.
Combine kale and oil in a medium bowl; toss gently to blend.
Add seasoning if desired; mix well.


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From decades of consulting work & proven success, I know that establishing face-to-face discussion in the proper engaging environment can fix community issues that otherwise might upset future plans and programs.
I have worked on Business & Government projects that needed Communications Management, Community Engagement and Media Management skills to best present a project or proposed scheme to the community.
My advice is... do it early ~ and do it well.
South Australia - and in all Regions. We have proven credentials - shown by projects delivered and now operational. We assist companies and government organisations to relate with groups that have a potential to impact current or future business operations, but we also have earned the respect of local community representative groups.
Mike has successfully delivered media & communication programs for government agencies under both major political parties or coalitions. His connections with the new Marshall Liberal Government in SA are extensive.
We are all about bringing success to OUR State.
Mike O’Reilly FPRIA has proven skills in ethically advising community & stakeholder groups. It usually starts by getting out to the locals to gather local knowledge by talking face-to-face with the wider public, local community, special interest groups, media commentators, government agencies, parliamentary or regulatory bodies. I represent clients in this outward facing discussion process.
Fact: If a client is developing a project, all the above contacts require sensitive contact in the early pre-planning phase. Ignore this reality at your peril.
Fact: Leaving it to chance is too late. O'Reilly Consulting often partners with social planning & engagement group, Gould Thorpe Planning, to help major projects relate to & engage with the community. We will personally walk down local or regional streets to listen to householder & business opinions to develop workable options that enhance the project success. It's called local knowledge ...and if you don't ask, you will never know! Where suitable we may engage certified Market Research companies to identify market and social attitudes to assist client decision-making.
Mike’s career experience covers the widest parameters - from everyday work to high level roles in Government and Media - working in Public Relations counsel, Community Consultation, Journalism, Marketing, Politics and Political Advice. His time in newspaper, television and radio journalism ensures a strong Media network and an understanding of the industry. This is matched by corporate commercial skills which focus on the ‘bottom line’ outcome for clients. Our lower cost overheads are reflected by sensible rates - and we are fast at what we do. Top level clients can verify my capabilities.
With a background in the corporate field with an ASX listed beverage and industrial packaging company, then later in the political arena in SA & NT, Mike has a unique mix of management experience in tactical communications. A feature is an ability to work on projects for interstate, or offshore teams using portable Internet and 'Cloud computing' connections. For a long time we have been at the sharp edge of this efficient and independent way of working. There are days that an iPad becomes my complete office.
Mike has particular skills in helping small and medium business or industry groups to understand the most productive ways to communicate with Government to achieve growth and employment.
He has worked in ministerial level politics in South Australia, and the Northern Territory, variously working for a Chief Minister, Paul Everingham MLC and a State Premier, Hon Dean Brown MP, as an advisor in Media, Communications & Marketing. Mike worked for the State Liberal Party and Leader Dean Brown MP in Opposition for a year and then into Government for a year before returning, as planned, to his own business.
He has worked on Federal & State Government projects, winning awards with professional bodies including the Public Relations Institute, International Business Communicators and the Australian Marketing Institute. He is a Fellow status Member of the PRIA.
Mike is a Registered Lobbyist in South Australia and Canberra and has positive contacts with the highest people on all sides of the political spectrum.
Mike has the benefit of having appeared (voluntarily) before a Parliamentary Select Committee investigating government procurement standards. He fully satisfied the committee of MPs of his company's financial and professional credibility on government work. He has advised individuals and companies on their need to perform honestly and openly in this high pressure political environment where no lawyers are permitted - and where 'no comment' can see you held for contempt of parliament!
My Business: We are a small business, a strategically managed consultancy, working as a team with local Associates and interstate Affiliates, who are chosen for their matching qualities and competitive pricing. We maximise a client's reputation while keeping the bottom line positive.
Over the years our we have provided particular services to clients with significant names ~ and achieved successful results: Such as... Shell Australia, Telstra Corporate Relations, Incitec Pivot, Mobil Australia, Murray Darling Basin Association, SA Brewing Holdings / Southcorp Holdings, Kraft Australia, Chapmans Smallgoods, TransEnergie Canada, SAAB Systems, Cartridge World, Internode, City-Bay Fun Run, Mogas Corporate, Winestate Publishing, CITB Construction Industry Training Board, Adelaide BMW, and more, who are current clients.

industry_corpus2: Politics & Administration


text: Our studies span many therapeutic areas. We learn about your experience and preferences and work to find the best clinical trial fit for your investigative interests. Our network consists of a growing web of various clinical researchers, physicians, and professionals committed to diversifying research. Our network of professionals can provide all of your clinical research necessities.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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Connect the inside of your business to Google Streetview and allow your customers an amazing interactive interior 360 degree view inside! As a Google Street View Photographer, Heidi, a Weston-super-Mare photographer, works with Google Maps to produce Street View tours in Somerset to enhance your business, increase your web presence and improve the service you can offer your customers.
Bring your business to life: create a 360-degree, interactive tour for your customers to virtually “walk through”. Showcase all the details that your customers love, it’s perfect for restaurants, retail shops, gyms, salons and many more. In the same way that we all use Google Street View to check out a location we’ve never been to before, with a virtual tour inside your business, your customers can walk around, explore and interact like never before. Customers will be able to really experience your business – just like being there.
A professional photographer since 1997, Heidi will also photograph around 10 – 15 feature photos of your business, to showcase products, menu items, interior decor, the business front – anything really. Your business will then be totally free to use these images as required – even for your own marketing. Not only will the tour and feature images appear on Google searches, Google Maps and Google+ Local, but you can easily embed panoramic photos on your own website, social media pages and more.
A virtual tour interior photo shoot will take around an hour (depending on the size of your premises) and will include a number of panoramas and Point of Interest photos of your business, to further enhance your online presence. Once the shoot is completed Heidi will process your images and work with Google to create your panoramas and upload them to Google, linked to your Google presence.
Heidi will then provide you with your panoramas and other feature photos for you to use as you wish, at no additional cost or license fees. As there are no additional or subscription fees, a Google Maps virtual tour of your business represents excellent value for money and can help your customers see inside your business in a new and unusual way, whether your business is a restaurant, hotel, hairdressers, shop, or even a dog grooming parlour!


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It is also” peaceable”. That is an excellent test whether the teaching which makes a man thinks he has received from God really came from God or not. Does it make him contentious and aggressive? Or, even while he’s endeavoring to prevail upon Christian men to receive a truth which they record with suspicion and distrust, it is clear that his affection for them is unbroken, and that he dreads the prevalence of bitterness and ill–temper among Christian people as much as he dreads the power of error? Is it manifest that he does not suppose is clear vision of some great truth compares the worth of all that his brother and had noticed that truth before– That he does not imagine that their claim to be regarded as loyal to Christ is lessened by the error which, as he thinks, he has discovered in their creed? Does he teach, or does he fight? Does he imply that the new truth which she has to tell get some some personal distinction?
Lord Bolingbroke said of Fenelon that “the Archbishop never outshone, But would lead you into truths in such a manner that you thought you had discovered them yourself.” What a wonderful contrast to the insolent contempt for all who do not accept their opinions which characterizes some public speakers. The mere profession of brotherly affections for those from whom we differ is not enough. Do we actually treat them as brothers, and his brothers and we love? Some of you may remember Cardinal Newman, and his reply to Dr. Pusey’s Eirenicon, said,”You have discharged your olive branch from a catapult”; And there’re some professions of a peaceable disposition which are more aggressive and exasperating the declaration of war.


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48forty Solutions' Milwaukee, Wisconsin facility is strategically located off I-45 and Silver Spring Drive and has access to convenient shipping lanes that allow easy service within 150 miles in any direction. Additionally, since 48forty is a national company, we have the resources of our surrounding facilities to accommodate almost any need – odd size pallets, immediate pallet needs, surplus pallet retrieval and more.
All neighboring facilities can assist in meeting our greater Milwaukee area customers’ needs.
48forty’s Milwaukee facility has the resources available to provide you with excellent customer service and is well-equipped to serve virtually any need, whether your company plans to buy or sell pallets in the area.


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As social media trends seem to change daily, how can local businesses keep up with what’s deemed as best practice.
For example,not so long ago, the recommended length for a video was approximately two minutes. Today Vine and Instagram have altered the playing field; they emphasise micro-video from six to 15 seconds in length. The train of thought is that video posts are about abbreviation – the shortened form of something larger. They’re little windows into the people, settings, ideas, and objects that make up your life.
Both Vine and Instagram have blossomed in the past yearv due to a couple of reasons. Firstly, the videos are short and to-the-point. Secondly, they often feature memorable moments such as a person blowing out birthday candles or creative stop-motion. Thirdly, they’re easy to create and share on mobile.
Which social, micro-video site is right for your marketing?
The trend toward micro-videos doesn’t negate the role of longer videos; YouTube remains one of the most visited sites on the web. YouTube has approximately 1 billion unique visitors per month and reaches more adults aged 18-34 than any cable network.
When it comes to video, it’s important to let the content dictate the length, not the popularity of the format.
Social media’s early days clamoured with cries of ‘free’. Most businesses quickly realised false prophets, under the guise of social media experts, ninjas, gurus and rock stars, were delivering the messages. Social networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, even if they didn’t require a membership fee, required time, strategy and know-how, which meant either adding to an employee’s already full to-do list or hiring anew employee.
Social media has never been free. If you want to get noticed on social this year, you’re going to have to advertise. Today, all three of these networks feature native advertising or other forms of paid advertisements. Facebook has taken the route of almost 100% pure advertising for businesses. Even Google+ is testing an advertising platform.
The networks are attempting to capitalise on a captive audience, and why shouldn’t they? They are forprofit companies.
The difference between the two is that businesses can’t penalise their audiences for not buying a product or service. The social networks, though, can penalise businesses for not advertising because they control the algorithms.
If anything unites Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram and Pinterest, it’s hashtags. The tags are sometimes used for humour, but they are meant for cataloguing news, events, topics and conversations. Marketers, in turn, use them to track and measure their earned social mediamentions and reach. Anyone searching for a specific subject, product, community or event simply looks for theapplicable hashtag.
The challenge for businesses is finding a hashtag that resonates with their audience and is easy to use. If it fails on either point, their audience members will use any hashtag they come up with, which not only makes data harder to capture but also results in fragmented information and conversations.
Businesses need to use discernment with their hashtags. They don’t want to go the way of McDonald’s or Wendy’s. Both fast-food chains learned that public response can go badly, quickly. McDonald’s hashtag ‘#McDStories’ produced a swath of tweets that ranged from people saying they’d been high to saying they’d become horribly ill after eating at one of the fast-food restaurants.
Wendy’s ‘#HeresTheBeef’ hashtag produced equally unpleasant results.
Mobile is growing exponentially and shows no signs of slowing. According to a comScore study focused on online retail, more than half of the traffic in June 2013 was attributable to mobile devices. Today’s consumer is on the go, and he or she will access information whenever and wherever it’s convenient.
People aren’t distinguishing what they’re doing on different screens, so advertisers should be moreagnostic about where they reach the user. The fundamental tenet is not to speak about mobile, mobile, mobile. It’s really about living with the users. What device are you on? What’s your question? How can we assist you? That’s a much broader and richer set of activities.
If you want to attract new customers, you need to speak to them where and when they are.
Don’t get stuck on what device they’re using. 2013 saw many brands really shift focus and place mobility at the heart of their web strategy for the first time – but this really is just the beginning. We are now starting to understand the reliance consumers have on the mobile web, and the importance of both the device and the context it is used in when delivering mobile experiences.
Flurry, a mobile measurement and advertising platform, found that overall app use in 2013 grew by 115 percent, withsocial and messaging apps showing the greatest growth. Businesses that are interested in growing should be building mobile into their strategies. Social apps and customers are both dictating this.


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Are you looking for a reliable carpet cleaning professional to clean your Riverside Rhode Island couch? Your sofa sees a lot of action, and a good sofa cleaning is often a necessity. At Roman Carpet Cleaning, we’ve been professionally cleaning Riverside sofas and love seats since 1991 and we’re in the business of helping your furniture look and feel good. After all, furniture upholstery cleaning requires more than just a few runs of a vacuum and typically requires better products than what you can buy at your local store. If you’re ready to get your old sofa looking new again, call the experts at (401) 400-5444 today!
We believe in being open and honest with our customers, so our Riverside couch cleaning process is listed below so there are no surprises when we arrive at your house. Our mission is nothing short of your complete satisfaction!
We recommend having your furniture professionally cleaned at least twice a year to remove any dirt, stains, or allergens that become embedded over time. If you have a cloth couch and suffer from allergies, you may want to consider having your couch cleaned more regularly. And when you’re in the market for a professional Riverside sofa cleaning company to make your furniture look new, be sure to contact Roman Carpet Cleaning today at (401) 400-5444 to schedule your free estimate.