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Ron Olitsky began working with Underground Service Alert of Southern California (USA/SC) aka DigAlert in September 1980. In 1986 he become President of DigAlert. Ron was instrumental in the creation of the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) and served on the board since its inception. Ron had many achievements and participated on many committees, past chairman of One-Call Systems International, One Calls of America and California Regional Common Ground Alliance to name a few. He traveled all the time, either to stakeholder meetings, committee meetings or to DigAlert safety events. Ron was an avid runner, equestrian and animal lover. He ran every morning no matter where he may have been at the time.
On October 3rd 2005 Ron suffered an aneurism and passed away at home. He left behind a wife, 2 sons, 3 grandchildren and countless friends and colleagues.
Ron's death sent shockwaves throughout the industry. His impact on the "Call Before You Dig" community and message cannot be measured. In 2006 USA/SC created the Ron Olitsky Extra Mile Award in his honor. An annual award for an individual or company who has shown true dedication to efforts that enhance underground damage prevention activities.
USA/SC takes nominations for the Ron Olitsky Extra Mile Award throughout the year from July 1st through June 30th the following year. During the July USA/SC Board of Directors meeting the nominees are voted on for that year. The recipient is then notified and presented the award at the next Board of Directors meeting in October.
If you know someone or a company that meets these requirements and would like to nominate them, please use the link to the right, fill out the form and send it back to USA/SC.
Jim was hired at DigAlert in April 1996 and quickly climbed the ladder, including being promoted to IT Manager in 2003 and Vice President in 2007. His accomplishments have led us to be a leader of the industry in technology resulting in other centers contacting Jim to be able to utilize our network for a fee, contributing to the financing of the center. Jim has shown true dedication to the promotion of activities that enhance damage prevention, as well as educating the public to contact 811 before digging. USASC’s award winning participation in the Rose Parade in 2014, 2015 and 2018 reached millions across the country! This was not only beneficial to DigAlert but nationwide in spreading the word to contact 811. To assist in the financing of these events, Jim was able to recruit the participation of 4 centers in 2015 and 9 centers in 2018. His most recent activities included advertising for the Ducks playoffs, Angel games and Laker games which resulted in excellent viewer coverage. Jim always goes the extra mile to make sure the message to contact 811 is highly visible to the public and he ensures that our center runs efficiently.
Many local heroes go unnoticed. But, at DigAlert you have the ability to recognize an individual for high remarks. Jim Schwilk is a hero who many look up to day in and day out. In December Jim spends innumerable hours at the DigAlert/811 Rose Parade Float acting as an ambassador for safe digging. Jim spends his time at the floats greeting and educating the thousands of volunteers on how important contacting 811 is before you dig. Every connection Jim makes helps spread the Safe Digging message to the Southern California region and beyond. His commitment and passion for saving lives are exciting! He makes you want to call 811 every time you grab a shovel. He makes you think twice before you plant a tree or open a hole up at a construction site. Jim wants each and every one of us to be safe. I know Jim Schwilk embodies the Ron Olitsky Extra Mile Award more than any other person. I implore you to award Jim Schwilk with the 2018 award.
For the past couple of years, Senator Jerry Hill and his staff have worked tirelessly on the most significant changes to California Government Code section 4216 since 2007. He has been a champion for safe digging practices since 2008 when he took office as an Assemblyman before moving to the Senate in 2012. In 2015 when he introduced SB 119, he worked with all stakeholders to get a comprehensive safe digging bill passed. Unfortunately, the Governor vetoed the bill, but that didn’t deter the Senator. The next year he reintroduced the exact same language and worked with the Governor’s office as well as the other stakeholders to pass the Dig Safe Act of 2016. Senator Hill’s goal is to not have any more fatalities due to unsafe digging practices. He has gone the extra mile to protect not just his constituents but everyone in California.
In a letter to the USA/SC Chairman of the Board	of Directors in May of 1999, Board member Mike Romley, representing Equilon Pipeline, explained that he had to resign because he lacked	adequate time but offered a replacement	candidate: Teri Wohlgemuth who had already worked in the pipeline industry for 17 years and was very experienced with pipeline operations	and maintenance. She was at the time supervising the line locators in the Los Angeles Basin. Although Equilon Pipeline changed its name over the years to Shell Oil and now Shell Pipeline, the company has always been a great	friend to Underground Service Alert. Their representative Director, Teri, has never changed her identity and she has always gone that extra	mile on every occasion. She acted as Chairman of the Board from 2005 to 2008. When her work assignment was changed, she made sure that the Center had a Shell representative to continue their support. And, when it is sometimes difficult to find someone willing to give of their time to participate in Board activities, she returned. In 2014, Teri came back for more! Teri Wohlgemuth takes the time to get to know the people she is interacting with, she does the research and she comes up with quality results. She follows through and definitely goes the extra mile.
Usually when a person retires, they simply want to relax and enjoy life. When Steve Woo retired from AT&T as an engineer, he simply changed hats and jumped on board with HCI as his employer. Steve is an active member of the CARCGA and serves as chair of the SSIP committee. To describe him as passionate about safe digging is an understatement. He is proactive about potential legislation to improve GC 4216 and he is one of the more visible encouraging forces for contractor involvement in the excavation community. Whenever and wherever, there is a SAFE event held, Steve is there to represent contractors and to answer questions which arise. He is totally supportive of Underground Service Alert, but he goes the extra mile. Steve not only answers questions, he goes one step further and asks questions as well. How can things be improved? What would make Southern California a safer environment for excavation? Steve understands the viewpoints of both contractor and utility owner and shares his insight and his probing questions in hopes that tomorrow might be a safe world for all.
Over 25 years with Edison and 15 years working with transmission, Robert is a lineman who works closely with the supervisors. He assisted in coordinating an Underground Facility Manual, held training class at Edison on the DigAlert® process. He is available by phone 24/7 to assist co-workers in the prevention of damages and/or injuries.
John was instrumental in the development of the initial one call concept. Heading the list of his many achievements is 38 years of service as a Civil Engineer, Power Systems Operations and Management for Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. He has been part the Board of Directors at USA/SC for many years and still holds seat on the Board as well as on the Executive Committee.
After retiring in November 2006, John has remained extremely active in the industry by consulting and providing expert witness depositions. His passion for damage prevention and desire to educate on the one-call process is exemplified through his devotion and commitment to USA/SC. John actively participates in discussions, bringing to the table his many years of experience, knowledge and insight. Repeatedly, he has shown that his foremost concern is what is in the best interest of the call center.
Marc is the Public Awareness Program Manager and authored as well as oversees So Cal Gas and SDG&Es's program involving 19 intercompany departments with the goal of public safety and property protection by increasing awareness and knowledge of the One-Call notification system.
Marc is a strong advocate and supporter of the objectives of DigAlert and fervently promotes the dissemination by SoCal Gas and SDG&E of dig-in damage prevention information. SoCal Gas and SDG&E have seen a significant reduction in the number of dig-in damages since Marc’s implementation of the Public Awareness Program. In 2006, dig-ins by homeowners and contractors were approximately 5700 for SoCal Gas and 630 for SDG&E. The SoCal Gas damage numbers saw significant percent reductions over each subsequent previous year of 18% for 2007, 17% for 2008 and 22% in 2009, dropping to 2660. SDG&E damage numbers also showed significant reductions over each previous year as well, 4% in 2007, 33% in 2008 and 11% in 2009, dropping to 297.
John completed training in Cal OSHA Regulations/Excavation, Safety training and construction safety. In August 2008, John was pleased to be asked to speak at the Damage Prevention Conference in Las Vegas, NV. John is also a Hazmat Instructor, CPR Instructor and a Locator Trainer. On July 14th, 1980, when he was just 19 years old, John began work at Eastern Municipal Water.
Pauley Construction is “A company built on client satisfaction, quality, commitment, and professionalism.” It’s their company statement and they seem to portray it very well. Pauley staffs a full-time safety director and believes firmly in safety training for all of their employees. The company is family owned and operated and was founded in 1991. It’s home office is located in Phoenix, Arizona, but they have offices throughout the southwestern United States. Their field of expertise is utility construction. They are very pro-active in their commitment to safety of their employees. Their safety training is done on a regular basis in an effort to prevent problems from occurring rather than as a remedy to repair problems that have already happened.
Marshall's dedication to damage prevention is evident in the way he performs the duties of his position as Area Manager, Compliance Damage Prevention, Construction & Engineering at AT&T Network Services. He puts in long hours. Marshall is very attentive to the locations on the DigAlerts AT&T receives and is educated with the ticket taking process. He currently serves as USA/SC Chairman of the Board of Directors and also assists USA/SC by serving on various committees along with being a known proponent of the California Regional CGA. Marshall takes an active role in the contacting of contractors to make sure they are compliant with the regulations of California Government Code 4216.
On a personal level, he showed great compassion and concern for the employees of USA/SC at the time of Ron’s passing by taking time to come by the office to offer his assistance and condolences. He is never too busy to offer a compliment or thank you for a job well done. His work ethics are to be admired and an inspiration to those who have the pleasure of his association.
In remembering Ron Olitsky, USA/SC’s president who passed away last year, DigAlert created a special award in his name. This is to honor the individual who best emulates the promotion of the one-call concept. The unanimous first choice was George Hendrick.
George began his pursuit in providing safety for the digging public over 30 years ago and became instrumental in establishing the Southern California one-call notification center. Even though he retired from Southern California Gas Company in 1991, he continues to this day actively serving as a member of the USA/SC Board of Directors. His undisputed knowledge of the industry provides valuable insights for those who decide the paths taken by DigAlert.
It was appropriate that the first award be presented by Olitsky’s wife, Fern at the 30th Anniversary Celebration held September 16th in Long Beach. A plaque bearing his name and future recipients will be displayed in the DigAlert office.


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I am using puppet for several years now, both privately and commercially. During that time I solved several problems and made things work- from tiny one-server changes to infrastructure-spanning modifications.
Bareos: Deploy Bareos on your infrastructure: https://github.com/christianreiss/al_bareos – Featured in my talk at the 2016’s osbconf.
If you need help deploying contact me via support action above.

industry_corpus2: Computing & Telecommunications


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Muscling up for 2019 – from left Ruapani Smith, Storm Stainton (with back to camera) and James Pickering. Photo: Nikki South.
The sweat and toil is hardly over from the 2018 season, and the Kiwis are still campaigning in the northern hemisphere, but in Papamoa, pre-season training and conditioning is already underway ahead of next term.
“It’s a prime opportunity to start building on team culture and work ethic,” says Papamoa coach James Nicholson, who’s back for his second season in charge of the Bulldogs.
Nicholson is in the process of fulfilling a personal goal. “I said when I first joined this club that I wanted to win a Premiership within three years.” Next year is stage two.
And it will come off the back of a solid 2018 campaign, where both Bulldog teams finished in the middle of the table and surprised a few established clubs along the way.
Nicholson was awarded Coastline Mariners Coach of the Year, and the Bulldogs fielded a women’s team for the first time. It was a year of modest successes and firsts for the club.
There are encouraging signs at the Bulldogs.
The Papamoa outfit has a very strong junior base, so for the Bulldogs’ seniors stepping up to top grade shows the juniors that there are pathways to senior footie with the club.
The Bulldogs’ off-season training starts on Tuesday, November 6, on field four at Gordon Spratt Reserve in Papamoa from 6pm, and every Tuesday through until December 11.
“It’s an opportunity to meet new players and keep tabs on fitness, strength and skill levels and then tailor future training sessions accordingly,” says James.
Twice weekly pre-season training starts in January, beginning on Monday, January 14 and Wednesday, January 16.

industry_corpus2: Sports


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Y-cam Solutions | How does the 30 Days recordings work?
The 30 days continuous storage of your video clips starts when Y-cam Plus is added to your account. Any video clips in your account prior to this are stored on the standard 7 days storage, If you need to keep any of these video clips, please ensure that you download them before they are deleted.


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Skip the crowded restaurants and spend your Valentines Day at home. Fairly Modern and Love's Ice Cream hope to inspire your "night in" with a little something for everyone.
Swing by the Downtown Market with your love and grab a pint of the Champagne Strawberry or crawl into bed waiting for this day to be over with a pint of Blackberry Ginger.
2 for $14 or Buy one get one FREE!

industry_corpus2: Hospitality & Catering


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A quick digest of the coolest weekend happenings in Singapore.
New Zealand bros Ben and Louis Helliker-Hales are the duo behind Chaos in the CBD who’ll be ringing in the weekend with their brand of tunes at Kilo Lounge.
10pm-late at Kilo Lounge. $20.
Off Centre by The Necessary Stage returns decades after its premiere in 1993, with a story about an unlikely friendship that brings up issues of social prejudices against mental health conditions.
Until Feb 17, various timings at Victoria Theatre. $36-$45.
Curated for Total Defence Day, this exhibition displays key incidents over the past 200 years to increase public awareness on cyber threats and fake news.
Until Mar 24 at S’pore Discovery Centre. Free.
Sift & Pick’s first pop-up store at Changi Airport features Korean brands like Alice Martha and Marhen.J, with plenty of offline deals and discounts.
Until Feb 17; daily 11am-10pm at Changi Airport Terminal 3, B2 Event Space. Free.
Get your fill of Lego madness at this brick wonderland, where there’ll be Lego displays, mascot appearances, interactive games, movie-making sessions, workshops by a Lego-certified pro, photo ops, and loads of merch.
Until Feb 24; daily 10am-10pm at VivoCity Atrium, L1. Free.
Groove to the beat of Afrodunk, Afrodisco, Afropop, and Afrohouse by DJ Stienen, DJ Rushmo and Jasmyn at this Afro-centric party.
10:30pm-late at Intermission Bar, The Projector.
Take to the dance floor for a Saturday night filled old school electro and techno by Anastasia Kristensen at Headquarters.
Progressions, the 16-year-old homegrown trance club night, returns for the evening with DJs JonG, Lord Arif, P@T, and Yukun.
10pm-late at Bar Rouge. $25, includes one drink.
Suit up in your comfiest walking gear (and necessities like an umbrella/water bottle) for a five-hour trek from NUS to Kent Ridge Park to Reflections of Bukit Chandu, where you’ll learn about the Battle of Pasir Panjang and the history and geography of the area.
7am-noon, meet at entrance of University Cultural Centre in National University of Singapore. Free with registration.
Get rid of your hangover with a brunch spread of rye and sourdough breads, jams, cream cheese spreads, salad cups, eggs, and a dessert table at The Muffinry.
11:30am-2pm at The Muffinry by Bakery & Bar.
Crunk up your Sunday with the tunes of reggae, ska, dancehall, funk, soul, Afrobeat, and jungle at this chill shindig.
3pm-10pm at White Label Records. Free.

industry_corpus2: Film & Entertainment


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I started writing this post to talk about how I see the general state of getting around by bicycle in the greater Bellingham/Whatcom area. My address is Ferndale so I began writing by commenting on the general state of getting around and through Ferndale by bike. Before I knew it I had the whole screen filled with just Ferndale alone, so I retitled the post Difficulties Getting Through Ferndale. Then I thought about how to fix things instead of just commenting. Then I thought about how to make some fixes without waiting until forever, or until the Thornton Overpass is finished, whichever comes first. Then I, for the last time, retitled this post which is now known as, Six Low Dollar Fixes for Ferndale’s Trail System.
First, why do I think Ferndale should improve things for bicycle/pedestrian travel?
Well, Ferndale should improve things for bicycle/pedestrian travel because Ferndale has destinations such as Hovander, Pioneer Park, and the recently added Star Park, etc. Ferndale could also be a waypoint for bicyclists going to Birch Bay if they could safely navigate through downtown. More ways to travel to, through and around Ferndale means more business for Ferndale. The City of Ferndale also fancies themselves as a bedroom community to Bellingham, yet doesn’t offer a safe route for a cyclist to get from their bedroom to Bellingham. Wouldn’t Ferndale be a more attractive place to live if it’s residents had a safe direct walking/cycling route to jobs, recreation and entertainment in Bellingham? And why would you put all the new bedrooms (aka. apartments) on the side of the river that only increases traffic through the already congested downtown corridor? But let’s focus on the more recreational aspect of trails and paths now because I think some are doable in the very near term.
I had a look at Ferndale’s official parks plan to see if any new projects were on the horizon that might improve walking and cycle travel in Ferndale. I wish I had found something, but I didn’t. I figured with all the expensive improvements such as the Thornton overpass, Star Park, AC for the new library, etc, there wouldn’t be much in the way of dollars left for trails, but I did think I would at least find a plan for improvements to bring Ferndale up to speed. Like I said, I didn’t. I didn’t find any sort of plan to solve this current trail situation, especially the lack of connection between trails and parks, but in reading the parks plan I think I discovered why.
I think that Ferndale doesn’t have a strong plan to bring their trail system up to speed because Ferndale doesn’t think they have a problem or even a need to expand their trail system. In their parks plan, I found they have determined that to bring their trail system up to speed they need to add only 0.40 more miles of trails…wah wah wait! Really 0.40 miles? Less than half a mile? That’d do it? No.
I walk and bike in and around Ferndale and let me assure you, 0.40 miles ain’t going to do it. A person can’t safely walk, let alone safely bike, from one side of town to the other in any direction, but just 0.40 miles of trails is all that is needed? No. On paper Ferndale may be just 0.40 miles short of the standard, but Ferndale also has to deal with the problem that most of their trails are short and don’t join with other trails to form long continuous routes to points of interests, or from points A & B, or even just across town. The best bang for Ferndale’s buck would be to spend first on connecting existing trails, not adding more disconnected trails and not adding more fluff like expensive signage and plants. Safely connect trails first.
Also many trails in the inventory are private or not really public, and the longest “trail” in the inventory is Ferndale High School campus which actually includes the running track as a trail, to achieve the longest trail in Ferndale status. Call me stupid, but the running track at the high school doesn’t count as a community trail unless I can take a late morning stroll there with my dog, in and amongst all the kids doing sports and such.
Ferndale’s 21 unconnected trails averaging about 400-500 yards apiece is not a trail system, it is a chopped up mess. We have a problem and to make Ferndale a better place for everyone, something must be done.
Any fix though, begins with the City of Ferndale admitting they have a need/problem. They need to admit things like, that Main Street is not a park or that trails should connect to each other. From that point of self-reflection, a real plan can be developed and any funds that come available can be directed towards tasks that are part of the plan, not just patches or sidewalks to nowhere.
Big beautiful Crosswalk – Stop traffic at the end of Riverwalk park and make a big wide wonderful safer crosswalk for everyone between Riverwalk park and Pioneer Park/Senior Center/Pavilion. This would allow cyclist/pedestrians safer street crossings and a safer road/park transition for cyclist. It would also set the tone for traffic entering Ferndale from the south. It’s crazy that both ends of Riverwalk Park have sidewalks that end at a busy road, yet neither end has a crosswalk.
On the west side of the river – completely eliminate vehicles going under railroad tracks at the car wash to create a pedestrian/cyclists centric path from Vander Yacht to the Main Street bridge crossing.
On the east side of the river – extend the path from Hovander area under Main Street and the railroad bridges with connections to the Main Street sidewalks on both north & south sides. In the future, this path would extend to whatever becomes of the old golf course.
On the Main Street bridge – extend existing fenced sidewalk down past where trails meet road on both sides of river to better direct/protect pedestrians & cyclist, as well as ease a little tension for drivers in this already stressful area of Main Street.
Improved trails from Riverwalk Park through Pioneer Park area and beyond, creating a loop around ball fields that connects to Star Park, Boys & Girls Club, bathrooms, bike park, etc.
Lastly, fix/eliminate Main St. Intersection/non-intersection at True Value Hardware. That area is confusing, very busy and as a result it is dangerous. If not returning this to a stop light intersection with controlled safe crossings, then left turns on and off Main Street should be banned in this area altogether, a center curb would help with enforcement.
The sum total of these fixes would join several trails into a large network of trails connecting Vander Yacht, the ball fields, Star Park, Bike Park, Boys & Girls Club, and Hovander without exposing cyclist and pedestrian to the worst traffic that Ferndale has to offer. It would also allow people to enter the system at any point which would reduce localized parking pressure during events or simply sunny afternoons. On one of these nice spring days, I will ride these paths even if the don’t exist, in the same fashion as I ride the yet to be built Nooksack Loop Trail and I will turn on my sports tracker app to get a better idea of how much trail there is and isn’t.
**Update** – Yesterday was one of those nice spring days and so I did turn on my sports tracker app and rode the system of loops that I envision for Ferndale. I also grabbed a few pictures. Then I went for a beer at Coconut Kenny’s. I plan on doing a more thorough write up, but briefly, I parked at Pioneer Park, rode around the ball fields, along the river to Vanderyacht, out to Edaleen’s :), back across the river the north side, under the bridge, through the dog park, down around Hovander Park and then riding back to Pioneer Park. About 8 miles and 1 hour.
Pedestrian/Bicycle underpass on west side of river directly connecting the trail from Vander Yacht to Riverwalk without a crosswalk. This might seem tight on space, but if you’ve ever traveled the Burke-Gilman/Sammamish Trail between Bothell and Redmond you’ll have seen it done well in some very tight spaces.
Create Pedestrian/Bicycle underpass at Slater Rd. – adds many more miles to the existing trail system that would then run from Vander Yacht Park all the way to Marietta without a traffic crossing. That would be over 5 miles of continuous trail, along a beautiful river. For some perspective, Bellingham’s Interurban trail is much talked about, yet only 5.9 miles on its own.
With regards to the viability of underpasses below both the Main Street Bridge and the Slater Rd.bridge, my feeling is that if there is enough room for people to live comfortably under a bridge, which they often do, then there is enough room for a pedestrian/bicycle path.
Something like this would be a great connected trails system.
Really? Just a little less than a half mile of new trails will bring Ferndale up to speed?
Here’s some of my original notes on actually navigating through Ferndale by bike.
Ferndale traveling East/West – I am quite sure that Ferndale looks good on all their legal/official papers/reports/plans, etc. In reality though, I think bike travel through Ferndale both in the east/west and the north/south directions really stinks. The primary east/west route is the Mountain view/Main street/Axton corridor which at any times other than maybe 4-7am is so freaking dangerous that it should really just be off limits to bikes. First, Mountain view has no shoulder going in/out of town on the west side as well as a steep hill with very limited sight distance for spotting cyclists in the roadway. Next, the whole downtown area from the 7-Eleven to the Freeway may have some designated little pavement markers about being bike lanes, but traffic is so heavy, drivers so frustrated, and traffic markers so confusing, that I can in no way recommend traveling through town by bike. Then there is the freeway overpass and the Mcdonalds/Pilot intersections. The freeway overpass should just be a get off and walk for everyone, it’s that simple. There is no bike lane, and there isn’t room for a car to pass a bike, but that doesn’t stop the drivers from trying to pass anyway which really endangers the cyclist. And Axton to the east, well it’s one of, if not the busiest road in Ferndale and there are no bike lanes nor paved shoulders, and the gravel shoulders have an unsafe and rutted transition so a cyclist can’t just move over to shoulder as cars approach. Smith Rd. Is also an east west connector, even though it comes into town from the South via Labounty. As a county road, Smith, like Axton, is a busy but wide easy to ride road, but on both roads when you hit Ferndale city limits the shoulder just disappears and you are on your own.
Ferndale traveling North/South – Traveling north/south isn’t as bad as east/west mainly because most of the vehicle traffic volume is going east/west not north/south. Into town from the south there is the Smith/LaBounty route which is mostly good on Smith (see above) and ok, no shoulders on Labounty. if you are going to eventually want to be in town or perhaps Hovander area, Smith to Hovander road is also good. Hovander has no shoulders, just nice soft lily pads for the most part. Also from the south is Ferndale Road, which would be a good route even with no shoulders, except it crosses Slater and anything around Slater gets my spidey sense tingling. I think it’s about time that a light was put in at Slater/Ferndale road intersection. Not just for bikes, but also to slow down casino traffic and offer a safe way for traffic to turn left, any left. Going out of town north, you have Vista and Portal. Vista is nice and wide out to city limits and then boom no shoulder. Fortunately most of the worst traffic is behind you at that point. Same with Portal.

industry_corpus2: Transportation


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Hi all! Today I made this pvc swimwear for teen and Y/A female sims.
Don't re-upload to other sites.

industry_corpus2: Gaming


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TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar edged higher against its U.S. counterpart on Monday after sharp gains the previous week, as oil rose and domestic attention shifted to an interest rate decision by the Bank of Canada.
The loonie advanced 1.8 percent last week, its biggest gain in eight months, helped by stronger-than-expected domestic data and an agreement by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut output.
Oil, one of Canada’s major exports, extended its gains since the production cut deal was struck. U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 0.87 percent at $52.13 a barrel.
The U.S. dollar .DXY weakened against a basket of major currencies as bets that a snap election in Italy would not be triggered supported the euro.
The Bank of Canada is widely expected to hold interest rates at 0.50 percent on Wednesday, but investors will look to the policy statement for any mention of what impact the U.S. election of Donald Trump could have on the Canadian and U.S. economies.
At 9:34 a.m. EST (1434 GMT), the Canadian dollar CAD=D4 was trading at C$1.3273 to the greenback, or 75.34 U.S. cents, slightly stronger than Friday’s close of C$1.3283, or 75.28 U.S. cents.
The currency’s weakest level of the session was C$1.3356, while its strongest was C$1.3269. On Friday, it touched its strongest since Oct. 21 at C$1.3254.
Speculators increased bearish bets on the Canadian dollar, according to Commodity Futures Trading Commission data on Friday. Net short Canadian dollar positions rose to 18,576 contracts in the week ended Nov. 29 from 17,462 in the prior week.
The Liberal government’s new mortgage rules are likely to sober up Canada’s housing market over the coming year, a Reuters poll showed, but record-low borrowing costs should bolster demand.
Canadian government bond prices were lower across a steeper yield curve, with the two-year CA2YT=RR down 3.5 Canadian cents to yield 0.752 percent and the benchmark 10-year CA10YT=RR falling 36 Canadian cents to yield 1.66 percent.
On Thursday, the 10-year yield touched its highest in more than one year at 1.712 percent.

industry_corpus2: Finance & Economics


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U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Russell Tim Shen and two others pleaded guilty to their roles in a marijuana distribution conspiracy on Monday. 69-year-old Shen and 39-year-old Andre Jorge Hernandez admitted to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. While 50-year-old Ernesto Esteve pleaded guilty to one count of misprision of a felony.
According to plea documents filed in the case, in December 2013, Esteve and Hernandez traveled from Florida to Colorado, where Esteve purchased thousands of dollars’ worth of supplies and equipment used to grow and cultivate marijuana plants. In February 2014, Esteve’s credit card was used to purchase additional materials used for the growth and cultivation of marijuana plants.
On March 14, 2014, Esteve paid for one-way flights from Miami, Florida, to Denver, Colorado, for Shen, who was an officer with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection stationed in Miami, Florida and Hernandez. Shen and Hernandez landed in Denver shortly after midnight on March 15, 2014, and proceeded to rent a car there, which was due in Miami, Florida, on March 17, 2014.
A Childress, Texas police officer pulled over Shen's rental car for following too closely on March 15, 2014. During the stop, Shen identified himself to the police officer as a federal law enforcement officer. The passenger in the vehicle was identified as Hernandez.
Based on suspicious behavior, the Childress police officer asked for consent to search the vehicle. Shen refused to provide consent. So the police officer deployed his canine, who was already on the scene, to conduct a free-air sniff of the car. The police officer then informed Shen and Hernandez that he was going to search the car based on the canine’s alert. During the search, police found approximately 71 gross pounds of suspected marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle.
Shen and Hernandez face a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Esteve faces a statutory maximum of 3 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing for all three defendants is scheduled for October 23, 2017.

industry_corpus2: Law & Justice


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Mad River is your ticket to exploring the wild and scenic Snake River. Whether you bring your family or come with friends, we can assure you, Snake River rafting will be the highlight of your trip to Jackson Hole. Come in early spring and experience an adrenaline rush in the peak flows of the river, come in midsummer and enjoy the refreshingly cool waters on a hot summer day or come in the fall and see the Snake River Canyon come alive in the reds, oranges and yellows of season.
Our professional and experienced river trip guides will navigate you through the twists and turns of the Snake River Canyon while pointing out the flora, fauna, geology and history that make this area unique. You can choose a scenic float and enjoy the upper section of the Snake River as it flows south along braided river channels, or you can choose a whitewater trip and shoot the rapids in the Snake River Canyon. Our friendly office and guide staff are happy to help make trip suggestions, or you can browse all our departures and book online at your convenience. We also have special packages when working with large groups. We look forward to seeing you here!

industry_corpus2: Travel & Geography


text: Sindicato Natural Cigars boast a beautifully blend of 100% aged Nicaraguan tobaccos from the country’s most fertile growing regions. The recipe includes a Corojo wrapper from Jalapa, a double leaf binder from Estelí, and long fillers tobaccos from both regions. For my taste, nothing beats a good Nicaraguan puro and this one is a real gem! Once lit, I savored a medium body smoke with a heady in sweet-smelling aroma and mouthwatering flavors of cedar, sweet spice, toasted almonds, and dark roast coffee.

industry_corpus2: Agriculture & Fisheries


text: It has been almost 14 years since we started the VIP Soccer Program. Mark Linsky, who at the time was the Area 2J director, asked me if I was interested in starting a soccer program for children with special needs. Together, along with Donelle Woleslagle, Art Zimmermann, Jose Payne, and Van Nelson, we put a plan in place to get the league started. We had a vision that all children regardless of ability would have an opportunity to play soccer. We were able to fulfill this vision with the help of many volunteers. Certainly, there would be no program without the coach volunteers. They provide loving support to all of their players. There are three current coaches who were coaches back in 2003, our first season: Brian James, Lori Stafford, and Mark Stark. Now that is dedication! We also rely on youth volunteers who, as buddies to our players, have guided and watched over our players. They have truly enriched our program. Van Nelson has been recruiting and managing the youth volunteers for many years. Other volunteers include Cindy Furino and Lori Nelson, who do whatever needs to be done, including coordinating picture day to assigning buddies to teams. There are other people, who behind the scenes, have contributed to the program. Art Zimmermann was instrumental in securing funds so that we could operate the league. He also orders the supplies we need. Through the years, the people who make up the AYSO Area 2J board, who are also volunteers, have been very supportive. All of these people have worked together to make this league a reality. I also want to acknowledge the parents of our players. As a father of a child who has challenges and as a person who has worked with children with special needs through the schools, I have a great amount of empathy for parents with children with special needs. We all have hopes and dreams for our children, and my hope is that this program has provided parents with a sense of joy seeing their children play a sport. I commend the players for the inspiration they have provided to all of us. I like to acknowledge three current players, Rohan Sawhey, Robert Stark, and Jeffrey Zhang. They been with the program since the beginning. It is with a sense of accomplishment and sadness that this will be my last season with VIP Soccer. I have decided that after almost 14 years, it is time for new leadership. I feel that I have been truly blessed to have had the opportunity to be associated with so many wonderful people through this program.


text:
Learn how to proactively develop leaders and culture in times of rapid change.
The rise of Starbucks Coffee, one of the world's most iconic brands, involved astonishing growth and global success as well as internal and external challenges. This session features a riveting dialogue with the former president of Starbucks, which will motivate and equip you to proactively shape the culture and leadership of your team or company.
Introduction to the “6A process” for leading change.
The top three lessons of leadership from a life at Starbucks.
How high-performing cultures shift mindsets from reactive to proactive.
Two “vulnerable leadership” tips every leader needs in order to deal with failure.
Inspiration and clear advice to implement in your personal journey.

industry_corpus2: Subject Education


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Rainbow Painting Inc. is proud to provide residential and commercial exterior painting work to the whole Las Vegas Valley.
You'll be happy to know that no job is too big or too small for our family-owned and operated painting company. Your satisfaction is guaranteed because you deserve the best service in the area. Our owner works on-site at every job to ensure you get high-quality work.

industry_corpus2: Real Estate & Construction


text:
The Merrie England and London May Queen Festival began in 1913 and continues to the present day. I began photographing this and other May Queen festivals in London in 2005 and produced a preliminary book for the crowning of the 100th London May Queen which I photographed in 2012. There are around 20 May Queen groups or 'realms' in South London and its outskirts who take part in the May Queen festival, each with its own May Queen. Girls generally join the group when they are around five, and work their way through the various roles in the group to become their realm May Queen. They may then go on to join the London May Queen group where there are various character roles. If they keep in the organisation the most senior each year becomes London May Queen at the age of around 16 or 17.
This is a very small selection from a large body of work. More can be seen in my Blurb book 'London's May Queens' or on my web site 'My London Diary'.
The event carried on every year since it started, even during the war. In two of the years I photographed it, heavy rain disrupted the event but it still went on, using the village hall in one year and inside the parish church for part of the event when cloudburst interrupted the procession around the local area. Leading up to the main event there are a number of local events involving smaller numbers of the realms, which I have also photographed, along with a publicity and fund-raising fancy dress pub crawl by one group of parents. It is an interesting survival into the current age, and its continuance is very much down to some families who take part, with three generations of May Queens in some of them.
The May Queen realms take part in local events which often raise money for various charities, and they learn to perform and speak in public, as well as having fun. Some groups give maypole dancing exhibitions. The main annual event where the London May Queen is crowned is performed with various ceremonies, including a short religious event usually outside the local parish church, and these use words written in the early years of the event by its founder.


text:
What happened to all those biblical figures once the Bible was finished?We've all heard it said: "According to early church tradition Peter was crucified upside down," or "Paul went to Spain." Did Thomas found the Indian church? Or did Mary live in Ephesus? Were the twelve disciples all eventually martyred?
Where do these ancient traditions come from, and how historically reliable are they? What is meant by the term "early church tradition?" After Actsopens up the world of the Bible-right after it was written. Follow along with New Testament scholar, Dr. Bryan Litfin as he explores the facts, myths, legends, archaeology, and questions of what happened in those most early days of Christianity.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review!

industry_corpus2: Literature & Emotions


text:
The lightest forearm crutch in the world, 220grammes, created with a carbon fiber frame, which increases considerably the specific resistance in comparison to the standard aluminum crutches. With an exclusive curved and oval shape that allows a perfect regulation and anatomic adaptation, the continuous regulation of the handgrip and cuff improves the design, and avoids the annoying noises of the standard fixation systems. Also exclusive, is the ergonomic handgrip design which increases considerably the users comfort and avoids the known problems of the conventional crutches: - Keeps the natural position of the wrist, this suppresses the pain of the median an ulnar nerves. - Spreads the corporal pressure over the hand, avoiding the pain on the palm of the hand. - Improves the position of the thumb finger, decreasing or totally suppressing the hardness that appears due to a long-term use of crutches. Its tip of high friction coefficient rubber and Dupon, highly improves the safety of the user and decreases simultaneously the total weight. Buy now the best forearm crutches!
288 points will be rewarded to you when you buy this item.

industry_corpus2: Manufacturing


text:
FLYER Gran Turismo models are thoroughbred, sports-orientated Express Cruisers. The Gran Turismo concept draws on the world of luxury high-performance cars and achieves its full expression in the design of this all-new range, with its embodiment of the Italian lifestyle in an inspiring combination of glamour, luxury and ‘La dolce vita’.
The FLYER Gran Turismo range boasts twin high-performance, high-technology engines, and all the very latest BENETEAU innovations.

industry_corpus2: Automobiles


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Castel Meur, also known as The House Between the Rocks or La Maison de Plougrescant, was built in 1861. It’s nestled between two natural granite pillars on the English Channel coast in Brittany, France.
This amazingly creative weekend beach getaway near Melbourne, Australia was dreamed up by McBride Charles Ryan Architects. The Australian firm based their design on the Klein bottle, a mathematical conceptual shape with no discernible interior and exterior sides. The home’s black metal roof folds down in some places to change the shape of the home and form part of the exterior walls. The central courtyard and flexible living space make the occupants of this amazing house feel like they exist indoors and outdoors at the same time.
This is Robert Bruno’s steel house, a creation that he’s been working on for more than three decades. The architectural sculptor began building his home near Lubbock, Texas in the mid-1970s. Today, its impressive form – part 1950s Chevy, part airplane, part sci-fi spaceship – rises tall above the surrounding landscape to give those inside a spectacular view of the nearby lake. The interior is reminiscent of a huge steel cave, filled with curves where one would expect angles.
After a series of devastating hurricanes and tropical storms battered their home in the 1990s, Mark and Valerie Sigler decided that there must be a home design that would withstand the most severe Florida weather. Working with architect Jonathan Zimmerman, the Siglers brought their dome home to life. It’s a sturdy structure, but it also has its share of beauty and uniqueness. And if you’re ever in Pensacola Beach with $5600 a week to spare, the five-bedroom Dome of a Home is available for rent.
Although technically a block away from the beach and not right on it, these boat houses in Encinitas, California certainly embody the beach culture. Plus, the story behind how they got there is pretty interesting in itself. Entrepreneur and businessman Miles Minor Kellogg was ahead of his time in the 1910s and 1920s, building structures from recycled and reclaimed materials.
The Mushroom House in the Black’s Beach area of La Jolla, California is one of those landscape features that you just get used to if you live nearby, but if you’re seeing it for the first time it strikes you as incredibly strange. Designed by Dale Naegle in the 1960s, the house was built for Sam Bell of Bell’s Potato Chips. The unusual design of the house was meant to withstand earthquakes and inclement weather, all while looking futuristic…well, futuristic for 1968, anyway.
This spectacular piece of architecture recently sold for $14.4 million to an undisclosed buyer. The eco-friendly Orchid House, built on a lake in a privately-owned Cotswold (U.K.) nature reserve, is predicted to produce more energy than it uses.


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I was up from 5am with my team, finalising details of how the day would run from logistics to campaign messaging to tides and looking at the not-so-good weather reports. It was already bucketing down with rain, and it wasn’t expected to stop for the rest of the day.
Sky News was on board filming from 7am, interviewing my team and I about the day ahead and reflecting on everything so far.
I’m always amazed by how much goes on behind the scenes with campaigns like this, the actual swim is only a small cog in the turning wheels.
Later that morning, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Michael Gove, and his team came on board for talks. We had a very frank and constructive conversation.
I explained what I’m seeing in the oceans and what I think the UK needs to be doing, how our response to the crisis isn’t keeping up with the speed and scale of the problem.
That only 7 square km of our 750,000 square km of waters is fully protected is shocking. In the rest of our waters, we have shipping, oil and gas drilling, gunnery exercises, industrial fishing and aggregate removal. Scientists are clear that we need to be protecting at least 30% of our oceans by 2030 if they are going to be able to stand a chance of recovery and be sustainable.
I told him how during this swim, I’ve seen virtually no wildlife – aside from a few birds, a few dolphins and one turtle. It shows that our oceans have been very badly over-fished. I have also seen plastic on every beach I’ve visited from Cornwall to Kent. We have taken the fish out of the ocean and replaced them with plastic.
Mr Gove listened intently, and we discussed what his goals and plans were for marine policy.
We then moved onto discussing the protection of the high seas – areas of ocean that don’t belong to a single country. I told him how Costa Rica and Monaco are leading the way here, but that there is a vacuum in world leadership on ocean issues.
The UK has an opportunity to fill that void.
We are an island nation, proud of our maritime history. There is a strong groundswell of public will and support; we have overseas territories in the Atlantic, Pacific, Indian and Southern Oceans; we also have a strong Royal Navy and the scientific expertise to lead the world in ocean conservation.
An hour later, I dived into where I belonged and started my final swim.
There was a strong offshore wind, so the first half hour was a battle to get close enough to shore, before finally being able to swim only 25m from the fast approaching Shakespeare Beach.
As Dover Harbour wall came into sight, members of the public and camera crew started running alongside me across the pebbles, keeping pace with my strokes.
The wall was fast approaching - my adrenaline was building, I was swimming the fastest I had at any point of the swim. Even through the heavy rain, I could hear the whir of a helicopter far above me and the encouraging cheers of people on the beach.
The 30m high wall started to loom over me, I entered its shadow. It was nearly in reach.
And then, one last breath, one last stroke – I slammed my hand into it.
527km swum, 49 days. The full length of the English Channel.
I experienced what felt like every possible human emotion all at the same time – I was jubilant, I was exhausted, I was overwhelmed with pride for what we had achieved. I threw my arms up in the air and cheered with the crowds.
Walking up the beach moments later, I kissed my wife, not caring who was watching.
I was then met by Michael Gove and Sky News for the first interview after completing the long swim. We had a meaningful and robust discussion, with people pushing all round us, all while I was still in my Speedo swimming trunks. One of the things that I love about the UK, is that a Government minister is prepared to debate policy in the middle of a crowd on a rainy beach without any bodyguards or protection. That rarely happy anywhere else, and I respect that.
I had just enough energy left to deliver my message to the waiting news channels, telling them what I’d told Mr Gove earlier in the day.
I also said thank you – thank you to FXTM, our lead partner, and to our Official Partner Speedo.
Thank you to my team. Swimming is not a solo sport. Each and every person gave the expedition their all, battling sleepless nights, seasickness and no days off. I wouldn’t have made it without them. They were patient when I was stubborn. They were kind when I was difficult.
Thank you especially to my wife Antoinette for supporting me, when I most needed it. She was there for me during the storms off the Isle of Wight and Dungeness.
Finally, I wanted to thank every single member of the public for their support. You are the ones that made this campaign what it is. Every person who decided to stop using plastic straws or bags. Every person who now looks for sustainable fish. Every person who will now do a beach clean. Every person who spent a few extra moments considering the health of our oceans and changed their behaviour to help.
This is a campaign which is having real impact, things are beginning to change.


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Discussion in 'MacBook Pro' started by wedda, Aug 23, 2014.
Is there anyone out there who have used their MBP with the fans set to 100 % for a longer period of time?
I assume apple benchmarked them very hard and they would last even if they go at 100 % for a long period of time?
Or will it actually harm them and cause them to be damaged pretty easily?
Why would you have fans running at 100% all the time? There's no need to. Your Mac can manage fan speeds according to the demands on your system, without any user interference.
If you're not already doing so, use iStat Pro (free) or iStat Menus ($16) to get accurate readings of your temps, fan speeds, etc., rather than relying on your sense of touch or sound. A forum member has posted a copy of iStat Pro that has been "tweaked" to enhance compatibility with recent OS X versions. You can download it here.
The fans are ALWAYS running.
You may reduce the fan's life by running at full speed.
There may be alternatives to forcing the fans to high speed, such as a house fan, or a "cooling pad"
What do you mean by "long period of time"
10 hours or all day - until you sleep or shut off your Mac - probably excessive.
Leave your Mac on 24/7 and set your fans at full speed permanently - not a good idea.
You should also find out why your MacBook Pro runs so hot. The fans may just need cleaning, or the heatsinks can be clogged. Either are best cleaned by opening up your MBPro, and cleaning manually, usually just with air, or brushing carefully. If your MBPro is several years old, you can also consider redoing the heatsink thermal paste.
You'd have to imagine how not-so durable those fans are within the thin chassis. I would never leave them on for hours on, I'd let the OS do the heat management. Besides, you could even let more dust build inside your machine.
I run the fans at about 3500 constantly now, since my CPU runs at 70 degrees while being maxed.. When my GPU loads as well they run maybe at 4000-5500 so I dont' really need them going at full speed it seems.
I would imagine that anyone that plays games for long periods of time on their MacBook would be a good gauge.
I play simcity on my MacBook for some very lengthy sessions often stretching to 8-12 hours without stopping throughout the day as I go about doing the house stuff.
Obviously while the game is running it has a high CPU & GPU requirement so the fans are constantly on full. At first I was a little concerned about the wear & tear but I must have played for a total of something like 270 hours and not noticed any degradation in my fans yet. Plus all the other times the fans would have kicked into high while not gaming.
I just went into the apple store yesterday regarding image retention and they traditionally ran the full hardware tests and the fans came back as completely functional. So again so far so good. So I'm glad I didn't constantly go the route of being paranoid about using the laptop for long times with fan on full.
I know they are mechanical so they will eventually fail but I would never force on my fans to full just because I wanted to. Just let the laptop manage and use it as you want to without thinking constantly about failures. If they happen they happen but at least you got to use your laptop the way you wanted too.
Dust build up is a completely different matter. Took the bottom off my rmbp a year after I got it and although it wasn't horrid like I've seen sometimes it was defiantly worth a clean.
Hopefully they gave it a quick blast out while they changed my screen yesterday.
I don't game, but I suspect if you run your fans at 100% all the time, you'll wear out the bearings in the fans. The fans were not designed to be run full blast all the time and I think that will out cause excessive wear and tear on that component.


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On Tuesday, Valeant announced that with the help of noted hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, it was launching a hostile cash and share bid for Allergan, maker of Botox.
The combination of Valeant Pharmaceuticals (TSX:VRX) and Allergan would be beneficial for Valeant shareholders, says Paradigm Capital analyst Alan Ridgeway.
On Tuesday, Valeant announced that with the help of noted hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, it was launching a hostile cash and share bid for Allergan, maker of Botox. Ackman’s Pershing Square Capital Management has scooped up nearly 10% of Allergan in recent weeks. Valeant said it would tender $48.30 in Cash and 0.83 shares of Valeant for each Allergan share.
Valeant said it expected to realize “at least” $2.7-billion in annual cost synergies, 80% of which would happen in the first six months following the deal. CEO Michael Pearson characterized the deal.
Ridgeway says the combination of Valeant and Allergan would “create a global specialty pharma powerhouse”. The Paradigm analyst says a deal would be “highly accretive” for Valeant and would likely lead to a re-rating of the stock, though he says he is sitting tight for the moment because the outcome of the potential deal is still very uncertain.
In a research update to clients this morning, Ridgeway maintained his “Buy” rating and $175.00 one-year target on Valeant. This target, he explains, is based on 20x his 2014 cash EPS estimate of $8.78.
Shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals on the TSX closed today down 1.6% to $133.27.

industry_corpus2: Biopharmaceuticals


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MORE than 100,000 jobs have been secured by the approval of a huge new factory, it has been claimed.
South Gloucestershire councillors have unanimously approved the expansion of the National Composites Centre at the Bristol and Bath Science Park in Emersons Green, after being told that the area could lose jobs to France if the scheme did not go ahead.
The centre develops the next generation of materials for industry and councillors were told the extension was crucial to the development of new aircraft wings and would affect thousands of other jobs in the wider area.
The council’s strategic sites delivery committee was told concerns about the impact of the new building on the landscape and a nearby farm were outweighed by the benefits to the public.
Planing consultant Matthew Halstead, who represented applicant Bristol University, said: “The National Composites Centre is a fantastic success. It’s a global leader in composite technology and has created over 340 high-skilled jobs.
“It is the largest composite centre outside China and is critical to the local and national economy.The new workshop is the next chapter. It will facilitate the Wings of Tomorrow programme developing the next generation of aircraft wing.
“Many, many jobs will be at risk if this doesn’t proceed in South Gloucestershire.
There were concerns about the impact on the listed Newlands Farm, which had been protected from the National Composites Centre by a green buffer, and on the landscape.
But a planning officer told councillors that was outweighed by the “kudos” of the development, which a report to the meeting said will secure more than 100,000 jobs.
The extension will be built on the car park, and a replacement car park will be created on area described as scrubland.
Proposing approval, Cllr Ian Boulton said the development would improve the look of the “scrubby” site. It was unanimously approved.
The extension will provide 4,823.5sq m – more than one acre – of workshop space and 1,334.5m2 of office space.
The Bristol and Bath Science Park is owned by South Glos Council and Bath University.

industry_corpus2: Aerospace


text: Eli Esterline was named American Family Insurance ALL-USA IndyStar Athlete of the week (Aug. 14-19) last week. Eli”te” has been on a tear since the beginning of the season leading the Raiders in scoring with 9 goals and 2 hat tricks. The Raiders are currently 4-0 and have been guided by Esterline’s leadership over the season.


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have it, and I'll ask for help at that time.
for six weeks (three, then one renewal for 3 weeks).
> a print copy of the book.
> to be put in manually.
> not wait for days.
> things before I get it from those.
> > in limited numbers.
> > had very limited time.
> > for sighted help every now and then.

industry_corpus2: Others


text:
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For a luxury bathroom this can use up to 5 weeks as you may require to wait for items like a custom made vanity and other components as well as the additional time needed in conducting the work.
# 1 – Selecting a quote purely on cost. This is an issue as low-cost quote often suggests a poor quality bathroom and potentially more on-going bills as the cost didn’t consist of items that higher quotes did.
# 3 – The big one is letting your tiler carry out the full renovation consisting of the pipes and electrical. This occurs routinely and you should know that it is prohibited for any trade to perform plumbing and electrical work without the correct certifications and professionals license.


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The shoreline routinely spurs frame fashioners, who make everything from sun-obliging cotton tank, complete to swimming outfits with the sand formally inside. Have a tendency that you're at the shoreline, despite when you're landlocked, by taking a gander at these Hollister headway codes.


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We’re keeping the bar crawl train going and this time, Meet People Chicago brings you "The Division Street Bar Crawl". Hop on board as we hit the best bars on one street in all of Chicago! The row of bars we will be hitting are on the booming borders between Ukrainian Village and Wicker Park. And if you didn’t know, this region was recently named “America’s Hottest Neighborhood”. That’s right, #1. Find out why on November 11 starting at 4 PM and ending…who knows when as we hit the 6 best bars on Division St.
ATTENTION: Prices will go up as demand goes up.
HUNDREDS crawling right alongside you!
6 of the Best Bars on Division St. in 5+ Hours!
Tear up Division St. with us, your friends and a ton of fun lovin' others! At the last bar, we’re free to hang out all night or if you’ve had a little too much fun (I might be guilty!) you can scoot on outta there. And as usual, our members get some fantastic specials on drinks. So that’s 6 bars in 5+ hours of great drinks, great people and great times. Sounds good to me! Down to hang out?
Perfect! Get your ticket now!


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Description: 21km/2days; Day 1, 14 km. Day 2, 7 km; average; loop trails from same base; on a farm; one hut at base, three rooms, 42 beds; 4 persons min/ 42 persons max.
Comments: Historic place, birds, abseiling (bring own equipment) horse riding, 4x4 trail, mountain biking, wildlife. Regret no dogs.
Description: Ama Poot-Poot is situated on a private game farm in the Uitvlugt area between Belfast and Dullstroom 2 hours from JHB/PTA. Two one day circular trails: Reedbuck (13 km) and Trout trail (6 km). Spectacular kloofs, kranses, small gorges, cascades and waterfall. A large variety of game to be seen. Trails through grasslands, in ravines with indigenous forest, lots of rock pools and mountain streams. BASE CAMP: The Groot Poot Camp - a big, well maintained farm house for 24 hikers, 2 open plan bed rooms (12 beds each) Lounge with a cosy fire-place for cool Dullstroom winter nights. Ablutions: 2 separate bath rooms: hot and cold showers etc. Big kitchen with cooking utensils, 3 x 2 plate gas burners, fridge and wash up area. Mountain bike trails - bring own. Excellent bird watching, game viewing and star gazing!!
Comments: In mountains with lovely views, ravines, cross rivers, mountain streams, wandering to a 10m high waterfall, views, rock pools, interesting rock formations and trout dams. Game viewing and trout fishing. Undercover parking available.
Description: 9km/1day; easy; circular; in nature reserve; accommodation in Lydenburg.
Description: Choose from five trail options. Ammo Trail, loop to same base, 15.8 km; River Trail, day walk, 5 km; day walk; Kranz Trail, day walk, 5 km; Leopard Loop, day walk, 4 km; Kloof Trail, day walk, 1.2 km. Base camp, 24 persons. Leopard cave, sand floor, 8 persons. Hadeda's Nest self catering rondawel for four persons nearby.
Description: Bermanzi is situated in the Skurweberg mountains and Komati Valley, 2 hours from JHB/PTA. Second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga - the Uitkoms Waterall, on this farm!! 3 X BEAUTIFUL Day circular trails: 4 km, 6 km and 12 km. Trails in kloof, along river with rapids and crystal clear rock pools taking hikers to the Uitkoms waterfall. Indigenous forest and panoramic views. A must seen. Excellent bird life, more than 120 indigenous tree species are tagged and listed. Some natural Small game to be seen. BERMANZI BASE CAMP: 2 x Kranz chalets: Vakashani (20 Beds) Phumalani (15 beds) on a cliff. Stunning views. Excellent facilities, electricity, fridges, 2 plate stoves and all basic cooking utensils. Cosy braai areas and open air bomas. Excellent star gazing at night! NEW "STABLE" CAMP: For 30 hikers: With own kitchen, electricity, cooking utensils, coal stove, fridge etc. under cover braai area, ablution block, bath room, open braai boma with stunning views, etc.
Comments: Night one: The Stables at Bermanzi provides accommodation for up to 40 people. The original farm stables have been renovated to provide comfortable backpackers accommodation in rooms with bunk beds and a loft with views over the escarpment. There is a boma with with braai facilities, electric stove, hotplate, refrigerator, pots and mattresses. The ablution facilities have hot and cold showers and flush toilets. Night two: God's Window Camp at Five Assegais is electrified, there are 3 charming double story wooden pagodas, not tree houses but rock houses, built into the extraordinary sandstone rock canyons that are a feature of this estate, with bunk beds each sleeping 8 for a maximum of 24. Each hut is equipped with a fridge, stove and braai plus kitchen utensils and a sink. The camp has 4 open air hot showers incorporated into the rocks as well as 3 toilets that look over the whole of the Komati valley down to Badplaas as well a ladies only toilets and shower block and a spectacular natural boma with a fire place and seating to create a spectacular and comfy bush camp. The hiking Trail has Green Flag Status.
Description: Various loop trails (back to base), 12, 6 and 4 km. Routes may be combined. The trail has Green Flag Status. Breathtaking mountain valleys with indigenous forests and rock pools that can be explored on hiking trails varying in distance between 4 km and 12 km. The trails are rich in cultural and historical sites like genuine Bushman rock art paintings, Pedi and Swazi Kraals as well as sites of the Anglo Boer War. There is plenty of time to cool off in the refreshing waters of one of the many rock pools. It is breathtaking to take in the magnificent sight of the Bankspruit Waterfall which is the second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga.
Comments: The Stables provides accommodation for up to 40 people. The original farm stables have been renovated to provide comfortable backpackers accommodation in rooms with bunk beds and a loft with views over the escarpment. There is a boma with with braai facilities, electric stove, hotplate, refrigerator, pots and mattresses. The ablution facilities have hot and cold showers and flush toilets. The trail has Green Flag status.
Description: Five Assegais Trails offers two spectacular new day trails in the Skurweberg mountains, 2.5 hours from JHB/PTA. GOD'S WINDOW BASE CAMP: 2 x double storey wooden pagodo's, (rock houses), built into the extraordinary canyons, with bunk beds and mattresses, each sleeping 6-10 ( max of 20 hikers.) Braai facilities, Cooking and kitchen utensils. It is electrified and equipped with hot showers and loo's with a view. Ladies bath room!! Five Assegais All Day trail: 13.5 km. Medium to difficult, through a variety of eco biomes (Highveld and middele veldt), down into the Bankspruit gorge with crystal rock pools and the second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga: the Bride's Leap. Hells Bells Half Day trail: (+-8km): Less strenuous but a spectacular and intimate walk, down Hells Kloof, through a magic old forest of yellow wood and huge stink hout and tree ferns. Past smaller waterfalls and panoramic views on Swaziland. A lot of game species to be seen!
Comments: Night one: The God's Window Camp is electrified, there are 3 charming double story wooden pagodas, not tree houses but rock houses, built into the extraordinary sandstone rock canyons that are a feature of this estate, with bunk beds each sleeping 8 for a maximum of 24. Each hut is equipped with a fridge, stove and braai plus kitchen utensils and a sink. The camp has 4 open air hot showers incorporated into the rocks as well as 3 toilets that look over the whole of the Komati valley down to Badplaas as well a ladies only toilets and shower block and a spectacular natural boma with a fire place and seating to create a spectacular and comfy bush camp. Night two is spent at The Stables at Bermanzi providing accommodation for up to 40 people. The original farm stables have been renovated to provide comfortable backpackers accommodation in rooms with bunk beds and a loft with views over the escarpment. There is a boma with with braai facilities, electric stove, hotplate, refrigerator, pots and mattresses. The ablution facilities have hot and cold showers and flush toilets. The hiking trail has Green Flag status.
Description: 12km, Day loop, moderate. This beautifully laid out path takes you over the Skurwerand, a spectacular landscape of wind and water eroded ancient sandstone, filled with yellow wood trees and aloe gardens with views over the Komati valley all the way to Swaziland. The trial then plunges into the Bankspruit gorge taking you past crystal pools and rapids through a pristine gorge forest to the foot of the second highest waterfall in Mpumalanga, then out of the gorge and across old veld pastures filled with game back to the hiking camp situated on the very edge of the escarpment.
Comments: The God's Window Camp is electrified, there are 3 charming double story wooden pagodas, not tree houses but rock houses, built into the extraordinary sandstone rock canyons that are a feature of this estate, with bunk beds each sleeping 8 for a maximum of 24. Each hut is equipped with a fridge, stove and braai plus kitchen utensils and a sink. The camp has 4 open air hot showers incorporated into the rocks as well as 3 toilets that look over the whole of the Komati valley down to Badplaas as well a ladies only toilets and shower block and a spectacular natural boma with a fire place and seating to create a spectacular and comfy bush camp. The trail has Green Flag status.
Description: 5km trail takes you down the infamous `Hells Kloof Pass'. The trail meanders from the camp down into one of the largest yellow wood forests in the gorge, with a spectacular swing bridge in front of the waterfall and down past rapids and pools where the Louries cry and the orchids bloom, through secret places untouched by man, returning through this unspoiled forest of mosses and ferns back to the camp.
Comments: The God's Window Camp is electrified, there are 3 charming double story wooden pagodas, not tree houses but rock houses, built into the extraordinary sandstone rock canyons that are a feature of this estate, with bunk beds each sleeping 8 for a maximum of 24. Each hut is equipped with a fridge, stove and braai plus kitchen utensils and a sink. The camp has 4 open air hot showers incorporated into the rocks as well as 3 toilets that look over the whole of the Komati valley down to Badplaas as well a ladies only toilets and shower block and a spectacular natural boma with a fire place and seating to create a spectacular and comfy bush camp. The hiking Trail has Green Flag Status.
Location: The Five Assegais Estate is situated between Machadodorp and Badplaas in Mpumalanga.
Description: The Candlewood Loop goes in an anti clockwise direction from either camp both sections are about 10km with steep climbs and falls. Excellent hike for the more experienced hiker! Stunning views and lots of opportunities to swim in rock pools. CANDLEWOOD CAMP: This is the most recent addition to the estate. It is built on the most spectacular site with views over the Bankspruit gorge and the dramatic waterfall that falls 275 feet. This `green' camp is not electrified and a donkey geyser supplies hot water. Accommodates 20 persons in two romantic corrugated iron construction style dormitories from the days of the gold rush with a well-equipped kitchen with an internal braai as NO exterior fires are allowed during the wintertime to prevent fires in this pristine grassland.
Description: This trail can start at either camp: (God's Window or Pongola Express) and is a clockwise hike that traverses the edge of the Skurwerand before plunging down the valley through the `Cathedral' and along the river and past the Mac Falls amongst many others. The God's Window to Pongola trail (recommended day 1) is a long, moderate walk 10km. The Pongola to God's�Window section (day 2) is a shorter, steep and stunning 6km. GOD'S WINDOW BASE CAMP: 2 x Double storey wooden pagoda's, but rock and wooden houses, built into the extraordinary canyons, with bunk beds and mattresses, 8-10pers.(max of 20 hikers.) Communal equipped kitchen dining area, braai facilities indoors and outdoors and kitchen utensils. Electrified and equipped with hot showers and "loo's with a view". Ladies bath room!! Safe parking at the camp.
Description: Daywalks. Base- and bush bungalows, sleeps 30.
Description: The trail opened in 2010 when the three estates, Wathaba, Five Assegais Country Estate and Bermanzi collaborated to create the first 5-day trail on private land in South Africa. The Num-num explores some of the mos amazing landscapes in the world. The circular trail is 38.9 kilometers in length, with daily hikes of between 7 and 9 km between camps that cater for a maximum of 20 hikers.The Trail starts at the pongola Express. DAY 1 `Die Bergbas roete: 7.4 km: Takes one up 400 meters in easy stages from the Schoonspruit valley past timeless old kraals with stunning panoramas DAY 2 `The Bladdernut Track: 9.4 km: Traverses the Skurwerand then plunges into the Bankspruit gorge DAY 3 `The Milkplum path: 6 km. Easy walk. DAY 4 The Pom-Pon Way: 7.2 km. Skirts the edge of the escarpment before plunging down an indigenous forest valley into the Schoonspruit Valley DAY 5 `Die Koko Boom Pad: 8.9 km: Follows the Schoonspruit past stunning waterfalls and cascades to the Mac falls.
Description: The Pongola Express - Candlewood loop consits of two equal sections from either camp. Both sections are about 8km long and include some steep climbs, very dramatic with a wide variety of terrains. This Camp consists out of old train carriages, beautifully renovated and can accommodate up to 20 hikers. There is electricity, ablutions with hot water showers. Equipped kitchen, braai area, big social lapa and deck overlooking the valley. These historic 1934 SAR carriages were brought to this spot in the 60's as a weekend retreat. They have been renovated and now form the hub for the Num-num�and other hiking trails on the estate. This is the ideal start or end to any hike.
Description: trail rides varying between a few hours to a few days, or take part in cattle drives, cutting & roping, branding and other farm work. Rocky Ranch also offers pony camps over the school holidays for children 10 - 16 years old.
Comments: Rocky Ranch is a working cattle ranch situated on the escarpment of Mpumalanga. Our purpose is to establish an understanding of Western riding and to give guests the opportunity to experience the life and ways of the old-time cowboy.
Description: 18.3km/2 days; average to difficult; network; on a farm; overnight; 32 persons max. From a well drawn and very specific map, hikers can decide on their route, to suite each individual need. On the very edge of the Highveld escarpment, a trail network of more than 40 km awaits the hiker. These trails nestle deep in a picturesque valley and can be hiked all year round by hikers with different levels of experience - from families with junior hikers to the wilderness hiker. The trails are situated on Welgedacht, a dairy and trout farm with vast unspoilt wilderness areas. A unique feature of these trails are the ecological zones they span, namely river and wetland; grassland and foothills; indigenous mountain forest and kloof; and escarpment and highland. Two of the trails linking the valley to the highlands, cut through indigenous kloofs; some of the most unspoilt areas of indigenous forest in the Eastern Transvaal. Every trail has its unique focus such as flora, bird-life, archaeology and the magnificent vistas that hikers can enjoy from every vantage point. Overnight facilities: Oom Tos' house has 16 beds. Braai facilities with wood and grids. Potjie, pans and kettle. Ablution facilities - flush toilets and showers. Donkey fired geyser. Paraffin lamps. Two-plate cookers at each cottage. Under cover lapa for rainy days. Fern Kloof hut: 16 beds. Groups book max 16 persons. Big hearth with wood, pots, pans, kettle and braai grid. Stream water. Cold shower and flush toilet.
Comments: Bring own containers, buy fresh milk from dairy during milking times. Frozen Trout products can be ordered in advance. Trail badges are available. Oom Tos' house to be upgraded for smaller self catering groups.
Description: 14 or 17km/1 or 2 days; difficult; guided; circular; on a farm; hut at base for 42 persons max; basic overnight hut on trail for 12-14 persons.
Description: 23km/2day; moderate; overnight hiking trail, one way; steam train back to start; huts; 36 persons max.
Description: 21km/2days; moderate; circular; huts and camp sites; 32 persons max.
Description: Rock climbing and abseiling guiding and instruction. Our guides are registered with the Mountaineering & Development Training Trust (M.D.T.) as well as the South African Mountain Guiding Association (SAMGA).


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Be assured, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is definitely better than the first. That being said, this is not a major accomplishment since the first movie was a major slog to get through. With a color palette that ranged from day-glo to rainbow-tastic and rubber-band-shaped characters with malleable, indistinct personalities to match, it was a forgettable movie where scientist Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) was forced to sabotage his own invention-gone-wild after it starts creating gigantic food-based weather issues for his island town, Swallow Falls. Overlong and predictable, it was a dull affair even for pint-sized animated film fans. In this respect, Cloudy 2 is a success; the kids at the screening I attended (including my own) were engaged throughout, as were a good number of the adults.
Whether it's Fox News or MSNBC, if you watch cable news, you've seen Robert Reich before. The 4'10" economics expert is a frequent guest pundit on political talk shows. Currently a Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and famed for his tenure as Bill Clinton's labor secretary, Reich also comes across as a bit of a showman in Inequality for All. This is not entirely a bad thing as the new documentary demonstrates. Sometimes it takes someone with a sense of the theatrical to explain our fractured economy in a way the layman can understand.
Opening today in Atlanta (at AMC Phipps Plaza 14 and AMC Barrett Commons), The Short Game is a documentary about child golf champions. Of interest to more than sports fans, Josh Greenbaum's film presents us with close to ten kids from all around the world who in many cases seem better equipped to handle the pressure of competition than their parents or even, maybe, you. The first half is spent getting to know each golfer, their "daddy caddies" (the parent who helps them set up for the next shot), and their particular strengths and weaknesses. Most notable among the players: the surprisingly well adjusted Allan Kournikova, 7-year-old brother of, yes, that other famous Kournikova; 7-year-old Alexa Pano, reigning female world champion for her age who's even beat some 13-year-olds in competition; 8-year-old Amari Avery, a rising star with a bit of a temper when things don't go her way and nicknamed Tigress because her ethnic background is similar to that of Tiger Woods; 8-year-old Zama Nxasana, who's traveling all the way from South Africa for his next shot at bringing a trophy home; and 8-year-old Sky Sudberry, a diminutive Texan who never gets too caught up in the ups and downs of chasing down her dreams.
Few of us who have children could imagine how we would react if they had been kidnapped. Would we crumble under the emotional pressure, or would we keep enough of our wits about us to try to somehow deal with the situation? Denis Villeneuve's harrowing Prisoners presents us with a spectrum of parental reactions, ranging from that of an utterly broken mom spending most of her time weeping in bed to that of a bitter father charging through crime scenes at suspects who might not even have much to do with the disappearance at all.
Here's a tantalizing taste of the films playing in what I consider to be the most prestigious film festival in the U.S. Next month, I'll be doing my customary week of press screenings. Until then, enjoy a look at some of the amazing movies I plan on covering.