Monday, October 15, 2012

Real animal Tanned Otter Fur Pelt taxidermy rug hide part by boomer2563

This is a xlg. well tanned otter with damage.It has a small piece of skin missing on it's right side, and it has several small holes. This is still a good otter, and it would be good for your craft needs. Its size is 54" long and 14" wide. Check out photos.This pelt would also be great for native hair wraps. Sorry no sale to IL. Boomer


Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/112146001/real-animal-tanned-otter-fur-pelt

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Waits-Mast Included in Wine & Spirits 100 Best Wines of 2012 ...

Waits-Mast Included in Wine & Spirits 100 Best Wines of?2012 by valleyfog Wine & Spirits Best 100 Wines 2012

Wine & Spirits Best 100 Wines of 2012

When we saw our 2009 Waits-Mast, Deer Meadows Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley and our 2009 Waits-Mast, La Encantada Pinot Noir from Sta. Rita Hills featured in Wine & Spirits? April 2012 issue of 129 Best American Pinot Noirs, we were very excited and honored. With a 94 point rating for the Deer Meadows and a 91 point rating for the La Encantada, it was great to be featured amongst other leading Pinot Noir? from California and Oregon.

But when we found out that the 2009 Waits-Mast from Deer Meadows Vineyard was going to be included in Wine & Spirits? 100 Best Wines of 2012 in their 26th Annual Buying Guide (on newsstands this week), we were downright dumbfounded. Not because the wine isn?t a very special wine ? it is a complex, layered and nuanced wine that has brought some to tears ? but just because we?re this little micro-boutique winery making only 200 or 300 cases per year.

To be featured among 99 other amazing wines of all varietals from around the world, and among the eight Pinot Noir wines featured from California and Oregon, is thrilling, to say the least.

Well, enough about us, here?s what Wine & Spirits said about the wine: ?94 points?a rich red fruit flavor of tiny woodland berries, tart and fragrant. There?s a salty porcini note, a coastal forest feel, delicate and harmonious.?

The Deer Meadows, like many of our 2009s, has been very popular among our fans and retail and restaurant customers. We are starting to run low on inventory of this wine ? we only made 48 cases and have about 10 cases left.

Deer Meadows Vineyard, Anderson Valley

That scarcity will continue after the 2009 vintage, as we will not have any more Deer Meadows Pinot Noir available until we bottle our 2012 vintage, so acquire some of this special wine today by going to our webstore. If you?re not in a state we ship to, San Francisco Wine Trading Company carries it online and can ship to most states. You can also find the 2009 Deer Meadows at Robert?s Market in Woodside, Canyon Market in San Francisco, and at the following Northern California restaurants: Kokkari, Liberty Cafe, Cin-Cin Wine Bar & Restaurant, Boonville Hotel and MacCallum House.


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Source: http://valleyfog.wordpress.com/2012/10/13/waits-mast-included-in-wine-spirits-100-best-wines-of-2012/

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Softbank nears $20 billion deal for 70 percent of Sprint: sources

NEW YORK/TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese mobile operator Softbank Corp is near a $20 billion deal to acquire control of U.S. carrier Sprint Nextel Corp, sources familiar with the matter said, as the firm led by billionaire Masayoshi Son seeks a foothold in the U.S. market.

A deal, which the sources said could be announced as early as Monday, would be Japan's biggest overseas buy, and would also give Sprint ammunition to potentially acquire peers and build out its 4G network to compete better in a U.S. wireless market dominated by AT&T and Verizon.

Softbank shares tumbled more than 7 percent early on Monday, and have lost more than a fifth of their value since news first broke of the firm's interest in Sprint. Investors are concerned that Son, who has a reputation for taking risks, may be offering too much.

Under the deal taking shape, the sources said Softbank would buy some $12 billion worth of Sprint shares and spend another $8 billion on new Sprint securities. The Japanese firm would initially buy $3 billion of bonds convertible into Sprint stock at $5.25 a share, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. It would also buy $5 billion in stock directly from Sprint, and offer $7.30 a share for stock it buys in the public markets. Sprint closed on Friday at $5.73.

Sprint, led by CEO Dan Hesse, has net debt of about $15 billion, while Softbank has net debt of about $10 billion. Adding the $2 billion of net debt of eAccess Ltd, which Softbank recently agreed to buy, would raise "post-deal gearing levels to unacceptable heights", Societe Generale said in a client note on Friday.

"It's the same (market) reaction as when Softbank said it was going to buy Vodafone a few years ago. Everyone came out and said it was far too expensive," said Fumiyuki Nakanishi, general manager of investment and research at SMBC Friend Securities.

Softbank acquired Vodafone's Japan unit for $15.5 billion in a landmark deal in 2006 that propelled the firm into the mobile carrier business.

CLEAR FOR CLEARWIRE

Sprint confirmed on Thursday it was in talks with Softbank about an investment that could involve a change in control. If Softbank takes a 70 percent stake of Sprint for $20 billion, that would imply the No. 3 U.S. wireless company was worth about $28.6 billion, some two-thirds greater than its market capitalization at Friday's close.

On Friday, Standard & Poor's put its "BBB" long-term rating on Softbank on 'credit watch with negative implications', saying the deal "may undermine Softbank's financial risk profile" and would pressure its free operating cash flow for at least the next few years.

A tie-up between Sprint and Softbank could see the U.S. firm use some of the proceeds to buy the part of Clearwire Corp it doesn't already own, given that company's attractive spectrum assets, analysts and investors have said. Clearwire stock soared on Friday.

An alliance with Sprint could also give Softbank leverage when dealing with Apple Inc, helping bolster its domestic position against KDDI Corp, which also now offers the iPhone in Japan, and market leader NTT Docomo, which is yet to offer the Apple smartphone.

A Tokyo-based Softbank spokesman reiterated on Monday that the company was in talks about making an investment in Sprint, but no agreement had been reached. Sprint representatives were not immediately available to comment, and a Clearwire spokesman declined to comment. CNBC's David Faber reported the news earlier on Sunday.

Softbank is in talks with Japan's leading banks - Mizuho Financial Group Inc, Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group - to borrow up to $23 billion for a deal, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday.

The banks involved in the syndicated loan could provide a commitment letter as soon as this week, the sources said.

A deal for Sprint at around the levels mentioned by sources - and including a follow-on deal for MetroPCS - would lift the tally of outbound deals by Japanese firms to a record $80 billion this year, Thomson Reuters data shows, underscoring a strong appetite for overseas assets seemingly unaffected by signs of slowing global growth.

SECOND STEP

With Sprint in hand, Softbank may also look to acquire smaller U.S. carrier MetroPCS Communications, Japanese media have reported. Sprint has had a long interest in MetroPCS, which earlier this month agreed to merge with T-Mobile USA, part of Deutsche Telekom AG.

A takeover of Sprint would require approval from U.S. regulators, including the Justice Department and the Federal Communications Commission. Given the importance of telecommunications to U.S. national security, any deal would also likely warrant a review by the inter-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, according to one Washington-based attorney who advises on mergers and acquisitions

The attorney said that Japan's status as a close U.S. ally would help Softbank win approval for the deal.

($1 = 78.3550 Japanese yen)

(Additional reporting by Sophie Knight, James Topham and Andrea Shalal-Esa.; Editing by Gunna Dickson and Ian Geoghegan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/softbank-nears-20-billion-deal-70-percent-sprint-023105142--sector.html

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Sunday, October 14, 2012

One of Gizmodo's Apple-Hating Apple Fanboys Makes It Onto Saturday Night Live [Meta]

Last night, Saturday Night Live ran a little sketch pairing off some tech pundits with Foxconn workers over complaints about the iPhone 5, and we were lucky enough to be one of the tech-whiner targets. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/zDC5LP4wV94/one-of-gizmodos-apple+hating-apple-fanboys-makes-it-onto-saturday-night-live

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How To Keep Your Home Looking Fresh | Content for Reprint

Author: Greg James | Total views: 62 Comments: 0
Word Count: 1023 Date:

If you're a homeowner who is looking to make some repairs or improvement, the first step you need to take is with your overall education on the matter. This can be a good idea. First, you need to understand what is involved with home improvement. If you need to educate yourself further on home improvement, checking out the advice presented below is a great way to start.

Think about installing windows that are thermally sealed, as they are attractive and cheap. This home improvement project can be quite rewarding for those who choose to do it.

Upgrading appliances is a simple way to make home improvements that will also save you money on your utility bills. When your appliances are old and inefficient, new appliances will quickly pay for themselves with their newer, energy efficient technologies. It is also easy to install appliances, so this is a choice that is both effective and quick.

You should determine what any major project is going to cost prior to beginning it. Buying in bulk is a great way to save money in the long term. You should also make your orders ahead of time for items that may take longer to deliver. Your whole project can be delayed by not ordering them in advance.

Don't forget to consider the debris and refuse generated in most home improvement projects. You will need plenty of room and possibly a rented receptacle for the debris. Demolition makes a big mess that you have to put somewhere. Make sure you have figured out ahead of time where all the debris will be placed so that you do not end up with a big pile of stuff in your way while you are trying to work.

Are you searching for home improvement ideas that are cheap and will add style and value to the home? Form some rock walls to increase visual appeal. Larger rocks may be collected free of charge. Many websites will show you how you can form your own garden paths.

In order to save as much money as you possibly can on a home improvement job, you should compare the prices for home improvement materials at multiple stores before making a purchase. A variety of retailers offer lower prices than the competition, so seek them out.

Even if certain home improvement supplies look like a great deal, you should do some comparison shopping before you buy them. It can be expensive to install new flooring, and you should shop around for the best prices. There are many options available including discount supply stores.

Chandeliers might also be a nice touch. A sparkling chandelier is ideal for adding visual impact to your living area or formal dining area; many designs are available for only a few hundred dollars. If you also want your chandelier to provide bright lighting and really sparkle, load it up with 200 to 400 watts of light bulbs.

Are you wanting to save lots of money on your home renovation project? If so, then make sure you are comparing prices for materials at many different stores before you decide to purchase any. Some stores are simply much cheaper than others, and your savings can really add up over the course of your project.

Make sure you interview all the contractors you are considering so that you can learn some more information about them. Are they experienced with homes like yours? Make sure that you and your contractor agree on what needs to be done and how much it should cost. Carefully consider their qualifications for your project by looking at their portfolio of completed jobs.

Before starting a home improvement project that involves a bathroom or the kitchen, make sure that the water has been turned off. A lot of people overlook this important step and flood their homes and end up with a even higher bill to fix the flood!

Arrange for a professional home inspection if you are buying a home. By doing this, you do not have to look for everything that needs to be replaced or fixed. Besides, the seller will not be able to contest anything the inspector finds, and you will probably find out about things you had not noticed before.

If you are about to undertake major renovations to your bathroom, consider making it accessible to handicapped persons. It's not necessary to fit all of the specialized equipment right away, but you can make preparations that will be very useful if you stick with the same house as you grow older. When you go to sell your house, doing things things can help you command a much higher price.

Avoid paying cash to your contractor in the event that you have to stop the payment. In this way, you can avoid having unscrupulous contractors skip town with your down payment. Using a credit card works too because you will be able to dispute the charges.

Use a good primer for your wall before painting if it was painted first with a glossy or oil-based paint. This will stop paint peeling and flaking by helping the new paint stick on the walls. Priming is essential when you are painting over a dark color with a lighter one, because you will not need to apply so many coats.

Located above eye level and therefore out of mind, gutters, chimneys, and downspouts are often ignored during home improvement and maintenance projects. These are important aspects of the home and they need to be cleaned and maintained to be sure they are working properly. If you fail to clean your chimney, it could catch on fire.

Your home maintenance can be accomplished in a way that will maintain your home and its value by following the tips in this article. The more educated you make yourself on the subject, the better your home improvement work will be. These tips are a great place to start.

Looking for boiler installation london? Greg James finds this reliable boiler installations london.

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1: Jewish Baby Names And Their Meanings ? A Passion For Magnificence

The title of this article, ?Jewish Baby Names and Their Meanings ? A Passion for Magnificence? was inspired by King Solomon He led Israel to brilliance and had a passion for magnificence

2: Gifts vs. Cash -- Wedding Etiquette Q&A

Q: My daughter is getting married in October 2008. Her and her fiance have everything they need for their home. Is it okay to ask for money instead of a gift? If it is okay, how do we word this? st

3: How To Buy High Quality Furniture At Estate Sales

Estate sales and auctions are an excellent place to pick up gently used or even antique furniture at prices considerably less than retail. While it might take patience, it is possible to find reasonable prices on excellent pieces that will last for generations -- saving you money in the long run.

4: Best Ways To Find People Free Online

With about 50% of the world population able to access the internet, there is now a much better chance to find someone free online This is especially true if the person you are trying to locate lives in a country where internet usage is high

5: The Tell Tale Signs Of Pregnancy

Lean what signs to look out for that could mean a baby is on the way.

Source: http://www.content4reprint.com/family/how-to-keep-your-home-looking-fresh.htm

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Ex-Oklahoma State basketball player leaves jail

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) ? Ex-Oklahoma State basketball player Darrell Williams avoided more time behind bars Friday when a judge gave him a suspended sentence in a sexual assault case in which Williams insisted he was innocent.

Two women accused the 23-year-old of groping them and reaching inside their pants without their consent at a party in December 2010. Williams' attorneys have insisted it was a case of misidentification, and his conviction rested mainly on the testimony of the women, who identified Williams as their attacker after police showed them a photo of the Cowboys basketball team.

Williams faced up to two years in prison after a jury convicted him in July on counts of rape by instrumentation and sexual battery. However, he continued to insist he was innocent and had requested a new trial based on what his attorneys said was new evidence.

Payne County District Judge Phillip Corley denied Williams' request for a new trial but gave him a sentence that allowed him to avoid prison time. Williams received two one-year sentences to be served at the same time. Both were suspended.

Corley also ordered Williams to register as a sex offender.

Defense attorney Cheryl Ramsey said she was "very upset" by the sentence and would appeal. Ramsey said she wants a new trial so Williams can have the opportunity to be found not guilty and have his name cleared.

"We thought that we had proven that the new trial motion should be granted," she said.

Ramsey said she wouldn't let Williams speak with reporters because of the pending appeal.

When asked for a comment before Friday's sentencing, Williams said, "I'm innocent. I didn't do it."

The Illinois native had been in the Payne County Jail since his conviction in July. He left the jail Friday in a car that pulled out of the garage and drove off without Williams speaking to anyone.

While he was in jail awaiting sentencing, several websites and Facebook pages popped up in support of him, along with an online petition urging the judge to suspend his sentence. His family insists Williams, who is black, is innocent ? the victim of misidentification by white women at the party and of racial profiling by a jury of 11 whites and one Asian who were picked from a largely white jury pool.

Supporters packed the courtroom for Williams' sentencing, some wearing black T-shirts that said "Free Darrell 25." Williams' uniform number was 25. On the back, the shirts said, "Innocent, locked up! for 86 days, I am innocent!!!"

Security was tight, with nine uniformed deputies. Williams' mother was there but didn't speak to the media.

Friend Brandi Robertson gathered with other supporters outside the courthouse, awaiting Williams' release.

"Yes, he's out and he's free and that's great, but he has to register as a sex offender," she said. "So my heart is broken for him. He's a good person and was done wrong and I'm very upset about it."

Ramsey tried during the trial to cast doubt on prosecutors' case by describing it as a "he said, she said situation." She noted neither woman suffered cuts or scratches or had torn clothing. Defense attorneys also claim Williams passed two lie-detector tests conducted by a State Bureau of Investigation examiner that were not admitted into evidence.

Meanwhile, one of Williams' accusers criticized people who believe race played a role in Williams' conviction or that she and the other victim had something to gain by coming forward.

"That's ignorance for people to say this is a race thing," she said in an interview with The Associated Press in August. "It's not about race; it's about rape. He raped two girls."

The AP typically does not identify victims of sexual assault.

Assistant District Attorney Jill Ochs-Tontz said although prosecutors wanted jail time for Williams, they are "thrilled" that he will forced to register as a sex offender and that he's a convicted felon.

"I hope that sexual assault victims across the state will see and know that no one is above the law," she said. "I honestly feel that Darrell Williams feels that he is above the law."

Ochs-Tontz said the victims did not want to comment on Friday's sentencing and that they want to put the incident behind them.

Coach Travis Ford suspended Williams from the team in February 2011 but testified at Williams' trial that he believed he was innocent. Before his suspension, Williams led the team in rebounding and averaged 7.1 points per game.

Ford and several of Williams' former teammates attended the sentencing hearing. None spoke to reporters, and Ford didn't immediately return a message seeking comment.

There were as many as 80 people at the 2010 house party, including some of Williams' teammates ? all of whom wore matching Oklahoma State warm-up suits. The two women heard about the party at a bar and showed up.

The women did not identify Williams as their attacker until three days after the party, when they were shown a photo of the basketball team by Stillwater police. Before that, the women wrote an anonymous letter to police and some media outlets to report what happened.

At trial, one woman said Williams held her against her will and dragged her in a yard. She said the attack happened in the basement of the house and that no one came to her aid.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/ex-oklahoma-state-basketball-player-leaves-jail-175122891--spt.html

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Turkish PM slams UN Security Council over Syria

ISTANBUL (AP) ? Turkey's prime minister sharply criticized the U.N. Security Council on Saturday for its failure to agree on decisive steps to end the 19-month civil war in Syria.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan told an international conference in Istanbul that the world was witnessing a "humanitarian tragedy" in Syria.

"If we wait for one or two of the permanent members ... then the future of Syria will be in danger," said Erdogan, according to an official translator.

Russia and China ? two of the five permanent members of the Security Council ? have vetoed resolutions that sought to put concerted pressure on Damascus to end the conflict and agree to a political transition.

Erdogan called for a reform of the Security Council, which he called an "unequal, unfair system" that didn't represent the will of most countries.

He spoke as Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was meeting with Arab and European leaders amid growing tensions between Turkey and its southern neighbor Syria.

Davutoglu held talks early Saturday with Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and was due to meet later with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and the U.N.'s envoy on Syria Lakhdar Brahimi.

On Wednesday, Turkey intercepted a Syrian passenger plane en route from Moscow to Damascus and seized what it said was military equipment on board.

Syria denounced the move as air piracy, while Russia said the cargo was radar parts that complied with international law.

Syria's state-run news agency reported Saturday that Damascus supported a proposal by Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to find a "mechanism of direct security communication between Syria and Turkey."

SANA reported that Syrian government officials and Russia's ambassador in Damascus discussed ways to establish a joint Syrian-Turkish security committee that would "control the security situation on both sides of the border in the framework of respecting the national sovereignty of the two countries."

Turkey has made no comment on the proposal, and it is unclear whether Moscow has presented it to the Turkish government yet.

____

Barbara Surk in Beirut contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/turkish-pm-slams-un-security-council-over-syria-111003116.html

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EDGEWATER Real Estate | TRITON WOODS Homes For Sale October

by starfish on October 13, 2012

Find TRITON WOODS Homes For Sale and TRITON WOODS Home Values. We also have information on mortgages, insurance, movers and other EDGEWATER Real Estate Services for anyone looking to sell or buy a home in Maryland.

Showing properties 1 - 3 of 3. See more Triton Woods tract Homes For Sale.
(all data current as of 10/13/2012)

  1. 4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,960 sq ft

    Lot size: 15,087 sqft

  2. 4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,685 sq ft

    Lot size: 18,278 sqft

  3. 4 beds, 2 full, 1 part baths

    Home size: 2,783 sq ft

    Lot size: 15,694 sqft

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

Paul Kitchen and Starfish Team provide clients, family and close friends with professional, honest and dependable service. A resident of EDGEWATER, Paul is extremely familiar with the local neighborhoods including TRITON WOODS, school districts and the EDGEWATER Real Estate market in this beautiful Maryland town.

Paul Kitchen
Real Estate Consultant
Keller Williams Realty Consultants
3915 National Drive, Ste 100 Burtonsville, MD 20866
(301) 589-5051
(800) 793-7304 toll free
EDGEWATER Real Estate
EDGEWATER Real Estate Blog

Starfish Real Estate

Source: http://www.starfishteam.com/dc-md-va-blog/2012/10/13/edgewater-real-estate-triton-woods-homes-for-sale-october-2012/

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Saturday, October 13, 2012

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Fruit flies' eyes shrink a little to see

I spy, with my mechanical eye. It seems a simple mechanical change plays a role in sensory perception in fruit flies, and possibly in many other animals, including humans.

The eyes of the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) contain clusters of light-sensitive cells organised into rods. When light strikes one of these cells, it triggers a series of chemical reactions. These cause a protein called a transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channel to open. When it's open, the TRP allows charged particles to flow into the cell, causing the cell to send a signal to the fly's brain.

TRP channels play a part in sensory perception in many animals, from nematodes to humans. But nobody knew how the chemical signals make the TRP channel open.

Shrinking rods

"Everyone's been looking for years and years at the chemical messengers," says Roger Hardie of the University of Cambridge, UK. A mechanical trigger was never considered. "No one thought to look," he says.

With Kristian Franze, Hardie found that the chemical signals change the surface area of the cell's outer membrane by destroying some of its constituent molecules. When several cells shrink like this, the entire rod contracts by up to 400 nanometres, a margin big enough to be seen with a microscope. "The whole membrane shrinks," says Hardie. "It's like a little muscle twitching."

The membrane contractions happened just after the chemical signals were released, but before the TRP channels opened. That suggests the contractions at least contribute to the channels' opening, perhaps by deforming the TRP protein.

Taste for TRP

TRP channels are common in sensory systems. Humans have 28 different types of TRP: some allow us to taste, some to feel pain, and others are involved in regulating blood pressure. It's possible that similar mechanical changes might control their behaviour as well.

"I can't see why not," says Konstantin Nikolic at Imperial College London. "This is a big family of ion channels," he says. "Other cells with similar mechanisms in place should affect TRP channels in a similar way."

"We certainly can't rule it out," says Hardie. The processes across ion channels are similar, and the enzyme involved is widely distributed, he says.

Scientists recently speculated that a mechanical process controls signalling in the tiny nerve fibres of a type of wasp. Who said the universe isn't clockwork?

Journal reference: Science, DOI: 10.1126/science.122376

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Bauer Gets Why Tourist Love Tra Vigne, MORE - Week in Reviews ...

travigne001.jpgTra Vigne. [Photo: Flickr]
Michael Bauer pays a visit to Tra Vigne, "the quintessential Wine Country restaurant," and he gets why tourists like the place. Although some of the food is over-salted, Bauer's impressed they take advantage of "at least four kinds of tomatoes" in the caprese salad and most of the desserts are very good. The restaurant's major downfall is pushy servers who seem to prey on the tourist diners: "when servers see a new face, instead of reading the table, they devour it like fresh meat." Still, a great atmosphere and memorable dishes earn Tra Vigne 2 ? stars, overall. [Chron]

After receiving her copy of Vietnamese Home Cooking, SF Weekly's Anna Roth samples Charles Phan's casual dining joint Out the Door in Lower Pac Heights. Though she writes that prices "would only be 'casual' to a 1 percenter," the dishes delivered, including the best ban xeo she's every had, explain why Phan has "so many accolades." The kitchen generally "treats the meat with respect," save for the "disappointingly dry" lemongrass pork chop. Even so, Roth feels lucky she can come to Out The Door when she wants Phan's food without cooking it for herself. [SF Weekly]

Responding to the hype of the Hayes Valley Italian restaurant Rich Table, SFBG's Virginia Miller decides to weigh in on the "ever-changing menu." The pastas seem to be her favorites, especially the duck lasagna: "a glorious pasta dish with no equal in this town... or in any other." Other strong points include a cocktail menu, specifically the Big Night, "which looks like a healthy, green veggie drink, but is subtly smoky Del Maguey Vida mescal." With "well-rounded and satisfying" dishes, and warm and engaging staff, she concludes: "Rich Table is primed for greatness." [SFBG]

San Francisco magazine's Sara Deseran savors the delicious open-faced sandwich, known as sm?rrebr?d at the Mission's Bar Tartine. She commends the sandwich shop for its range of topping including, "everything from house-cured salmon to chopped broccoli with onion jam and chili." But she notes there are other items on the menu "worth worshipping," namely the smoked and fried potatoes served "in a bowl with a dollop of pickled ramp mayonnaise." She adds: "They're unforgettable." [San Fran Mag]

THE ELSEWHERE: EBX hits Oakland's "Kimchi Row" eating at Oriental BBQ Chicken Town, Kang Tong Degi, and Dan Sung Sa; The Merc finds elevated bar food at District in Oakland; Marin IJ pairs brews with dishes at Mill Valley Beerworks; and finally, Chron gives 31st Union in San Matteo 2 ? stars.
? Ashley Mason

Source: http://sf.eater.com/archives/2012/10/11/week_in_reviews_454.php

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Home-Based Business | Network Marketing: Real Life Marketing At ...

Hello Fellow Entrepreneurs/MLM'ers/Affiliates,

In this post, I'll offer you a link to a blog I just formed inside of an Internet Marketing Place of Learning, as it works on what's called "New Economy" reliable learning.

It's called the?Open Education Project where you don't have to be accepted to a major university to learn what's required.

http://goo.gl/mpH88

This link should take you to the project.? It is called Wealthy Affiliate...as a learning place for new and seasoned Internet Marketers scratching their heads..., but wanting to know what's absolutely involved in creating an effective marketing campaign.

This link will show you 3 steps involved in a great rock band marketing their first annual Caribbean Cruise, scheduled for March 2013.

http://goo.gl/mpH88

You should see 3 agreeable steps in this real campaign:

1)? A Facebook Page

Where rock band fans visit and share helpful tips involving cruise planning.

2)? The Official Rock Band Website

3)? The Official Cruise Website

Not listed by specific order.? These are the only things you need online to make a go of it..., but note all details on these pages.? See how everything fits together.

It doesn't matter what you move as long as your messages are consistent, and content varies from website to website a bit.? You don't want to website that look identical, according to Google.

Toasting Your Success Online,

Barbara Brinkmeyer, MBA

Source: http://bb-home-based-business.blogspot.com/2012/10/real-life-marketing-at-work-online.html

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Friday, October 12, 2012

Making Teams for Youth Leagues, Part 1 | Church Sports Outreach ...

At The Gathering a couple of weeks ago we had a discussion on making teams during our Rapid Fire Q & A time.? I think almost every sports minister struggles with this.? I know as a sports minister, I routinely hear complaints about the composition of the teams from parents.

As we went around the room and each sports minister described their process, we realized that almost everyone there tended to drift to one extreme or another.? The two extremes were:

1.? Equal Competition

2.? Relationships/Requests

There are strengths and weaknesses to both of these extremes.? If you focus exclusively on equal competition, you miss the opportunity to leverage relationships for ministry.? For example, if you have a believing family from your church who invites a non-believing neighbor to play on their soccer team?it would make sense to keep them together, right?? Unfortunately, if equal competition is the only criteria considered for making teams, then chances are they won?t end up on the same team.? Conversely, if you focus exclusively on relationships and requests, chances are your teams will have no competitive balance.? Under this system, parents could abuse the grace shown and use the system to ?stack? their teams.

So, what?s the right answer?? How should you compose your teams?? What principles should you keep in mind and what are the right questions to ask?

Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will address these questions.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to our RSS feed. Additionally, feel free to check out our Resources. Thanks for visiting!

Related posts:

  1. Could 3 on 3 Basketball Be the Best for Youth Players?
  2. Youth Sport Statistics
  3. 10 Secrets of Building Great Teams
  4. Making the Most of Every Opportunity
  5. 10 Characteristics of Great Teams

Source: http://www.csosports.org/making-teams-part-1

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34rd Annual Scott's and Kroger "Cancer Day" | Indiana's ...

October 10, 2012 Updated Oct 10, 2012 at 5:15 PM EDT

NORTHEAST INDIANA (Indiana?s NewsCenter) - The pain and suffering associated with cancer may be eased a bit in Northeast Indiana, thanks to a big fund raising event Wednesday, that carries on a 34-year tradition of helping cancer patients.

Three percent of sales from 19 Kroger stores in the area will be split between the American Cancer Society and Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana.

The money raised provides a variety of benefits.

The Cancer Days event has provided over $4.4 million for cancer fighting causes.




What are your thoughts CLICK HERE to leave us a "Your2Cents? comment.

? Copyright 2012 A Granite Broadcasting Station. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/34rd-Annual-Scotts-and-Kroger-Cancer-Day-173509771.html

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Spyware Leaves Trail to Beaten Activist Through Microsoft Flaw ...

By Vernon Silver
Bloomberg
Oct 10, 2012

On a Monday in July, Ahmed Mansoor sat in his study in Dubai and made the mistake of clicking on a Microsoft Word attachment that arrived in an e-mail, labeled ?very important? in Arabic, from a sender he thought he recognized.

With that click, the pro-democracy activist unwittingly downloaded spyware that seized on a flaw in the Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) program to take over his computer and record every keystroke. The hackers infiltrated his digital life so deeply they still accessed his personal e-mail even after he changed his password.

Since then, Mansoor, 42, an electrical engineer and father of four, says he has suffered two beatings by thugs in September during his campaign for citizens? civil rights in the Persian Gulf federation of the United Arab Emirates. While those assailants remain unknown, researchers say they?ve figured out what was behind the virtual assault.

The spyware that penetrated his laptop appears to be a Western-made surveillance tool sold to police and intelligence agencies that?s so powerful it can turn on webcams and microphones and grab documents off hard drives, according to the findings of a study being published today by the University of Toronto Munk School of Global Affairs? Citizen Lab.

Mansoor?s predicament shows how nations have rapidly moved beyond the surveillance of phone and e-mail transmissions to rifle through the most intimate details stored by personal computers and the smartphones that citizens carry with them everywhere. The tools, which can peer into people?s living rooms and access rough drafts of love letters, business strategies or plans for street demonstrations, mark the latest escalation in a digital arms race between governments and the people they watch.

Countering Encryption

As traditional monitoring of communications has pushed dissidents to encrypt e-mails and shun phone lines for Skype, Mansoor?s story shows how governments are countering with off- the-shelf commercial spyware that in the wrong hands can be turned against people fighting for democracy, rather than the products? advertised targets such as criminals and terrorists.

?People need to understand how this type of thing occurs and under what circumstances, because without oversight these systems will be prone to abuse,? says Morgan Marquis-Boire, 33, the San Francisco-based researcher who led today?s study independently of his job as a security engineer at Google Inc.

Remote Control System, a tool made by Milan-based HackingTeam, is the product that the findings indicate infected Mansoor?s computer.

Spyware?s Enablers

The details of how the software takes over a computer or smartphone expose the important role played by spyware?s enablers ? from software makers, which often send flawed products to market, leaving computers vulnerable to attack; to companies run by hackers-turned-executives that profit from the bugs, building and selling tools called exploits that turn the weaknesses into open doors for intruders.

Mansoor?s is not the only case of Western-made hacking software targeting political dissidents, who in the past two years have embraced the power of the Internet and cell-phone text messages to share information and organize ? only to see those technologies used against them.

Earlier this year, Bahraini activists, including two people who now live in the U.S. and Britain, received e-mails laden with FinFisher spyware made by U.K.-based Gamma Group, showing the far-reaching capabilities of the hacking tools. Marquis- Boire also participated in identifying FinFisher in July after Bloomberg News provided him with the e-mails as part of an investigation into the abuses of electronic intrusion products and the costs and threats of global cyber espionage and its enablers.

Only Governments

HackingTeam and Gamma say on their websites that they only sell the surveillance systems to governments.

The work of unmasking these tools is already serving to protect people from them. The world?s biggest computer security companies such as McAfee Inc., and Symantec Corp., have since written anti-virus protection based on the FinFisher samples.

HackingTeam Chairman David Vincenzetti didn?t respond to e- mailed requests for comment or to messages left at his office. Vincenzetti, 44, the company?s biggest shareholder, co-founded the privately held, 35-employee company in 2003, according to its website. There it boasts in bold black and red letters its ability to give clients, ?Total control over your targets. Log everything you need. Always. Anywhere they are.?

A U.A.E. government spokesman didn?t respond to several e- mailed requests for comment.

Surveillance Abuses

More than a year after the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings exposed repressive regimes? abusive surveillance of phone calls, text messages and e-mails, examples of more intrusive monitoring are surfacing.

In July, the software that appears to be HackingTeam?s also targeted a group of journalists in Morocco who run a pro- democracy website, Mamfakinch.com, today?s study shows, confirming earlier findings by other researchers. The site, formed in the wake of 2011?s street protests, had just won an Internet freedom award from Mountain View, California-based Google and Global Voices, an online community promoting free speech.

?It?s very easy to fall into these traps,? says Mansoor, who says he has a master?s degree in telecommunications. He contacted Citizen Lab researchers after reading about their work on the nearby Persian Gulf kingdom of Bahrain.

The disclosures are putting pressure on Western governments to rein in the largely unregulated monitoring trade. Sales by European and U.S. companies of digital eavesdropping systems to governments around the world are legal, with some exceptions for countries such as Syria and Iran.

Export Restrictions

The British government informed Gamma in August that it must obtain export licenses to sell its FinSpy tool outside the European Union.

The U.K. is now lobbying other Western nations to amend their conventions on arms-related exports to include some surveillance technology, according to the U.K. Department for Business.

Martin J. Muench, the managing director of Gamma?s Munich- based German unit, which develops the FinFisher product line, including FinSpy, says his company complies with the export regulations of Germany, the U.K. and U.S. The samples reported on by Citizen Lab are demonstration copies of FinSpy, not the fully operational versions sold to clients, he says.

Targeting Bugs

Technologies sold by HackingTeam and Gamma are a type of malicious software, or malware, known as a Trojan, named after the legendary wooden horse that Greek warriors used to sneak into Troy before sacking the ancient city. They are the retail cousins of state-made cyber weapons such as the Stuxnet computer worm, which damaged centrifuges in an Iranian nuclear plant and was jointly developed by the U.S. and Israel, according to the New York Times.

To make the intrusions work, malware often relies on flaws in some of the most common computer applications.

In Dubai, the Trojan snuck into Mansoor?s laptop by using an exploit aimed at a specific bug in Microsoft Office software, Marquis-Boire found.

The flaw, catalogued as CVE-2010-3333, has been a hackers? favorite around the globe ? even after Redmond, Washington- based Microsoft issued a fix in November 2010, available for download online.

One China-based hacking campaign that targeted Tibetan activists and industries including energy and military research has used that weakness in most of its 90 attacks since June 2011, according to a report published by Tokyo-based Trend Micro Inc. in March.

Complete Control

?An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system,? the Microsoft bulletin that alerted users to the patch said two years ago. ?An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full user rights.?

?We continue to encourage customers to apply the bulletin to ensure they are protected,? Yunsun Wee, director of Microsoft?s Trustworthy Computing Group, which handles security and privacy issues for the company, said in an Oct. 4 statement.

Mansoor says he bought his laptop this year and doesn?t know if his Microsoft Office was fully updated.

Marquis-Boire?s research led him to seek the origins of the code that exploited the Microsoft flaw in Mansoor?s case, a hunt that took him on a detour to other samples of similar malware in a public database.

Possible Link

The exploit contained in one sample raised the possibility that a vulnerability linked to Montpellier, France-based Vupen Security SA was used to gain entry into Mansoor?s computer with HackingTeam?s Remote Control System, the report says.

Vupen Chief Executive Officer Chaouki Bekrar said in e- mails that his company has no relationship with HackingTeam and has nothing to do with any exploits found in HackingTeam?s product.

Marquis-Boire?s reasoning is based on discovering an exploit created when only Vupen and its clients may have known about it, and finding it had similarities to the exploit used in Mansoor?s case.

In the key sample Marquis-Boire found, the attached exploit was based on a bug in Adobe Systems Inc. (ADBE)?s Flash Player graphic design program.

Vupen had discovered that flaw in January and shared it with customers before publicly disclosing it in August, according to a notice on an online mailing list in which Vupen appears to take credit for the find. In a series of e-mails asking about the notice, Bekrar didn?t dispute that the document correctly represented the company?s discovery of the flaw, without directly addressing questions about its authenticity.

Similar Codes

With those dates in hand, Marquis-Boire built a timeline showing when, according to Vupen?s post, the firm had discovered the bug and when the bug was made public. The malware with the Adobe exploit bore a date stamp of May, the report says, midway between the dates.

That meant Vupen knew about the flaw when the malware was built.

Marquis-Boire then compared the Trojan sample that used the Adobe flaw to the malware that hit Mansoor. He found that the computer code written to deliver each of the two exploits was similar, the report says.

The Citizen Lab report says, however, that while Vupen takes credit for discovering the Adobe bug, it?s possible the exploit was made by another party.

?No Evidence?

Vupen?s Bekrar said in an Oct. 3 e-mail that, ?There is absolutely no evidence that links us to those samples, this is a common and classic vulnerability collision issue where other researchers unrelated to us have probably found the same vulnerability, they exploited it, and they supplied the code to HackingTeam or their customers.?

Vupen wrote exploits for both flaws only after the software makers released patches for the programs, Bekrar said in a separate e-mail. Doing so allows customers to protect against attack, he said.

He declined to comment further on Oct. 4, saying, ?Since there is no evidence or proof that the code came from us, we will not comment nor respond to any other question.?

Adobe spokeswoman Wiebke Lips said the San Jose, California-based company alerted customers about the vulnerability in an Aug. 21 security bulletin and had no comment on findings that commercial spyware had capitalized on the flaw.

Wiretapper?s Ball

Governments that buy these tools ? including the U.S. ? and suppliers such as Vupen are purposely keeping the Internet unsafe, says Christopher Soghoian, principal technologist for the American Civil Liberties Union?s speech, privacy and technology project. Allowing the market to flourish could backfire if these tools start being used against us, he says.

?By fueling and legitimizing this global trade, we are creating a Pandora?s box,? Soghoian says.

The confluence of hacking and surveillance is scheduled to be on view Oct. 11 in Washington at the ISS World trade show ? known as the Wiretapper?s Ball ? where Vupen, HackingTeam and Gamma are the sole presenters for a program called ?Encrypted Traffic Monitoring and IT Intrusion Product Training.?

The convention, at which makers of eavesdropping systems peddle their wares, is closed to the media. The daylong training session itself is further restricted to attendees from police, public safety or intelligence departments.

The ISS description of Bekrar?s hour-long talk provides clues to his company?s role in spyware.

Lucrative Market

?This session presents and demonstrates how VUPEN?s exclusive and sophisticated exploits taking advantage of computer and mobile vulnerabilities can be useful as attack vectors to remotely penetrate criminals? PCs and phones (e.g. to install monitoring software) via various attack vectors.?

Vulnerabilities are actively tracked by hackers, software companies and government agencies alike, with each working in dual roles ? sometimes protecting people or companies from flaws, and other times using the tools for attacks.

A lucrative market for vulnerabilities and exploits has developed because companies in the market, such as Acton, Massachusetts-based Netragard Inc., pay bug hunters more for the information than the makers of the flawed software themselves.

Netragard CEO Adriel Desautels says that while the software industry might pay a few thousand dollars for vulnerabilities to patch systems and better protect customers, his company sometimes pays $100,000 or more for an exploit of an unknown flaw.

Shoddy products are to blame for the vulnerabilities, not the people profiting from the flaws, says Desautels, whose company motto is ?We protect you from people like us.?

Connecting Dots

?The software vendors make people vulnerable,? Desautels says. His company only sells exploits in the U.S., he says.

Citizen Lab isn?t the first to identify the Trojan, which has been analyzed by several security companies, as HackingTeam?s. A Russian anti-virus company, Dr. Web, said in a July 25 report that the malware was HackingTeam?s, without explaining how it made the connection. The following day, Bellevue, Washington-based security company Intego, which had first published the virus under the name OSX/Crisis, said the Trojan had been used to target Moroccan journalists, without linking it to HackingTeam.

On Aug. 20, the Web magazine Slate connected the dots, publishing a story about the Moroccan journalists and saying evidence pointed to the spyware being HackingTeam?s. HackingTeam did not comment for that story.

Marquis-Boire writes in his Citizen Lab report that he can attribute the malware to HackingTeam because one of the samples he found ? an apparent demonstration copy that was similar to the Moroccan sample and the one sent to Mansoor ? transmits its data back to the Web location rcs-demo.hackingteam.it.

Unrest Avoided

Since the July Citizen Lab study first unmasked FinSpy, researchers have traced Gamma?s product to at least 15 countries, including the U.A.E. It?s unclear whether government agencies in those countries are Gamma clients or whether the users may be based elsewhere.

The oil-rich U.A.E., a safe haven for investments by foreigners and multinationals in areas such as energy, finance and trade, stands apart from other Middle East nations that have been convulsed by unrest in the past year and a half. It has avoided most of the Arab Spring protests that toppled dictators in Tunisia, Libya and Egypt.

Still, the country?s lack of democracy has moved activists such as Mansoor to push for change, drawing official scrutiny, he says. He was imprisoned last year after signing a petition supporting elections, and became known as one of the ?U.A.E. Five.? A presidential commutation of a three-year sentence for insulting the government?s top officials freed him, he says.

Suspecting Spies

Mansoor?s cyber ordeal began on July 23. He was sitting in his home office when he received the malware-laden e-mail from a sender who used an address that looked familiar, .

Once open, the document contained only scrambled data, giving him the first hint something was amiss. Unseen to him, the attachment had also delivered the exploit.

The infection complete, the Trojan established a connection out of Mansoor?s laptop to a command and control server, a computer to which spyware sends its pilfered data.

While Mansoor couldn?t tell the program was tracking his virtual movements ? stealing his e-mail password, and possibly more ? he did notice his computer started running slowly.

After seeing coverage of FinFisher and Bahrain, Mansoor reasoned he, too, may have been targeted by such software. He forwarded the infected e-mail to one of the researchers, Bill Marczak, a 24-year-old computer science doctoral candidate at the University of California Berkeley who also is active in the pro-democracy group Bahrain Watch.

Tracking Hackers

Over the next couple of days, Marczak helped Mansoor make sense of the hack. Using menus that Google provides its Gmail users to track account activity Mansoor found someone was logging into his account. The Gmail feature pinpointed the location of the unauthorized login to an Internet address in the Emirates.

Working with Marquis-Boire, they also found that the malware itself at times communicated with a Web address in the U.A.E.

Marczak worked through the first week of August securing Mansoor?s computer. He says he?s motivated by a desire to rein in spyware abuses and to help promote democracy in the Gulf. ?Since I can?t participate on the ground, I participate online,? Marczak says.

First Assault

They hit an unexpected hitch when simply changing Mansoor?s e-mail password didn?t keep out the intruders. Whoever had hacked him had installed a feature that allowed access to Mansoor?s account regardless what password he?d set.

They finally disabled the tool on Aug. 7 and Mansoor finished cleaning the computer.

The virtual attack stopped, but a month later Mansoor says he was physically attacked. The two might not be linked, Mansoor says, though he suspects it is part of a broader pattern of surveillance that includes his mobile phone.

He had continued his activism, bringing attention to cases that included the detention of men with links to a group advocating greater adherence to Islamic precepts.

Human Rights Watch on Aug. 1 said 50 dissidents were arrested, most during July. The government afterward said the people arrested were involved in a conspiracy to destabilize the country.

Mansoor says the first assault came on Sept. 11, when a man approached him as he was walking to his car on the campus at the Ajaman University of Science and Technology, where he is studying law.

Cornered Again

?When he reached me he asked, ?Are you Ahmed Mansoor?? And I extended my hand for a shake. He spit on me and then pushed me to my back,? says Mansoor, who provided hospital records showing treatment for an elbow injury.

In this case he suspects his whereabouts were being tracked through his mobile phone because no one should have known he was coming to the campus, he says.

Six days later, another assailant cornered Mansoor on campus and without saying a word dragged him to the ground and punched him in his head until a crowd gathered, he says. Doctors X-rayed his skull, dressed his wounds and gave him a tetanus injection, according to hospital records that describe him as the victim of an assault.

While he understands the physical risks he faces when venturing outside, the impact of the digital attack within the confines of his own home remains a mystery to Mansoor.

Scaring Activists

?They downloaded my e-mails, and who knows what else they?ve done?? he says. ?My bigger concern is that they are violating my privacy.?

In Casablanca, Moroccan activist Hisham Almiraat, who is a French-trained physician, says that help from San Francisco- based Electronic Frontier Foundation helped confirm the journalists had been attacked by malware.

?After the Arab revolutions happened, those governments have maybe realized they have to harness the power of the Internet and use those tools to try to scare activists, or try to spy on them and follow their steps,? says Almiraat, 35, a founder of the Mamfakinch.com site.

His next step, however, may be through Europe?s courts.

?It?s something that I hope would not change our belief as activists in the Internet,? Almiraat says of the malware attacks.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, 10 October 2012, 7:35 pm and is filed under IT. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. ?

Source: http://blog.limkitsiang.com/2012/10/10/spyware-leaves-trail-to-beaten-activist-through-microsoft-flaw/

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The Orbital Control Desktop [Featured Desktop]

The Orbital Control Desktop Many of the desktops we feature are minimal, practical, and elegant. This one's on the cluttered side, and it's not terribly practical when you have apps open all over it, but it's definitely fun to look at, and reminds us a bit of a computer display from a sci-fi film. Flickr user Aaron Lloyd shared this with us, and boy is it packed with tools and information.

If you want the same look for your Windows desktop, here are the components you'll need:

  • The wallpaper from Wallbase (or more approprately, NASA)
  • The Rainmeter system configuration and management utility for Windows
  • The Hi-Tech Desktop theme for Rainmeter to create the circular menus, globe, time and date, weather conditions, volume slider on the right, system montioring meters, and recycle bin widgets
  • The Illustro Rainmeter skin (built-in) for the inbox widget, Google search, and RSS feed monitor
  • The Cityscapes Rainmeter skin, which we can't find to save our lives (if someone has a link, we'll post it here!) to create the center clock and date.

This one has a lot of overlapping elements, so if you like some of the elements here, you could probably apply them to your own desktop and retain some clear and open space. Still, we know some of you prefer the data-packed desktops, so this might be up your alley. Not sure how to make this work? Head over to Aaron's Flickr page to ask him how he put it all together (and where he got that Cityscapes skin!) If you're new to Rainmeter, check out our getting started guide to get familiar with it and customize your own desktop!

When you're finished building a beautiful, creative, and functional desktop, share with the world! Submit it to the Lifehacker Desktop Show and Tell Flickr Group so we can see it! Please include a description of how you made it - without that, we can't tell others how to make it for themselves. Do these things, and it may just be the next featured desktop!

Desktop | Flickr

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/jSeFUTpvROw/the-orbital-control-desktop

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Thursday, October 11, 2012

Scuba Diving Essentials To Buy At Online Dive Store - tcefabus ...

Scuba Diving is a fun, recreational sport that has caught the imagination of adventure sports lovers across the world. The sport requires a number of safety equipment and special gear that helps in enjoying the sport with care and also improves a diver???s experience underwater. The name of the spot is itself derived from the main equipment used for it, ???SCUBA??? meaning ???self-contained underwater breathing apparatus???.

Need of Scuba Dive Gear

This form of sport is practiced and is popular across most adventure sports circuits for its thrill being underwater and the experience of being face-to-face with the natural beauty and the flora and fauna underwater. Since it is an underwater sport, there is also certain safety measures required and some risks-reducing gear that are necessary to enhance a diver???s experience. Moreover, there are various scuba dive accessories that can be used to make the dives even more enjoyable.

Online Dive Store

There are popular online dive stores that offer a wide variety of equipment and essential gear that are absolutely mandatory for this sport and some are required to add on to the whole experience of exploring the beauty underwater world. From the all-important dive cylinders, scuba gear, to accessories such as watches and masks, an online dive store offers all that you need under one roof. One can also make online purchases, prepare a wish list of desired products, browse the store for latest arrivals, dig through the latest schemes and offers and also make online payments and book for products on the site itself.

Some of the popular and essential equipment available at an Online Dive Store include the following:

Cylinders/ Tanks

The cylinder or dive tank should be filled and checked every time you go down to dive. Aluminum tanks are a good choice to be purchased at an online shop.

Diving Suit

A good wet suit and in some cases, a dry suit are absolutely essential to have a good diving experience underwater.

Masks

Good visibility is a must underwater; hence, the masks become essential for divers.

Snorkel

It is again a diving apparatus used to ensure conservation of air in your cylinder/ tank.

Fins

They help in swimming in the waters and also maintain one???s balance.

Booties

These are essential gear items that keep your feet warm in cold water. A must have for colder regions!

BCD

Buoyancy Control Device or simply BCD is required to maintain buoyancy both at the surface as well as underwater.

The aforementioned equipment along with some necessary personal gear such as dive computers, compass, weight, dive watches are just about mandatory for a safe and enjoyable dive.

Diving Locker is a Vancouver-based scuba diving training center offering a wide range of diving adventure, programs and tours to choose from. It also offers a variety of essential equipment for purchase at its online dive store.

Article Tags :

Source: http://www.workoninternet.com/business/reviews/miscellaneous/219160-article.html

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Source: http://tcefabu.posterous.com/scuba-diving-essentials-to-buy-at-online-dive

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Source: http://jamechristensen819.typepad.com/blog/2012/10/scuba-diving-essentials-to-buy-at-online-dive-store-tcefabus.html

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Top 5 Fall Energy Savers from Energy Trust of Oregon | Metro Parent

As the days get colder, you?re probably looking for ways to reduce your family?s energy usage while keeping everyone comfortable and warm. We recently received a list of the ?Top 5 Energy Savers for Your Home? from Energy Trust of Oregon, so we thought we?d pass the information along to our readers.

1. Seal up places where air escapes and add insulation: Most homes waste up to 60 percent of the energy they use due to hidden energy wasters such as air leaks, duct leaks and lack of insulation. In fact, the small gaps, cracks and leaks in a typical home can add up to the same loss of energy and comfort as leaving a window open year round, and only 20 percent of homes built before 1980 are properly insulated. Sealing air and duct leaks and adding insulation can dramatically increase comfort and save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs.

Use caulk or spray foam to seal up small holes and cracks around plumbing pipes, exhaust fans, dryer vents, sink and bathtub drains, fireplaces and under counter tops. Use weather stripping and door sweeps to seal up drafty windows and doors. A professional contractor also can be hired to test a home for air leaks and professionally seal your home.

Insulating a home?s floors, walls and attic not only helps to reduce heating and cooling costs but can improve comfort throughout the year and reduce outside noise, too. Energy Trust offers cash incentives to help with the cost of sealing and insulating a qualified home from top to bottom.

2. Turn down the heat: The heating system is the single biggest energy expense in most homes. To help save on costs, try lowering the heat at night or while the house is unoccupied. Homeowners and renters can save up to 3 percent for each degree of reduction. Using a programmable thermostat can help to make changes automatically.

Be sure to check air filters every month during the heavy use months of fall and winter. If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every three months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder and waste energy.

3. Save water, save energy: Water heating is the second largest energy expense in most homes. In fact, 20 to 30 percent of a home?s energy is used to heat water. That?s as much or more energy than most homeowners use for their appliances, electronics and lights combined.

To help trim costs, set the water heater to a maximum of 120 degrees (or 140 degrees if your dishwasher does not pre-heat water). Each 10 degree reduction in water temperature can save 3 to 5 percent in energy costs. When doing laundry, use the cold setting for both washing and rinsing.

Wasting water also wastes energy. The biggest culprit is the daily shower, which can waste up to 2,300 gallons of water a year in an average household. Switching to a water-saving WaterSense labeled showerhead can save up to $44 a year in energy and water costs. A water-saving faucet aerator can save up to $15 a year. Discounts on water-saving showerheads are available from Energy Trust at retailers statewide. See a list of participating stores at energytrust.org/showerheads.

4. Check lighting: Switching from traditional incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient lighting at home is the easiest, most cost-effective way consumers can save energy, money and protect the environment. One ENERGY STAR? rated compact fluorescent light bulb uses about 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer. Replacing the bulbs in a home?s five most frequently used light fixtures (about 12 bulbs) with ENERGY STAR CFLs can save up to $72 each year.

CFLs come in an array of tones from warm to cool, and are even made for specialty fixtures, such as chandeliers, recessed lights and three-way lamps. Discounts on these specialty bulbs are available through Energy Trust at participating stores statewide. See a list of retailers at energytrust.org/cfl.

5. Unplug and recycle an older, second refrigerator: Fridges and freezers built in the 1990s or earlier can guzzle up to $200 a year in energy costs. That?s a lot compared to today?s more energy-efficient models that can cost as little $40 a year to run. For homeowners who may have a seldom-used second fridge or freezer in their garage or basement, those extra costs can add up.

To help Portland General Electric and Pacific Power customers unplug and save, Energy Trust offers free refrigerator and freezer recycling along with free pickup and a $40 cash incentive. Call 1-866-444-8907 or visit energytrust.org/fridgerecycling to sign up online.

Finally, homeowners can visit energytrust.org/start or call 1-866-368-7878 to schedule a Home Energy Review. Customers of PGE, Pacific Power, NW Natural and Cascade Natural Gas in Oregon, and NW Natural customers in Washington, are eligible for the free service.

? Thanks to Energy Trusts of Oregon for providing this information

Source: http://www.metro-parent.com/2012/10/top-5-fall-energy-savers-from-energy-trust-of-oregon/

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