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Like many Southeast Alaska towns, much of Ketchikan is built on a hillside. An extreme example is Upper Water Street, where houses cling to a rocky cliff.
The narrow street leading to them is supported by pilings, but the wooden structure installed in the 1970s was deteriorating. Several years ago, the Alaska Department of Transportation worked with the City of Ketchikan to start a major upgrade on the narrow, high-altitude historic street. Here’s an update on how that work is progressing.
A group of DOT officials and city employees in hard hats and reflective vests gathers at sea level on Tongass Avenue, to get a bottoms-up view of Upper Water Street.
Tipping our heads back far enough to get a good stretch, we see huge new concrete footings, and steel pilings supporting a concrete roadbed on one side. There’s a big scary gap between that and old, rickety wooden pilings on the unfinished side.
The gap has a precarious-looking footpath for construction crew members only. There also are a couple of homes just hanging there with no road, sidewalk or any real buffer between the house and open air.
“It’s very steep. Even walking some equipment up the hillside is a challenge,” said Aurah Landau, a spokeswoman for DOT. “It’s a very technically difficult project with not only doing sidewalks and bridge work and road construction, but relocating, redoing all the utilities up there: Water, sewer, power, telephone. It’s very, very complex.”
Which is why it’s taking a long time to complete. Project engineer John Scott said construction started in June of 2016. He said the biggest challenge has been the narrow working space.
“The overall width of the right-of-way is 25.5 feet. We have a little bit of temporary construction easement on either side,” he said. “So, as we move forward, we kind of have to do an inchworm effect where we take a big section, we build up, take a big section, we build up, so we minimize those impacts to people.”
Let’s get into those impacts just a bit, because even with efforts to minimize them, they’re still huge. It’s a pretty long street, and as we pointed out, up a hill, but with the narrow work space there was no way to allow any kind of parking for residents.
Landau said DOT rented a parking lot at the bottom of the hill for residents to use. That’s still a ways to walk, though.
“Especially in bad weather, it’s quite far from people’s homes,” she said. “So we provided a system of complimentary taxi rides, so residents could get around the construction zone to the designated car park.”
Landau said that Dawson Construction crews also maintained pedestrian access for affected homes.
One homeowner on Upper Water Street is Tracy Mettler. His house is one of the few that didn’t have access maintained. DOT simply relocated his whole family, including the cat and dog, for nearly a whole year. He got the call in May of 2016.
“They advised me that they’d be moving me due to noise and I needed to find a suitable house,” he said. “It’s May and it’s in Ketchikan.”
Housing is tight in Ketchikan, especially in spring and summer because of all the seasonal, temporary workers.
Mettler said he did find a house on the North End, but then learned the state would not pay his extra fuel costs for driving much farther than usual to his job as a city firefighter, or extra rent fees for the family’s pets.
“The state doesn’t pay to relocate pets,” he said, laughing. “So, we started off kind of rough. But at the end of the day we were relocated into a house that was arguably nicer than the one we were in. Nice, quiet neighborhood. And now we’re back.”
When they got back, he said, he was able to drive to his house and park in a newly paved driveway. But, there were challenges getting to that point.
“At the beginning of the project, people called right-of-way agents came by,” he said. “They were giving away boxes of blue sky and happiness and promises about what they were going to be able to do once the project started.”
Mettler said those promises didn’t all pan out, but with some firm advocacy on his own behalf, he said, he was able to get the most important ones for his property.
Mettler agrees the Dawson crews are doing everything possible to help residents. But, he said, yeah, it’s still been a pain in the you-know-what.
DOT acknowledges the inconvenience. But once it’s done, it should last a long time. Here’s project engineer John Scott again:
“The existing timber trestle was actually built in the late ‘70s, so it did last a long time,” he said. “Using that as a judge, this will last even longer.”
Scott added that all steel and concrete going into the structure is attached to the rock cliff with 12-foot bolts, so it’s solid. And there will be some nice upgrades. Where possible, formerly overhead utilities will go under the road, and there will be new water and sewer pipes throughout.
The end is in sight, but there’s still nearly a year to go. The estimated completion date is March of 2019. So residents of Upper Water Street will need to be patient a while longer.
Alaska Department of Transportation has numerous projects under way or in the planning stages for the Ketchikan area. Between now and 2020, DOT has about $200 million worth of projects slated for the city and borough.


MO E-F 23
E-field is an open series of textile works in which Odgaard uses layers of transparent silk organza in order to materialize colour.
The silk is printed with reactive dyestoff in coloured fields and pinned at the top with nails, alowing for the sides of the organza to move freely. At the center of each layer, a fold draws the eye into the surface, creating an optic illusion of a colour graduation.
The layers of crisp, translucent silk organza seems to be illuminated by electricity, but the vibrancy is in fact light moving through relatively sheer textiles. Scottish physicist James Clerk Maxwell described light as a propagating wave of electric and magnetic fields in his formulation of electromagnetism from
/> the 1860’s.
The three focus points at the top are the voltage centers of the electromagnetism. Short for Electric Field, the colours of E-field are materialized in the traveling of light through the layers of the material. This creates a sensation of moiré effect that serves to emphasize the feeling that the colour sparkles in the surface. Furthermore, static electricity occurs from time to time in the meeting between the silk organza and the acrylic glass, which makes the textile electric and alive.
According to Margrethe Odgaard, the experience of colour is not static but rather a fleeting result of the meeting between material and light, or a sensory illusion that we might try to maintain, as one captures the beauty of a butterfly by pinning it down.


Ben Frost - Biography, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Filmography (Read)
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Ben Frost - Biography, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Filmography
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Ben Frost - biography, date of birth, place of birth, filmography, clips.
Born in Melbourne, 1980, currently resides in Reykjavik - composer, musician and producer. Works in genres: post-punk, noise, experimental music and minimalism. Early work included the release of the independent electronic EP album Sad Children (2000) and collaborations with fellow musicians David Bridie. and the rock band Something for Kate. However, Frost is known to a wider audience as the creator of music influenced by the styles of minimalism, post-funk, black metal and noise. All this is best reflected in the 2007 album Theory of Machines. Frost is a member of the Cicada group of young artists. Together they make large-scale video installations and performances based on the combination of biology and technology - a combination, perhaps best reflected in the audio-visual installation The Crowd, which explores the psychology of the crowd and depicts a school of fish as an example and presents processed choir recordings. As a composer, Frost is held in high esteem both in the film industry and in contemporary dance culture. He has worked closely with companies such as the Australian Based Chunky Move, the Icelandic Dance Company and acclaimed Icelandic dancer and choreographer Erna Omarsdottir. Frost received a Helpmann Award for his choreography of the Mortal Engine dance for Chunky Move. Frost is often confused with Australian artist Ben Frost, especially since they are the same age and have participated in projects together. Ben Frost's ability as a producer grew rapidly after he was named Noise Remix Artist of the Year by JJJ Radio. for his transformation of the Something for Kate album "Monsters". Frost has produced works by artists such as Neotropic (UK), Sea Life Park (UK), Gomez (UK), David Bridie & Valgeir Sigursson (Iceland), and is currently producing the second album for Gelbison.
All Information About: Ben Frost - Biography, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Filmography. Author: Jane Watson


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CALLS FOR RADICAL ACTION AFTER STUDY SHOWS AUSTRALIAN ARE GETTING FATTER
WELLNESS - RESEARCH - TRENDS - GOVERNMENT - ACTIVITY
Taxing junk food and subsidising healthy food have been flagged as potential solutions to Australia's diabetes problem after a study found the average young Australian has gained 6.7 kilograms in the past 12 years.
The just-released 'Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle' (AusDiab) study traced thousands of people over the 12 years from 1999-2000 to 2012 and shows a disturbing picture of the nation's battle with diabetes and obesity.
It found that Australians aged between 25 and 34 weighed 6.7 kgs more than they did in 1999 and the only age groups to have their average weight drop were those over 65.
Researchers found the incidence of diabetes remained very high, with almost 270 adult Australians diagnosed each day, and people aged 25-34 were gaining more weight than other age groups.
Patients with diabetes had a similar risk of dying as smokers, and obese people were twice as likely to develop depression, according to the report - one of the most comprehensive studies tracking the health of Australians.
Joint Chief Investigator Professor Jonathan Shaw of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute said radical action, such as an anti-obesity campaign similar to anti-smoking campaigns, may be needed as well as government initiatives such as taxing junk food and subsidising healthy foods.
Professor Shaw explained "one of the biggest contradictions is that people are living longer but they're being diagnosed with more disease. So their quality of life is being compromised.
"As a community, we need to be prepared to take some tough decisions.
"It's not impossible. Look at what we've achieved with gun control, smoking and water restrictions."
The report describes diabetes as one of the most challenging public health issues and says socioeconomic status plays a significant role in diabetes risk, with people in disadvantaged areas twice as likely to develop the disease.
Disadvantaged areas generally have more junk food outlets and fewer recreational opportunities, according to Baker IDI Associate Professor Anna Peeters, who adds "education and income are major determinants of health.
"The AusDiab data highlights the extent to which a person's environment makes a contribution to their wellbeing."
Every year, 0.7% of Australian adults develop diabetes, 3% develop high blood pressure and 0.4% to 0.7% develop signs of kidney damage.
Professor Shaw continued "the health and wellbeing of a whole generation of young Australians is being compromised by a lifestyle rich in energy-dense foods and low on physical activity.
While people aged 25 to 34 gained the most weight, 6.7kgs, people aged 35 to 44 put on 4.7kgs, the average weight of someone aged 45 to 54 increased by 2.7kgs and those aged between 65 and 74 lost 2.1kgs.
Researchers first went out to more than 40 randomly selected locations in 1999 and interviewed more than 11,000 people as well as putting them through physical tests. Over the years about 6,000 people came back to do the test in 2004-2005 and 2001-2012.
About 2,000 could not be physically tested by researchers and so self-reported their result, with researchers finding people were likely to estimate they were physically active 50% more of the time than they actually were.
The report also points to Australians developing a more sedentary lifestyle, spending twice as much time sitting than they thought they did.
Professor Shaw continued "we have a big problem. If we want to be serious about it we have to recognise it is not something that can be solved only through telling individuals what they need to do.
"It's complicated, but we need to find ways to make healthy food options the cheap options."
The report found that the average gain in waist circumference over the 12 years of the study was 5.3 centimetres and it was greater in women than men.
Professor Shaw stated "younger people don't seem to think about diseases in relation to their weight or their waist circumference, but that's where most of the weight gain is occurring.
"They've stopped doing exercise they did as a young single person - they've taken on a lot of family responsibilities - but they don't yet feel any great connection or risk of developing diseases such as diabetes.
"That's where we need to focus our efforts on preventing weight gain, because it's much easier to prevent weight gain than it is to achieve weight loss."
Despite public education campaigns, more than a third of people in the study were not meeting the physical activity guidelines of 30 minutes of exercise a day.
Researchers measured how much exercise people do, and how much time they were sitting down every day.
Professor Shaw says from this, they found many people's perceptions were inaccurate, stating "people significantly overestimate the amount of exercise they're doing by about 50%, and they underestimate by about half the amount of time they're spending sitting down."
Professor Shaw also expressed his disappointment that the previous recommendations designed to make Australia healthier from the Federal Government Preventative Health Task Force had been ignore, concluding "many of those ideas are now sitting on shelves gathering dust.
"Everything should be on the table: taxation levers, town planning, office space layout needs to be reconsidered to tackle the growing personal and community impact of chronic disease."
The AusDiab study was funded through a National Health and Medical Research Council grant and followed 11,000 Australians for 12 years.

domain: health


“That as a driver frustrated me like hell”– Nico Rosberg bashes Bono’s below-par performance with Lewis Hamilton in the Dutch Grand Prix.
Mercedes had a poor strategy in the Dutch Grand Prix, which helped Red Bull seal another victory this season and help Max Verstappen regain his lead in the drivers’ championship.
Valtteri Bottas was perplexed with the team orders over the fastest lap, and later after the post-race, he subtly criticized Mercedes’ strategy and emphasised there was scope for improvements.
”I just think we stopped too early in that second part, and it had just been a point where we [went] through traffic, I lost a good second from them, and I needed time to close that gap up before we did a stop.”
“And then I came out behind traffic, so I couldn’t actually implement, and I don’t know how they didn’t see that.”
Nico Rosberg blames Bono.
Rosberg, who has worked with Mercedes for many years, was displeased with how the management frustrated him and especially pointed out Pete Bonnington’s faults.
“What I also found really bad today was the comments from Bono to Lewis,” he told Sky F1, “so garbled and not clear and should he push now or not or what is he doing?
“That as a driver frustrated me like hell because I am like ‘Come on, we are out there, we don’t know what is going on. Give us clear guidance – push now or make it a little easy.”
“That was below par from Bono today,” he added; Hamilton told Mercedes that they played their gamble of pitting him early was a gamble taken too soon, but Rosberg claims that it wouldn’t have changed the results anyway.
“No, it wouldn’t,” he said. “It was Max’s race, but it could have been a closer fight. The way they did it, there was just no chance. It was a bit strange to see.
“Also, Lewis, he was really fast as well. It was not really true what he was saying, that Max was on a different planet. They have had a couple of moments. Not the usual high level of strategy that I have seen this year, so something has gone on.
“I think there is going to be some big discussions. Lewis even gave a low blow saying ‘I don’t know what they were thinking’.”


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How to choose a BPO partner
Are you looking for the best BPO company (Business Process Outsourcing company) to handle your business needs?
It can be challenging, so where do you start?
Thanks to advancements in technology and improvements in available options.
There are various ranges of top BPO companies out there with unique offerings.
From cost savings and scalability solutions to local technical expertise that allows businesses to customize services as needed, choosing a BPO firm has never been easier or more efficient.
This article will show you how to find and hire the top ones according to your specific conditions while staying within budget!
What is a BPO Company?
A Business Process Outsourcing company is a business entity that specializes in handling certain front office tasks like customer service support or back office tasks, such as teleconsulting service, data processing, accounting, content moderation etc.
These companies work with businesses of all sizes to manage repetitive tasks unrelated to your core product or industry and can be automated. They often act as an extension of their client’s existing teams and act as cost-effective alternatives to employing additional staff.
Engaging with a BPO provider can free up your time and energy for the more important things in your business. Moreover, you benefit from increased efficiency, excellent customer service, improved cost-efficiency, and better organizational scalability.If you don’t know enough about BPO, you can read this article: Business Process Outsourcing Meaning
How do we start finding the right BPO?
In today's dynamic business landscape, outsourcing has become a strategic imperative for companies looking to optimize their operations, reduce costs, and enhance overall efficiency. One of the critical decisions in this process is selecting the right Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) company.
With a plethora of options available, finding the best-suited BPO partner requires careful consideration and a methodical approach. Today, we will explore the key factors to consider when selecting a BPO company that aligns seamlessly with your business needs.
1. Understanding Your Business Needs
Before embarking on the journey of finding a BPO partner, it is imperative to conduct a thorough assessment of your business requirements. Clearly defining your objectives, goals, and areas that need improvement will serve as the foundation for identifying the most suitable BPO company. This introspective analysis should encompass current pain points, desired outcomes, and the specific processes you plan to outsource.
2. Industry Expertise and Experience
The BPO landscape is diverse, with companies specializing in various industries and verticals. It is crucial to choose a BPO partner that not only has experience in your industry but also understands the unique challenges and nuances associated with it.
Look for a company with a proven track record of delivering successful outsourcing solutions to businesses similar to yours. Industry expertise ensures that the BPO provider is well-acquainted with regulatory requirements, compliance standards, and industry-specific best practices.
3. Reputation and Track Record
A BPO company's reputation is a key indicator of its reliability and performance. Conduct thorough research by reviewing client testimonials, case studies, and online reviews.
Seek recommendations from industry peers and explore the BPO provider's track record in terms of meeting deadlines, maintaining quality standards, and handling unforeseen challenges. A company with a positive reputation is more likely to be a dependable partner in the long run.
4. Technological Capabilities
In today's digital age, technology plays a pivotal role in BPO operations. Evaluate the technological infrastructure and capabilities of potential BPO partners. Ensure that the BPO company employs cutting-edge technologies to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and deliver accurate results. Compatibility with your existing systems and the ability to adapt to evolving technologies is paramount for a successful outsourcing partnership.
5. Scalability and Flexibility
Business needs are dynamic, and your chosen BPO partner should be able to adapt to changes seamlessly. Assess the scalability and flexibility of the BPO company's operations.
Consider whether they can accommodate fluctuations in workload, scale up or down as needed, and provide customized solutions based on your evolving requirements. A BPO partner with a flexible approach will be better equipped to support your business growth and changing needs.
6. Quality Assurance and Compliance
Quality assurance is non-negotiable in outsourcing partnerships. Ensure that the BPO company has robust quality control measures in place to maintain the highest standards of accuracy and reliability. Compliance with industry regulations and data protection laws is equally critical.
Request information on the BPO provider's security protocols, data handling procedures, and compliance certifications. A commitment to quality and compliance safeguards your business from potential risks and ensures the protection of sensitive information.
7. Cost Structure and Transparency
While cost is a significant factor in outsourcing decisions, it should not be the sole determinant. Assess the BPO company's cost structure to understand the breakdown of charges and ensure transparency.
Be wary of providers offering exceptionally low prices, as this may indicate a compromise in quality. Look for a BPO partner that provides a fair and transparent pricing model, with a clear understanding of how costs may evolve based on your business needs.
8. Communication and Cultural Fit
Effective communication is the cornerstone of a successful outsourcing partnership. Assess the BPO company's communication protocols, response times, and language proficiency. Consider the geographical location and time zone differences to ensure alignment with your operational hours.
Cultural fit is also essential, as it can impact collaboration and understanding between teams. A BPO provider that aligns with your organizational culture can foster a more cohesive and productive working relationship.
9. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Contractual Terms
Clearly defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and contractual terms are crucial for establishing expectations and responsibilities. Review the SLAs to ensure they align with your business objectives and performance expectations. Pay attention to key metrics such as turnaround time, accuracy rates, and customer satisfaction benchmarks.
Additionally, carefully scrutinize contractual terms, including termination clauses, data ownership, and dispute resolution mechanisms. A well-drafted contract provides a solid foundation for a transparent and mutually beneficial partnership.
10. Onshore, Offshore, or Nearshore Outsourcing
The geographical location of your BPO partner can have a significant impact on the outsourcing experience. Consider whether onshore, offshore, or nearshore outsourcing is the best fit for your business. Onshore outsourcing involves partnering with a BPO company in the same country, offering advantages such as cultural alignment and proximity.
Offshore outsourcing involves collaborating with a company in a different country, often chosen for cost savings. Nearshore outsourcing strikes a balance between the two, offering proximity and potential cost benefits. Choose the outsourcing model that aligns best with your business priorities and objectives.
11. Pilot Projects and Trial Periods
Mitigate risks by initiating pilot projects or trial periods with potential BPO partners. This allows you to assess their capabilities in a real-world scenario before committing to a long-term partnership.
Evaluate their performance, adherence to deadlines, and overall compatibility with your business processes during this trial period. Pilot projects provide valuable insights into the BPO provider's working style and can help you make an informed decision based on tangible results.
12. Continuous Monitoring and Relationship Management
Selecting a BPO partner is not a one-time decision; it requires ongoing monitoring and relationship management. Establish clear communication channels and regularly assess the BPO company's performance against agreed-upon metrics.
Foster a collaborative relationship by maintaining open lines of communication, addressing challenges promptly, and providing constructive feedback. Continuous monitoring ensures that the outsourcing partnership remains aligned with your evolving business objectives.
Choosing the best suitable BPO company for your business is a strategic decision that requires careful consideration of various factors. By understanding your business needs, evaluating industry expertise, considering technological capabilities, and ensuring transparency in contractual terms, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your long-term objectives.
Remember that the right BPO partner is not just a service provider but an extension of your team, contributing to the success and growth of your business.Helport would be a good choice, Helport specializes in optimizing workflows to streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.
We are committed to providing strong services and proven results, ensuring that our customers receive best-in-class support, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and business growth.
Click to learn: How To Ensure Competency In Your BPO Company

domain: economics


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Following a boy being hit by a vehicle last week, investigation by the Columbus Police Department showed no serious injuries or traffic violations.
Capt. Doug Molczyk told the Telegram earlier this week that the incident occurred at the intersection of 23rd St. and 23rd Ave. near Burger King. The boy had been transported to Columbus Community Hospital.
According to Capt. Todd Thalken, the 10-year-old boy had been crossing the road on his bicycle. Thalken, who spoke to the Telegram Friday morning, said the vehicle had been stopped at a red light. The driver continued forward when the light turned green and the boy had driven in front of the vehicle, which resulted in the incident.
Thalken said the boy received minor injuries but could not provide further comment for privacy reasons.
There were no tickets or charges issued to the driver, he added.
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domain: news


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PokeSentai [M] OOC Topic
View Single Post
April 13th, 2013 (12:13 PM).
While the world is blessed with magnificent creatures mankind has dubbed as Pokemon, there will always be those willing to exploit such blessings for their own purposes. Such is the way that time and again organizations such as Team Rocket and Team Plasma have come into power. Even with each group being defeated before fully completing their goals, many people kept the notion that there will inevitably be a new crime group established and continue the cycle of constant struggle throughout the regions. As a response to humanities constant abuse and exploitation of them, wild Pokemon began to distrust humans as a whole and became increasingly more violent.
This was the reasoning behind the world’s government militarization. While bringing order to criminals and terrorists, citizens would also be protected from the frequently increasing Pokemon attacks throughout the regions. The first regiments were flawed in ways no one expected. Most of the enlisted were Pokemon trainers with no actual combat experience, had no armor for protection, and did not carry personal weapons into battle. These flaws, along with the dirty handed tricks of the various teams and the savage fighting styles by wild Pokemon, became the cause of immense casualties from both fronts of the conflict. The army stood no chance with both thug and beast targeting the vulnerable trainers.
And thus began an arms build-up that changed the world. Over the course of decades, armor advances turned what was once primitive armor padding into high-tech state of the art battle suits capable of reducing and sometimes even nullifying once fatal blows from Pokemon attacks. With the advantage in their favor, the world government’s army was able to secure many crushing victories the comparatively under-funded, under-equipped, and under-manned teams. However, the increased conflicts between humans and their tamed Pokemon still fueled the aggression of the Pokemon found in the wild. While timid and weak Pokemon were usually not a threat to people unless provoked or cornered, stronger and much more aggressively natured Pokemon were still very much a threat.
Over the years, towns and cities began to build up walls around their borders, and many outposts and strongholds were built along the main Routes. Patrols became a regular occurrence along many of them, and Gym Leaders became de-facto commanders of a town’s watch. The abundance of new Pokemon trainers began to decline with the increased risk associated with the practice, and the amount of participants in the leagues started to dwindle. Eventually the league crumbled from lack of public support and all protection duties of the Gym Leaders became absorbed by the military.
Throughout the years, multiple government funded researches into the human genome and experiments found genetic anomalies that were assumed to be the cause of the special bond between mankind and Pokemon felt by trainers that allowed the creatures to be tamed so relatively easy. The experiments conducted were made in hopes of finding a way to diminish the recently created hostilities of wild Pokemon. The most groundbreaking discovery was that each human possessed an affinity for a certain Type within their DNA, which was hypothesized to allow a person to connect with a Pokemon of that Type if the ability was amplified.
One particular experiment had an estimated success rate of less than one percent, but subjects who tested positive showed a highly increased rate of bonding with tamed lab Pokemon of a particular Type. Further studies proved that even wild Pokemon could be tamed by use of the serum providing the subject came in contact with the right Type of Pokemon. The one time ejection was ordered en masse by the government and then distributed throughout the world, becoming mandated as a part of immunity shots for children.
The serum also had and unforeseen side-effect on the latest armor advancements when a person with an amplified bond to an uncaught Pokemon wore one in battle. The Pokemon in question would seem to fuse with the person, and the suit’s variable armor cells took on both Pokemon’s defensive resistances and weaknesses while also increasing overall armor durability. When used strategically, this would become an invaluable asset to warriors blessed with the bonding ability.
Society once again changed due to the advancement in technology and human lust for power. Humans with the unique bonding ability became known as Fuzors, and wide spread usage of the serum increased their numbers. Many would use their power by enlisting in the military or the local guard to make use of their abilities. Others were not so content, and used their gift to usurp power eventually creating another Feudal age with towns and cities becoming under the rule of various warlords. The once central government became a hollow shell of itself and turned into a meeting of various independent states instead of one unifying body.
A way to distinguish Fuzors at an early age was developed, which took the simplified approach of created a small charm made of the same variable cells used in armor. These would be given to people, usual children, to wear as a pendant. If the holder ever bonded with a Pokemon, it would be possible for the Pokemon to fuse into the armor, glowing whatever color matched the Pokemon’s primary Type. With Fuzors being the successor to Pokemon Trainers, the art of raising and training Pokemon for competitive battles became less common. Most Fuzors trained the Pokemon they bonded with for battles if they were in a military, but did not take to creating whole teams as was once a mainstream ideal.
Unfortunately, the rise of the Fuzors did not create the desired results in wild Pokemon, with untamed creatures being as violent as ever. The advancements in both science and technology also did not halt the creation of teams. While never successful, teams would still rise to some extent before collapsing after fighting against a Warlord’s trained vanguard. Instead, a functional successor arose in the form of what became known to the public as Fuzor guilds. These guilds usually focused on either one or a few Types of Fuzors and were known to raid towns, travelers, work as sell-swords, and attempt to lay siege to Warlord stronghold on occasion.
Four such guilds are the focus of our story. There’s the Element Guild, who focus on the Types of Fire, Water, Ice, and Electric. The Mystic Guild is users of the Psychic, Ghost, Dark, and Dragon Types. Steel, Ground, Fighting, and Rock Types are the prime focus of the Terra Guild. Then finally there’s the Gaia Guild who make use of the Poison, Bug, Flying, Grass, and, Normal Types. All four Guilds have their eyes set on a recent discovery; the elemental Plates once used to power up Pokemon moves in Trainer battles also have the ability to increase Fuzor abilities as well. The race is now on to collect as many Plates as possible to become more powerful and prevent other Guilds from doing likewise, and others are sure to be after the same goal.
That’s the overall plot to the game, hopefully you read it all, or otherwise things will become increasingly confusing for you. Now for a little tech/science explanation, as it’s a heavy focus for combat and your character’s interaction with Pokemon.
Technology and Science
All humans somewhere in their DNA possess the ability to connect with a certain Type of Pokemon. This is theorized to be the magical bond of friendship Professors and Trainers a like use to speak of. Modern medicine has made it possible to amplify this ability tenfold in rare cases to allow humans to bond to Pokemon and likewise tame them without needing to capture them. The people are known as Fuzors and are the newest incarnation of Trainers, except more battle orientated than Trainers were.
Armor has advanced tremendously because wild Pokemon have become much more savage against humans, and attacks are frequent. New incantations of battle armor have replaced the older styles in the following developmental line. Each generation is brought on by leaps in armor advancement.
Mark I Armor: Traditional armor from the original Feudal age made of iron and leather. This armor was never used in the current era, but is referred to as Mk. I style armor because it is the basis for the battle armors to follow. This type of armor is almost useless against Pokemon.
Mark II Armor: While looking exactly like Mk. I Armor, the MK. II style uses steel composite armor as well as flame retardant cloth in addition to Kevlar and ceramic composts and new age resins. Various styles existed to combat the various Types of Pokemon. On board CPUs can keep track of a wearer’s vital signs to be monitored at a forward base, function as a radio, and also integrate a GPS for positioning and coordination. While more effective than Mk. I would have been, users were still susceptible to many attacks. Most Teams small patrol units use Mk. II armor for its comparatively cheap cost to newer models.
Mark III Armor: A huge step up from the previous armor, the Mk. III’s defensive capabilities come from the usage of Variable Armor Cells, a special metal/composite made up of individual centimeter long honeycomb-like chambers capable of being treated to resist a specific Type using the same technology as DNA splicers to contain the resistance properties. This reduces the cost for armies planning on fighting multiple Types by using the same armor for all Types instead of having multiple to combat a variety. Even without treatment, the MK. III offers enough protection to the wearer that they have a chance to survive even a Hyper Beam, although it will still cause many broken bones and burns among other injuries from the impact if one does survive the blast. This armor has been adopted into the armies of many Warlords and smaller Guilds among others.
Thanks to the DNA Splicer used for each cell, if a Fuzor is wearing the armor, a Pokemon of their matching Type is capable of fusing with the armor to bestow its primary resistances and weaknesses to the armor as well as greatly increasing overall armor durability. The Hue of the armor also reflects the primary Type of the Pokemon.
Mark IV Armor: The latest advancement in armor technology. While still using VAC for defense, the technology has become much stronger and smaller, allowing for a size reduction in cells from 1 centimeter into 0.1 centimeters. The armor is directed primarily for Fuzor use, and armor now takes a resemblance in both color and appearance to the fused Pokemon as well as apply the resistances and weaknesses of any secondary Type a Pokemon may have in addition to the Primary. Dependent on the Pokemon, offensive weapons that make use of both their primary and secondary Types will manifest for the Fuzor to wield. Much stronger and durable compared to Mk III, the armor grants the wielder almost super-human endurance and strength when fused with a Pokemon. MK. IV armor is seen in the use of larger Guilds, Warlords, and other forces with Fuzors in their ranks that can afford the armor.
The Roolz and other Tid-bits
As with any RPG; no godmodding, bunnying other player’s characters (without permission), too in-depth romantic or gory content, Keep OOC posts in the OOC topic, and no breaking other board rules.
No legendries unless I allow you to have one. Bonding with a legendary will take a lot of time, effort, and strength.
This RPG is rated M, meaning you’re allowed to kill Pokemon, NPC’s and each other as you see fit, but try to be sensible about it. If you’re character massacres a village, don’t be surprised if a lynch mob comes after you. Also, if your character gets put into a situation where there is no possible way of avoiding death, plot armor will not save you.
While calling hits on NPC’s is acceptable within reason, doing so to player characters is not. However, you and your opponent may collaborate through PM’s to make one large post. If your opponent is taking an exceptionally long time to reply, the GM will decide the damage.
To elaborate on how the armor should look when fused with your Pokemon, think of a mix between the suits worn in Power Ranger or Kamen rider mixed in with Iron man’s suit, and the aesthetics of armors in the Monster Hunter games. The suit should take on the appearance of your Pokemon; meaning Hitmonchan fused armor should have boxing gloves as its main weapon.
When a new Pokemon is picked as a partner, write a description of what it looks like as well as weapons in the OOC topic. Try to be inventive with it. All submissions need to be approved before in game use, but I’m very lenient if you can really wow me. This is especially so if you want to fuse with multiple headed Pokemon or many others who may not mesh well with a humanoid figure. If another character wants to use the same species to fuse with, they must follow the armor design already in use. There will be a record of all armor fusions.
As stated, you’ll be akin to a Power Ranger/Kamen Rider when fused with your Pokemon in-game. All PC’s will use MK. IV armor, which will beat most anyone with the same combat skills using lesser armor, even more so when fused. The stronger the Pokemon, the stronger the armor when fused. Pokemon get stronger when fighting alone and when being fused with their Fuzor.
You can change Pokemon partners at any time with the Pokemon of the surrounding that are of your Type. Just remember that doing so breaks the bond with your current partner, and they will resent you for that. You can try to bond with them again later, but they may hold a grudge against you. Newly bonded Pokemon should take the place of the replaced one on your initial sign-up.
There are no levels, natures, or abilities for Pokemon. They won’t really be playing apart in the RPG. Your Pokemon’s personality will be enough, as they won’t be in Pokeballs. Moves will exist though, and moves are never forgotten. The GM will determine what moves are started out with and when a new move is learned. For battling purposes, generally wild Pokemon are weaker than Pokemon owned by a Trainer, and Trainer Pokemon are weaker than those partnered with a Fuzor unless there is a huge experience gap.
If using a Flying Type Fuzor, the player will treat Flying as the primary Type instead of the secondary, seeing as it is almost an exclusively secondary Type.
If you feel something else about the in-game world needs to be explained more, just say so and I’ll add it in here.
There will always be spots open in this RPG, but teams will be kept somewhat even in numbers. The goal is to have four teams with at least 3-6 players each, but can become two teams if there are a low number of players. Likewise, if a high number of players join for each side, Guilds will be further divided into revolving groups to create a more dynamic flow.
Element Guild (Fire, Water, Ice, Electric):
Mystic Guild (Psychic, Dark, Dragon, Ghost):
Terra Guild (Rock, Steel, Fighting, Ground):
Gaia Guild (Poison, Bug, Flying, Normal, Grass):
Type: (determines your Guild)
Appearance: (at least one paragraph)
Personality: (at least two paragraphs)
History: (at least three paragraphs)
Pokemon: (any stage 1 non-legendary)
Pokemon Personality: (3-4 sentences)
Fusion Armor Appearance + Weaponry: (Only for previously unused Pokemon)
Has anyone really been far even as decided to use even go want to do look more like?
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domain: game


text:
As parents, we want to do the best job we can in raising our kids. We want our kids to be smart, resourceful, competent, have and be good friends, etc. We want them to succeed in school, extracurricular activities and in life.
So what does it take to be successful? We know that mothers and fathers view their successfulness differently, but what else is involved? Parenting styles also have something to do with it, right? One approach more geared for the work environment is: doing what you love + doing what it takes = success. In regards to parenting, succeeding in that way can still involve massive amounts of frustration. The often cited ingredients of success are hard work, talent, and luck. Again, while those may apply in the business world, how could they apply to parenting?
Adam Grant (here and here), organizational psychologist and Wharton School of Business professor, wrote the book Give & Take. Within its pages he defines the relational tendencies of what makes for successful people at work. He explores givers, takers and matchers, their traits, and how they interact with others.
So what do your interactions with others teach your children? Your children watch how you engage in relationships with your spouse, relatives, friends, as well as strangers. Are you teaching them to please and help others, or to get all they can from others?
- Please others, sometimes to a fault
- Can have difficulty receiving or saying “No”
- Helps with no strings attached
- Want others to be happy
- Well liked by others
- Encourage others and say, “Thank You”
- Take responsibility for their own personal growth without blaming others
- Listen with acceptance, not judgment
Givers have to set limits because takers rarely do. – Irma Kurtz
- Always receive, rarely give
- Create paranoia in those around them
- Over the top criticism about details
- Manipulate or intimidate givers so as to gain the most possible
- Selfish and want things their way
- Want to be happy, regardless of how others feel
- Joy-killers and dream-killers
- Create drama that needs attention thereby draining energy from others
- Drain energy from others by always complaining
- Insecure, so they seek approval thereby draining energy from others
Results of Givers
Givers create an environment of acceptance and empowerment. Their desire to help others makes others feel welcome, supported and like part of a team. Givers enhance relationships around them. They generate good will and create a desire in others to keep coming back for more.
Results of Takers
Takers create an environment of every one for themselves and disempowerment. Their desire to get whatever they can from others creates paranoia. Takers degrade relationships around them. They generate negative will and create a desire in others to stay away.
This is not about codependence. Some would say that givers are codependent because their actions are solely about pleasing others. Not so when one uses boundaries. Professor Grant notes the importance of limits (boundaries) in his book such as the 5 minute rule.
So which one are you, a giver or a taker? Would your children agree? Would your spouse agree? If we can all agree that our kids tend to emulate us, are you raising your kids to be givers or takers?

domain: psychology


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Saving for College 101
Here’s a crash course on saving for college.
Have A Question About This Topic?
This calculator helps determine your pre-tax and after-tax dividend yield on a particular stock.
Learn more about women taking control of their finances with this infographic.
The federal estate tax exemption sunsets in 2025. Learn more about what to do to make the most of the higher threshold.


text:
Scenes from offices, a meeting and an airport at the moment theMarch 11, 2011 earthquake struck.
LARGEST EARTHQUAKE IN JAPANESE HISTORY
The 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami was an 8.9-magnitude earthquake that created tsunami waves of up to 10 metres (33 ft). The March 11 2011 earthquake is the largest earthquake to hit Japan in recorded history, and was measured at 7 on the Japan Meteorological Agency seismic intensity scale in the northern Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The tsunami warning of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) listed the magnitude as 8.8. The hypocenter was reported to be off the Oshika Peninsula, the east coast of Tohoku on Friday, March 11, 2011 at 05:46 UTC (2:46 p.m. local time) at a depth of 24.4 kilometres (15.2 mi). About 60 people have been reported killed and about 60 injured as of 12:57 UTC.

domain: geography


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What do we wish most for those we love? That they live a life free of suffering and pain. We want them to be healthy and happy. We never say it out loud, but we hope they pass away peacefully in their sleep, at an old age.
I will never forget the night I got the call that Tim had died. I will never forget Christine's voice, or the way she held back her tears. Her quivering voice, and Jose in the background in pain. She had to share the thing we never want to say out loud.
The fact that Tim passed away in his sleep, was a small consolation. Essentially a newlywed, with his first child less than one year old and the recent news of twins on the way. One moment he was away overnight on business, having a deep and meaningful conversation on the phone with his husband, and the next he was gone from our lives forever. How could it be? How could this happen? It wasn't fair and we all wailed and screamed into our pillows.
We held Jose, cried with him, and worried about the future. We mourned not only the loss of Tim, but also all of Tim's losses as a result. He would not live to see his children grow up, and he would not live to grow old with his husband.
Time has given the space needed to find calmer waters and feel peace in moments we least expect it. Sorrow washes over us in waves, and crashes down sometimes when when least expect that too. We all grasp for answers, hoping this tragedy will teach us something.
What it taught me hard and fast was this:
Tell the people you love that you love them whenever you want to, whenever you feel like it, don't hold back.
Kiss and hug your children all the time.
Live the cliché and enjoy your life, every moment or as many moments as you can muster.
Try to embrace your joy, and stop putting things off for later.
Be in your sadness when it comes, and don't push it away.
On the anniversary of that painful day, I will use my checklist above. I will think of Tim, the place he is buried, the tulip tree near his grave, his husband who I adore and his beautiful children's smiles. And of course I will think of his own amazing smile, which traveled across his face and made his eyes sparkle.

domain: literature


text:
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West Bay St & Skyline Drive | Cable Beach, Nassau, New Providence Island
Caribbean > Bahamas > New Providence Island > Nassau
Great food, reasonable prices, and professional service-- An eclectic menu of pork, beef, pasta, and seafood with a Caribbean flair. Great drinks and winelist. Most patrons are locals and the atmosphere is informal. Outdoor and indoor dining, and a full-service bar. Jazz band plays on Sunday evenings. Reservations recommended. Easy walking distance of Sheraton, Westwind II, etc.


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Pairing : Ryo x Uchi
Genre : Angsty smex I guess
Rating : NC-17
Summary : Ryo seeks out Uchi after learning of his whereabouts from Ohkura.
A/N : This one came pretty fast after the last chapter. Since it's the last chapter, I have to bid a fond farewell to Yakuza!Uchi and EmoUke!Ryo. Hopefully you guys loved them as much as I did. Thank you to all those who have commented. The comments have always been the reason why I kept on writing. ♥
Nishikido Ryo held the crumpled piece of paper in his wrapped fist, as he walked uphill through the pristine upscale neighbourhood sitting in the middle of Aoyama. He had a difficult time trying to imagine Uchi here, Uchi with his beautiful eyes, Uchi who looked polished and immaculate in his sleek suits and yet was rough around the edges. Some part of him wondered whether he was welcome, maybe Uchi was going to look upon him as an intruder now that he had made up his mind to wash his hands off the yakuza world. But he had to try, because he didn’t want to live the rest of his life, not knowing and wondering what could have been.
The uncertainty ricocheted through him but he held on to the faint sliver of hope in him. That he hadn’t imagined the feelings between Uchi and him. And when he found himself standing in front of the nondescript-looking door, it was too late to turn and back away. From the moment he had seen Uchi looking at him with those bottomless eyes that spoke of regret, it had been too late. Too late to start taking precautionary measures, too late to start reining in his forbidden emotions, too late to start saving himself.
He pressed the doorbell and he heard it chime. He swallowed, sweat lining the inside of his palms. There was no footsteps and Ryo could not help the bitter bile of regret rising in him. He stood there for a moment, unmoving before he turned slowly, unsure of where to go because he wanted this place to be his destination. There was nowhere he wanted to go, nobody he wanted more to see. He was taking the first step when he heard the door open.
An arm wrapped around his torso and crushed him back against a hard, lean body. His first instinct was to struggle but a hand clamped around his mouth. He was pulled into the apartment and somehow his fear receded. Light flooded the apartment and there was something vaguely reassuring about the way the body behind him smelled. He found himself pressed up against the wall and all the things he wanted to say, all the lines he carefully rehearsed were forgotten.
Uchi was looking at him, expression taut and slightly perplexed. A five o’clock shadow shaded that angular jaw and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. Just a pair of faded drawstring pants he hadn’t bothered to tie and was riding low on his lean hips. Ryo couldn’t stop his gaze from drooping down the length of his lanky body, from caressing the flaxen skin he had come to love, the feel of which he had come to miss.
“Why are you here?” Ryo felt the whisper touch of Uchi's voice brushing against him and he wondered what Uchi meant. Whether he meant how he came to know of this place or why he was here. He didn’t know what was the correct answer and he fumbled for the right words. The right words that would make Uchi hold him in his arms. And he realized that in love, there was no absolute right or wrong, everything was a complex shade of ambiguity and all he had to do was follow the voice within.
“I wanted to see you. I didn’t want to….” His voice trailed off to a whisper in the bright airy loft as he looked up and gazed levelly into Uchi’s dark unsettling eyes. He brushed the pad of his thumb gently against the side of Uchi’s jaw. From the corner of his eye, he noticed that Uchi’s right hand was lying deceptively slack at his side while his left was pressed against the wall.
“What happened to your right hand?” Ryo’s eyes narrowed as he grasped Uchi’s hand by the wrist and flipped it over, his eyes studying it intently.
“The bullet damaged a tendon there.” It wasn’t what he said that pained Ryo. It was the nonchalant, apathetic way he said it, like it was nothing. It wasn’t and Ryo shook his head, his gaze flicking to Uchi. He had always loved Uchi’s hands, which was weird, considering that they were probably blood-stained with all the innocent lives he had taken. But he had long graceful fingers, and he could still remember them touching his wounds with a tenderness that was incongruous with who he was. Ryo bit down on his lower lip as he took the palm of Uchi's hand and pressed it to his cheek. And rubbed against it, needing to feel the solid warmth of Uchi against him.
Then he heard a little muffled groan before he saw the murky depths of intent in Uchi’s eyes. His mouth came down on his, and this was a man who loved with the same violence as he killed. And Ryo reveled in it, he needed it. The initial contact jolted him because it had been so long. His lips moved over his, relentless, urgent and hungry. Ryo’s heartbeat stumbled, before accelerating to a rapid fire staccato. The hot blood flushed through his body, engorging his organ and he tugged down on Uchi’s hair at his nape.
Uchi tasted sweet, tempered with bitter. Something like dark chocolate and tobacco. And Ryo made a low purr in the bottom of his throat, pressing his body against Uchi’s and urging him to take him. He didn’t know how they got to the bedroom. They stumbled, they stepped on each other’s feet, their mouths never left each other’s. Knife-sharp need coiled within Ryo and he laid on the bed, his slumberous eyes looking at Uchi who bent down, blocking out all the traces of sunlight and cocooning him in silky darkness.
“I love you.” Ryo saw the look of surprise that sprang across Uchi’s face. There was still time for Uchi to pull back, because Ryo wanted to know that this time was different.
Uchi looked down at Ryo whose face was flushed and hair tousled. He was the medicine to the utter silence of his heart, light to his darkness and the goodness to the shadows of his soul. He loved him.
And Uchi smiled, a smile that was baffling before his hands scraped past the hard, distended peaks of his nipples and he lowered his head to the skin above Ryo’s waistband. Nudging the shirt higher with his mouth, and Ryo could only see the toffee-colored head of Uchi near his groin. The raspy sensation of Uchi’s tongue trailing a wet, burning path across his skin consumed him. Dipping into the contours of his navel, nipping the taut skin at his abdomen and nudging the shirt higher.
It was agonizingly slow and Ryo decided he had enough. He struggled to a sitting position, pulled off his shirt and tossed it onto the floor. Before he unbuttoned his jeans and wriggled out of them.
And he heard the ragged breath from Uchi as he was divested of his clothes. Uchi leaned over and cupped him behind his head, pulling him near for a soft kiss as their tongues entwined. Ryo grabbed Uchi’s hand and pressed it against his erection, murmuring a soft plea against those lush lips. And he knew the moment Uchi acquiesced because he fisted him, gently pumping his length. At the same time, Ryo pulled Uchi’s pants off him and there was nothing but the both of them pressed against each other and the moment between them that seemed to stretch into eternity.
Ryo cried out as Uchi’s mouth replaced his hand, taking in his erection inside the silk wet confines of his mouth. He arched against him and his teetering control shattered as he spurted his release into Uchi’s mouth. He knew there was nothing to be ashamed of, but somehow he knew this was different. There was no anger, no suspicion, just overwhelming emotions that was breeching all his defenses. Then Uchi kissed him, the taste of him still ripe on his lips.
“You taste good.” Uchi said in a low, throaty voice and Ryo’s breaths rushed through his clenched teeth. He spread his legs apart in an unspoken request and he heard Uchi fumbling for the lube before the cold, slippery feeling of Uchi’s fingers inside him sent a jolt through him. He stretched him patiently, those long deft fingers easing in and scissoring the tight passage. The sensation was driving him insane and he made a sound of impatience.
And finally the sound pushed Uchi to recklessness as he lost his restraints. Ryo had to stifle a little cry of pain when the fingers retreated and he was stretched fully by the girth of Uchi’s cock.
“Sorry..” He heard the soft voice of Uchi as his organ throbbed inside him. And a smile dawned on Ryo’s face as he hooked his legs behind Uchi.
“You’re the one who said that no matter what happens, you’re not sorry.” Ryo whispered. “Therefore neither am I.”
In the depths of Uchi’s eyes, Ryo saw what Uchi wanted to say.
I love you.

domain: artistic


text:
JOHANNESBURG – South African cement manufacturers are being severely undermined by cheap imports from countries such as China, Vietnam and Pakistan, an industry official said on Wednesday.
The government's failure to stem the influx of these products could have a severe detrimental impact on an already struggling industry, Databuild chief executive Morag Evans said in a statement.
Databuild is a knowledge hub for the construction and related industries and a key source of intelligence required by the sector.
“In an industry already in the grips of a severe downturn owing to the decline in infrastructure development, not only are these imports negatively impacting the competitiveness of our local manufacturers, but independent studies have shown the quality of these international products to be inferior," Evans said.
A recent investigation conducted by PPC Cement revealed extensive contravention of cement quality regulations, with the majority of 14 products tested from ten different producers being either over or underweight and of inconsistent quality.


text:
June 5, 2020:
Link-age's network of suppliers offer a variety of products and services to assist post-acute care providers with their business operations. Over the next several weeks, we will be highlighting our suppliers by category – dining operations; facilities management; clinical support, and more.
First up: suppliers who offer resources to support your staff.
While these partners offer their products and services everyday, it might be of particular interest during the COVID-19 pandemic to consider how these companies can help you recognize and support your employees.


Ukraine expressed readiness to take part in a peacemaking operation in Abkhazia.
Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia Grigoriy Vashadze said this in an interview with “Vremya Novostey” Russian newspaper, published on May 19.
“Ukraine has already expressed its readiness. Should other CIS states send at last symbolic peacemaking contingents, it would have a wholesome effect on the peacemaking operation”, G.Vashadze said, commenting on perspectives of broadening the format of the peacemaking operation in Abkhazia, which is conducted under the aegis of CIS.
“Should CIS be a viable organization, there would not be any problems. I guess our Russian colleagues will block the move. But, I’d like to admit, none of Georgian leaders has ever raised the question about banishing Russia from the peacemaking format”, the Georgian deputy FM stressed.
G.Vashadze also confirmed the intent of the Georgian side to provide the deployment of European police in the conflict area.
As UNIAN reported earlier, late in April Presidents of Ukraine and Georgia Victor Yushchenko and Mikheil Saakashvili issued a joint statement, calling on Russia to refuse its plans on Abkhazia and Southern Ossetia.


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« Lain Ehmann mentions Ethnic Scrapbooking |
| Women & Art Presentation »
Click on over to my blog and see what I had to say about "Blogger Jen's" review of Ethnic Scrapbooking.
Writing a book is so much more than just putting words on paper and slapping them together between two covers. As you can imagine I am making a scrapbook about the whole writing process of Ethnic Scrapbooking.
Posted at 09:44 AM in the writing process | Permalink
The comments to this entry are closed.


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US Eases Restrictions on Fuel Use to Minimize Storm-related Shortages
30 August 2017 (3:45PM)
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has waived a federal fuel requirement to minimize potential fuel shortages in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
The EPA eased a federal requirement mandating the use of low-volatility gasoline during the summer season.
The EPA announced the decision in response to Harvey's adverse impact on refineries in the oil-rich Gulf Coast region and the disruption of the area's fuel distribution system.
Major pipelines carrying gasoline and diesel fuel to Midwestern and East Coast states have been throttled back or shut down entirely due to reduced supplies.
The EPA action eases until September 15 regulations requiring the use of low-volatility gasoline in the District of Columbia and in the following states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Texas.
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt exercised the waiver in coordination with Energy Secretary Rick Perry. Both agencies said the waiver was consistent with the public interest.
|Connect with The Crittenden Automotive Library|


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Best Online Casino Sites in Japan 🏆
Finding the best online casinos in Japan is not necessarily an easy feat. Due to strict regulation, the industry is still in its cradle compared to other popular casino markets where gambling has thrived for many years.
With that said, recent years have seen a massive influx in new online casinos in Japan, creating a market that’s never before been seen in the country. Today, you have a decent selection of great online casinos to choose from in Japan; some of which focus heavily on the Japanese markets while others are pure adaptations of European casinos.
Almost all online casinos in Japan also offer casino apps that you easily can download.
Below you can find the best online casinos in Japan based on user ratings and our expert reviews. These online casino sites have gone through extensive testing by our team and are licensed to offer online gambling in Japan.
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Can I Play Casino Online in Japan? 🎰
Several of the biggest gambling sites in the world operate in Japan. Therefore, you can often refer to our regular recommendations to find a casino, in case you’re only looking for one of the best international casinos.
Your best option however is to use one of the more localized online casinos in Japan. We’re talking about the online casinos that have focused their efforts on creating a product that is perfectly suitable for the local market.
Use the links below to find what you are looking for.
- Best Online Casinos in Japan
- Best Casino Apps In Japan
- Best Live Casino In Japan
- Best Betting Sites in Japan
Some examples of online casinos that have localized their products to Japan:
Vera & John – Probably the most Japanese online casino on the market right now. Everything from graphics to offers has been adapted to fit the local market. But best of all is that the site is translated into Japanese.
SlottyVegas – This is a rather new casino that has worked hard to establish itself as a leading gambling service in Asia, including Japan. They have a great selection of slots and jackpot games as well as generous online casino bonuses.
CherryCasino – One of the first online casinos to start offering gambling in Japan. Today, CherryCasino continues to push the industry forward with its innovative products and unparalleled user-friendliness.
And these are just an example, you can find a huge amount of online casino sites targeting Japan. It is safe to say that you definitely can play online casino in Japan. In fact, you will be able to play with the best online casino sites in the world.
Frequently asked questions about online casino in Japan
📜 Is it legal to play online casino in Japan?
Yes, it is legal to play casino online in Japan. However, you will need to sign up with a casino that is located outside of Japan as Japanese laws prohibit local casinos.
📝 How do I register with a casino site in Japan?
In three simple steps you can sign up and get started.
- Find an online casino that you wish to play with.
- Register an account with them.
- Select a deposit method, make a deposit, and start playing.
Best of luck
🗾 ARE THE CASINO SITES TRANSLATED TO JAPANESE?
You will be able to find a lot of online casino sites that have been translated into Japanese. Vera&John and Cherry Casino are two great examples.
🎁 Can I get a casino bonus in Japan?
Yes, in fact, Japanese casinos offer HUGE bonuses. You will be able to claim a casino bonus easily. Just do you due diligence first as there are many different offers all with unique terms and conditions.
🔴 Can I play live casino in Japan?
Live casino in Japan is one of the most popular forms of online casino. It is part of the standard offering for 99% of all online casinos out there.
🎮 CAN I PLAY PACHINKO?
At the moment there is no online casino offering the classic Japanese game pachinko. This is a shame since it is such a popular game in Japan.
🉑 Does Online Casinos abroad accept Japanese players?
Yes, Japanese players are accepted in the vast majority of online casinos. Furthermore, you will be able to find casinos that have been localized to fit the Japanese customers with local payment methods, Japanese translations, and Japanese casino games.
💰 Can I deposit and withdraw with Japanese Yen?
You will not be able to deposit and withdraw with Japanese Yen, however, with more localized products you will. Vera & John and Leo Vegas are two good examples. The list is long though.
On this page, we list products that allow you to deposit and withdraw Japanese Yen.
How to Play Casino in Japan ❓
Getting started with an online casino in Japan is a piece of cake. And luckily, the registration process is very much the same, regardless of the casino you’re using.
The process can be divided into the following three steps:
- Find a Safe and Legal Online Casino Site.
- Register and Verify Your Identity
- Start Playing.
1. Find a Safe and Legal Online Casino Site.
Maybe it goes without saying, but your first task is to find an online casino that you like. The best way to do so is to rely on a combination of our unbiased reviews and your own research.
Our reviews are based on countless hours of testing as well as feedback from thousands of real users, which we pull from sites such as Trustpilot.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to use safe and regulated online casinos in Japan. Otherwise, you run the risk of being ripped off and even have your funds and personal information stolen.
2. Register and Verify Your Identity
Next, you visit the said casino and open the registration page. There, you will be asked to provide your full name, address, phone number, email, etc. This information is used as the foundation for your account and all the information has to be accurate. You also have to make an initial deposit to activate the new account.
To gain full access to your account and unlock withdrawals, you need to verify your identity. To do this, you submit a copy of your ID (passport, driver’s license, ID, etc.) as well as proof of residence, such as a recent utility bill or a bank statement with your name and address on it.
The exact document types and how you submit them are provided by your casino so make sure you follow their instructions.
3. Start Playing.
And that’s it!
Now, you have full access to the gambling site and you can start playing games without limitations. If you’ve never played online casino games before, we highly suggest that you try a few different kinds.
Maybe slots is the game type for you, or classic games such as poker and sic bo. And why not try your luck with one of the massive bonuses offered?
Popular Casino Games in Japan 🎲
Besides the regular suspects like blackjack and roulette, you will be able to find some local classics like Pachinko and different Pachinko slots. These are spread out all over Japan and part of the land-based casino slot offerings.
On top of these games some of the most popular online casino games in Japan include:
Best Live Casino Sites in Japan 🔴
Live Casino is one of the most popular forms of online casino in Japan. Most people prefer to play live casino instead of slots. And Japan is not different.
Over recent years, live casino has grown to become one of the most popular forms of online gambling.
With the sites we have listed here you will be able to play live casino in Japan unless we otherwise specifically say so in a review. Offering live casino is standard among online casino sites today. Some examples of live casino games offered includes:
- Live Blackjack
- Live Roulette
- Live European Roulette
- Wheel Games
These and many more live casino games are being offered to Japanese players. Ranging from the likes of lightning roulette to monopoly.
Best Casino Bonus in Japan 🎁
One of the main perks of playing casino games online is all the offers and casino bonuses that you can make use of.
All the top casinos everywhere in the world have some sort of bonus on offer. Certain casinos can have a long list of generous bonuses with strict terms, while others offer one or two bonuses.
Your task is to find a casino with bonuses that give you added value. For example, if you only play roulette and blackjack, you don’t want a slot bonus and vice versa. Below, you find an introduction to the best casino bonuses in Japan today.
In Japan there is no doubt about it, cashback and no deposit bonuses are the most sought-after casino promotions.
S0me examples of casino promotions in Japan
Cashback – is a bonus where the casino in question offers to refund your losses, either fully or partially. It’s a great way to get added value while also limiting the number of funds you stand to lose on any given game.
Free Spins – the vast majority of online casinos offer free spins, or free bets, in one form or another. This type of bonus allows you to play games without risking your own money. It’s perfect when you’re new at a casino, when you want to test a new game out or if you have a favourite game and want to test your luck with some free spins.
Deposit Bonuses – when you first deposit funds into a casino, you’re most often eligible for a welcome bonus. These work as a match-up where the casino matches your deposited amount up to a certain limit. For example, 100% first deposit bonus up to $200.
No Deposit Bonuses – A very rare “free bonus” that usually comes with very high wagering requirements.
Jackpots – jackpots are not technically bonuses, but they do pose a great way to earn extra money when gambling. After you’ve logged into the casino you’ve picked, you can filter out all the jackpot games. Then you can play games with small deposits and the potential chance of winning hundreds of millions of dollars.
Tournaments – many online casinos in Japan offer tournaments and competitions among their customers. A tournament could for example center around the player that made the most profit over a week, or the player that placed the most bets in a month. Finding a casino with tournaments will provide you with great added value, even after you’ve used up your initial offering.
Japanese Casino License and Regulation 🛡
Tasked with regulating gambling in Japan is the newly-founded regulatory body called the Casino Administration Committee (formerly known as just “the Commission”).
The casino administration was launched in early 2020 to handle the opening of Japan’s first three legally operated brick and mortar casinos.
Based on those facts, we can assume that the Casino Administration Committee will also be tasked with regulating online gambling in Japan. At the time of writing, this had not been confirmed.
Lastly, to sum it all up we want to remind you that gambling (with a handful of betting expectations) remains illegal in Japan. But since the current gambling laws don’t apply to international casinos, there is a wide range of legal online casino sites in the country.
As always, your safety is our number of concern. Therefore, we only recommend online casinos that are tightly regulated with a license from other regulatory bodies, such as:
- Malta Gaming Authority
- The UK Gambling Commission
- Curacao eGaming
Online Gambling in Japan ⚽
Gambling is a sensitive subject in Japan, mainly because it’s technically illegal except for certain sports betting. However, in recent years, more online casinos in Japan have started to pop up.
The reason for this is that there is no law prohibiting online casinos based outside of Japan to offer their services in the country. Because of this, we spent several days reviewing the entire Japanese online casino market.
To understand regulation and legality we have to take a closer look at online gambling in general.
Gambling has long played an integral part in Japanese society. For example, Pachinko – more commonly known as arcade games – originates from Japan. Despite Pachinko being offered as a pastime, most play them with the intent of winning money.
Lotteries have also been popular for decades and only municipality bodies are allowed to arrange them.
Furthermore, poker has been popular in Japan for years, and still to this day, there are a plethora of poker parlors spread across the nation. However, you’re not allowed to win money when playing poker (since domestic gambling is illegal), instead, you win tokens that you can exchange for cash or products.
Regulation and Legality
We already touched on this matter but feel obligated to do so again. You see, gambling is not legal in Japan, at least not on paper. There are some exceptions such as betting on horses and motorsports, but all other forms of gambling are prohibited online.
In 2019, a new law was introduced in Japan which opened up the doors for three regulated, brick and mortar casinos to open up in the country, which is a very good sign for the industry.
Now, luck has it that online gambling in Japan kind of falls through the current regulation. And since there is no law keeping international operators to offer casino games in Japan, the online gambling industry is actually thriving.
Today, you can gamble with some of the world’s biggest online casinos in Japan, as well as a few newer additions that are solely focused on the Japanese market, both in terms of design and in the fact that the games are translated.
Let us summarize:
Gambling is technically illegal in Japan, although that seems to be changing. Online gambling, on the other hand, is not illegal as long as you use an online casino based abroad.Find Casino

domain: entertainment


text: Background and objectives According to recent guidelines, a diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) can be made without a biopsy, especially in children. disease aged 15 years or more, confirmed by (+)-JQ1 improvement on gluten-free diet (GFD), and were not on GFD before endoscopy or serology test or both of them were included in the study, and the TTG IgA level was measured at the same time or within 2C3 months of biopsy date. The exclusion criteria were unfavorable duodenal biopsy, which is usually less than 2; patients with unfavorable biopsy and unfavorable serology; patients who were on GFD before screening, and any sufferers recognized to possess immunity illness or diseases leading to mucosal shifts. The TTG IgA level was assessed in IU/ mL and was called harmful ( 20 IU/mL) and positive ( 20 IU/mL) predicated CD3G on the cutoff worth. Nevertheless, Intestinal biopsy results were defined as Marsh classification groupings. Outcomes A hundred thirty-four sufferers who all met the (+)-JQ1 addition requirements were contained in the scholarly research. Median age group of our test was 24 years (16C37 years). Among these, 99 (73.88%) were female sufferers, whereas male sufferers were only 35 (26.12%). Histopathologic analysis of intestinal biopsy had been Marsh 0 group was 16 situations (11.9%), Marsh 1 group was 8 situations (6%), Marsh 2 group was 4 situations (3%), Marsh 3a group was 32 situations (23.9%), Marsh 3b group was 64 situations (47.8%), and Marsh 3c group was 10 situations (7.5%). The TTG IgA antibody serology groupings had been 20 IU/mL in 13 situations (9.7%) and 20 IU/mL in 121 situations (90.3%). Among all sufferers with Compact disc who acquired harmful biopsy (Marsh 0 group), 16 (100%) of these acquired positive TTG IgA antibody. Nevertheless, among sufferers with Marsh 1 group biopsy, 5 (62.5%) situations had bad TTG IgA antibody weighed against 3 (37.5%) positive situations. From the four situations (100%) with Marsh 2 group, most of them acquired positive TTG IgA antibody. Nevertheless, in Marsh 3a group biopsy, 3 (9.4%) situations had bad TTG IgA antibody weighed against 29 (90.6%) situations with positive TTG IgA antibody. Furthermore, among the sufferers with Marsh 3b group biopsy, 5 (7.8%) had bad antibody and 59 (92.2%) had positive serology. Of most biopsies of Marsh 3c group, 10 (100 %) acquired positive TTG IgA antibody. Conclusions In perspective of high prevalence of Compact disc in KSA, a lot more than american (+)-JQ1 countries also, we are able to pretend that positive TTG antibody exams can be requested the medical diagnosis of Compact disc without biopsy, in symptomatic sufferers along with high titer especially, that’s, 5C10 times top of the limit of regular (ULN). Nevertheless, to validate it additional, we need larger prospective research where duodenal biopsies ought to be used according to suggested protocol and really should end up being interpreted by experienced pathologist. Furthermore, biopsy continues to be needed in sufferers who usually do not present clinical improvement on the gluten-free diet plan and in instances with mildly or moderately elevated TTG IgA. 13 (9.7%) with 20 IU/mL (Table 1). Table 1 Baseline Characteristics of Celiac individuals. = 134)(%)Male35 (26.1)Female99 (73.9)Marsh Intestinal biopsy organizations, (%)016 (11.9)18 (6)24 (3)3a32 (23.9)3b64 (47.8)3c10 (7.5)TTG IgA groups, (%) 2013 (9.7)20121 (90.3) Open in a separate windows Among all individuals with CD who had negative biopsy (Marsh 0 group), all 16 (100%) individuals had positive TTG IgA antibody. However, among individuals with Marsh 1 group, 5 of 8 (62.5%) instances had negative TTG IgA antibody. Marsh 2 group comprised only 4 instances and all of them experienced positive TTG IgA antibody, whereas in Marsh 3a group, 3 of 32 (9.4%) instances had negative TTG IgA antibody compared with 29 (90.6%) with positive TTG IgA antibody. Furthermore, among individuals with Marsh 3b group, 5 of 64 (7.8%) (+)-JQ1 had negative antibody and 59 (92.2%) had positive serology. Of all biopsies of Marsh 3c group, all 10 (100%) experienced positive TTG IgA antibody (Table 2). For detailed biopsy group distribution within TTG IgA antibody instances, refer to Table 2, ?,3,3, and Number 1. Open in a separate windows Number 1 Distribution of Intestinal biopsy organizations and TTG IgA antibody titers. Table 2 General distribution of Intestinal biopsy organizations with.

domain: biology


text:
Biting Observation Meets Sharp Satire: The Amusing Life by Song Sokze
- onJanuary 4, 2017
- Vol.34 Winter 2016
- byJ.C. Sutcliffe
- The Amusing Life
Tr. Kim Se-un 2016170pp.
One of the hardest tasks for a translator is conveying information that goes without saying to a reader of the source text, but without which the reader of the translated version would be left baffled. What to do when the readership of a translation might not share the assumed social, political, and cultural knowledge that makes satire funny? This is one of the daunting challenges facing Kim Se-un, the translator of Song Sokze’s collection of short-short stories, The Amusing Life.
The Amusing Life is made up of more than forty short-short stories. Each story takes a moment from life and examines it under a comic lens. Song exaggerates the ridiculous and pokes fun at characteristics a reader will easily recognize, either because the situation transcends national and regional boundaries or because the way a character reacts to the pains and frustrations of navigating a complex social structure will be familiar to a non-Korean reader even if the context itself is not.
Some of these situations are global in familiarity, such as the micro story “Surveillance.” The walls of a public toilet are covered with “everything from simple philosophical musings to jokes, but the majority consisted of descriptions of sexual experiences, curses condemning the immorality of the scribbling, objections to those curses, and criticism regarding those objections.” Biggest of all, naturally, is the manager’s sign forbidding graffiti.
Others are more distinctly Korean, of which “I Don’t Do This Crap for Money” is a perfect example, beginning as it does: “In Korea it isn’t difficult to see a certain kind of person that’s rare in other parts of the world.” As the narrator approaches a tollbooth on the road, it takes him a few seconds longer to hand over his cash than is deemed acceptable by the toll collector, who criticizes him for his slowness, leaving him humiliated. Over the course of the day he encounters several more members of the “I Don’t Do This Crap for Money” clan. Irony bites hard when, on his return journey, determined not to be slow at the tollbooth, the narrator concentrates so intently on burrowing in his pockets for the correct change that he rear-ends the car in front of him.
Another Korea-specific story is “How Old Are You?” This features a narrator embittered with life after spending years studying for (and failing) exams that would allow him to apply for senior government positions, which has ended up putting him behind other people his age. This is an interesting story because it reveals to a non-Korean reader the importance of the social structures of respecting one’s elders and using appropriate honorifics—as well as how this man perceives such customs as simultaneously essential and foreboding to his rightful position.
One of the funniest stories is “The Hangover Remedy,” in which a character called Ryu sets off for work thirty minutes early. Feeling pleased with himself, he lets the first bus go past while he finishes his cigarette in a leisurely manner. But the next one is full, as are the next few. Ryu starts to get pickier—why should he be crushed in with the workers who still smell of last night’s alcohol when he so virtuously got up early? Eventually he ends up taking a taxi, but since he has no change he needs to stop at the pharmacy to buy something to break a large note. Out of habit, Ryu downs the medicine, only realizing later, as he’s starting to get into gear at work, that the medicine was his preferred hangover remedy.
Humor is the most demanding of translations—it has high expectations of not only the translator but also the target language and the reader. Occasionally the translation—through no fault of Kim Se-un—fails to live up to the promise of the original; given the interest inherent in and provoked by Song’s writing, this occasional gap in understanding becomes an invitation for the reader to learn more about Korean society and customs through further experience of literature.
Recurring characters include Kyu and a writer named Song Okze, as well as a cast of slightly preposterous but entirely plausible Everymen. Song’s writing is occasionally reminiscent of Milan Kundera’s work, with its focus on the absurd, and often unintentional uniformity, of our supposedly individualistic lives. More overtly comic than Kundera, though, with a stronger emphasis on punch lines and sometimes explicit fable-like morals, Song Sokze’s work is an intriguing introduction to Korean satire.
by J.C. Sutcliffe
Translator, writer, and book reviewer
Song Sokze is a poet and novelist. His short story collection The Amusing Life is set to be published by Dalkey Archive Press at the end of 2016. His works have been translated into English, Chinese, French, and German. He has received the Hyundae Literary Award, Dongin Literary Award, and Lee Hyo-seok Literary Award. His short story “The Man Who Writes Stories” was adapted into a Korean movie titled Dance with the Wind.

domain: library


text:
Though the German capital might not be your first idea for a winter getaway, it is actually magic under the snow and culturally exciting during the winter months, with film, dance and food festivals, Bauhaus celebrations, and even a fashion week! Here is a list of must-sees and dos in the German capital currently.
Berlin is today a young and active international city, offering lively nightlife, many cafés, clubs, bars, street art, numerous museums, palaces, and other sites of historic interest, and the month of February is particularly sweet for art lovers: from Feb 7th to Feb 11th is held the Berlin Independent Film Festival, which offers plenty of screening and business opportunities for up-and-coming filmmakers. The exciting programme of films, workshops and networking events combines the commitment to indie filmmaking ideals with a solid understanding of their potential in the marketplace. All films are screened at the Babylon Cinema in Berlin-Mitte and are in English or with English subtitles. Extra tip: this movie theatre offers midnight movies every Saturday, with a live music orchestra!
Held around the same time – Feb 7th to Feb 17th, the Berlinale is the city’s most glamourous event. With more than 400 films shown it attracts the elite of the film industry as well as the largest audience of any film festival in the world. But the festival has much more to offer than just the screening of films. For two weeks, workshops, panel discussions and joint projects encourage collaboration between all the participants. And at the exclusive Berlinale parties, people, art, glamour and business meet.
Dance is also promoted: each year young people aged between 10 and 21 from around the world meet in Berlin to share their love for dancing at the Tanzolymp, a dance event with workshops, seminars and competitions. The main aim of the festival is to support and increase the popularity of dancing, and also provides insight into the variety of dance aesthetics and artistic styles. Another festival, The Days of Dance or Tanztage, is a contemporary dance festival focusing on the discovery and support of up-and-coming choreographers and dancers based in Berlin.
Design and architecture are not left out, since 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Bauhaus design school. For the centenary, many galleries, museums and other institutions in Berlin make the ideas of the Bauhaus visible and tangible, such as “Bauhaus – Modernism around the globe” at Willy Brandt Haus (16 January – 14 March 2019), which exhibits the works of photographer Jean Molitor, who has traced Bauhaus architecture all over the world for over 10 years. He found it not only in Berlin but also in Saint Petersburg, Havana, Casablanca und Guatemala City. The city and its periphery offer a lot of examples of this very recognizable architectural style, especially the Berlin Modernism Housing Estates, a Unesco World Heritage Site since 2008.
To enjoy all these festivities to the fullest, Commendable Rentals has selected three extremely elegant apartments, perfect for families traveling together but also great for business travel. Located in the same chic building on Winterfeldstrasse in the Schöneberg area, you can choose the 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom or 3-bedroom apartment, depending on who you travel with!
The rooms are spacious and very tasteful, with lots of light, deliciously comfortable bedding and fully equipped marble and mosaic bathrooms as well as state of the art kitchens in each property. These apartments are perfect for those who crave space and comfort, in an excellent, central location, next to Potsdamer Platz. The building itself dates back to 1900 and has been lovingly restored to its former glory. It is within walking distance to a great variety of bars, restaurants and shopping, where you can experience the best of this dynamic city. Commendable Berlin offers both the comfort and ease of a hotel and the familiar feeling and facilities of the best home away from home.


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Outward Hound Kyjen PP01101 Octopus Junior Plush Dog Toys Squeak Toy, Small, Blue
|Price:||$4.98 & FREE Shipping on orders over $49. Details|
- The poly fiber stuffing in this toy is made from recycled plastic bottles
- Ideal for pups that love to shake and tug their toys
- Plush fabric is soft and gentle on dogs' mouths
Frequently Bought Together
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Featuring eight arms for shaking, plus an engaging squeaker!
Our Plush Puppies Octopus toys bring undersea fun to four legged friends. With eight arms for shaking, plus engaging squeaks, this toy is sure to keep your pup playing!
- Eight floppy arms that dogs love to flap
- Plush design is built to last
- Ideal for pups that love to tug and shake their toys
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This item: Outward Hound Kyjen PP01101 Octopus Junior Plush Dog Toys Squeak Toy, Small, Blue
KONG Elmer Elephant Cozie Dog Toy, Small B00DH324OM
|Shipping||FREE Shipping||FREE Shipping||FREE Shipping||FREE Shipping|
|Color||Blue||Elmer the Elephant||Raccoon||Information not provided|
|Dimensions||9 inches x 5 inches x 4 inches||6.5 inches x 5 inches x 2 inches||18 inches x 1.5 inches x 2.5 inches||6.5 inches x 5.5 inches x 1 inches|
|Item Package Weight||0.02 pounds||0.1 pounds||0.05 pounds||0.1 pounds|
|Size||Information not provided||Small||14"||Mini|
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Top Customer Reviews
The tag says that the filling is made from recycled plastic bottles: "The poly fiber fill stuffing inside this toy is made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. This does not sacrifice our high standards for quality and safety yet, it greatly reduces the number of plastic bottles that go into landfills each year !"
I bought this as an Amazon *add on item* so it was a bit reduced in price which is always great for the budget. Every day is Christmas when you have dogs in the house !
Most Recent Customer Reviews
This little guy is so damn cute (although slightly creepy looking too ..see picture attached haha)! My dog loves to swing his head back and forth with toys so I figured the legs... Read morePublished 6 days ago by Stephanie Swartz
I bought this for my Maltese and he seems to like it.
He played with it some then went back to his trusty hedgehog! Read more
Super cute. I bought it for a pug who loves to play with it.Published 13 days ago by Crystal L Jones
Poor quality - ripped first day. Blue fuzz all over the rug after my puppy was through with it!Published 19 days ago by Suzanne
5 WOOFs for this one! My dog carried this everywhere when we first got it, it was the cutest thing! Pretty well made, it hasn't been destroyed yet.Published 28 days ago by skirgrl
Bought this for my sisters new puppy at Christmas. It's now June and it's seriously his favorite toy. Read morePublished 1 month ago by Kari Nichols

domain: pet


Russia retained its position as the world’s most prolific orbital launch provider in 2014, a position it has maintained since 2004. Russia’s launch tempo in 2014 was the same as in 2013, with ## launch attempts, all of which were successful except for one Proton Space Launch Vehicle (SLV) with a Russian communications satellite aboard. Launch success does not always correspond to mission success, as in August 2014 when the Fregat upper stage of a Soyuz ST failed to position its two Galileo PNT satellites in the correct orbit. As of the end of 2014, the satellites’ operator, ESA, was still evaluating whether the satellites might be usable in altered orbits.
The United States attempted to launch ## rockets in 2014, all but ## of which were successful. United Launch Alliance (ULA) provided the majority of U.S. orbital launches in 2014. ULA launches deployed payloads for the military and civil government. The U.S. Air Force (USAF) awarded ULA three contracts in 2013, in which ULA would provide ## launch vehicle booster cores from 2013 through 2017.
The table below shows each spacefaring nation’s space launch vehicle platforms active in the current year. Launch tracking and launch system information relies on various primary and government sources. The current year’s launch reliability shows the number of successful launches over the number of total launches for the year.
One of the pioneers of commercial suborbital flights, Armadillo Aerospace, announced that it was suspending operations in early August 2013 due to funding issues. Founded by noted video game designer John Carmack, Armadillo Aerospace steadily developed and tested a series of ever-improving vertical take-off, reusable rocket-powered vehicles.
South Korea conducted ## successful orbital launch in 2013. After suffering two previous launch failures of the Korea Space Launch Vehicle (KSLV)-1, arguments arose between the Russian manufacturers of the vehicle’s first stage and the South Korean manufacturers of the second stage over the responsibility for the vehicle’s failures.
India conducted ## successful orbital launches in 2013, all using its indigenously designed Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The ## flight, in February 2013, carried a French oceanography satellite along with a selection of microsatellites. The ## flight took place in July 2013, lofting an Indian navigation satellite into orbit.
Japan successfully conducted ## orbital launches in 2013, placing a variety of payloads into orbit for domestic customers. In 2013, Japan also signaled that it intends to compete in the global commercial market.
Europe conducted ## orbital launches in 2013, all of which were successful. The majority of these flights were made by Europe’s Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle, which deployed communication satellites as well as the fourth Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) carrying cargo and fuel to the ISS.
China’s launch rate in 2013 fell by ##% compared to the previous two years, when China set a national record for number of orbital launches. Of China’s ## orbital launch attempts in 2013, ## were successful and deployed a variety of military, civil, and crewed spacecraft.
Russia retained its position as the world’s most prolific orbital launch provider in 2013, a position that it has maintained since 2005. Although the Soviet Union was an extraordinarily prolific launcher, the difficulties caused by the collapse of the Soviet Union significantly curtailed Russian space activities for several years. Russia conducted ## orbital launches in 2013, of which ## were complete successes, ## total failure, and ## partial failure.


text:
The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance (Romanian: Memorialul Victimelor Comunismului şi al Rezistenţei) in Romania consists of the Sighet Museum (often confused with the Memorial) and the International Centre for Studies into Communism.
Entrance of the Sighet Memorial Museum
Interior with cell doors
Procession of the sacrified beings, by Aurel I. Vlad.
International Centre for Studies into Communism

domain: history