Road-building is scheduled to begin this week and preliminary logging surveys of the old-growth redcedars are underway by Echo Lake, an extremely rare, lowland old-growth forest about 2 hours east of Vancouver between Mission and Agassiz. Echo Lake is part of the drinking watershed for local people, is home to the largest night-roosting site for bald eagles on Earth, and harbours much wildlife including bears, cougars, bobcats, wintering black-tailed deer, osprey, numerous bats, and various Species at Risk. Local landowners and conservationists are redoubling efforts to convince the BC government to protect the endangered north and west sides of the lake.
Mission, BC – Local landowners and conservation groups are dismayed at road-building and old-growth logging plans that are underway in a community watershed at Echo Lake, an extremely rare and endangered, lowland old-growth forest between Mission and Agassiz, famous for its monumental cedars and Douglas-firs, wildlife, and hundreds of roosting bald eagles during the fall salmon run (see the Vancouver Sun http://www.vancouversun.com/Province+urged+protect+Harrison+eagles/7371025/story.html).
Landowners Stephen and Susan Ben-Oliel, who own a private land parcel on one side of the lake, and who draw their drinking water there, were informed on Monday by consultants hired by C&H Forest Products that the logging company is planning to begin construction this week of a 1400 metre long logging road in their Community Watershed. The planned road on Crown lands leads to stands of old-growth redcedars and Douglas-firs on the northwest side of Echo Lake. The couple have also discovered a series of recently flagged and spray-painted old redcedars alongside the main trail by Echo Lake in preparation for logging. Over a thousand people have now hiked the trail around Echo Lake since 2013, when the Ancient Forest Alliance began organizing guided tours through the area.
Last year, Forest Minister Steve Thomson stated that there were no logging plans for Echo Lake – See Global TV at: http://globalnews.ca/news/1906359/clear-cutting-threatens-echo-lake-eagle-colony/
However, the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource operations recently approved C&H Forest Products’ road building plans, although they have not approved any cutting plans at this time. Conservationists are concerned that once major sections of road are constructed, the company will be in a strengthened position to obtain approval for their logging plans in order to recuperate their costs. C&H Forest Products have a Woodlot Licence on the unprotected north and west sides of Echo Lake, while a 55 hectare Old-Growth Management Area protects the south side of the lake.
“Judging by their flagging tape and the route of their planned logging road, it appears the licensee intends to log the spectacular stands of monumental old-growth redcedars by Echo Lake – which is sort of like shooting a herd of endangered rhinos, as giant redcedars like these are almost all gone in this region,” stated landowner Stephen Ben-Oliel. “The company has informally stated that they might leave some of the individual old-growth Douglas-firs and maples, but their assurances lack detail, leave out the old-growth cedars, are purely verbal, and are not backed up by any legally-binding government regulations or laws. In addition, the risks posed by road-building and logging in the community watershed where where we and other families draw our drinking water from are also a cause for alarm.”
“Echo Lake is a globally significant area that should be a no-brainer for full government protection, especially considering how small it is, a hundred or so hectares in total size. It’s the world’s largest night-roosting site for bald eagles – that alone should make full protection of the forests in the ‘bowl’ surrounding the lake a given, not even factoring in its importance for much more biodiversity,” stated Ken Wu, Ancient Forest Alliance executive director. “We need the BC government in this election year to step forward and protect all of Echo Lake’s old-growth and mature forests on Crown lands.”
See the media release from 2013: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=565
See spectacular images of Echo Lake Ancient Forests at: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/photos.php?gID=20
See a Youtube Clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPstV14oZ6s&feature=youtu.be
See various news media articles about Echo Lake from the Vancouver Sun, Globe and Mail, Global TV etc. at the bottom of the campaign page at: www.ProtectEchoLake.com
“The BC government needs to work with the local Woodlot Licensee, First Nations, the adjacent private land owners like myself, and conservationists to ensure the area’s legal protection. This could entail shifting the Woodlot License boundaries into an area of second-growth forest with an equivalent timber value and then expanding the Old-Growth Management Area around all of Echo Lake,” stated Susan Ben-Oliel.
More Background Info
Echo Lake is the largest night-roosting site for bald eagles on Earth, where as many as 700 bald eagles roost in the ancient Douglas-fir and cedar trees around the lake at night during the fall salmon runs. Along the nearby Chehalis and Harrison Rivers, as many as 10,000 bald eagles come to eat the spawning salmon during some years, making the area home to the largest bald eagle/ raptor concentration on Earth.
In 2013 after a campaign by local landowners and the Ancient Forest Alliance, the BC government protected 55 hectares of the old-growth forests on the Crown lands on the south side of Echo Lake in an Old-Growth Management Area (OGMA). However, they left out a similar amount of old-growth and mature forests from the OGMA on the north and west sides of the lake within a Woodlot Licence where the ancient trees can still be logged.
The area is in the traditional, unceded territory of the Sts’ailes First Nation band, who run the Sasquatch EcoLodge and whose members run eagle watching tours nearby.
Several biological surveys or “bioblitzes” have been organized by the Ancient Forest Alliance that have helped to inventory the area’s large diversity of flora and fauna. Many species at risk such as various species of bats, frogs, snails, dragonflies, and mosses have been found by biologists and naturalists. The data has been submitted to the BC Ministry of Environment’s Wildlife Species Inventory. 174 species of plant, 55 vertebrate, 153 invertebrate, and 38 fungi species were found during the two days of the 2014 bioblitz, while the 2015 bioblitz data is still being compiled. See the 2014 bioblitz media release at: https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=868
The Ancient Forest Alliance is also calling for a larger provincial plan to protect the remaining endangered old-growth forests across BC while ensuring sustainable second-growth forestry jobs.
In the Lower Mainland, about 80% or more of the original, productive old-growth forests have already been logged, including about 95% of the high productivity, valley bottom ancient forests where the largest trees grow and most biodiversity is found. See before and after maps for BC’s southern coast (Southwest Mainland and Vancouver Island) at: http://ancientforestalliance.org/old-growth-maps.php
“How many jurisdictions on Earth still have trees that grow as wide as living rooms and as tall as downtown skyscrapers? What we have here is something exceptional on the planet. Our ancient forests make British Columbia truly special – while we still have them,” stated TJ Watt, Ancient Forest Alliance campaigner. “More than ever we need the BC government to have the wisdom to protect our incredibly rare and endangered old-growth forests like at Echo Lake”.


By default, the lock works with 125KHz ID card. 13.56MHz Mifare card lock also available.
Our hotel card key switch works with Low-frequency (125KHz) card such as Temic 5557 card, or High-frequency (13.56MHz ) card such as M1 card.
No, card is not included. You need to buy card separately. Normally, card is purchased together with hotel door lock. The card can not only open door, but also turn on hotel room power by pluging it into the hote power card switch.
You can program keys on the lock directly. No software and encoder involved.
The sensor locker lock is powered by 4pcs AA Batteries, last 5-10 months normally.If low Voltage (All locks we supply have an external power port on it. If battery totally exhausted, connect a battery case with 4 pcs AA battery, then unlock. You don't have to destroy the locker/cabinet if battery dead.You can also use a transformer to transform your city power (AC) to DC (6V) to supply power to all locks centrally.
Yes, it is available. You can program a master key to open all locks, which is convenient for management.
Yes. Our digital smart cabinet locks have 2 working modes. It can be used for both private place (home,hotel room, office,etc) and public place (swimming pool, gym, supermarket,etc).
Note: Remember the password and keep it safe. If you forget it, you have to re-install the hotel card lock management software.
This software supports Chinese and English so far. If you want to customize other language, we can send you the database to you, then you can translate it into your requested language, we will check it to see if it is workable. And you need to pay for the cost incurred.
1) Low-Frequency System: With 125KHz frequency chip, work with T5557 card.2) High-Frequency System: With 13.56MHz frequency chip, work with Mifare 1K card.Temic 5557 card: low-frequency card (125KHz), small storage space, short reading distance, mainly used for opening doors.Mifare 1k card: High-frequency card (13.56MHz), bigger storage space, longer reading distance, more sectors and multifunctional.※ If the key card is used only for opening door, T5557 card system will be enough.※ If the key card is for mutifunctional purpose instead of just opening door, such as for consumption system, parking system, access control system and so on, you need to choose Mifare 1K card system.PS: High-Frequency hotel lock system is US$5 higher than Low-Frequency hotel lock system. Appearance is the same.
By default, customer will receive two mechanical keys for each hotel door lock.If you want all locks to share a same mechanical key, that is available.Please let us know in advance when placing order.
No, can not.For security consideration, the key card is encrypted before shipped out, and different supplier have different encryption way，which means the lock, card encoder and key card should be from the same supplier.
Yes, your hotel logo and related information can be printed on the hotel lock key card. ( Silk Screen Printing). If card quantity more than 200 pieces, printing service is free.You can design the artwork by yourself, or send your logo and related information and we design it for you. Note: Different room numbers on different cards are not available, because each number involves screen plate cost. It is not worthwhile for you.
Step 1:Find the hotel lock program's root folder named “proUSBHotelCardSystem”. (You can search with keyword "proUSBHotelCardSystem" on your PC if you don't know where it is). In the file you can see the details as picture shows below: Step 2:Copy/Past the whole “proUSBHotelCardSystem” folder to the new PC Step 3:Connect card encoder to the new PC, put the master card on card encoder. (Program a master card on old PC if you don't have it) Step 4:Open the “proUSBHotelCardSystem” folder on new PC and double click the circled icon in the picture below to run the software, and register the card encoder. You will see all information has been transferred from the older PC to new PC.


USA TODAY Sports Active Alliance Announces Mazda as Presenting Sponsor
USA TODAY Sports Active Alliance has announced Mazda North American as the presenting sponsor of the Sports Active Alliance, a network of the country’s finest independent marathons.
The Alliance promotes the endurance running market and brings together many of the nation’s finest independent marathons and half marathons in one place. Through the Alliance, races maintain their independence and unique regionalism while linking every other major city’s marathons, offering scale, reach and unprecedented promotion via the USA TODAY NETWORK.
For full details, read the story on Sports Business Journal.


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Port Elizabeth - Chippa United will be looking to start the year with a bang at home when they welcome Wits to the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday.
The Chilli Boys are on a high following an emphatic victory away to AmaZulu with one of the “Destruction Boyz” (the new signings) grabbing a brace.
The win saw Chippa United move up the Absa Premiership log table following two consecutive defeats towards the end of 2017.
Head Coach, Teboho Moloi has urged his charges not to read too much to champions current position in the PSL log.
Wits currently occupy 15th position on the Absa Premiership log having accumulated 14 points after 15 games while Chippa are in 7th place with 22 points after 16 games.
“Bidvest Wits showed against SuperSport United that they are the reigning champions, and will not just give up. Against SuperSport United they showed their quality and grit and they fought for every ball. They are going to come to Port Elizabeth with guns blazing,” said Moloi addressing the media at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Thursday afternoon.
“History shows that Bidvest Wits have not lost a game at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, and we will have to be at our best. We cannot afford to underestimate them like we perhaps did against Ajax Cape Town and Polokwane City here during our last game of 2017.
“It is important for us to continue doing well at home. It is unacceptable to lose here in front of our supporters and we will give our best come Sunday,” said Moloi.
Kick-off is at 15:30.

domain: sports


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This soft and beyond beautiful cardigan is from Mini Q Ture - the Holiday Collection by Mini A Ture. A little piece of luxury, it's made of 100% merino wool. Pair it with their Cana Tulle Glitter skirt for the cutest outfit for your mini!
About Mini A Ture: Fashion-forward yet wearable, this Danish children’s brand creates clothes that allow children to playfully embrace the world—while looking stylish.
- Material / Ingredients / Care
- Wash inside out (wool wash)
- 100% Merino Wool, Oeko-tex

domain: design


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Johannesburg - Group Five, which has reported a first-half profit rise of 64%, is setting their sights on cross-border projects, including those in high-growth countries elsewhere in Africa to alleviate domestic growth pressure.
Diluted headline earnings per share, South Africa's main measure of profit that strips out certain one-off items, rose to 335 cents in the year to end-June from 204 cents in the previous year, it reported on Monday.
But its main engineering and construction business reported a R236m ($17.80m) operating profit loss compared with a R43m profit last year as South Africa's construction industry struggles to pull itself out of a six-year slump.
The South African construction firm said it expects a revival in commodity prices will prompt mining clients to increase spending on infrastructure projects.
The company, which still derives the bulk of its sales in southern Africa, has set its sights on cross-border projects including those in high-growth countries elsewhere in Africa to alleviate domestic growth pressure.
A possible recovery in contract awards could be on the cards in the upcoming year, as a revival in commodity prices encourage clients in the African mining industry to spend on infrastructure projects, the company said in a statement.
"We have seen a little bit of an improvement in some of those precious metal and resource commodity markets in Africa," chief executive Eric Vemer said.
"There's a number of enquiries in the tin environment, in fluorspar, in gold and some work in the platinum space."
Metal prices have staged a modest recovery in recent months with gold leading the charge after Britain's vote to leave the European Union sent investors into a safe-haven buying frenzy.
Africa's top gold producer AngloGold Ashanti on Monday reported half-year earnings that more than doubled due to higher prices and weaker currencies where it operates, while Kumba Iron Ore posted 20% higher first-half profit last month.
Vemer also said a recent rise in the price of crude was helping pick up activity in the west Africa's oil industry, where the company is bidding for projects.Read Fin24's top stories trending on Twitter: Fin24’s top stories

domain: geography


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You can’t say nobody saw Miley Cyrus’s over-the-top performance at the VMAs! MTV says ratings were up 66% this year, and we bet Justin Timberlake and his ‘N Sync reunion had a lot to do with that. But it was Cyrus parading around with dancing bears, twerking non-stop and even grabbing her crotch several times that everybody couldn’t stop talking about! After performing her single, “We Can’t Stop,” Cyrus stripped down to a nude latex two-piece for an equally provocative performance with Robin Thicke. But did she go too far?
“I was really uncomfortable. And I have to tell you, I’m like a progressive parent, and I still wanted to take her and put her in a room,” Jenny Hutt, host of Sirius XM Radio’s “Just Jenny” tells Showbiz Tonight. “And I canceled my order of the latex, nude-colored swimsuit. I’m done. I was not happy with her performance. I felt bad for her. She was going for sensual. It was over the top sexual.”
Watch the great Miley debate tonight on Showbiz Tonight on HLN – 11p.m. ET/PT

domain: celebrity


Hollywood has some exciting news for fans of animation films. Fresh off his success at the 91st Academy Award for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, co-director Bob Persichetti has been signed on to direct DreamWorks Animation’s next installment of Puss in Boots. Puss in Boots is a spin-off of the marvelous fairy tale Shrek franchise that came out with the first film in 2011. Puss in Boots, which has a Western set-up, went on to become one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.
The original Puss in Boots featured the voice-over cast of Antonio Banderas as Puss in Boots, Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws, Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Alexander Dumpty, Billy Bob Thorton as Jack, Amy Sedaris as Jill and Constance Marie as Imelda. The first Puss in Boots received an Oscar nomination in 2012 in the Best Animated Feature film category and was produced by DreamWorks Animation (Boss Baby, Madagascar, Shrek film series), one of Hollywood's biggest animation networks and a Universal Pictures' subsidiary. About DreamWorks Animation working on the sequel, Deadline reported more on Puss in Boots 2's development front. The release date has not been finalised yet.
In another news, Columbia Pictures' and Sony Pictures' Hotel Transylvania has got a release date for its fourth installment. Hotel Transylvania 4 will reportedly hit the screens on December 22, 2021. The monster-human partnership story is a much loved franchise of the fans and critics and features Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez as the vampire father-daughter duo.
Follow @News18Movies for more


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Support System- Geographic Information Systems faq
Yes, another parcel can be added after process with the help of “+Add/Remove” button in 200ft list. After process, click on button and select parcel to be added in the list. The clicked parcel will get added in the list and map.
Yes, parcel can be removed after a process with the help of “+Add/Remove” button. After process is completed, double click on the button and click on the parcel to remove it. The clicked parcel will be removed from the list and map.
Yes, 200ft data can be exported in excel with the help of “Export to excel” option provided in the list.


It’s been a week since Joe Biden gave his State of the Union address. And it was a train wreck, just as we anticipated it would be. Now, though, it’s really time to unpack a bit of what he said. Specifically, we need to look at the Build Back Better plan.
Commonly known as BBB, it’s a nightmare spending bill that would send the country into the worst deficit we’ve ever seen. And many Republicans have made sure to kill it so that we never have to worry about it seeing the light of day.
However, BBB might as well be known as the zombie bill because it’s trying to come back from the dead.
Joe Biden doesn’t want to give up on the bill. As he talked about unity and democracy (over and over again, ad nauseam), he still had to bring up Build Back Better. And he truly believes that there’s not going to be any cost to taxpayers. Either he’s trying to lie to every American or he’s really dumb enough to believe the words that are coming out of his mouth.
Regardless, it’s not what we want. We’ve made that clear – and Congress is doing its best to keep it dead. Even Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema, Democrats, have worked to keep it from being passed because they know that it’s too much money. There’s also no guarantee that spending all of that money will actually help us to build anything back better.
“My plan will not only lower costs to give families a fair shot; it will lower the deficit.”
Shouldn’t it be illegal for our president to blatantly lie to us?
The Congressional Budget Office has already done the research. They identified that it would add $3 trillion to the deficit from 2022 to 2031. That’s a significant amount of money. It’s even more significant when you realize that it would be on top of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Plan that was already approved, which will add $256 billion to the deficit.
Biden will be dead within a few years, so what does he care about the deficit? It’s as if he doesn’t care – he just wants some kind of win for his time in office.
The sad man doesn’t realize that he won’t be able to get a win. Everything he’s done has hurt the country. From the moment he picked up his pen to sign executive orders in the Oval Office, he began hurting the country. He was so quick to erase Trump that he didn’t bother to think about the negative ramifications his orders would have on the U.S.
Biden said that no one earning less than $400,000 would pay a single penny more in taxes. That’s when both Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi stood up to clap. But Biden kept coughing immediately after, which was almost a tell that he knew that he was lying.
Of course, Democrats throughout the audience applauded. Meanwhile, every Republican was likely muttering obscenities under their breath.
As RedState commented, “rabid spending doesn’t lower the deficit.”
Biden rambled on for over an hour about what he has done and what he plans to do.
Perhaps instead of trying to breathe life into his dead BBB plan, he needs to open up the pipelines so that we can be energy independent. Maybe if we can even sell oil, we can talk about how to fund some aspects of the plan. But to say that it won’t cost taxpayers anything is a blatant lie, which is why his plan needs to stay buried.


text: Our collection of girls' day dresses and casual dresses features everyday designs, patterned with bright contrast colours, bold spots and lollipop stripes. Look out for playful embellished options with appliqué animals, sparkling colour-change sequins and vibrant rainbow trims. Big patch pockets add a practical touch to our casual dresses for teens. Crafted from the finest fabrics including pure cotton, they're comfortable and easy to wash, too. Let the adventures commence.

domain: artistic


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OUTDOORS REPORT: Fishing and fall colors
Lake of the Woods Walleyes continue to be caught on a jig and minnow in 29 to 32 feet of water at Long Point, Zippel Bay and straight out from the Lighthouse Gap on the south shore. Many anglers continue to comment that this recent stretch has be...
Lake of the Woods
Walleyes continue to be caught on a jig and minnow in 29 to 32 feet of water at Long Point, Zippel Bay and straight out from the Lighthouse Gap on the south shore. Many anglers continue to comment that this recent stretch has been the best walleye fishing they've ever experienced. At the Northwest Angle, the slab crappies have started to show up in Ontario waters, and walleyes are being caught in 26 to 28 feet. Massacre Island, Tug Channel and Soldier's Point have been most productive. The weed beds around Falcon Islands are producing quite a few muskies.
Walleyes are hitting in 12 feet of water or shallower in Pelican Lake, according to the latest report from Devils Lake Tourism. Anglers are having their best luck pitching or trolling crankbaits or trolling white- or gold-colored spinners with half a nightcrawler. Other good bets include the "Golden Highway" in Minnewaukan Flats, sunken rock piles in the Doc Hagens area and Budweiser Bay. Farther east, Penny Bay is producing fish on crankbaits in 15 feet of water or shallower.
Meanwhile, waterfowl reports are relatively unchanged from last week. According to Cami Dixon, a biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Devils Lake, it seems the mallards are grouped up and will take some scouting to find. Other ducks are very spread out, she said, and the area holds only a few snow geese, along with some swans and sandhill cranes, but lesser Canada geese have yet to arrive. The push of northern birds definitely has not started. Dixon reminds sandhill crane hunters to be on the lookout to avoid shooting endangered whooping cranes, which migrate through the state this time of year. Dixon said she saw two whooping cranes about 40 miles north of Devils Lake last year, so they definitely could be in the northeastern part of the state.
Walleyes are being caught with minnows on Lake Andrusia and the 12- to 14-foot rock piles of Big Turtle Lake. Look to Lake Marquette for crappies; muskie action has faded this week. Bear registrations have dropped off, but grouse hunting reports are favorable.
Walleyes are hitting minnows on the weed lines or in 10 to 20 feet of water at Blackduck Lake, Island Lake and Gull Lake. Panfish are being found suspended over deep water at Pimushe Lake and Turtle River Lake. Grouse hunting continues to be impressive despite thick cover.
Cass Lake area
Rainbow minnows have been the key to walleye success in 18 to 20 feet or 28 to 30 feet on Cass Lake. Allen's Bay and Buck's Bar have been real productive. During the evening hours, most river inlets and outlets are producing walleyes as well. Look for perch in the reeds out to 12 feet or on the main-lake bars in 10 to 12 feet on Cass. Muskie fishing has been slow, but Kitchi Lake and Wolf Lake are producing crappies over 30 to 32 feet of water.
A jig and minnow is producing walleyes on the east shore in 3 to 5 feet of water. The Goose Island area and Big Hardwoods area also has kicked out walleyes in 6 to 12 feet. At this point, you can't go wrong pitching a jig and minnow on the wind-blown shorelines and points. Perch action is going strong off Sand Point, GrandVu Flats and in Trader's Bay in 9 to 12 feet. Muskie reports have been poor.
Anglers are catching walleyes on a jig-and-minnow combination in 6 to 10 feet of water on the wind-driven points and shoreline breaks. Little Stony Point, Raven's Point, Mallard Point and the Highbanks are all producing fish if the wind is hitting them. Perch also are being found in these areas, but in slightly shallower water.
Walleyes are hitting minnows in 28 to 32 feet of water on Big Cormorant Lake, in 20 feet on Big Detroit Lake and in 30 feet on Pelican Lake and Lake Melissa. Muskies continue to hit large minnows or topwater baits in 10 to 15 feet of water on Big Detroit and Pelican. Work the 12-foot weed lines of Big Detroit, Floyd Lake, Sour Lake and Severson Lake for panfish.
Jumbo perch are hitting minnows on Big Stone Lake in 12 to 14 feet of water in the Grapevine, Bayview and Hartford Beach areas. Anglers fishing from shore with a jig and minnow are catching walleyes at the Marsh Lake dam. The dam on the Minnesota River is kicking out northern pike on spoons. There's also some shore fishing opportunities for crappies at the landing on Long Tom Lake.
Park Rapids area
Expect walleyes to hit minnows on Fish Hook Lake in 20 to 22 feet of water. Crankbaits are working best for northern pike at Long Lake in 14 feet. Spinnerbaits are a good bet for bass in shallow water at Big Mantrap Lake, and Portage Lake is a safe option for bluegills in 8 to 10 feet. There seem to be grouse in the area, but thick cover has limited hunter success.
Minnesota Fall Colors Report
- Big Bog State Recreation Area near Waskish, Minn: 50 percent to 75 percent color.
- Hayes Lake State Park near Roseau, Minn.: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Itasca State Park: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Lake Bemidji State Park: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Lake Bronson State Park, Minn.: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Old Mill State Park, Minn.: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Red River State Recreation Area: 75 percent to 100 percent color.
- Zippel Bay State Park near Williams, Minn.: 75 percent to 100 percent color.


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||Released December 2014
B G 2048 is a tile-sliding game with a difference. In most tile-sliding games, you can only slide one tile at a time, and the number of tiles remains constant. Spoonbill Software's B G 15 Puzzle game is of this type. B G 2048 on the other hand, starts with only two tiles randomly positioned on the board, and after each move, a new tile is added to the board. In each move, all tiles slide in one of the cardinal directions, left, right, up or down. During the move, one or more pairs of tiles with the same value can merge into a single tile. So the number of tiles on the board fluctuates throughout the game. New tiles added to the board start life with either a value of 2 or 4. Pairs of tiles with the same value can be merged during a move, and the merged tile becomes worth double the value of each of the merged tiles. For example, two tiles each worth 4 can merge into a single tile worth 8. The object of the game is to get a tile with a value of 2048. Along the way you score points for your moves. The value of each merged tile you create is added to your score as play progresses. The game ends when the board becomes full and there are no moves left. So you not only try to create the ultimate 2048 tile, but you also try to beat your previous highest score.
Click here to download the install file for BG 2048

domain: hobby


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ABP Food Group has announced it is to enter into a joint venture with fellow Irish meat processor Slaney Foods.
The company will buy a 50% stake in Slaney Foods, which is owned by the Allen family and Northern Ireland-based Linden Foods. The move will see the retirement of the Allen family from the business who will now “concentrate on their expanding wider business interests”, a statement from Slaney read.
According to local press reports, for ABP, the deal would see the firm move back into sheep meat processing for the first time in decades, and would give it control of over a quarter of the Republic of Ireland’s beef processing industry.
In a statement, Paul Finnerty, ABP’s CEO, said: “At ABP we have a very successful track record with joint venture projects over many years and we have high hopes for this new partnership with Slaney Foods. The respective companies share the same ambition to grow and develop in what continues to be a very competitive market environment. This is a partnership that will benefit both parties and improve the range of products we offer in existing and new export markets.”
Trevor Lockhart, chairman of Linden Foods, added: “The Linden Food Group, like ABP, has over many years developed successful national, European and world market/customer positions, focussed on the retail and food service sectors. Exciting new opportunities are continuing to emerge across the globe and the challenge for us is to create the business models, with internationally competitive scale, capable of securing the best markets and commanding the highest return for our products. The continuation of this partnership approach will enable both Slaney Foods and ABP to better service our existing and potentially new customers whilst leading the way on process efficiencies, product quality, innovation and overall supply chain sustainability.”
The existing operational and management structure of the Slaney business will remain in place as part of the new structure.
ABP declined to comment further on the deal when approached by just-food.

domain: food


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The Girlfriend Hardcover – January 30, 2018
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"Rebound" by Kwame Alexander
Don't miss best-selling author Kwame Alexander's "Rebound," a new companion novel to his Newbery Award-winner, "The Crossover,"" illustrated with striking graphic novel panels. Pre-order today
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From the Publisher
Meet the Author of THE GIRLFRIEND
What Made You Want To Write This Book?
A notion struck me one day: what might be the one thing that would keep two lovers apart who were supposed to be together? That would set them on completely different paths for the rest of their lives? And the answer that came back was: if one of them thought the other was dead. At the time I had recently become a mother and was experiencing fierce, tiger-like waves of protectiveness towards my new baby, and a character was born: a mother who would protect her child, regardless of what it took, if she was convinced he would come to harm if she did nothing.
The more I thought about it, the more it raised question and debate with me; just how far would a mother go to protect her child? And how would she justify it? Protecting your child is such a powerful, animalistic thing to do and I also wondered how anyone could not? I was excited to explore this conundrum further but then there was also such a strong counterpoint to this tiger mom – Cherry.
In my late teens, for a short while I worked in a high street bank. It was mind-numbing work in the back office, processing the daily transactions by literally typing in the day’s debits and credits into a large machine. It was something I’d fallen into as I desperately needed to earn some money and the expectation was that I would have to remain in the ‘machine room’ for a considerable time before I might expect to be promoted. Soon after I started, a graduate joined us on a Fast Track scheme and I’d watch as she spent only few weeks working in each section of the bank, moving swiftly on after getting a taster of each area, and was exempt from working out what I was beginning to see as my ‘sentence’. She was being groomed for a high-level job, which she would get after only six months – and all because she had a university degree. If you couldn’t afford to study for a degree you had to spend years on each desk and crawl up the promotional ladder – regardless of how intelligent, capable and ambitious you were. This struck me as deeply unfair, particularly as it transpired I had achieved much better grades at school than she had. Cherry is smart – probably smarter than most girls her age and yet, if she were in this scenario, she too would be held back – just because she couldn’t afford to attend university. I wanted to create a character that looked at ways of bypassing the system, of being intelligent enough to educate herself in areas that made her fit into the world she wanted to belong to. And I wanted her to come up with a clever plan that would make her leap many places up the snakes and ladders board of life, and in honesty, who could blame her?
How Did You Decide On The Title For Your Novel?
This book has had a number of titles along its journey. It started as THE LIE, but around the time of sending the MS out to publishers, another book with the same title was quite prominent in the market and so my agent suggested we change it to create some distance. So it became CHERRY (and I had visions of a luscious fruit on the cover, perhaps with a hologram showing a rotten side – I had restrictions on budget!)… but then my UK publishers, Pan Macmillan, pointed out quite rightly that this title made the book sound like it might be a YA novel. And they cleverly came up with THE GIRLFRIEND.
Do you work out the whole book before you start writing?
I always have a rough idea of where the story is going for the entire novel (but don’t necessarily know the ending) and will break the beats down further as I come closer to them. I like a book to evolve as I go along – the characters will often determine just what happens.
Who’s your favorite villain in literature?
I know this is a popular choice but I think Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley is utterly beguiling and strangely has the ability to raise strong empathetic feelings in a reader, even though he’s a killer.
Who’s your favorite hero in literature?
I’ve recently read Bernadine Evaristo’s Mr Loverman – an absolutely enchanting and hilarious story of 74-year-old Antiguan born Barrington Jeddiah Walker. It’s a story that explores Britain’s older Caribbean community with its cultural myths and fallacies and it’s both controversial and courageous.
How’s your own relationship with your mother-in-law?
Put it this way, there’s a body under the patio. Only joking! She’s wonderful.
Meet the Cast of THE GIRLFRIEND
LAURA, the Mother
Laura grew up privileged, but longed to spend more time with her busy, affluent parents. This pushed her to have a closer relationship with her son, even as her own marriage begins to crack. She has a very successful career in television production, and has even won a few awards for her work. When Daniel tells her about his new relationship, she is ecstatic, and can’t wait to meet the woman who won his heart. But after meeting Cherry, Laura starts to notice little things. There is something about the possessive way Cherry touches Daniel, and inconsistencies in the stories Cherry shares.
Before she knows it, Laura finds herself making a choice and telling an unforgiveable lie.
DANIEL, her Son
Daniel is the only living child of Laura, and her husband Howard. He studied medicine at Cambridge, and after returning from his worldwide travels he sets his sights on moving out of his childhood home. He meets Cherry while searching for an apartment, and after purchasing the first property she shows him, he asks her out on a date. He has a devil-may-care attitude, and loves classical music.
He finds himself caught between the love for his mother, and the love for his new girlfriend Cherry.
CHERRY, his Girlfriend
Cherry grew up in a low-income neighborhood, but that only helped feed her ambition. She’s fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish. When she wasn’t given the same opportunities because of her background, she studied the area, embellished her resume slightly, and earned a realtor job at a top agency. She hides part of her background, because she fears Laura’s judgement. She isn’t going to let anything, or anyone harm her relationship with Daniel. After a serious accident, she unearths an unforgiveable lie.
Praise for The Girlfriend
“One of the best books I’ve read in a long, long time. I loved The Girlfriend!”
—Lisa Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
“The Girlfriend is a taut psychological thriller, the evil chillingly drawn. Every character is layered and beautifully twisted. Makes me consider running background checks on any potential spouses my children bring home!”
—Karen Rose, New York Times bestselling author
“A juicy thriller and utterly compulsive reading.”
—Jenny Blackhurst, author of How I Lost You
“An original and chilling portrayal of twisted relationships.”
—Debbie Howells, author of The Bones of You
About the Author
Michelle Frances graduated from Bournemouth Film School in 1996 and then from the Masters program at the American Film Institute, Los Angeles, in 1998. Returning to London, she has worked in film and TV for 16 years as a script editor and producer. She is currently Head of Development at BBC Wales Drama, producers of Doctor Who, War and Peace and Sherlock. She works across a number of in-house shows and also oversees book adaptations. The Girlfriend, her debut psychological thriller, has been optioned by The Imaginarium Studios and translation rights have sold in nine foreign territories.
Author interviews, book reviews, editors picks, and more. Read it now
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The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is a gripping and chilling debut psychological thriller, based on the fall-out following an unforgiveable lie. It looks at the potentially charged relationship between girlfriend, boyfriend and his mother, which most women can identify with, and locates it in an extreme but believable setting.
Laura has it all. A successful career, a long marriage to a rich husband, and a twenty-three year-old son, Daniel, who is kind, handsome, and talented. Then Daniel meets Cherry. Cherry is young, beautiful and smart but she hasn't had the same opportunities as Daniel. And she wants Laura's life.
Cherry comes to the family wide-eyed and wants to be welcomed with open arms, but Laura suspects she's not all that she seems.
When tragedy strikes, an unforgiveable lie is told. It is an act of desperation, but the fall-out will change their lives forever.
MY THOUGHTS: The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is a good, but not great read. It is a little slow in places, and I was not particularly enthusiastic about the ending. The level of suspense varies, and I found that some situations that ought to have been suspenseful just weren't. The opening chapter, a scene from later in the book, didn't work for me. I imagine it was designed to increase the reader's anticipation, but it did nothing to increase mine. This is one book where the story should have just started at the beginning and continued to slowly build up the tension until the final denouement.
But, having said that, the characters are well portrayed. I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Laura and Izzie, Laura's best friend. The close bonds between the two women, friends of old, is well depicted. As were the scenes where Laura and Cherry first meet. Cherry's social awkwardness just oozed from the page, and while Laura is doing everything to make Cherry feel welcome, Cherry is almost searching for things to take offense at. And everything escalates from there, with Laura trying to be friends and Cherry pushing her away, both from herself and Laura's adored only son, until Laura catches Cherry out in a lie and decides that there is more (or perhaps less) to her son's girlfriend than meets the eye.
The basic storyline is good, and although The Girlfriend missed the mark with me, only just, I think that it is a good debut novel from new author Michelle Frances, and I will be a definite starter for her next book.
Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Daniel is from a very wealthy family and while he will never need for anything in his life with his trust fund on hand he has still gone to medical school and wants to become a doctor. When Daniel walked into the real estate office he never imagined meeting the woman of his dreams but as soon as he saw Cherry he knew he wanted to ask her out. Things move quickly between the pair and soon Daniel brings Cherry home to meet his parents.
Laura is Daniel’s mother and she has spent her life making sure her son has the best of everything in the world. After suffering the loss of one child Laura vowed to always protect Daniel with everything she had and that he would never want for anything. When Laura first hears of Daniel’s new love she’s quite excited for the prospect of a daughter in law but things quickly seem to just not quite be right with Cherry putting Laura on edge.
The Girlfriend by Michelle Frances is being sold as a psychological thriller but I’m almost hesitant to call it as such but possibly more of a suspenseful drama. Either way or what you choose to list it under this was easily one read that immediately hooked me in and didn’t want to let go keeping the pages turning until the very end.
Laura and Cherry both have their flaws and make their mistakes along the way leaving them both characters that are easy to dislike at any point. On the flip side though each woman in Daniel’s life had moments that I would also feel sorry for them and begin to root them on leaving me with a tug of war on how to even want this one to turn out. The manipulation and lies ooze from each page but underneath it all is a feeling that this story could very well really happen which made it all the more intense. In the end I’d definitely recommend picking up a copy of The Girlfriend and giving this one a read.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.


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April 17 -23, 2017
Join the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Museum of the Earth in exploring a unique, mysterious, legendary destination! Iceland remains a well-kept travel secret. World class farm to table/sea to table cuisine, raw natural beauty and landscapes made of steam chimneys, glacier mountains and roaring waterfalls - NOW is the time to visit this enchanting island nation.
Tour highlights include a visit to the Viking Museum, learning how Icelanders grow hydroponic tomatoes, discovering the unique characteristics of the Icelandic horse, enjoying a city tour of Reykjavik, visiting the world famous "Blue Lagoon" spa, going on the Golden Circle tour that includes Thingvellir National Park, the Gullfoss Waterfall and the famous geothermal geyser area. We will visit the Reykjanes Peninsula and spend time at the bridge between continents where you can see the earth's crust in action and walk from the Eurasian plate over to the North American plate.
Email email@example.com for complete tour details and registration forms.
DAY 1 – Monday, April 17, 2017
We will depart Toronto airport this evening for our 4-hour direct flight to Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport.A charter bus will take the group from Ithaca to Toronto and back. You also have the option of getting your own flight from the departure city of your choice and meeting us at Reykjavik’s Keflavik Airport.
DAY 2 – Tuesday, April 18, 2017
We arrive in Iceland in the morning. A private motor coach and our Icelandic guide will meet us at the airport and bring us to our first stop, the Viking World Museum and Café, just a short drive from the airport, where we will have a traditional Icelandic breakfast. The museum, which opened in 2009, offers five different exhibitions, which are all connected to the Viking age in one way or the other and offers a unique opportunity to learn about the history and lifestyle of the Vikings of the North Atlantic a thousand years ago. For example, a replica Viking boat provides tantalizing insights into oceanic voyages of this seafaring people. In addition, visitors can enjoy the magnificent view of the ocean from the Café.
After breakfast we will head to Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. We will begin our visit with a scenic tour of the city area including the historical residence of Icelandic presidents and Hafnarfjordur town. We will then have a short walking tour and point out key attractions in this small, walkable city. After checking into our hotel, mid-afternoon you will have a chance to rest or explore on your own. This evening we will enjoy our group welcome dinner.
DAY 3 – Wednesday, April 19, 2017 Reykjanes Peninsula Tour
After breakfast we will meet our motor coach and guide for a sightseeing tour around the Reykjanes Peninsula, a geothermal wonder where lighthouses outnumber villages. Iceland is one of the most volcanically active areas on earth and is well represented here. Since the Middle Ages, a third of all lava that has covered the earth’s surface has erupted in Iceland. This same geological activity is also responsible for some of the most dramatic features of Icelandic nature. The mountainous landscapes, black lava fields and geothermal pools and geysers are the result of continuous interplay between volcanic activity and the natural elements. Look for great landscape photo ops during your tour today. We will also spend time at the bridge between continents where you can see the earth’s crust in action and walk from the Eurasian tectonic plate over to the North American plate.
To understand how Icelanders cope with long winters, the tour ends at Reykjavik's largest outdoor swimming pool in Laugardalur, which is heated with water from natural hot springs under the city. Here you can enjoy a swim and hot tubs with the locals before returning to your hotel. Meals: B
DAY 4 – Thursday, April 20, 2017
Optional tour day – you decide how to spend the day.
Optional Tour # 1: Explore Iceland's South Coast
Drive along the south coast of Iceland, one of the country's most scenic regions, as far as Vik, a charming village surrounded by beautiful high bird cliffs. Along the way we stop at the gorgeous Seljalandsfoss waterfall, were you can walk behind it and through to the other side. We also stop at the majestic and much-photographed Skogafoss waterfall, with its 60-metre drop, and visit the Skogar folk museum, to get a taste of how Icelanders lived in centuries past. Other highlights include views of the stunning Myrdalsjokull glacier, the black sand coastline and the impressive Reynisdrangar rock formations.
Age 11 and Under – No charge
Optional Tour #2 – Whale Watching
Whales and marine life in Iceland!
Whales are beautiful animals and one of nature’s most extraordinary sights. Our experienced guides on board will share with you their wealth of knowledge on the whales, as well as pass on some interesting facts and old sea stories about encounters with these magnificent creatures. The whales round these parts are not shy, often surfacing quite close to the boat, and, as our sea-fairing guides will tell you, to see a whale up close truly is a sight to remember. There is over a 90% viewing success (if you are in the unlucky few percent, you get another tour for free). This tour departs from the Old Harbor in Reykjavik.
Cost: $110.00 Teens: $52.00
Optional Tour # 3 – Icelandic Horse Riding
Horse riding of a lifetime!
This tour offers an adventurous ride through the lava fields around Mt. Helgafell or Lake Hvaleyrarvatn. The Icelandic Horse is unique to the country of Iceland, bred since the settlement in isolation from the outside world. Enjoy its smooth riding qualities, namely the tolt gait. Ride through rough lava fields and look at different rock formations; maybe you will be able to spot a troll or two. The beautiful Blafjoll mountains tower above on the horizon
Cost: $100.00 Teens: $50.00 Meals: B
Day 5 - Friday, April 21, 2017
Golden Circle Tour, Icelandic Horse Farm Visit and an in-depth look at one of Iceland’s famed Geothermal Power Plants
The Golden Circle Tour will take you to:
Thingvellir National Park, a remarkable historical and geological site, which is located by Lake Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in Iceland. The beautiful canyon running through the park is actually the meeting point of two of the earth's tectonic plates. Furthermore, in this area the oldest form of parliament began meeting in 930.
Gullfoss Waterfall (the Golden Waterfall) where you will see thousands of tons of icy water thunder majestically down in double falls into a deep canyon.
Geyser geothermal area where bubbling hot springs and geysers are abundant. Here you'll find Strokkur, Iceland’s Old Faithful, which spouts up to 100 feet.
Our next stop is at Fridheimar Horse Farm for a professional display of the history and gaits of the Icelandic horse. We will learn about one of the most magnificent horse breeds in the world, a breed that has been intertwined with the culture and history of the Icelandic nation through the centuries. We will be able to get close to the horses, take pictures and chat with the show riders.
Next we will also explore a typical hydroponic greenhouse where we will enjoy a lunch buffet. Imagine using geothermal power to produce a booming tomato crop that is distributed throughout the country in the midst of winter. Our last stop will is a visit to the Hellisheiði Geothermal Power Plant. Icelanders’ use of clean, green geothermal energy has long surpassed any nation in the world. More than 90% of all houses in Iceland are heated with geothermal energy. Snow removal is not done with shovels and plows but by the ingenious use of the geothermal heat rising from the ground. The Hellisheidi Power Plant combines a high tech exhibition and a guide who explains the extraordinary ways in which geothermal energy influences every aspect of Icelandic daily life. This visit poses the question: Does the United States have geothermal resources it could exploit to produce energy?
Meals: B, L
Day 6 – Saturday, April 22, 2017
Today is at leisure to explore on your own.
Tonight will be our farewell group dinner.
Meals: B, D
Day 7- Sunday, April 23, 2017 Departure
Today we depart Reykjavik and on our way to the airport we visit the famous Blue Lagoon Spa. No trip to Reykjavik is complete without a visit to this renowned outdoor geothermal spa set in an otherworldly setting where lava and thermal water meet and complement each other. The Blue Lagoon's warm water and natural active ingredients of mineral salts, silica and blue green algae help you relax and unwind while its white silica mud gently cleanses and exfoliates the skin. The mineral salts balance and relax body and soul, leaving you both energized and relaxed for your flight home.
TRIP PRICE: The land only double occupancy price per person is $2200. for Chamber of Commerce and Museum of the Earth members.
Singe rooms are very limited. A single room supplement is $470 and available on a first reserved basis.
The airfare and private coach transfer from Ithaca to the Toronto airport are $790. You can make your own air arrangements and meet the group in Reykjavik, or book group transfer and air with Edventures. This price includes transportation from the Reykjavik’s Keflavik airport to breakfast and a tour of the Viking Museum on the way to Reykjavik.
Airfare and Transportation to Toronto’s Pearson International Airport
Schedule for Group Flight:
April 17 Iceland flight 602 departs Toronto at 9:05 pm and arrives at 6:20 am on April 18.
April 23 Iceland flight 603 departs from Keflavik at 5:00 pm and arrives Toronto 6:55 pm.
The following elements are included in the price of the trip:
Five nights at the brand new Center Hotel Midgardur, Reykjavik https://www.centerhotels.com/hotel-midgardur;
Icelandic guide who will help make Iceland and its rich history and culture come alive;
Small group travel;
Full time tour manager;
Gratuities for guides and bus drivers;
Private motor coach transportation throughout the trip;
Entrance fees to attractions per itinerary;
Pre-departure meeting; and
Travel memories to last a lifetime!
SMALL GROUP FEE: A small group fee of $200 per person will be charged if the group number is below 20 travelers.
DEPOSIT DUE UPON REGISTRATION: $500 per passenger and a completed registration form.
FINAL PAYMENT: Edventures will send an invoice with the due date for payment. Payment can be made via personal check or you can pay with a credit card via PayPal. A nominal PayPal fee is added when paying by credit card.
TRIP INSURANCE is a personal choice, but is recommended. To get the best rates, you can compare costs online through agents like Squaremouth.com, InsureMyTrip.com or Totaltravelinsurance.com, which offer side-by-side comparisons. Please contact Edventures prior to purchasing trip insurance to assure that the trip is a “go.”
AVERAGE TEMPERATURES IN REYKJAVIK IN APRIL:
The month of April is characterized by rising daily high temperatures, with daily highs increasing from 40°F to 45°F over the course of the month, exceeding 51°F or dropping below 33°F only one day in ten. Do you still have questions about the tour? If so, contact Mary at Edventures: (607) 387-3322 or firstname.lastname@example.org.


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It’s coming on Christmas
They’re cutting down trees
They’re putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on.
River, Joni Mitchell
Not everyone looks forward to Christmas, for years I was one of them. It was more comfortable to ignore it, pass on all the festivities, and my life has been a cake walk compared to many. In some parts of the world, happy Christmas celebrations are nothing more than a distant dream and have been for entire lives.
We do not have to look to other countries to witness Christmas angst though. It is right here in front of us, but we are too self-concerned or self-congratulatory to awaken to it.
For me, it was not the reason for the celebration that made me shrink away; I treasured the divinity in the celebration, the birth of Jesus. It was the holiday gatherings I dreaded. Sadness does not take a powder because it is Christmas; it is magnified, and the stress of wanting to make the holiday perfect for everyone becomes bone numbing. Already fledgling financial resources can become more unstable with hearts wanting so badly to gift those they love. Lack is fatiguing; souls can grieve for what they have never had as well as for loss.
All one has to do is look to the other side of the bed, the empty side, to feel the deep pang of loss for a spouse or lover who has passed, or a dream that never materialized.
Even those who typically have wonderful Christmas seasons have known the harsh truth of laughter you can hear but do not feel part of, tasteless food, and forced smiles. For some, this scene is repeated year after year.
Christmas is a reminder of what was lost in the fire, of being alone, of physical fatigue caused by ever-present illness, what is missing, who will be absent this year, that life is sadly different now, or that time is running out.
Let’s suspend judgment of those who view the holidays differently, who opt out, or don’t seem to engage. It is not their responsibility to perform for us.
We can love those struggling, pray for them, their families, their physicians, and other caregivers. Given an opportunity to tell their story, to be heard, they do feel lighter. We can make time to be that listener.
If Christmas is uncomfortable due to harsh feelings, we can go to the person we have wronged and gift them with a sincere, mature, apology. Someone once said to me, “I can’t apologize enough.” I wanted to say, “Well try!” He was correct, he could not and did not. A mature apology is looking the person in the eyes, taking their hand and telling them you know you hurt them, you are sorry, and hope they can forgive you.
If you have a parent still living this Christmas, do whatever they want to do, and let them know how crazy you are about them. Even eat the shitty fruitcake.
Tell your siblings how dear they are to you, how very much you love and treasure them, even though your brother and his buddy Jerry Stow stuck their big toes in your coke while you were out of the room when they were kids.
Parents, listen to your children, kids or adults, really listen. They need to know you love them and respect them.
Bring the pets in from the bitter cold; if you cannot do this simple thing you do not deserve to have them, give them to someone who gets it.
As we are able, let’s help those who clearly need help; they are everywhere. Maybe next door.
If you are an employer, give your staff enough time off to breathe in Christmas. It is the right thing to do.
Think. We are callous to congratulate ourselves for what we have in the presence of those who are lacking, whether it is gifts we have received, financial success, years of wedded bliss, or a fantastic job. Remember everyone is really doing the best they can.
If it is you feeling the pain this year, give thanks.
Years ago, about the time I was diagnosed with Lupus, I sustained a serious back injury and could not work for months; eventually, I had to resign from my job. I was in terrible pain each day and depressed.
My spiritual director, Pat, suggested that I focus on gratefulness. I thought she had taken leave of her senses. But, Pat was right, I started a gratitude journal, listing several things each day I was grateful for. That was twenty-five years ago.
I can’t wait for Christmas.
“Eucharisteo—thanksgiving—always precedes the miracle.”
One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are– Ann Voskamp

domain: literature


In 2003, the city of Keene, N.H., made the Guinness Book of World Records for the most carved and lit jack-o-lanterns gathered in one place – 28,592.
This year, they have a challenger – Bennington, Vt.
Dressed from head to toe in orange, Bob Stannard tossed an orange gauntlet down of the floor of Keene City Hall on Aug. 2, 2006.
Sporting an orange baseball cap with “Pumpkin King” emblazoned across it, Michael E.J. Blastos, mayor of Keene, told Stannard that, “It takes a great deal of courage to wear a suit like that.”
Then the mayor provided Stannard, executive director of Better Bennington Corp., with a CD from the 2003 pumpkin festival on how to “challenge Keene, what can be learned from Keene, and how to loose gracefully to Keene.”
The pseudo event was staged in an effort to publicize both town’s downtown areas.
“Now all we need is 30,000 pumpkins and about 1,000 volunteers,” said Stannard. “This is going to be fun.”
For more information:
Vt.-N.H. pumpkin challenge made official
Keene Pumpkin Festival
1st Annual Bennington Great Pumpkin Challenge


Are you tired of feeling like your electronic devices are running hotter than they should? You’re not alone. In fact, overheating electronic devices is a common problem that can lead to reduced performance and a shorter lifespan.
That’s where aluminum extrusion heat sinks come in as the unsung heroes of heat management. But what makes them such a great choice over other types of heat sinks?
In this article, we’ll explore aluminum extrusion heat sinks’ unique properties and benefits, including their ability to dissipate heat efficiently, their customizability, and cost-effectiveness. We’ll also look at common applications for these heat sinks in various industries.
What Are Aluminum Extrusion Heat Sinks?
Aluminum extrusion heat sinks are crucial components in electronic devices designed to manage the heat generated by the device. Made from extruded aluminum, these heat sinks come in various shapes and sizes, allowing for custom designs and precise specifications.
Thanks to its versatility and efficiency, the extruded aluminum heatsink has become the go-to solution for managing the heat generated by large industrial CNC machines.
These heat sinks efficiently dissipate heat, preventing devices from overheating and causing damage to internal components. In various other industries, aluminum extrusion heat sinks have become a reliable and effective solution for heat management.
Benefits of Aluminum Extrusion Heat Sinks
By efficiently managing heat in electronic devices, aluminum extrusion heat sinks offer a range of advantages. Here are some of the top benefits:
- Efficiently dissipates heat, preventing damage to internal components.
- Lightweight construction makes it easy to install and handle.
- Durable construction ensures longevity and reliability.
- Versatile applications across various industries.
Overall, the benefits of using aluminum extrusion heat sinks cannot be overstated. They have become a go-to solution for many industries with their efficient heat dissipation, lightweight construction, and versatile applications.
The Customizability of Aluminum Extrusion Heat Sinks
One of the biggest advantages of aluminum extrusion heat sinks is their customizability. With the extrusion process, manufacturers can create unique shapes and designs that fit the specific requirements of their devices.
This level of customization allows for greater efficiency and performance, ensuring that the heat sink is perfectly suited to manage the heat generated by the device.
Plus, the ability to customize also means that manufacturers can save on costs by only creating what they need. With aluminum extrusion heat sinks, the possibilities for customization are endless.
The Applications of Aluminum Extrusion Heat Sinks
The versatility and customizability of aluminum extrusion heat sinks make them a popular choice for many manufacturers looking for an efficient and effective heat management solution.
Kingka, a leading manufacturer of aluminum extrusion heat sinks, offers high-quality solutions for a range of industries. Their heat sinks are custom-designed and manufactured using CNC machines for precise and efficient performance.
In addition, aluminum extrusion heat sinks are a reliable and effective way to manage heat and improve the performance of various devices, from aerospace to medical devices to renewable energy.
All in all, it is clear that aluminum extrusion heat sinks offer a reliable and effective solution for managing heat and improving device performance.
Whether in CNC machines, automotive, aerospace, or industrial equipment, these heat sinks provide a versatile solution for various industries.
As companies like Kingka continue to innovate and advance their manufacturing techniques, we can expect even greater performance and efficiency from these crucial components.


NEW YORK (May. 26)
Israeli Defense Minister Ariel Sharon said today that the Ecuadorian cargo aircraft, detained yesterday at Kennedy Airport here after a flight from Tel Aviv, was carrying arms for Ecuador. He said that Israel sold arms to Ecuador with “the approval and moral support” of the United States government. Sharon denied that the arms on the Ecuadorian plane were for Argentina, as American press reports speculated earlier.
Addressing a meeting of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Sharon said that Israel has no intention whatsoever of getting involved in the British-Argentinian dispute over the Falkland Islands and, therefore, will not sign any new contracts for arms sales to Argentina. But he stressed that Israel “will stick” to its previous commitments to sell arms to Argentina and will honor all past contracts between the two countries.
Sharon told the Presidents Conference that in his talks yesterday in Washington with Secretary of State Alexander Haig and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger he raised the issue of U.S. “sanctions” against Israel whenever there is “misunderstanding” between the two countries, as, for instance, after Israel bombed the Iraqi nuclear installations last June, or after Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights last December.
Sharon said that he “made it clear” that this is not the way to treat disagreements between two friendly countries, pointing out that it is possible that many “misunderstandings” between the U.S. and Israel will arise in the future.
WILL WAGE WAR AGAINST TERRORISTS IF NECESSARY
Sharon said that he told Haig and Weinberger that PLO terrorism is presently one of the major threats to peace in the Mideast. Noting that since last July, when an agreement to end the hostilities across the Israel-Lebanon border was signed at least 25 people were killed and 250 wounded as a result of PLO terrorism.
He warned that any new attack by the PLO can lead to war in the Mideast, noting that a few days ago an explosive was found in a school in Ashkelon and was dismantled before causing any harm. “If children were killed in Asfikelon we would have been already in war,” Sharon said.
He said that as long as Israel can deter the PLO terrorists, it will not go to war. “We do not want war, but if we have to we will go to war,” Sharon declared.
WARNS AGAINST SUPPORT TO IRAQ
Another topic of discussion between Sharon and Haig and Weinberger was the situation in the Persian Gulf. Sharon said that he “warned against efforts to support Iraq” which he characterized as “a radical country under strong Soviet influence.”
“The attempt to strengthen Iraq is a major threat to peace,” Sharon said, recalling that Iraq actively participated in all the wars against Israel since 1948.
On an NBC-TV interview this morning, Sharon said that Israel has provided a small amount of military aid to Iran because it views Iraq, which is at war with Iran, as a major threat to peace. He said that by tacitly supporting Iraq, Washington might be supporting a new pro-Iraq Arab coalition that includes Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.
In his speech to the Presidents Conference, Sharon warned that the fall of Iran to Iraq might bring the Soviet Union into a greater position of power in the Persian Gulf.


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The KV-series tanks were a fearsome and formidable weapon during most of the Second World War. At the onset of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, around 500 KV-1 heavy tanks were built. Outclassing every other tank in operational service, it came as something of a rude awakening for the rampant German Panzer divisions.
The KV-1 had serious advantages over its German counterparts - foremost amongst these was its armour being impenetrable by any tank-mounted weapon at the time unless fired at point-blank range. It had good firepower with a 76.2mm main gun in addition to hull - and turret-mounted machine guns.
The KV-2 outweighed most other tanks of the era especially armed with its 152mm howitzer, making it twice as heavy as the heaviest contemporary German tank. Due to the size of its heavy turret and gun, the KV-2 was slower and had a much higher profile than the KV-1.
This box has the components to allow you to make either a platoon of KV-1s or KV-2s, you can even mix and match!
Please note: Miniatures are supplied unpainted and some assembly may be required.
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Copyright © 2020 Wayland Games


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Medical Definition of ipecac syrup
: an emetic and expectorant liquid preparation that is widely used to induce vomiting in accidental poisoning, that contains the alkaloids emetine and cephaeline, and that is prepared by extracting the ether-soluble alkaloids from powdered ipecac and mixing them with glycerol and a syrup—called also syrup of ipecac
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While strictly warning rumor mongers to avoid making misleading statements using the cyber space to create unnecessary tension among people over the Government’s efforts to mitigate coronavirus or COVID – 19, Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne has requested all Sri Lankans, including those who are living abroad, to support Government’s efforts to contain coronavirus outbreak by being indoors and following the advices given by the Health and Defence ministries.
Making a statement on measures taken by the Ministry to contain COVID-19 situation, he said similar to the responsibilities held by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, all state institutions coming under Defence and other ministries, including the Tri-Forces and Police, all Sri Lankans were required to come forward to protect country’s population of 22 million people from the COVID-19 and also act responsibly without inflicting an artificial fear among the public.
“This is similar to how the entire country got together to defeat terrorism in 2009. The government needs the support of all citizens of Sir Lanka irrespective of their differences to face the coronavirus outbreak,” the Defence Secretary said.
• Says Ministry becomes tougher on rumor mongers
• Emphasizes on facilitating self-quarantine at homes
• Highlights public unity in mitigating COVID-19
• Reveals intelligence agencies put on alert to nab rumor mongers
He said as the Defence Secretary he could assure that all the required measure had been taken by the Tri-forces, Police and all related intelligence agencies, which were working around the clock to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said the people who were directed to quarantine centres should not have any fear as it was done to control the spread of the virus and requested people to be in their own houses to undergo self-quarantine process, which was the best measure to contain spreading the virus.
“When a suspected coronavirus infected individual is identified, we direct them to a hospital such as the IDH and take all necessary measures to provide medical treatment. Taking precautionary measures will not end after admitting the patient to the hospital as we will find those who associated with the patients and, if we fail to trace their whereabouts we will get the assistance of the intelligence agencies to track them to put them on self-quarantine process in their own houses,” he explained.
The Defence Secretary said the Police was issuing a sticker to the houses of those who were under self-quarantine for 14-days not to isolate them from their own societies but to isolate them from others to prevent further spreading of COVID-19.
Maj. Gen. Gunaratne said the Tri-Forces personnel, who were committed and had stepped into facilitate 14-day quarantine process, were also given all the necessary protection gears to safeguard them from the virus as they were directly working with the patients.
Referring to Police curfew in certain parts of the island, the Defence Secretary said it was imposed not to create hardships to people but as an effective measure by restricting unnecessary movements of a particular high risk area to mitigate spreading of COVID-19.
He said being a small nation Sri Lanka could be a good example to the world on how the country had mitigated spreading COVID-19, which had become a global pandemic.
Defence Secretary warned the rumour mongers not to post any false or misleading information and damaging posts on social media platforms related to on-going Government’s efforts to control COVID-19 as the intelligence agencies were strengthened and empowered to nab such irresponsible people or groups.
“Sri Lanka has set an example to the world on defeating terrorism 10-years back as all Sri Lankans, who yearned for a peaceful country, were united for a single cause. It is the time for us to be united again to defeat COVID-19 to set an example to the world,” he said requesting more public assistance.
– Asian Tribune –


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More than two years after making her last Booth appearance with the Kevin McCall-assisted You Got Me, R&B songstress and actress Keke Palmer returns to bring us new promo cut Ride This Beat. Bangladesh mans the boards on this cut, crafting a tuneful, uptempo keyboard-led groove to accompany his signee as she entices a man onto the dancefloor. B.o.B lends his elastic flow to the middle verse. Like what you’re hearing? Then stay tuned. This joint isn’t currently attached to a larger project, but we’ll keep you posted on Keke’s plans as further details emerge.
Written by richard on 08/1/14
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First DJ Booth Appearance:
"Keep It Movin ft. Big Meech" (2007)
Total DJ Booth Features:
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EN/ IEC 60601-1-2
Within medical practice and clinics, it is extremely important that the devices used harmonise with each other at the technical level so that serious disturbances cannot occur. At the same time, high levels of energy are created during diagnosis, for example in MRI scans. Here, it is essential that eletromagnetic emissions remain below the legally defined limit, in order that they do not influence or disturb other equipment. In order to ensure that requirements are fulfilled, TÜV NORD CERT offers measurements of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) in its test laboratory for medical electrical equipment according to the international standard DIN EN/IEC 60601-1-2.
Protecting people and equipment
Technological progress means increasing use and density of electrical equipment, including in the medical area. Against this background, European standards set strict requirements with regard also to electromagnetic compatibility. They are primarily intended to protect people, but also to prevent damage to machinery and equipment. It is generally mandatory to prove the electromagnetic compatibility of new products (CE-mark). Independent, accredited test bodies such as TÜV NORD CERT provide the correct measurement results for this certification. Our EMC laboratory is accredited by DAkkS according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025 and 17020.
Complying with regulations – ensuring access to the market
We offer EMC tests for manufacturers and importers of electrical and electronic assemblies, devices and equipment for medical technology - for example in the areas of diagnostics, operating theatre equipment, patient monitoring and technical equipment for care and healing.


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.It's great to see Jon at Khurasan's 15mm 'Spacecraft' (TTC2500) has made it to production. This is more my idea of what a classic Traveller Scout vessel should have looked like, and I can see many roles for it, such as armed blocade runner, "She's the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs", an assault commando lander, scout, etc etc.
Khurasan Miniatures: 15mm Sci Fi
Spacecraft: TTC2500 $69.95
An impressive model which deserves to appear as a centrepiece on many 15mm Sci Fi gaming tables at a convention near you this autumn. Jon is also doing some crew figures for this ship - I've seen the greens and they are superb! Full of character and a definite 'Must Have' pack!
Looking at the design of the Khurasan Spaceship, I feel it would also make a good alien raider for Jon's Mekanoids somewhat in the style of the reimagined Cylons from the new 2004 Battlestar Galactica. You can easily imagine the Meks landing near a colony and spilling out to destroy the biologicals or take them back to the ship for 'processing'.....
Looking back over the last few weeks I managed to completely miss out on the Rebel Minis sale at the beginning of June. Typical eh! But my focus was understandibly elsewhere. Having played HALO 2 and 3 consecutively on the XBox I really fancied a flight of Mike's Saber Class Dropships to proxy for HALO D-77 Pelicans. The Sabers definitely remain on the shopping list being.a good price outwith the sale and Mike also offers Ambush Alley SOG subscribers a 10% discount. Rebel's $5 anywhere in the world shipping also helps mitigate the ups and downs of the pound against the dollar.
HALO 3 provided plenty of Sci Fi gaming and buckets of inspiration for turning the HALO genre into 15mm tabletop games. Maff (Master Chef) agreed with me that HALO3 was a really enjoyable game and a superb addition to the canon. With Critical Mass Games Kaamados Naga on the near horizon I hope for some HALO inspired action later this summer. Afterall, I have plenty of GZG New Israeli Spartans itching for a good stand up fight!
Looking ahead, I have a whole heap of great stuff from Pole Bitwy to share with you over the coming week.


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ADA Website Compliance: Everything You Need to Know
Considering the accessibility of your website is no longer a novel concept. The responsibility isn’t reserved for certain industries or business types. According to 2023 numbers from Pew Research Center, there are approximately 42.5 million people living with disabilities in the United States. This makes up 13% of the civilian population, per 2021 U.S. Census data.
People with disabilities come from every type of background and community, whether that be socioeconomic status, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, you name it. And the disabilities themselves are as diverse as those living with them, ranging from physical, cognitive, emotional, and more.
The point here is this: businesses can’t afford to ignore the disabled community. Not only will it lose you money in the form of new and returning customers, it will also make it harder to recruit talented disabled people and their allies, a community with a voice that grows larger every day.
It’s 2023. Your website should be ADA accessible. Not sure how to make that happen? That’s where we come in.
With years of experience in ADA-compliant web design and accessibility in software development, content, and UX/UI design. Overlap has helped countless clients achieve full accessibility and adherence to WCAG guidelines (more on those later).
What is ADA compliance?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law in the United States that prohibits businesses from discriminating against people with disabilities. Since its inception in 1990, the Act has been updated to expand protections and encompasses various aspects of public life to ensure equal access.
ADA compliance refers to the adherence of guidelines and regulations set by the ADA. Key aspects of compliance include areas like general accessibility, employment, public services and accommodations, transportation, telecommunications, and has more recently evolved to cover the digital space, with a focus on websites.
ADA Website Compliance
In order for a website to be ADA compliant, measures must be taken to make it accessible to people with disabilities. These measures can involve alt text for images, keyboard navigation, screen readers, and much more.
The ADA requires the following types of organizations to ensure ADA accessibility for websites:
- Title II (State and local governments)
- Tile III (Business physically open to the public: retail; banks; hotels; hospitals; restaurants; theaters; etc)
Why ADA Accessibility for Websites Matters
When a website lacks ADA accessibility features, individuals with disabilities may have trouble consuming the content. Consider the challenges faced in the following examples:
- No alt text (text alternatives) on images: Individuals who are blind use alt text to understand the purpose of images, including photographs, illustrations, charts, etc. Without alt text, they have no context to understand the image.
- Mouse-only navigation: Someone who is unable to use a mouse or trackpad won’t be able to navigate your website if keyboard navigation is not enabled.
- No video captions: People with hearing impairments have difficulty understanding the context of a video if it lacks captions when someone is speaking.
- Poor color contrast: Someone suffering from color blindness or poor vision may not be able to read text if there is poor contrast between the text and accompanying background (think light gray on white).
- No screen readers: Screen readers help viewers with vision impairments understand things like how to input fields into online forms, and convey information about other web elements.
What are WCAG requirements?
WCAG stands for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and refers to an international set of standards (WCAG 2.0, WCAG 2.1, and WCAG 2.2). The main difference between them is publish date (2008; 2018; and 2023 respectively), with WCAG 2.2 being published with the most up-to-date guidelines on Oct 5, 2023.
WCAG guidelines are developed by the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group. The guidelines focus on four main criteria:
Operable: Your interface should be easily usable by all users.
Perceivable: All information and web components should be clearly displayed, whether it’s communicated visually, written, audibly, etc.
Robust: Content should be robust so user agents, like assistive technologies, are able to interpret it.
Understandable: Users must know what to do when they arrive on your website. Information should be easy to access and understand.
The standards are comprehensive; to ensure your website is legally compliant, you should work with experienced professionals (like us!). We can help perform an ADA website audit to identify low, medium, and high priority items and quickly remedy those issues for you. Use our contact form to get in touch.
Even if your organization isn’t legally required to comply with ADA website guidelines, there are significant benefits to expanding the access of your digital presence and content to individuals with disabilities.
Benefits of ADA Compliance
The positive side effects of having an ADA-compliant website can impact your revenue, brand reputation, team culture, recruiting and more. The reach of our website’s content will be expanded to new audiences, and new sales opportunities can present themselves in the process.
Taking the time to make your site navigation more accessible to people with disabilities will in turn improve the UX for all users, adding benefits to both customer experience and SEO.
Accessibility and SEO
When we talk about the connection between accessibility and SEO, they really do go hand-in-hand. Many of the things the ADA seeks when determining accessibility for websites are the same that Google scans for when ranking and serving content.
- Page Title Tags: Page titles help improve both web accessibility and SEO. When a screen reader arrives on a page, it will read the page title out. This helps someone with a disability understand where they’ve just arrived. Title tags are shown on search results pages, and help search engines understand the content on the page. Be more descriptive than “home” for your page titles but also avoid unnecessarily long titles. Use relevant keywords but don’t stuff.
- Header Tags: Using headings and tags improves content accessibility by providing a clear outline to visitors, allowing them to scan your content and find related sections easily. They also help screen readers navigate the content on the page. While there’s debate over the exact SEO value of headings, they improve user experience and navigation, and using a clear H1 on the page has an impact on both accessibility and SEO.
- Alt-Text Tags: Use this tag to add alternative text. Without alt-text or text equivalents, people with visual impairments have no way to understand non-text content like images, animations, CAPTCHAs, etc. Search engines recognize the information in alt attributes. Important note here: do not keyword stuff. The description should be accurate, clear, and provide meaningful information.
- Tags for Links: Use the tag with a Href attribute to define hyperlinks and identify its destination. This helps ensure the screen reader can communicate where the link is sending the user. Google also looks for descriptive anchor text for hyperlinks.
- Label Tags: All fields on online forms should include a tag to ensure screen readers can tell users with visual impairments how to interact with the form.
Another element that improves overall site UX and navigation, breadcrumbs help people with cognitive disabilities understand where they are as they go through a set of related content, and easily go back to reference a previous page when needed.
Google likes breadcrumbs because the practice shows how a site and its content is organized. To see breadcrumbs in search results you will need to add structured data to the links.
Below you will see two examples, one from Adidas and another from Target. Adidas uses a path-based breadcrumb that shows the path the user took to arrive on the page, while Target uses a hierarchy-based breadcrumb that follows the site architecture.
aving a sitemap on your website will ensure Google can crawl your content at a faster pace and serve it more quickly in search results.
Captions and Transcripts
Similar to text equivalents, using transcripts and captions help people with hearing disabilities understand audio and video content. Additionally, they help people with learning disabilities or hearing problems better understand the content.
Captions and transcripts also help Google index your content faster to get higher rankings.
Better UX and Site Navigation
We’ve already talked about the fact that implementing measures to make your website more accessible will in turn improve the experience for all users. This also has a direct benefit on SEO.
Because Google tracks the behavior of your website visitors, the longer users stay on your site and individual pages lets Google know they’re enjoying the content, or finding it useful.
ADA Compliance Web Design Best Practices
When it comes to ADA compliance and web design, both written and visual elements should be considered, as well as both front and back-end components. Here are some high-level best practices for web content accessibility and ADA compliance in UX design:
- Keep sentences clear and concise.
- Break up large pieces of text into bulleted lists (like this one!). Do not style a list with only one item.
- Improve navigation by adding a table of contents to the top of pages.
- Include a summary section or key takeaways.
- Style important context in bold.
- Left align text if you conduct business in English or other languages that use left-to-right scripts.
- Include proper header tags in the HTML (h1, h2, h3).
- When hyperlinking text, ensure the text describes the link’s destination. For example, rather than linking “go here”, consider linking “go here to learn more about our work with property management communities.”
- If you link to PDFs or HTML-based files on your website, you must not only ensure descriptive linking, but also that assistive readers can see and use the text contained in those files.
- Emphasize contrast as much as possible. In addition to color contrast, good design will use patterns, fill, sizing, borders, icons, or whitespace to achieve sufficient contrast between text and background. Online contrast checkers can be used to test your color palette and ratio. WCAG 2.0 level AA recommends a contrast ratio of 4:5:1 for text.
- Include alt text on all images. This can be done directly in the HTML code, or many content management systems like WordPress offer front-end options for adding alt text.
- Create subtitles or captions for videos and have a transcript available, such as a descriptive audio transcript that serves as a high-quality alternative.
- Offer keyboard navigation. People with motor or visual impairments can’t operate a mouse, or may have trouble doing so. Users should be able to use arrow and “Enter” keys to move between pages and interact with elements on your website. This includes web forms. People should be able to fill them out without using a mouse.
- Add aria-labels on links in HTML. Aria-labels help screen readers identify ambiguous signs, like the “X” icon that is used for closing a pop-up or exiting full-screen mode. While that might seem extremely intuitive, a screen reader may interpret it as the letter x, “quit”, “exit dialogue” etc. In this instance, an aria-label can tell the user the intended action of the button.
- For online forms, all fields should include an HTML tag. This will ensure an assistive reader can understand the requirements for each field, including validation rules, like using specific characters in a password.
- Any tables on your website should have clear column and row headers and the table should include a summarizing caption.
- Vector graphics should be labeled or marked as decorative.
These are just some of the many best practices that should be followed to ensure your website is compliant with ADA and WCAG Level 2 standards. It’s best to work with a team that has experience with both developing ADA compliant websites from scratch and transitioning live websites by fixing non-compliance issues.
Accessibility Plugin Tools
Accessibility Plugin Tools
You might be tempted to look into one of the accessibility plugin tools available for WordPress and other platforms. While they can be helpful in working towards ADA website compliance, they shouldn’t be used as an easy, set-it-and-forget-it fix.
Some of the best accessibility plugin tools include:
Many of these plugins can audit your site for elements affecting website accessibility, but can’t be used to implement changes to increase compliance. These tools also provide visitors with accessibility features that enable them to adjust things like font size, focus, contrast, etc. as needed, but the resources often aren’t comprehensive enough.
The goal should be to offer as close to the same experience that non-disabled people receive when they visit your website. This really requires expert management and ongoing support to ensure compliance is maintained over time. Plugins simply don’t cut it. They’re just one piece of the puzzle.
Achieve ADA Website Compliance with Overlap
Whether you’re looking to build a new website or audit an existing one, Overlap has the experience to ensure full ADA compliance with WCAG Level 2 standards.
We’ve developed ADA compliant websites from strategy to design to launch, and even built a fully-customized design system to implement internal standards for accessibility in web design and content. This included a built-in library of code templates for components based on color, mode, style, and more in adherence with WCAG level 2. Read the full customer case study to learn more about the ADA-compliant design system.
As another service, Overlap conducts ADA accessibility audits to identify components of the website affecting compliance. After the audit, we deliver a report ranking the items as low, medium, or high priority and suggest an action plan to remedy all issues found.
Need a partner to help you achieve a fully-compliant, ADA-accessible website? Let’s talk - use our contact form to get in touch.


Aston Villa boss Dean Smith spoke to reporters today, and took time to praise West Ham striker Sebastien Haller.
The 25-year-old joined the Hammers from Eintracht Frankfurt in July for around £45 million.
And he has made a fine start to life in England. He has bagged three goals in three games for West Ham thus far.
Haller seems to have all of the ingredients needed to succeed in England, and if he continues to improve, he will undoubtedly go on to be a real hit at the London Stadium.
The Frenchman will be looking to keep up his excellent work on Monday night when the Hammers travel to the west Midlands to take on Aston Villa.
And Villans boss Dean Smith offered high words of praise for Haller, when speaking to reporters today, as quoted via the club’s official YouTube account:
“Haller up front, he looks a really good centre-forward. They paid a lot of money for him. He’s got a couple of good goals already, and he looks a real handful.”
West Ham have not had a striker score 20 goals or more in a season since Tony Cottee did it in 1987.
Haller is on course to break that 32-year record, however.
And if he does just that, the Hammers will have a great chance of finishing inside the top seven this season.


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J&J Tells Judge It Will Stop Sales of Vaginal ImplantsAlex Nussbaum and Jef Feeley
Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon unit told a federal judge in West Virginia it intends to stop selling four vaginal mesh implants after being sued by more than 600 women who say the products caused internal injuries.
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- The Questionable Math Behind Manafort’s Extravagant Home Renovations

domain: news


ALEX HEINKE reports.
A Sydney driver has been sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in jail for crashing into seven cyclists.
28-year-old, Thomas Kerr, hit a group of cyclists on Southern Cross Drive at Eastlakes in March 2014.
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Of the seven bicycle riders five of them were seriously injured.
He pleaded guilty to four counts of dangerous driving causing actual bodily harm and three causing bodily harm by misconduct.