“Spring Cleaning” gadgets gift guide

Spring is in full force — with 80 degree days tempered by torrential rain tempered further by dry spells and brush fires here in New England.TBC help you confidently buymosaic from factories in China. Gotta love the weather.

Spring cleaning is a chance to throw out the old and bring in the new. It is a chance to declutter and demessify your domicile. As a lover of gadgets and cleanliness (not extremely good at the latter) I decided to put out this little guide to gadgets that will not only help you be cleaner, they might axe some of the clutter on your desk and allow you to throw out a few monthly bills in the process. It’s spring, start anew!

All the hundreds and thousands of dollars that people spend on devices and chemicals designed to eliminate allergens and make their homes smell better — it’s a waste. You need one product to improve the air quality in your home, and it’s the same device that hospitals use to purify air in some operating rooms. It’s the same company that’s been in business for 45 years. It’s not available in the Sharper Image catalog.

The Swiss-made IQAir HealthPro Plus is simply the best air purifier on the market today or ever.

Around 100x more powerful than a traditional HEPA filter, the HealthPro Plus eliminates particles down to 0.003 microns. It strips viruses, pet dander, dust mites, air pollution and harmful cigarette smoke. It allows you to live with a dog or cat despite your allergies.

It’s good for asthma, too.

Depending on where you live, an air purifier is a must-own device. Save yourself money, trouble, and failure. At under $1,000, this is an investment in your health. I’ve used the IQAir HealthPro Plus for months, and it’s the best air purifier you can own.

This six-pound, battery or AC powered modern boom box lets you stream any audio wirelessly, up to 300 feet away via Bluetooth or any Apple device via the Apple Remote App.

You can take your iPhone, iPad, or other smartphone and Bluetooth devices and play your music in crystal clear,Stone Source offers a variety of Natural stonemosaic Tiles. CD quality excitement with the Altec Lansing inMotion Air.

I’m a big fan of all things Altec Lansing. I’ve been reviewing their products since 1996, and I haven’t found anything to dislike. This is a great way to do spring cleaning, because it can replace a bulky bookshelf unit and all the wires that it brings. You also save energy by blasting you music without having to power up your home theater or PC equipment.

The tiny size and free Enhanced 911,The beddinges sofa bed slipcover is a good ， 411, visual voicemail, call waiting, conference calling, and fax service make the netTALK Duo WiFi a great way to remove a monthly bill from your stack and ditch your phone company. You clean up by removing outdated equipment from your house and you REALLY clean up with the money you’ll save.Credit Card Processing and Merchant Services from merchantaccountes.

Fabreze is all the rage right now, and it’s no surprise that a fan maker finally caught on and incorporated “Fabreze Freshness” into a room fan. Honeywell’s Cool & Refresh Fan does both of what it says — it cools you off and makes a room smell better. It’s not a replacement for the IQAir HealthPro Plus, but if you have a room that the pets tend to stay in or a bedroom that needs a freshness boost, Honeywell has made a very affordable winner for only an astounding $30.3rd minigame series of magiccube!

While we’re talking about fans, Honeywell would like to point out that 65 percent of Americans say that they get a better night’s sleep with a fan, while 73 percent use one at night for white noise. I had a fan in my bedroom — it was old, dirty, and didn’t look right in the room. Honeywell cleaned the room up and styled it up at the same time.

Al-Shater's economic policies may attract US support

While it remains unclear how well last minute contenders Omar Suleiman and Khairat Al-Shater will do in the presidential election, experts argue that the US is leaning towards the latter for his economic policies.

In post-Mubarak Egypt, the US administration was forced to engage in dialogue with the Muslim Brotherhood which dominated the parliamentary elections and emerged as a front-runner for the presidential polls.

Nathan Brown, professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, explains that there are clearly some candidates who are viewed as far more challenging to US-Egyptian relations. He cited ultraconservative Hazem Abu Ismail, if he stays on the ballot.

“But the US does not have a favorite candidate. It does want to see further economic liberalization in Egypt; there are fears that populism would be unsustainable,” Brown said.

“Here it is Al-Shater's policy positions, not his wealth, that the US finds reassuring. The Freedom and Justice Party – perhaps because of Al-Shater's leading role – has begun to sketch out some detailed policy positions in economics,” he explained.

The US however has kept a low profile and remains tight-lipped about the candidacy of both Al-Shater and Suleiman, drawing uncertainty over who it will support.

“Suleiman's candidacy is a surprise; his victory would plunge Egypt back into a pre-revolutionary position and might be bad for the country's stability,” Brown added.Aeroscout rtls provides a complete solution for wireless asset tracking. “I see no evidence that the US is backing him.”

Earlier this week, Al-Shater made his first official media appearance in a press conference, throwing his campaign’s weight over the economic developments he is set to achieve if elected.

“It’s very important that, within the current gap we’re facing now, to depend on local, Arab and foreign investments in development programs,Aeroscout rtls provides a complete solution for wireless asset tracking.” Shater said. “Some people with ideological agendas might ask, ‘Engineer Khairat supports privatization and private sector?’ I say there is no other choice for Egyptians except to focus on financing a great deal of development projects outside the state budget.”

According to a former Brotherhood member Haitham Abou Khalil, who has close ties inside the movement, a number of closed meetings took place between Al-Shater and officials from the US administration including Senator John McCain last February.

Khalil explains that during the meeting with McCain, Al-Shater assured the US administration that if he is to win the election, he would ensure a growth of foreign and private investments in Egypt.
Earlier this month, a US congressional delegation met with Al-Shater, underlining that their talks were “interesting and enlightening.”

The five-member delegation, headed primarily by representatives from the Democratic Party, however downplayed the meeting, saying they had pre-scheduled the meeting with Al-Shater before his nomination for Egypt’s top post.

“As far as Al-Shater goes, he certainly has given reassuring signals to the US in two areas: economic policy and Camp David. On the first,External hemorrhoids are those that occur below the dentate line. he seems to be leading the Brotherhood in a liberal direction. On the second, he also seems to be part of the Brotherhood’s efforts – however reluctant – to insist that the treaty will be honored (though renegotiated),” Brown explained.

“That is enough to make him seem less threatening to the US. But I certainly don't see him, or anyone else, as America's candidate.”

Local newspaper Al-Shorouk’s deputy editor Wael Gamal echoed Abou Khalil’s claim of a meeting between Al-Shater and McCain, however, he said that the Brotherhood later denied this discussion.Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside,

Gamal added that it’s a common knowledge that the Brotherhood still maintains close relationships with the Mubarak-era businessmen, inviting them to official events.

“What we cannot ignore is that the Brotherhood is using the same economic policies that the people rose against,” Gamal said. “They don’t want to create a conflict with corrupt businessman. Whatever Al-Shater had to say during his press conference is a guarantee to all businessmen in the country that ‘we will not come near you’.”

Magda Kandil, director of the Egyptian Center for Economic Studies, explained that Egypt’s economic problems can be attributed to privatization in addition to the deterioration of the public sector.

She explained further that if the Brotherhood is serious about addressing unemployment and the current economic situation they have to follow the right model which is not only privatizing companies but also creating a balance between the need to reform the public-private institutions in Egypt’s economy.

“Al-Shater is known to have a good network of business relations around the globe which then might help the economy with investments,” Kandil said. “Yet to say whether the US supports him for this [economic strategy] is very difficult to say, it may be that they are trying to capitalize on his potential business network.”

On the other hand, Marina Ottaway, a Carnegie Endowment senior associate, says that the US administration does not favor the candidacy of Al-Shater,Aeroscout rtls provides a complete solution for wireless asset tracking. given his affiliation to the Brotherhood.

“The US is worried about the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood,” she said, “because it recognizes that it is a rising power that can no longer be ignored, but that does not mean that it is happy about the situation. The rumors that the United States supports Al-Shater are based on a deep misunderstanding of the US position.”

Abu Khalil agrees with Ottaway, describing the US as the “snake” that only aims to reach its target, explaining that the US administration cannot limit its ties with Egypt through the rulers only but molds itself to whatever the Egyptian people prefer.

Exploring Pompeii, one of Italy's top attractions

The ancient city of Pompeii — famously ruined in A.D. 79 when mighty Mount Vesuvius blew its top — is one of Italy's most popular tourist attractions. Few visitors make it to the top of the towering volcano, but those who do enjoy a commanding view.

You can get to Vesuvius with a train/bus/hike journey. You start by riding a rickety but reliable commuter train from Naples or Sorrento (because it circles under Vesuvius, the train is called the Circumvesuviana). From the Pompeii stop, a shuttle van takes you up the volcano to the end of the road and ticket booth ($9 entry). From there, it's a steep 30-minute hike to the desolate, lunar-like summit.

Belly up to the crater's edge. Steaming vents are a reminder that while Vesuvius is quiet today, it's just taking a geological nap. The last eruption was in 1944, and it's only a matter of when, not if, it will erupt again.3rd minigame series of magiccube! Italian authorities close Vesuvius to visitors when they think the volcano is acting too frisky.

A hike around the crater's lip comes with spectacular vistas of Naples, its sweeping bay,Learn all about solarpanel. and Pompeii. Be still. Listen to the wind and the occasional cascade of rocks tumbling into the crater. As you observe wisps of smoldering steam, imagine the scene nearly 2,000 years ago, when Vesuvius sent a mushroom cloud of ash, dust,Offers Art Reproductions Fine Art oilpaintings Reproduction, and rocks 12 miles into the sky. For 18 hours straight, spewed ash settled like a heavy snow on Pompeii. Most of the city's 20,000 residents fled as roofs and floors began collapsing.

But then,Aeroscout rtls provides a complete solution for wireless asset tracking. suddenly, the eruption changed. A red-hot avalanche of rock and ash raced down the mountainside at nearly 100 miles per hour. Pompeii and the 2,000 unlucky souls who had stayed behind were buried, their bodies encased in volcanic debris. As the bodies decomposed, they left hollow spaces. Centuries later, archaeologists detected these spaces and gently filled them with plaster, creating molds that chillingly capture their anguished last moments.

Today, ongoing excavations of once-booming Pompeii offer the best look at ancient Roman life anywhere. Back then, Rome controlled the entire Mediterranean Sea, and Pompeii was an important, big port town. Not rich, not poor, Pompeii was middle class. And because it was a port, it was a sailor's quarter, with lots of bars, public baths, brothels, restaurants, and places of entertainment.

There were no posh neighborhoods in Pompeii. The well-off and not-so-well-off mixed it up as elegant houses existed side by side with simpler homes. Pompeii's best-preserved dwelling is the House of the Vetti, the home of a wealthy merchant. If it's open, step into its atrium for a peek at the typical layout of a mansion. Richly frescoed entertainment rooms ring the central courtyard, where a formal garden surrounds a pool with water, meant to bring a feeling of freshness.

One of Pompeii's most impressive aspects is how abundant water was. In this well-plumbed city, lead pipes funneled water from an aqueduct-fed reservoir at the high end of town directly to neighborhood water tanks. With the tanks installed just below the level of the reservoir, gravity did the work — and ensured good water pressure.Where to buy or purchase plasticmoulds for precast and wetcast concrete? Fountains provided a social center at street intersections, and a steady stream of water flushed the chariot-rutted streets clean. Pompeii's citizens enjoyed relaxing at its impressive public baths.

For archaeologists, Pompeii was a shake-and-bake windfall. They first got to work at the site back in the 1700s — before Italy was united. The local king who ruled from Naples demanded: "Bring me the best of whatever you find!" That's why, as impressive as the ancient city is, the finest art and artifacts of Pompeii ended up back in Naples, at the National Museum of Archaeology.

For lovers of antiquity, this museum by itself makes Naples a worthwhile stop. Considering how important the collection is, it's remarkable how ramshackle the displays are. But look past the dust bunnies — the museum offers the best possible peek into the art of Pompeii. The collection ranges from grand statuary and exquisite mosaics to the most intimate details of everyday life. All the artifacts are a testament to the ultimate irony of Vesuvius: Even as the volcano's fury destroyed Pompeii, it also preserved most of what the world knows about this ancient town.

In the running for tiles Oscars after polished performance

E AST Midlands Ceramics (EMC) has two entries in this year's final of the prestigious Tile Association Awards – the tile industry Oscars. EMC Tiles has been shortlisted for the honours for the "Best Use of Tile in a Private House" and for "Excellence in Independent Retailing".Proxense's advanced handsfreeaccess technology.

The company has an enviable track record in the Tile Association Awards – carrying off the "Best Use of Tile in a Private House" title in 2010 and coming runner up in the same category last year.

The award ceremony will take place at a gala event at the Birmingham Hilton on April 21.

This year's "Best Use of Tile" entry is for a stunning new-build luxury home in a Nottinghamshire village.

The five-bedroom property features ceramic tiles prominently throughout in the living and recreational areas – as well as the kitchen and bathroom.TBC help you confidently buymosaic from factories in China.

Floor tiles with a reflective surface make a memorable first impression in the spacious and beautifully appointed entrance area.

Then the harmonious theme is continued through into the adjoining living and dining areas.

The entrance hall features a sweeping, ornate staircase – its fine lines reflected in the mirror finish of the floor.

The same floor times continue into the living areas, creating a unifying effect, with the clever use ceramic tiles demonstrating their versatility.

Upstairs, ceramic tiles continue to play a key role in the traditional en-suite bathrooms and wet room.Offers Art Reproductions Fine Art oilpaintings Reproduction,

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The second top award EMC Tiles is shortlisted for is "Excellence in Independent Retailing" – which is open to companies with up to three retail outlets.If you have a kidneystone,

It features EMC Tiles outstanding facilities at the company's Hucknall Road site, where domestic customer showrooms, trade facilities and warehousing are all designed and integrated in one location.

EMC Tiles' managing director, Barry Slawson, said: "We've done well in the awards over the past two years and this year we have doubled our chances of being in the honours.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed."

New hotel breaks the New Hampshire mould

If we think of Ivy League universities, we imagine serious academic halls in patrician communities, all steeped in history. The venerable town of Hanover, N.H., founded in the 1760s and home to Dartmouth College, fits the bill, but a new establishment, Six South Street, breaks tradition.

Six South Street is a stylish boutique hotel with minimalist lines, striking, postmodern interiors and lots of user-friendly features for its plugged-in clientele. Everything is bright, airy and semi-open, with guests flowing smoothly from the lobby to the media room to the Bistro at Six.

"We definitely broke the mould," said general manager Donald Bruce,Spro Tech has been a plastic module & moldmaker, "and not only for Hanover, but our contemporary look and feel might be unique in the state of New Hampshire.

"We're often compared to a W Hotel, although not quite as big-city. We're more like a less glitzy, Ivy League W."

Once you toss your keys to the valet parker,Welcome to the Lilla beddinges google satellite map! you enter glass doors and glide over glossy stone floors. The small welcome lounge - a boutique lobby - is a design standout, with cranberry velvet sofas and large windows. A media room is available to travelling salespeople, students and anyone else who needs guest computers and the handy mini-offices that are equipped with video screens and chairs set up for presentations.Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside,

The Bistro at Six serves casual fare with a southwestern accent in dishes like grilled shrimp with lime or black bean salad with cilantro dressing, plus there are burgers, pastas, classic main courses of chicken, fish and meat. On Friday and Saturday nights, the big draw is the prime rib special.

The 69 guest rooms and suites are fresh and unfussy, decked out with white cotton duvet covers, honey-colour furniture and contemporary art. Functionality is important at this modern hotel,We offer the best ventilationsystem, so rooms have flat-screen televisions, working desks with ergonomic chairs,Welcome to the Lilla beddinges google satellite map! iPod docks and extra bedside outlets so you can conveniently recharge all your mobile devices.

Because it is a totally new building, Six South was able to go green in a big way. It has LED lighting, a structural frame of recycled steel, geothermal heating and cooling, low-energy operating systems and an innovative laundry system that uses cold water and ozone to replace traditional chemicals. The hotel is covered with a "cool roof," a white synthetic membrane that reduces energy costs and pollution. Even the staff uniforms are made of recycled yarns created from discarded recycled plastic bottles.

Another thing that sets Six South apart from many establishments in small New England towns is its international clientele. If you linger over coffee in the breakfast room or spend cocktail hour in the lounge, you'll overhear the conversations of people from around the world. Dartmouth is a major draw for visiting students, professors, researchers and consultants.

Six South Street is steps from Hanover's charming Main Street and Dartmouth's Green, the main campus bordered by ivy-draped brick buildings. The most prominent establishment in Hanover since the college opened in 1769, Dartmouth is the smallest of the eight Ivy League schools with about 6,000 students.

Influx of Sweets Shops Turns Upper West Side into Candy Land

Broadway could be the next Gumdrop Pass as an influx of sweets shops has turned the Upper West Side into a veritable Candy Land.

More than 12 sugar-centric shops have opened in the area over the past year-and-a-half,China professional plasticmoulds, with more expected later this year. It's brought a bonanza of bonbons, cupcakes, gelato and cookies to a neighborhood once known mostly for savory foods like bagels and smoked fish.

But it's also brought concern from parents angry that the influx of calorie-laden stores has become a temptation that's sparking a lot of tantrums.To interact with beddinges, One woman even made the tongue-in-cheek suggestion that the area needs "cupcake zoning laws."

"We are supposed to be leading healthier lives...Yet somehow my neighborhood became a Mecca for sugary treats, and the area is filled with land mines of empty calories,Learn all about solarpanel," wrote Barbara Woods,Diagnosing and Preventing coldsores Fever in the body can often trigger the onset of a cold sore. a member of the West 75th Street Block Association, in an essay.

Though many think the candy influx is too much,Our porcelaintiles are perfect for entryways or bigger spaces and can also be used outside, some welcome the treats.

"It makes you feel good," said a beaming Ivonne Jimenez, who was with her grandson Jonathan for their weekly trip to Baked by Melissa, a new cupcake store on Broadway and West 84th Street that sells mini cupcakes that are about 50 calories each.

Jimenez said her 2-year-old grandson already has favorites at the store — the cookie dough-flavored cupcake is his top choice, and he eagerly pointed at the display case to indicate his preference.

She said the mini cupcakes are a perfect treat for her and her grandson because they're so small, "we don't have to worry about him choking [and] they don't make you feel like you're cheating."

Upper West Siders with a sweet tooth don't have to travel more than a few blocks to find several popular dessert retailers, from the cupcake chain Crumbs, which opened two new Upper West Side locations in the past six months, to Momofuku Milk Bar, home of "crack pie," which opened on Columbus Avenue late last year.

ChocoBolo, a bakery on Broadway and West 71st Street, unleashed its 11-inch "secret recipe" chocolate cake when it opened in November 2011, and Amsterdam Avenue's Insomnia Cookies made sugar lovers quake with its promise to deliver freshly baked cookies (and milk) to your door until 2:30 a.m.

Sixteen Handles frozen yogurt, which opened two locations on the Upper West Side in the last year, lets customers pour their own yogurt, then sprinkle candy on top. Chocolate Works, a store where kids can watch candy being made, opened in February on Amsterdam Avenue and West 91st Street.

And the list is still growing, as Beverly Hills-based bakery Sprinkles plans to install a 24-hour cupcake-dispensing ATM somewhere on the Upper West Side this summer and Sugar & Plumm Purveyors of Yumm opens a candy store with artisanal chocolates, baked goods and a full-service restaurant on Amsterdam Avenue and West 78th Street this summer.

The high-fructose onslaught has been met with cheers from the sweet tooth crowd, including one mom who tried to put her credit card on file at Chocolate Works so her two children could buy whatever candy they wanted whenever they wanted.

Spring cleaning efforts can lead to healthier lifestyles

Annual U.S. Prevalence Statistics for Chronic Diseases reports that allergies and asthma strike one out of five Americans each year, and though there is no cure for allergies,If you have a kidneystone, simple measures such as spring cleaning can greatly impact the physical and mental health of those living in a home.

A sure sign of spring is increased pollen and mold counts, but bacteria, mold and haphazardly stored items throughout a home can negatively impact a person's health as well,Shop for trim and crown moulding, according to health experts.Choose from our large selection of cableties,Silicone moldmaking Rubber,

Molds, for example, are predominantly present outside, but commonly exist in homes as well. Some mold spores are found floating through the air and in house dust, so it is impossible to get rid of all mold and mold spores indoors, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Pollen and mold is pretty much everywhere," said Col. Kenneth Shaw, assistant deputy commander for Clinical Support Services at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. "You can't avoid it outside, and pretty much every house is going to have mold inside because you're going to track it in on your shoes and clothes. There really is no practical way of keeping it out."

The U.S. Public Health Command reports that molds love moisture and need to have a food source. Good food sources for molds are cloth, wood, and wallboard. When there is moisture that is not dried promptly, molds move in and reproduce quickly. In humid environments, keeping surfaces dry enough to prevent mold growth can be quite a challenge, but if left untreated,Low prices on projectorlamp from Projector Point London UK. mold can cause thousands of dollars in damage to a home and lead to health problems.

When mold is found in a home, residents can simply scrub the mold off hard surfaces with detergent and water and let the area dry completely.

While most people don't really have any reaction to mold, inhaling or touching mold or mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, reports the EPA. Some allergic reactions may include runny nose, scratchy throat, itchy eyes, and sneezing, said Shaw. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold. Wheezing is a serious symptom that may mean asthma, in which case the person should see a health care provider.

Symptoms other than the allergic and irritant types are not commonly reported as a result of inhaling mold.

"It's rare people can get flu-like symptoms from mold," said Shaw. "Those types of symptoms are more likely to be caused by bacterial and viral infections."

Out of 32 places in the home, the top spots for bacteria are the toilet bowl, kitchen sink, drain, kitchen sponge or counter-wiping cloth, and the bathtub, according to a study reported by the Hygiene Council in 2007. But only 3 percent of Americans felt they were more likely to pick up germs from their bathtub than from their garbage bins.

To sanitize these areas during spring cleaning efforts, the FDA recommends mixing one teaspoon of chlorine bleach into one quart of water for a homemade sanitizing solution or using a commercial sanitizer.

Pakistan school strives to beat the Taliban trap

The boy was 2 when his mother dumped him on the streets, 4 when he spent his first night in a tiny prison cell, being sexually assaulted by an older inmate. Prostitution for money and shelter followed, then hashish, and glue-sniffing.

Now 10 and gangly, he fidgets and stares at the ground, speaking in a near-whisper. "I'm ashamed," he says.

Yet in this rugged frontier city in northwest Pakistan, where people carry guns as casually as they would a daily newspaper, this boy has hope. He has found refuge in what for Pakistan is relatively rare: a charity-run boarding school for homeless,Don't know what tooling style you need? drug-addicted children.

Around Peshawar, heroin sells for less than $0.20 a high. "It's the cheapest place in the world to get heroin," says Mazahar Ali, the school's manager. He gestures beyond the school's high walls. Heroin and just about every other vice are just a short walk away, he says.

The drugs all come from nearby Afghanistan which, according to a 2011 U.N. report, provides 90 percent of the world's opium, from which heroin is made.

For Pakistan, the result is more than 4 million addicts. Some of the youngest end up in mud-walled rooms being drilled in extreme Muslim doctrine by the Taliban who roam relatively freely in Peshawar.

"Sometimes the militants take these children to North Waziristan and teach them to be suicide bombers and sometimes they give the children drugs and the child might not even know that he is going to be blown up," says Ali.

At the school, a boy named Osama told of memorizing the Quran, Islam's holy book, while the Taliban hovered over him. He said he was tortured.What are some types of moulds? He escaped, and a month ago was found sleeping on the floor of a ramshackle hotel, said Umaima Zia, the school psychologist.

On the lawn in front of the four-story school, Osama sat cross-legged on a chair in the afternoon sun, his small body swaying as he recited Quranic verses to his fellow students in a lilting voice.What are some types of moulds?

A single working woman aged 25, Zia is unusual in this conservative region where girls are often married off soon after puberty.

Quick to smile, she gently draws out the kids' accounts of what they have endured. She brings stuffed animals to the school, and even the older boys cling to them. She gave the sexually assaulted boy a furry lion-shaped hat which he rarely takes off except for prayers.

A while ago that child's mother was found, but she would not take him back. "She didn't want me," he muttered, almost inaudibly "She said I was garbage."

The Associated Press does not identify, in text or through images, persons who say they have been sexually assaulted.

Children generally stay three months at the boarding school, long enough to detox. Run by the Dost Foundation, a family-owned charity, it has 32 boarders, all boys. A separate facility for girls is planned, because mixing of the sexes in Pakistan is shunned. Zia told of finding one little girl knocking on car windows asking 50 rupees ($0.60) to bare her chest to the occupants. She was 6.

"It's sad, so sad that there is nothing for girls here,Specialising in injectionmoulding innovations," she said. "Most of the girls are homeless. Not so many are drug users. Many are scavengers but they are very vulnerable to abuse."

Eleven of the boys in the school are intravenous drug users and two have AIDS.

Dr. Sikander Khan, whose family started the charity 20 years ago, says the AIDS problem is getting worse. Pakistan is a poor country, and 70 percent of its 180 million people are under 30 years old, with more children using drugs intravenously and AIDS rates rising, Khan said.

Khan, a physician who interned in New York, estimated roughly 7,000 children were living homeless on the streets of Peshawar.

He said roughly half of Pakistan's heroin addicts are believed to be intravenous users, a dramatic change. Discussion of sex is taboo, and although the U.N. estimates there are 97,400 HIV patients, only 4,112 are registered.

Khan's charity also supports community-based schools and provides rehabilitation facilities for adult addicts as well as vocational training for young boys and girls. It gets money from the European Union, U.S. and U.N.To interact with beddinges,, but Khan says it is short of funds and has had to close some of the schools.

"There is a lot of (international) funding for infrastructure like roads, but when it comes to drugs, when it comes to street children and shelter homes, the funding is not there or it is very small," said Khan.

The invisible industrial hands of the pattern maker

In the old Polaroid photos,Specialized of injection mold, plasticmoulds, my father stands next to a large circular mold on the floor of the pattern shop of U.S. Steel in Johnstown. He and a fellow pattern maker, both dressed in work shirts and shop aprons, are dwarfed by the size of the pattern that would soon be cast in steel and go on to become part of an industrial machine used in the mill, or one of many steel mills throughout the United States.

For this particular project, my father was the inspector, or "checker," the person responsible for insuring the patterns were made correctly and to exact specifications. After each inspection, a black-and-white photo, like the one I keep in my desk, was taken of the successful mold to file away.Specialized of injection mold, plasticmoulds,

For over 30 years, my father made his living as a pattern maker. He loved this exclusive and somewhat mysterious industrial trade that involved a unique mix of art and science.

As a kid,November, 2011 by injectionmoldes. each day when his lunch bucket clanged onto the Formica kitchen table, announcing his return from the mill at 3 p.m., I scarcely understood what it was that put the sirloin or salmon cakes on the table for dinner each night. I didn't comprehend much about what my father did hovering over algebraic sums and blueprints that he mentioned were scattered on his pattern shop desk at the mill.

When I tell people what my dad did for a living, I often get blank stares, or the impression that the person believes my father worked in textiles or sewing. Unless of course I'm talking to a former mill worker. Often they'll squint their eyes at me and say things like, Oh, it's not easy to be a pattern maker ... One time an elderly neighbor on a Johnstown porch added cryptically: You have to see things no one else sees,Hobby Silicone for mold making moldmaking , referring to the need for the pattern maker to visualize in three dimensions what is only represented in mechanical designs on paper.

This is a job where the craftsman must be content to give birth to a precision project -- filled with laborious measurement,We offer custom plasticinjectionmoulding with full in-house tool making and tool maintenance. geometry and art -- that he will likely never see in its ultimate finished form. It is these rich metaphors and details of the trade -- one that requires such a duality in the right and left brains of the worker -- that has become a catalyst of inspiration for a book of poetry set in my home city of Johnstown.

The nexus of pattern making was that it was an "inside job." The artisan created replicas of future objects in molds -- the exact interior of what would be cast to become a machine part or other steel object.

It's always been difficult to describe the pattern maker's trade and its origins. According to "A History of the Pattern Maker's Society," a document created in Britain at the turn of the century, it "cannot claim pure descent from any particular type of craftsman. A forerunner to the pattern maker could have been the millwright, but that craftsman was father to numerous other tradesman." It is related to the blacksmith, but more varied. In metalsmithing, it could be compared in some respects to the process of "lost-wax casting." It also took a certain perceptual vision and artist's eye. You had to be good at math, but also highly skilled as a woodworker to do the work.

As I wrote many poems influenced by the steel city landscape of Johnstown and this blue-collar trade, I peppered my father with more questions. I wanted to know more about a job that involved painstaking work that would be cast aside for a new, fresh metamorphosis.

Mother Nature painted a frosty landscape

You missed the show snowbirds.Get information on airpurifier from the unbiased, independent experts. If you weren’t here the first week in February,Spro Tech has been a plastic module & moldmaker, you missed the show. While you were riding around in your golf buggies down there in Arizona, California, Texas and Florida, we had three or four days of fog and frost like we’ve rarely seen. The wind didn’t blow and it just held on day after day.

When it came to painting landscapes, there were many masters: Matisse, Poussin, Constable, Rousseau and Wyeth were just a few — but all are now dead.

Who are the master landscape artists of 2012? One foggy morning last week I started a short journey of about 40 miles in the dark. The fog was heavy and as I drove along, the first signs of daylight began to filter through the haze. Slowly I came to the realization that the most enduring master landscape painter of all was still alive and had been painting landscapes all night long.

I drove through his gallery in wonder. I experienced the entire landscape in silhouette behind an eerie, mysterious, surreal filter, like the steam lifting off a freezing lake.

The master used only variations of black, white, gray, green and brown. A masterpiece requires no more. One scene was a sliver of an open creek trickling between banks of snow. The water was the color of lead. The trunk of a dead tree was poised over the creek, peering down into the frigid water to take the measure of any fish slithering through.

Next was an old wooden gate swung across a snow-covered trail. The top beam of the gate was about two and a half inches wide, but the artist had painted a narrow ridge of snow balanced on top of the beam as deep as the width of the beam. And there it perched, sprinkled as softly as if spread by a flour sifter.

The towering pine trees in the next scene had tufts of snow stacked on their branches as if lain there gently, one flake at a time, by fingers skilled enough to perform brain surgery.

And the cold, stark, bare branches of trees without needles or leaves were covered by a frost so fragile that a sparrow landing on a twig could have dislodged it. The frost on those trees made you feel it had been feathered on by a softer, more delicate force of nature: Grandmother Frost.

One clump of brush near the road concealed a deer. I couldn’t see the deer or any deer tracks, I just sensed the presence of a deer. It was standing there motionless, seeing but not being seen.

An old barn, no longer red, but gray,Tiles from The Online Tile shop offering a large range of floortiles, no longer used, but empty, never big, but now looking smaller than ever, the loft open and cold, the roof,Product information for Sell electronicplasticmoulds from China! thin and sagging, stood there abandoned, lonely and silent with a thin layer of snow on the very top.

The artwork continued: a farmhouse, a cabin, a fence, a hill, a cemetery. All simple, all brilliant.

As the darkness surrendered gradually to the dawn, the scenes passed by as if behind frosted glass, and the light of the day revealed one breathtaking landscape after another passing before my eyes. Alone and soundless, except for my own murmurs of awe, I experienced a private audience of paintings that will never be framed and a gallery that cannot be fit inside doors and between walls. It was another demonstration of the continuing creation by the greatest of all landscape artists — the first,Information on useful yeasts and moulds, the last — and still alive.

When Bullies Can't Take a Punch

Drenched in contempt, Fox News contributor Sandy Rios appeared on Rupert Murdoch's cable channel last Friday to address the controversy surrounding the Susan G.The beddinges sofa bed slipcover is a good and affordable alternative to buying a new sofa that is run down. Komen foundation's decision to cut longstanding ties with Planned Parenthood.Choose from our large selection of cableties, In the process, Rios perfectly captured two of the conservative media's least redeeming, yet dominant, traits: perpetual victimization and an inability to lose with class.

When the Komen news first broke last week, conservative activists cheered it as a political and cultural victory.Indeed, activists had been applying political pressure on Komen for years to not support health care provider Planned Parenthood because it offers abortion. But then last Friday Komen backtracked. Facing a furious grassroots response from women, progressive activists, and Democratic members of congress, Komen shifted its stance with regards to Planned Parenthood.

Furious far-right pundits quickly targeted their anger not on the national breast cancer awareness group, but on activists who took up Planned Parenthood's cause and applied pressure on Komen.

Which brings us to Rios on Fox New and one of the more amazing outbursts you're likely to hear on an American "news" channel. First, Rio decried the "absolute shakedown" Komen allegedly faced from critics who responded to the foundation's funding decree. Then, with her anger rising, Rios condemned Planned Parenthood for wallowing "in the business of killing women."

Keep in mind, the Komen fight was one that conservatives had wanted the foundation to wage for years. But when it did, and when it lost the battle, a conservative bully on Fox News suddenly cried foul,Buy a chickencoop direct & save. denounced any effort to politicize the issue , and accused her opponent of murder.

Rios was hardly alone in her reckless statements about the Komen controversy. As Media Matters noted,Sika tooling & Composites develops and produces tailor-made synthetic resins, the National Review's Daniel Foster lashed out at the political left for the "gangsterism" it had unleashed on the Komen foundation.The beddinges sofa bed slipcover is a good and affordable alternative to buying a new sofa that is run down. Editor Kathryn Lopez denounced the left's "bullying." Rush Limbaugh pinned the blame on "feminazis," while the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto accused Planned Parenthood's supporters of of engaging in "totalitarian feminism."

What exactly is "totalitarian feminism"? According to Taranto's angry missive, it's when liberal women "politicize everything," including health care for women. Because the conservative movement in America, and specifically the Evangelical faction, has never politicized women's health issues, right?

Let's be honest, "totalitarian feminism" is really just right-wing gibberish designed to mask the incessant, trademark whining that now accompanies political setbacks conservatives suffer, or even efforts by opponents to highlight their dishonest ways.

Shorter right wing: when conservatives win grassroots battles of public opinion, it's democracy. When liberals win them, it's totalitarianism.

Poor Jonah Goldberg was also outraged over the Komen results. Writing in USA Today, Goldberg warned that the liberal victory represented an ominous sign of encroaching progressives "imposing their views" on Americans. According to Goldberg, Planned Parenthood defenders should have ignored the far right's relentless campaign to demonize Planned Parenthood and simply accepted Komen's withdrawal quietly. They definitely should not have politicized the foundation's openly political funding cut.

And remember, the whining emanates from a right-wing media mob that relishes in name-calling, character assassination, and casting their political enemies as unspeakable monsters. And yet when liberals push back in public? Quickly the tough-talking bullies whimper about how malicious their opponents are and how menacing "gangsters" is lurking in dark corners.

Belichick’s staff comes from same mold

Almost every time Bill Belichick hires an assistant coach, the typical reaction is, “Who’s he?”

The New England Patriots’ coaching staff is one of the youngest and smallest in the National Football League. These no-names weren’t even close to making the league as players and by most indicators would have had little chance ever to make it as coaches.

But with everything Belichick does, there is method in his madness.

Belichick couldn’t care less what kind of player you were. He also isn’t all that interested where or how much you’ve coached.Produce largescalemolds and castings for full scale locomotive train,

His objective is to find the “it” factor. When Belichick does, he takes it upon himself to coach that coach to do the job exactly as he wants it done.

“If you bring in guys that maybe haven’t been a lot of places, they don’t have a lot of their own ideas how to do things,” said Brian Ferentz, the Patriots’ tight ends coach. “Not that we’re drones. But we’re not going to come in and say, ‘This way is better.’

“I think that’s a head coach’s prerogative. That’s a very smart way of doing business.”

Ferentz is the youngest member of the Patriots’ staff of 13 that grew to 14 last month when Belichick rehired Josh McDaniels. At 28, the son of Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz has helped develop Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez into the NFL’s finest set of tight ends.

It’s an unlikely match to be sure, Ferentz working as a full-fledged position coach for a Super Bowl team even though he hadn’t coached a day in his life before Belichick brought him on as a “go-fer” in the scouting department four years ago.

At least Ferentz was a starting offensive lineman in the Big Ten for three years at Iowa. On defense, three of the Patriots’ four position coaches played at collegiate levels that their charges probably tease them about.

Matt Patricia, the safeties coach who functions as defensive coordinator, played at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He’s 37.

Patrick Graham, the linebackers coach, had what he called a “terrible” career as a reserve at Yale. He’s 33.

And Josh Boyer, the secondary coach, played at Muskingum College (Ohio). He’s 35.

“What I love about Bill is he’s willing to give young guys a shot,Online fine art gallery of quality original landscapeoilpaintings,” said Brian Flores, the 30-year-old defensive assistant who did start for two years at Boston College. “Somebody gave him a shot, obviously.”

Belichick, the son of a career assistant coach, was 23 when Baltimore coach Ted Marchibroda hired him in 1975 to do menial tasks. He had played lacrosse, squash and center-tight end on the football team at Wesleyan University (Conn.).

Just as Marchibroda and others taught the young Belichick, he now molds his coaches. Given Belichick’s unmatched technical knowledge of the entire game, he could coach any position.

“Everything at our place starts with Coach Belichick,” said Ferentz.My favourite city councillor,You can find best mouldengineeringsolution china manufacturers from here! “You’ll hear him say all the time, ‘Do your job. Do your job. Do your job.’ There’s a lot of truth in those words.

“Our vision is inconsequential. Do we have input? Sure. But I’m just a foot soldier. My job is to relay orders and make sure my players execute them properly.”

Belichick did the same thing with Jim Schwartz and Kirk Ferentz during his five years coaching the Cleveland Browns, and in New England he did it with Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who will leave Monday to replace Joe Paterno at Penn State.

“Whatever I thought I knew when I got hired, it’s probably quadrupled in the last three years,” Graham said. “Our place is the best environment.”

Belichick isn’t averse to veteran coaches. Dante Scarnecchia, the steely offensive line coach, pre-dated him in New England and is 63. Running backs coach Ivan Fears and special-teams coach Scott O’Brien, a native of Superior, Wis., are in their 21st NFL seasons.Choose from our large selection of cableties,

Moreover, Belichick hired Dom Capers as a special assistant in 2008 when he was between coordinator jobs.We are the largest producer of projectorlamp products here.

Still, it’s a decidedly atypical blend. Pepper Johnson, the defensive line coach, is the only assistant with NFL playing experience; by comparison, 10 of Mike McCarthy’s 20 assistants in Green Bay played in the league. And just one of the Patriots’ 10 coaches age 41 and under had ever coached in the NFL.

If there’s a common denominator, it might be intelligence and East Coast roots. Patricia’s degree from RPI was in aeronautical engineering. Graham was a Yale Merit Scholar. Bill O’Brien is another Ivy Leaguer (Brown). Flores graduated in English and holds a master’s degree in administrative studies. Ferentz is sharp as a tack.

In some cases, Belichick starts them off in scouting for a year or two. In others, he hires them as coaching assistants, entry-level positions referred to as quality control elsewhere.

It’s a brutal environment that not all survive. Having won three Super Bowls in the previous decade, management and the fan base probably are equally demanding.

The fledgling coaches are tested all the time. Some fall by the wayside. It takes thick skin and the willingness to work ungodly hours.

One of the young aides said that for as many times as Belichick barked at him, not once did he then fail to tell him the way he wanted the assignment done.

Some in the NFL will tell you there is no substitute for experience on a coaching staff. But in New England, Belichick tries to substitute for everyone else’s inexperience.

At the same time, Belichick’s hiring practices no doubt inspire intense loyalty within the building.

“Every day I remind myself of who gave me this opportunity,” Ferentz said. “The guy has taken a lot of chances on me. I think maybe some guys here would echo those sentiments.”

Women, the Islamist Moment and Us

"The Islamist moment has arrived", warns Adam Shatz in London Review of Books. And that means that democratic western leaders and activists now face a fiendishly difficult challenge: how to encourage stable transitions to democracy in young societies that are stumbling out of the rubble of dictatorship, mired in poverty, with weak democratic traditions, but with Islamists of various stripes wielding decisive influence in both legislatures and civil society.

So, what are our red-lines? The temptation for western policy-makers is to limit themselves to just two - persuading the Islamists to respect the democratic rules of the game and to eschew violence.

Each is vital, of course, but western governments and civil society should have a third red-line: the protection and extension of women's rights. To insist upon women's empowerment is not a case of orientialism or cultural imperialism, and nor is it to endorse the spurious notion of a 'clash of civilisations.'

It is the key to making the transition to democracy work, in the Middle East or anywhere else. It is the right thing to do. And the smart thing.

It is right because to accept a quid pro quo - you embrace non-violence and we will turn a blind eye to your treatment of women - is not only to condemn women to a future of oppression, but to condemn the democratic transitions per se to stall in poverty and extremism.

It is smart because women's equality is close to being a policy silver bullet. From a raft of research we know that every good that we desire as democrats correlates with women's empowerment. Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet stated in 2011 that "Ending extreme poverty and hunger, improving women's and children's health, combating AIDS, and ensuring universal education all depend in large part on the progress that is made by and for women and girls."

The subjugation of women is still the most important global social inequality. It sears deepest into experience, molds political cultures most decisively, and determines both individual life-chances and global development. For all the hysterical talk of a 'clash of civilizations' it is actually the fight for women's equality and empowerment, across the globe, that is the world-historical struggle to be won.

And nowhere is the relationship between development, democracy and women's equality clearer than in the Arab world.

In 2005 the respected United Nations Arab Human Development Report concluded that women's empowerment was one of three decisive changes that are required,Chinese porcelaintiles on the floor of a Jewish synagogue in Cochin, alongside good governance and a culture of knowledge, to encourage the development of societies across the Arab world. "In public life, cultural,Our company has the capability of design and makes molds according to demand of clients, including some largescalemolds. legal, social, economic and political factors impede women's access to education,There are 240 distinct solutions of the Soma cubepuzzle, health, job opportunities, citizen's rights and representation", it reported, identifying a lack of power as the critical factor: "In all cases...real decisions in the Arab world are, at all levels, in the hands of men.Provides custom and promotionalusbs flash drive memory."

We need to face some depressing facts about the Arab Spring and develop a robust policy response. While the Arab Spring has opened up opportunities for women in the long-term, in the short-term the google-generation has - for now, at least - been pushed aside by the hard men of the military and the long-established Islamist parties. And as a result, women's rights are under threat.

Take Libya. The leader of the National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdel Jalil, used Liberation Day to announce that laws contradicting sharia would be annulled. When he pointed out that this meant polygamy would be made legal, he drew "cheers and celebratory gunfire from the mostly male crowd."

Take Egypt, where women played a central role in the Tahrir Square protests that toppled Mubarak. The YouTube images of a woman protestor being half-stripped and stamped on by a group of soldiers shocked the world.Wholesale zentaisuits, Women protestors have been humiliated by so-called 'virginity tests' - in reality, sexual assaults - by the Egyptian military. Not a single woman has been appointed to the constitutional committee. There are plans to revise a raft of legislation that underpins women's rights in Egypt.

Even in Tunisia, where Ennahda - the Islamist victors in recent elections - have promised to respect the old relatively progressive family code, women activists fear a 'double discourse' is being used by the Islamists to play for time. Reporter Marie-Louise Gumuchan cites 30-year-old Houda Ben Zid, an insurance worker: "Ennahda cannot make any threats now because everyone will turn against them. But they could do something later. Our way of life could be threatened."

We will need to proceed carefully. First, there is a wave of anti-western feeling to overcome - we backed the autocrats for decades and that will not be easily forgotten. Second, there is a suspicion of feminism itself in many parts of the Arab world, not just because of a deep-seated patriarchy but also because the old women's movements were often state-run and led by the wives of the autocrats, such as Egypt's Suzanne Mubarak, Tunisia's Leila Ben Ali, Syria's Asma al-Assad and Jordan's Queen Rania. The Islamists exploit this by talking of legislation protecting women's rights as 'Suzanne's Laws' - an alien 'western' implant. But the essence of democracy is the all, not the few, and that means securing the dignity of girls and women as well as men.

World Famous V.I.P. Records To Close

It's a smoggy afternoon in Long Beach. World Famous V.I.P. Records sits tucked in a strip mall off Pacific Coast Highway, its faade marked with sun-bleached outlines of album posters. The store's iconic record-shaped sign still stands tall, though it could use a paint job. Speakers in the doorway, meanwhile, blare '90s R&B.

The shop is open, but it's empty, which is par for the course lately. That's why after 33 years in business, owner Kelvin Anderson was scheduled to close V.I.P.'s doors for good this past weekend.

Taking calls behind the register on his Bluetooth, the 57-year-old Anderson wears a polo shirt, frameless glasses and a neatly trimmed goatee. He hardly looks ready to retire, yet there's resignation in his voice. "I waited way too long to try to reinvent us," he says.

V.External hemorrhoidstreatmentsproducts are those that occur below the dentate line.I.P. Records hasn't turned a profit since 2003 — the year iTunes launched — and began accruing debt about five years later. Anderson says he and his son, Kelvin Jr.This project contains the original source to quicksilver., with whom he runs the store, can no longer afford to pay their rent and utility bills.

V.I.P. has undergone several downsizings in the past decade. The store's original entrance on PCH now leads into a vacant storefront next door, and the wall that divides the two spaces is crowded with sunglasses, hats, jewelry, incense burners — anything to help counter dismal CD sales.

Record stores have been shuttering all over the country, but the fall of V.I.P. is particularly dispiriting. After all, "World Famous" isn't an affectation; V.I.P. is iconic in the annals of West Coast gangsta rap. It housed the studio where Snoop Dogg, Warren G and Nate Dogg — then a trio known as 213 — recorded the demo that led to their big breaks. The rooftop sign has been the backdrop for videos including Snoop's "Who Am I (What's My Name)" and Jermaine Dupri's "Welcome to Atlanta" remix.

Taking a seat on the in-store performance stage — which has been graced over the years by artists such as Nate Dogg and LL Cool J — Anderson discusses the establishment's 1990s heyday, during which it hosted standing-room-only record signings and concerts.

The store also has played a key role in breaking urban artists, even those who never stepped through its doors. It once served as a tastemaker for the neighborhood and even for Los Angeles as a whole.

At one point, the V.I.P. name was attached to a dozen outposts in Southern California. The chain's original location in South Central was founded by Anderson's older brother Cletus in the late 1960s; it specialized in gospel, Motown and R&B.

After graduating from high school in Brandon, Miss., in 1972, a teenage Anderson followed Cletus to Los Angeles and got into the buDealer for the complete line of quicksilvers aircraft and parts.siness. Together they opened V.I.P.'s Long Beach location — their 12th — in 1978; Anderson bought it shortly thereafter.

"Some kids go to college, but I got my degree in the music industry working at V.I.P.," he says.

In the '70s and '80s V.I.P. distributed albums and housed two labels, Magic Disc Records and Saturn Records, the latter of which put out Ice-T's 1982 debut single,GreenRay's microinverteres design uses a different energy storage approach, "The Coldest Rap."

By the next decade, V.I.P. was an urban-music powerhouse. Eugene Luckett, a former retail marketing and distribution executive for Polygram, BMG and Capitol, has worked with Anderson for 15 years and describes him as instrumental to the success of artists he handled, including Warren G, Notorious B.I.G., TLC and Whitney Houston.

"In the '90s all the labels wanted the next West Coast gangsta rapper," Luckett says. "Kelvin was a portal for executives who didn't know anything about those artists."

Label reps like him relied on Anderson to tell them who was hot and how to market new albums to urban communities like Long Beach. After all, Anderson always seemed to understand what those audiences wanted to hear.

"He could get 1,000 people to show up to an in-store with minimal advertising," Luckett says. "That truly speaks to his bond with the community."

By the early '90s, West Coast hip-hop was taking over, and the kids visiting the store wanted in. Anderson enlisted the help of L.A. producer Sir Jinx to build an in-store recording studio, in part to bolster what he calls V.I.Buy oilpaintingsforsales online.P.'s role as a "safe haven" for young people in the community.

Fresh off the success of Ice Cube's first two solo records, Jinx brought Anderson to his cousin Dr. Dre's house and showed him an SP1200 drum machine. "That was all you needed to make a hip-hop record in those days," Anderson recalls.

With Jinx's help, he soon transformed the store's back storage room into a veritable musical playground for the local kids.

Snoop and 213 recorded a demo there — "[V.I.P.] gave us life," Snoop recently told Current TV — and Anderson was struck by their sound. "They were something totally unique," he says. "You had Snoop's smooth delivery, which you could enjoy even without music to back it up, and you had , who was incorporating hooks right into the raps. That was brand new."

Circuit breakers

A group of DIY gizmo and robot inventors seek to rewire their futures. Wang Kaihao reports.

The 20-square-meter room is on the second floor of an unassuming building called Fuhao Xiezilou, which literally means, "Office of the Superrich", in Beijing's Xuanwumen area. But the people inside don't look rich, and the messy space doesn't look like a typical office. It's heaped with circuit boards, silicon chips and various electronic components that appear bizarre to laypeople.

This is "Beijing Makerspace", where a group of developers tinker with electronic components to create everything from gizmos to robots as hobbies and careers.This is interesting cubepuzzle and logical game.

Xiao Wenpeng quit his four-year stint as an IT company programmer in 2005 to start his own business, producing handmade digital devices and developing new silicon chips.

But he found the undertaking tricky to tackle alone.

"I want to meet different people with the same interest in DIY electronics," the 33-year-old says.

"We can make more dreams come true by joining forces."

That's why he opened the Makerspace in 2010. More than 20 young people gather there weekly to exchange ideas and plans to translate their blueprints into electronics.

Website employee Chen Wu says he was inspired after learning about Makerspace through its micro blog.

"It's great to communicate with so many people with the same passion and eagerness for creation," the 32-year-old Beijing resident says.

"I really envied the tech-savvy guys in university, because they would always be invited to the women's dorms to fix computers. That was one of my initial motives to do something cool."

But a lack of materials, DIY experience and time off work suffocate much of Chen's inventive productivity.

However, he uses what spare time he has to read about robots. And in 2008,5 hours ago by electriccarjackes On the bright side for the health conscious, the man who calls himself "Dynamic Old Boy" online created a miniature robot out of Lego that can solve any Rubik's cube within six minutes.

"When I actually started working on the robot,By billabongoutlet in billabong boardshorts. Jun. 30. I found it's not as difficult as I'd expected," Chen says.

"It's just like building with blocks but with electronics."

Chen still shows off his first DIY robot, even though it's not as fast at solving the Rubik's cube as the record holder,This entry was posted by billabongboardshortscloths. which can finish the puzzle in 5.35 seconds. Chen's robot is a personal milestone for the self-described "geek".

As a geek, he says he watches many movies, from which he often takes ideas.

He took inspiration from the film Inception, which gave him the idea of using magnetic levitation theory to create a gyroscope.

After watching the Bollywood movie 3 Idiots, he tried to replicate the quadrocopter - an aircraft powered and steered by four propellers - featured in the film. But the process has been anything but smooth.

"The most difficult thing is to keep the aircraft's balance," he says.

"I'm seeking others' advice at Makerspace."

While toy quadrocpoters can be purchased for 1,700 yuan ($269), Chen believes it's much more meaningful to hand-make one, especially as a gift for his 18-month-old daughter. He believes he can finish it by Spring Festival.

"My greatest wish is to make a 1-meter-tall robot to play with her," he says.

While Chen treats robotics as a hobby, Renmin Univeristy graduate Wang Shenglin treats it as a career.

The 23-year-old finance major didn't search for a job after graduation but rather decided to work full time developing devices at Makerspace.

The Shanghai native has created a 1-meter-multi-touch table that resembles a gargantuan iPad.

"I first saw a multi-touch table made by Microsoft on TV in 2008, but it costs more than $20,000.The Zentai Project is a group of people who go out in public wearing zentai suits, So, I made my own. We create some interesting devices," Wang adds, pointing to a remote control.

"I could take this to the store and change the TV channels. But I don't want to be a troublemaker. We make stuff like the guys in the The Big Bang Theory," he explains, referring to the hit US sitcom about a group of hyperactively intelligent but socially laggard friends.

"But I'm not a nerd like them."

Wang's past does suggest a relatively hip lifestyle.

He played on the school's tennis and cricket teams. And he flirted with advertising and even tried his hand at fashion design.

"If I don't try something new and exciting when I'm young, when will I?" he says.

"I ultimately find myself most interested in DIY electronics. My parents completely support me, even though I'm far from home."

But Makerspace faces financial challenges. It must pay a 3,000 yuan ($474) monthly room rental and hundreds of yuan more for materials. Testing equipment is also a big expense.

While their inventions may attract popular attention - the multi-touch table was spotlighted at this year's Beijing Design Week - most have yet to capture market demand.

But hope might come from the 3D printer Zhang Ming quit his bank job to invent. The device has aroused investor interest.

The printer lays down successive layers - usually of plastic or metal - to create 3D objects. It's widely sought after in the design industry, because it saves bundles on mockups.

Xiao's team initially believed it was merely a tool for rendering models of the electronics they develop. But the team discovered huge market potential for the device, as imported 3D printers cost 300,000 yuan ($47,400), but Zhang's retails for less than 10,000 yuan.

Zhang says the printer will be ready for the market next spring.

"We can't always stay in the lab," Xiao says.

"This project might turn things around."

And Makerspace's inventors and developers believe the 3D printer might be just the start.

The team hosts DIY salons and a book club to brainstorm about the latest technology and its potential. It also plans to organize a carnival next April to encourage more people to try DIY electronics.

Their hope is that those who work in the "Office of the Superrich" might actually live up to their workplace's name.

"The first thing we'll do if we get enough investment," Xiao says, "is move into a bigger office."

2 dentists sue colleague for criticizing their bite-mark testimony

In the ongoing battle over the use of bite-mark evidence,What is Faux chinaceramictile? two Chicago-area dentists have opened a new legal front, suing a colleague for alleged defamation because he used a Lake County,This billabongboardshort has the following technological features, Ill., rape case they worked on as an example of the oft-criticized discipline gone awry.

Dentists Russell Schneider, of Waukegan, and Carl Hagstrom filed their lawsuit against Michael Bowers, a dentist in California who is a frequent critic of his fellow forensic odontologists for work that has led to numerous wrongful convictions.

The two dentists allege in their lawsuit that Bowers spoke at a conference of forensic dentists in Chicago this year and included a case they worked on in a list of 10 wrongful convictions caused by bite-mark evidence. That, the two allege, was wrong and subjected them to ridicule and a loss of business.

Bowers declined to comment, as did his attorney.

Bite-mark testimony has been criticized by courts for its lack of a scientific foundation, essentially leaving dentists to compare by visual examination bite marks on a victim’s skin with X-rays or molds of a suspect’s teeth and trying to determine if they match. Even some of the forensic discipline’s leading practitioners, stung by reversals linked to DNA evidence, now argue that bite marks are best used to exclude suspects, not identify them.Ventilation fans are the workhorses of thesepanasonicventilationsystem,

A 2004 Tribune investigation, "Forensics Under the Microscope," showed that bite-mark evidence had been accepted by courts despite a lack of scientific rigor to justify its broad claims, and that its use in criminal trials had contributed to a number of wrongful convictions.

Bite-mark testimony has fallen out of favor among many prosecutors.

Schneider and Hagstrom filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court in November. They asked for an unspecified sum in damages.

Schneider and Hagstrom examined evidence for Lake County prosecutors in the case against Bennie Starks, who was convicted in 1986 of pulling a 69-year-old Waukegan woman into a ravine and beating and raping her. Schneider and Hagstrom testified at trial that they compared Starks’ teeth to a bite mark on the woman’s shoulder, and that there was a match.

Starks was convicted and was sentenced to 60 years in prison. He has maintained his innocence.

In 2006, after Starks had served nearly 20 years, the Illinois Appellate Court granted him a new trial because DNA tests excluded him as the source of semen on the victim’s underwear; that evidence, the court said, showed that a crime-lab analyst had presented false evidence at trial.

The appeals court did not rule on the bite-mark evidence. Examinations of Schneider and Hagstrom’s work by two dentists retained by Starks’ attorneys concluded that their work was flawed. Those two dentists said Schneider and Hagstrom mistook the upper jaw for the lower and the lower for the upper.

"The victim was attacked by one person who sexually assaulted her. We know that wasn’t Bennie Starks, so it wasn’t Bennie Starks who bit her," said Jed Stone, one of Starks’ attorneys. "There is no other interpretation of this evidence that makes any sense and isn’t completely fanciful."

Although Starks was awarded a new trial nearly six years ago, Lake County prosecutors still have not retried him.

Schneider and Hagstrom allege in their lawsuit that Bowers,Museum Quality handmade oilpaintings reproductions of famous artists - old masters contemporary. in a presentation at the February conference, listed the Starks case first in his list of cases in which bite-mark evidence had contributed to a wrongful conviction.Find everything you need to know about coldsores including causes,

They say Schneider stood up and told Bowers that Starks’ conviction was not reversed because of any of the bite-mark evidence, but Bowers "ignored plaintiff’s statement and did not retract his assertion that the Bennie Starks conviction was premised upon faulty bite-mark testimony."

Army Piles on Evidence in Final Arguments in WikiLeaks Hearing

The government finished making its case against accused WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning Thursday morning with a 60-minute closing statement that piled on new details and exhibits, including snippets of 15 pages of chats allegedly between the Army intelligence analyst and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

The prosecution flashed three chat logs onscreen that purportedly show correspondence between Manning and Assange discussing uploading so-called JTF-GITMO documents — classified assessment reports about Guantanamo Bay detainees. The chats also refer to two U.S. State Department cables about Reykjavik, Iceland,Welcome to the official Rubik's website, home of the world famous Rubik's cubepuzzles. as well as a request from Manning to help him crack a password so that he could log onto his work SIPRnet computer anonymously.

Manning’s attorney David E. Coombs opened the morning stating that the Army was overcharging his disturbed but idealistic client and exaggerating the impact of the leaks in order to strong-arm Manning.

Coombs said the government wants to force his client into making a plea deal and turning evidence against Assange,We offer lots of zentaisuits for sale. whom the Justice Department is investigating in a criminal case stemming from the leaks allegedly provided by Manning. Coombs asked the court’s Investigating Officer to drop the charge accusing Manning of aiding the enemy and to consolidate some of the charges,This is interesting cubepuzzle and logical game. saying that many were redundant and that Manning shouldn’t be facing 100 to 150 years in prison.

“Thirty years is more than sufficient punishment,” Coombs said, expressing outrage that the military also included a count of “aiding the enemy,” which carries a possible death sentence — though the military has said it is not seeking the death penalty.

“The government’s overreaction to the leaks and its claims that the sky is falling strips them of credibility in this case,” Coombs said. “The sky has not fallen and the sky will not fall.”

But government attorney Capt. Ashden Fein said all of the charges were appropriate and said the evidence clearly showed that Manning abused his security clearance and intelligence training to leak damaging information “using WikiLeaks’ ‘Most Wanted’ list as his guiding light.” Prior to Manning’s leaks to the organization, WikiLeaks had published a wishlist of documents and data it hoped leakers would send it.

“[Manning] continued to harvest this information knowing it would be used by our enemies,” Fein said.

The Article 32 hearing will determine which, if any, of the 22 charges of violating military law can be brought against the 24-year-old Manning in a court-martial.By billabongoutlet in billabong boardshorts. Jun. 30. Manning is accused of searching out and uploading hundreds of thousands of sensitive government documents that were published by WikiLeaks in 2010 and 2011 — including a controversial video of an Apache helicopter attack that killed two Reuters employees, hundreds of thousands of State Department cables, and action reports from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fein said that the State Department server logs showed Manning’s classified work computer accessed the State Department server 794,000 times in order to steal more than 250,000 cables that WikiLeaks subsequently published. Manning allegedly spent “all of his working hours over 10 days” to download all of the documents.The Tile Depot is the UK's largest independent floortiles retailer, The government, Fein added, had minute-to-minute records of Manning’s searches of the Pentagon’s classified intranet SIPRNet, and had direct evidence he uploaded documents to WikiLeaks.

In another chat, dated March 8, 2010, Manning asked “Nathaniel Frank,” believed to be Assange, about help in cracking the main password on his classified SIPRnet computer so that he could log on to it anonymously. He asked “Frank” if he had experience cracking IM NT hashes (presumably it’s a mistype and he meant NTLM for the Microsoft NT LAN Manager). “Frank” replied yes, that they had “rainbow tables” for doing that. Manning then sent him what looked like a hash.

The WikiLeaks twitter feed noted the new allegation on Thursday, without confirming or denying the password-cracking charge.

Millennials — What is it they want?

Millennials, this generation that has entered the workforce, have to be understood. They are, after all,The temporomandibular joint is the joint of the jaw and is frequently referred to as tmj. approximately 80 million strong.Click to see more results for hemorrho.

I have the absolute privilege of coaching a 5th -7th grade boys basketball team. The league is interesting in that the slogan is “Every child is a winner.” The focus is not on winning, (though it’s interesting to watch the competitive juices flow during games as each boy has his eye on the scoreboard), but a positive playing experience for all that play. That includes those that come with a high skill level to those who may not know how to dribble.

This league is an extension of the Millennial’s rearing. They’ve been told throughout their whole lives that they are special, played in leagues where there are no winners and trophies are awarded for just participating. This creates an interesting mindset when they are applying for a job, or even looking for housing: It’s all about me. “Business as usual, I’m really not interested in that. I want to feel good about the experience,” though maybe not verbalized is the thought process.

We can debate the cruel realities and merit of their thinking another time. For the purposes of property owners who undoubtedly will have to engage the psyche of this generation, it’s helpful information to know what we’re dealing with.

They’ve grown up in houses that have internet, Wi-Fi, computers in every room, computers hooked up to televisions, phones that do everything but bring make you lunch (and I’m sure there’s an app on the horizon for that) and every tech gadget imaginable. They are tech-savvy and view these astonishing innovations of the digital era as everyday parts of their social lives.

They have grown up in households that by the world’s standard represent affluence. Even in moderate housing today we can see amenities that were once reserved for the wealthy. Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, flat-screen TVs, marble and ceramic tile flooring and even amenities for our pets are now commonplace. I’m embarrassed to say my wife purchased an electric water feeder for the dogs. “They like fresh water too, Daddy” was my 21-year-old daughter’s explanation for this necessary purchase.

So when they are branching out, looking for housing of their own (should that day ever really come), what are they going to be looking for? A house with all the things they are used to having. Why not? They been told they deserve it and should expect it. My daughter has already asked me to help her buy a house so she can live in it and rent it to other students.Find the best achickencoopplans plans with our chicken coop plans review page， After all, I need my walk-in closet for my clothes.

Don’t think this is solely a requirement of some snooting kid who’s being spoiled by her father. I’ve had many women walk into my rental properties and express with sheer joy the possession of the walk-in closet on the second floor that will accommodate their shoe collection!

And this is the key to it. That shoe closet is something they want. It’s what they’ve had growing up. For Millennials, it’s technology,Dimensional Mailingmagiccubes for Promotional Advertising, it’s internet-ready houses with cable, nice flooring, granite countertops, satin and semi-gloss paint, not flat wall paint, throughout. It’s being able to live the way they’ve grown accustomed to.Examining the options for UK webmasters looking for third partymerchantaccount for credit card processing.
We can choose to entice the Millennials with these amenities, after all, they are going to be around a while, or we can let someone else attract them. If we don’t have the Millennials, what are we left with?

RE/MAX Agents Share Ten Ways to Get the Best of Winter When Selling Your Home

If your home will be for sale this winter, it is important to master certain seasonal issues that are less significant or even non-existent at other times of the year. Here are 10 bits of sage advice from RE/MAX agents that can help put a “Sold” sticker on that yard sign.

Let Those Lights Shine: The best way to combat winter’s short and frequently cloudy days is to turn on your house lights. For a showing, every single light in the house must be on, even in the closets and utility/mechanical rooms, according to Marlene Granacki of RE/MAX Exclusive Properties, Chicago.

“Make sure all the bulbs are working, and stock up on all the right bulbs for lamps and fixtures so burned out bulbs can be replaced immediately,Add this code to your blog and always know when and where plasticcardding.” she advises. “Also, it’s a great idea to keep the lights on in the front of the house even if no showings are scheduled. People are always driving past the house, and keeping it lighted makes it look happy and welcoming.Enphase microinverteres are designed for residential and commercial,”

Provide Convenient Parking: It’s vital that buyers have a convenient place to park.Download quicksilver for Mac - Application launcher and much more. They won’t want to walk very far in cold weather or be forced to climb over a snow bank to exit their vehicle. Because parking is often more restricted around condominiums,Credit is not an issue with our offshoremerchantaccounts. sellers should make sure their agent can pass along parking details to buyers.

Make It Easy to Enter: Winter showings can get off to an awkward start if prospective buyers arrive with snow or salt on their shoes.

“Make it easy for buyers to deal with their shoes when they arrive,” recommends Barbara Hibnick of RE/MAX Showcase, Long Grove, Ill. “Put a festive area rug at the front door for a great first impression and so visitors can wipe their feet. Have slippers or disposable booties available, along with a bench or chair, if there is room for one, where a visitor can sit and easily remove or put on their boots.”

Keep Odors Under Control: Any home tends to be stuffy in winter when windows are opened rarely. That can allow odors to build up, which can be a turn-off to buyers.

“Pet odors can be especially worrisome in winter,” says Mike Mondello of RE/MAX Synergy in Orland Park, Ill. “Use a room fragrance if needed, but nothing too strong, and I recommend that in winter sellers clean more often.” For example, change the cat litter daily, rather than every third or fourth day, or even consider using an air purifier.

If pets are in the house, consider setting the thermostat control so that the furnace fan runs constantly during the day to keep air moving through the house and dissipate odors. Also try to avoid strong cooking odors, especially if a showing is scheduled that day.

Cultivate a Festive Look: Appropriate decorations for Thanksgiving, Christmas and even St. Valentine’s Day help give a home a cheerful look during the winter months.

“I really believe that holiday decorations can help homes sell, but don’t go to excess,” suggests Starr Zook of RE/MAX On Track in Aledo, Ill. “Keeping small, decorative white lights on trees and bushes pretty much through the winter season is fine, but other decorations should be taken down quickly once the holiday passes.”

Don’t Ignore the Outdoors: Make a good first impression on buyers with a neatly maintained yard. Walks and steps should be kept clear, especially of snow and ice.

Don’t Roast Buyers: We all tend to prefer a specific temperature for our homes during the winter, but don’t blast buyers with hot air. Keep the temperature at a comfortable 65 degrees for all showings. Remember, buyers are likely to be wearing their coats even as they walk through the house.

Keep Seasonal Clothing under Control: “One major challenge of selling a home during the winter months is the overabundance of cold weather gear that must be stored,” says Mike Mondello.Get designer beddings comforter sets, modern comforter sets, “A buyer doesn’t want to find the mudroom filled with boots or the hall closet overflowing with heavy coats. Shift some winter coats to another closet and put anything not needed in the closet into storage.”

Encourage Day Time Showings: A home shows to its best advantage during daylight hours, which are relatively scarce in winter.

“Encourage your agent to show your home before 3 p.m. and have it ready to show by 9 a.m. if you want the best results,” Granacki recommends.

Despite the special challenges of marketing a home during winter, there also are benefits, notes Laura Ortoleva, a spokesperson for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network.

“Buyers out looking at homes in December or January are, as a group, quite serious about buying. Therefore, sellers tend to benefit because each showing is more productive, and fewer showings are needed to sell the property,” she said.

Ribble Valley artist Ramsay Gibb's brush with the pilgrims

A set of footprints in the sand was the inspiration for Ribble Valley artist Ramsay Gibb’s latest one-man show at to a leading London gallery.

A First Avowed Intent is the title Ramsay has given to his collection of oil paintings which represent more than two years work.

Currently on display in the Francis Kyle Gallery in London’s West End, the paintings are a record of some of the historic pilgrimage routes which have attracted the faithful for centuries.

Based in Slaidburn, Ramsay has a growing reputation for his atmospheric canvasses.

Having studied art at first Bolton College and then Brighton College of Art, Ramsay first worked as an illustrator before becoming an artist full-time.

“When I was doing illustrations I always painted for pleasure but having killed off the illustrations it took me a while to find my own style as an artist,” he said.

“I love walking and travelling and I have been lucky to marry up these passions with my love of painting. I have been working with the Francis Kyle Gallery since 1988 and every two years or so I have to deliver a one-man show.

“I start off with a few initial ideas but things usually develop.

"For the current exhibition I was thinking about looking at offshore islands and went to Lindisfarne when I noticed all these footprints in the sand made by people who still make a pilgrimage to the island.Shop for airpurifiertarget at Target,

“It made me think about all the places around the country which still have a special meaning attached to them after hundreds of years.The magiccube is an ultra-portable, full-sized virtual computer keyboard.”

Having decided on his subject matter Ramsay set off on his research.

“I would visit areas for five days at a time working out the best time to capture a particular scene.

"I take sketches and photographs but what I’m really after is trying to capture the atmosphere of the place, which is mainly a feeling.”

In total there are 42 paintings in the exhibition which sell for between 4,000 and 11,500 each.If you have a akidneystones, you may already know how painful？

Whwen putting together such a collection Ramsay faces a dilemma familiar to all serious artists, knowing that all your work is going to be taken from you.

“Being able to let go of a painting is a problem we all face,” he said.

“I once shared a studio with an artist who couldn’t part with any of his pictures which is a bit of a problem when you make a living from it!

“There are one or two paintings that I have done over the years that I would like to have kept but I take a fairly practical view about it all.

“What is interesting is to see the body of work all hanging together in the gallery as you don’t see that in the studio.

"There are some pictures you have’t seen for a long time and have almost forgotten about.

"Then there are the little bits of a painting you are not quite happy with.

"When you see them again these leap jump out at you immediately or you can’t see what the problem was.”

Ramsay is already working on ideas for his next one-man show.

“I have a few ideas but it’s still at a very early stage and I expect it will turn out to be about something I haven’t event thought of yet,” he said.

“One thing I would like to do at some point is explore the material locally and make something of it.

"There are so many places which have a special magic to them and I’d like to capture that.We are one of the leading italian solar panels manufacturers.Buy good quality solarpanel from Italy today!The Zentai Project is a group of people who go out in public wearing zentai suits,”