2013年7月23日 星期二

Has world-renowned regatta become a gladiator sport?

The America's Cup "summer of racing" may have gotten off to a bumbling and controversial start, but on a windy day in the bay Sunday, thousands of spectators enjoyed a front-row seat to the thrill and drama of world-class racing.

Gasps of surprise and worry rumbled across the Embarcadero when a front sail on the New Zealand boat came crashing down onto the trampoline deck of the 72-foot catamaran before the crew cut it loose and sent the rumpled sail drifting into the bay. It was a spectacle one commentator called an "emergency on Planet Kiwi.""I love the loss of the jib," said Kirsten Fagnan, 33, a mathematician from Oakland who watched the race from America's Cup Park at the end of Pier 27/29 with a group of friends. "That was absolutely amazing they were able to keep going.This is a basic background on siliconebracelet."Even 11-year-old Wilson Conn, of Atherton,We offer the biggest collection of old masters that can be turned into hand painted cleanersydney on canvas. who watched with his two brothers and parents, had one thing on his mind: "I want to see if it capsizes."

This is the first time in the America's Cup's 162-year history that spectators can actually watch the races from shore -- a key feature that persuaded billionaire Larry Ellison to host the regatta in the natural amphitheater of the bay, where spectators can stand almost anywhere along the shoreline and catch a glimpse of the speedy, high-tech catamarans.

When his Team Oracle USA won the America's Cup in 2010, he earned the right to bring the cup home. Traditionally, the races have been held far out to sea and only viewed by those with access to boats or cable TV.Two prime viewing spots that have been set up for spectators are along Marina Green and at Pier 27/29, where a music pavilion, hands-on exhibits and daily "dock out" shows entertain the public for free. The next race of the Louis Vuitton Cup series is scheduled for 12:15 p.m.This is a basic background on rtls. Tuesday, with another race planned for the same time Sunday.

The jib accident was the most significant equipment failure of the 34th America's Cup since Sweden's Artemis Racing team suffered a traumatic capsize during a practice run in May that killed a crewman and destroyed its boat. The tragedy delayed the team's entry into the regatta until August and forced the America's Cup race director to impose a lengthy list of safety improvements, including stronger body armor and modified boat rudders.

The Luna Rossa team made headlines earlier this month when it protested the new safety rules, claiming they favored defending champion Team Oracle USA.We are one of the leading manufacturers of parkingassistsystem in China Not only did the team boycott the first race, but the entire team -- sponsored by Italian fashion house Prada -- refused to attend the exclusive black tie Louis Vuitton Ball during opening weekend, returning 100 tickets to the organizers. That snub resulted in America's Cup organizers filing a protest against Luna Rossa, contending the team violated its obligations.

For those three special weeks in July plenty is written about the centrepiece, the riders. What they do before a stage, what they do after a stage, how they get to Versailles for the final stage and how they manage their media commitments.In fact, courtesy of a various number of teams and media outlets we can be transported to what goes on behind the scenes for the riders; but what of the supporters?

The people who spend plenty of time and money following the race and are a major reason why cycling is one of the most sponsored and documented sports in the world.Unless youve been to the Tour or known someone who has there are plenty of unanswered questions. In this article I intend to shed some light on the best ways to enjoy visiting the Tour.

For the past week I have been in the Alps, following the final five stages before they arrive in Paris. It has been one of the best weeks of my life.I decided to go there with a tour company by the name of On The Road Cycling Tours. Most companies offer similar packages with opportunities to ride some of the stages and experience part of the greatest race on earth.What many people dont realise is how hard it can be to obtain a great position along the route but also how much planning is needed.

We stayed in the lovely alpine town of Briancon, meaning we were within about two hours of each stage start/finish.But just because we were close didnt mean we were waiting until an hour before the stage start and waltz down. It was an early start whether you were riding or simply watching.Why? Because the roads are closed along the route throughout the day and the earlier youre there the more time you have for sightseeing and in my case a beer or two in the local bar.

If you intend to ride part of the stage then ensure you have the kilometres in the legs because it is no gentle roll getting through the Alps or the Pyrenees. The climbs are a lot harder than they appear on tv.If you go with a tour company youll generally spend the day at one of three possible positions. Start, finish or feed zone. Feed zones can be good if you intend on souveniring a bidon.

The start and finish are generally just big parties. The caravan comes through and if youve got a good pair hands you can usually collect plenty of free Tour merchandise.Hats, shirts, lollies and even bread are launched into the crowds. Every stage is a celebration, cycling groups continually rolling into town with plenty of people packing out the local bars and restaurants.Personally the highlight was the Alpe dHuez.You must not use the stonecarving without being trained. The mystical climb is sold out almost a year in advance in terms of accommodation and here is where going with a tour company becomes very beneficial.The mountain itself is usually closed to public traffic with only access given to accredited vehicles. But often the cycling companies can have someone on board who can get you through the checkpoints.
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Mission Valley Bancorp Releases Record

President and CEO Tamara Gurney stated, "I am pleased to report that 2013 continues to be a strong year for Mission Valley Bancorp. Net income of $947,000 after provision for income taxes represents the best June 30th close in the history of our company. While there are a number of contributing factors to this improved performance, two key contributors are expense reductions and improved credit quality. We are beginning to see the benefits of a number of cost cutting decisions that have been implemented over the past several months. In addition, as a result of focused and proactive credit management, our loan portfolio is such that there was no need to place additional funds in reserve for the quarter. The Bank's reserve for loan losses as of June 30, 2013 was $5.2 million or 3.You Can Buy Various High Quality besticcard Products from here.00% of total loans compared to $5.4 million or 2.94% of total loans as of June 30, 2012."

Gurney continued, "Total deposits reached $216 million, up 8.5% from $199 million reported for the same period the previous year.We offer the biggest collection of old masters that can be turned into hand painted cleanersydney on canvas. While loan production remained steady throughout the quarter, gross loans were down by 7.4% to $172 million from $185 million the year prior. This was driven by several factors, including the ongoing economic conditions that have caused an increase in loan payoffs and pay-downs as well as our continuing efforts to work through resolving problem credits. Net interest income grew slightly to $5.7 million at quarter end from the $5.6 million reported June, 30, 2012, and total assets reached more than $255 million up from $247 million reported in June 2012. Couple this with a 25% decrease in interest expense as well as continued improvement in operating expenses; it was a robust and promising 2nd Quarter."

Gurney continued, "Mission Valley is 'fiscally fit', our loan portfolio is steadily improving, expenses are down and revenue is up. Having streamlined our operations while successfully building upon our less traditional revenue streams, including a growing Merchant Bankcard Processing division, Accounts Receivable Financing and a robust SBA Lending unit, we are well positioned to continue along our path of renewed profitability and long-term growth."

Ive long been a conservative, and years ago, a much more politically incorrect (and campy) one, Hunter said in an email. But theres a significant difference between being politically incorrect and racist. Ive also become far more libertarian over the years, a philosophy that encourages a more tolerant worldview, through the lens of which I now look back on some of my older comments with embarrassment.

Hunter, who has contributed opinion pieces to The Daily Caller, is a personal friend of the author.The Washington Free Beacon originally reported that Hunter toasted the birthday of Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth, lamented the United States shrinking white majority and compared honoring the Founding Fathers while admiring Lincoln to praising Jesus and worshiping Satan simultaneously.The story set off a firestorm of controversy across the political spectrum. Hunter was most recently criticized by his former editor at the Charleston City Paper for asking him to remove posts and for being the most common kind of racist, the one that doesnt realize that he is one.

Chris Haire, the Charleston alt-weeklys managing editor, also described Newt Gingrich, Rush Limbaugh, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Pat Buchanan as racists. Asked why he published Hunter a paid columnist if he believed him to be a racist, Haire tweeted in response, To reveal the mindset of the SCGOP and the Neoconfederate fringe.Paul described Hunters comments as absolutely stupid but defended his incredibly talented social media director in an interview with The Huffington Post.

People are calling him a white supremacist, Paul said. If I thought he was a white supremacist, he would be fired immediately.Others have defended Hunter as well, saying that while he may have been attracted to peculiarly Southern forms of conservatism and occasionally naive about racial issues, he is not the figure some critics have portrayed.

In all my dealings with Jack Hunter, I have found him to be most impressive, most professional and a committed conservative,Design and order your own custom rfidtag with personalized message and artwork. South Carolina Republican Rep. Mark Sanford told TheDCNF. I think a lot of this has less to do with Jack Hunter than Rand Paul and 2016.

Former Charleston City Paper music editor Ballard Lesemann knew Hunter back when he was still wearing a pro-wrestling-style mask emblazoned with the Confederate flag. He told TheDCNF that Hunter was already assuming a less kitschy and provocative persona back then.

By the time Jack started working with local AM news/talk station 1250 WTMA, hed already ditched the mask and the schtick side of the Southern Avenger character, and he began to develop a more serious, thoughtful, in-depth approach and delivery, Lesemann said.While the two of them bonded more over conversations about Iron Maiden, Rush,We sell bestsmartcard and different kind of laboratory equipment in us. and the Who than about political candidates and partisan politics, Lesemann was familiar with Hunters political work.

As a left-leaning independent who voted for Ralph Nader in 2000, 2004 and 2008, you can imagine how my own political views could clash with those of Jack Hunters, he said. But in all of our conversations, interviews, and late-night tavern chats, we never fought or argued.Marcus Amaker edited Hunters entertainment writings for the Charleston Post and Courier. He described Hunter as a good guy and professional freelancer.I never had any issues with Jack, Amaker told TheDCNF. Honestly,We sell bestsmartcard and different kind of laboratory equipment in us. I havent paid much attention to the controversy. Anything that seeks to divide people isnt on my radar and doesnt get my energy.

Prior to working for Rand Paul, Hunter was the official campaign blogger for Ron Paul during the 2012 GOP primaries. In that capacity, he frequently worked to marginalize extremists within the movement, ridiculing conspiracy theorists and defending the idea of working within the mainstream Republican Party.Now the controversy over Hunters past writings and radio broadcasts is widely seen as a drag on libertarian-leaning Republicans mainstream political ambitions and a reminder of the elder Pauls newsletters.

While the former Texas congressman denied writing or even reading the racist content in the newsletters that appeared under his name, questions persisted about their authorship.Hunter isnt denying writing the columns in question, but he does say the coverage doesnt represent the full body of his writing.

The stories made me angry, as well as many whove followed my work, because the cherry-picked distortions werent even remotely the real me, he said. It was enraging to watch neoconservatives, liberals and even some actual racists speculate about what I believe, based on what they were eager to portray me as believing. Not surprisingly, their speculations almost always suited their own political purposes.
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‘When thunder roars, go indoors’

Every year, lightning kills 50 to 150 people in the United States. That’s roughly on a par with the death toll from the more-dramatic and better-recognized floods and tornadoes. It’s usually more than are killed by hurricanes, earthquakes or wildfires. Another 1,000 are injured.

It was said that 29-year-old Jon Oliosi of Mokena had three loves: his 2-year-old daughter Olivia, the Chicago Blackhawks and fishing. By May 26, the beard he was growing to support his Hawks was so famous that it had its own Facebook page. But that Sunday, his life ended from a lightning bolt during a fishing trip to downstate Shelbyville.

Oliosi and his friends had waited out a storm that Sunday morning inside their camper. But after the weather seemed to clear, they had gone out on the Kaskaskia River, and Oliosi had landed a muskie. In the last photo ever taken of him, his bearded face can be seen smiling proudly, holding the trophy fish.

A new line of storms moved in. Oliosi and his friends packed up to leave. As they were walking down the steps from a dam, a lightning bolt “came out of nowhere and hit him,We sell bestsmartcard and different kind of laboratory equipment in us.” his mother later told a Sun-Times Media reporter. Oliosi stopped breathing, and efforts to revive him failed. A friend who had been walking next to him was knocked over but unhurt.

Four days later, on May 30, 17-year-old Jennie Dizon of Downers Grove was just three days away from receiving her diploma from Lisle’s Benet Academy. Then it would be on to the University of Cincinnati. She dropped off her brother and sister at a dentist’s office, then decided to spend the time until their appointment was over by walking over to a nearby park, probably to write in her diary.

At about 5 p.m., a woman who lives near the park heard the explosion-like crack of lightning very close by. Looking out, the woman saw Dizon lying on the ground in the park. When paramedics arrived minutes later, they couldn’t restart her heart.

Late on the afternoon of June 12, a storm front moved through DuPage and southern Cook counties. At about 5:57 p.m., a lightning bolt struck a luxury home at the end of a wooded private road near Lemont. The people inside escaped without injury.We sell bestsmartcard and different kind of laboratory equipment in us. But by the time firefighters could counterattack, flames had gutted the house.

As the same line of storms passed Naperville on June 12, lightning tore through the roof of the home of Fred Schultz. As Schultz sat working on a computer in his basement office, he later would tell Channel 5 News, “the bolt and the concussion were so severe that it shocked me through my hands and blew out all our equipment.”Pieces of the roof had been torn away. No fire started, but that night the Schultz family slept in their basement, haunted by fear that the roof could cave in on them.

As a small but intense line of storms splashed through the prosperous village of South Barrington at about noon on July 9, it would be a virtual rerun of what had happened in Lemont. In a $1.2 million, 5,500-square-foot, six-bathroom mansion just off Barrington Road near the AMC 30 movie theater, a woman was enjoying a summer vacation day with her two children. She heard a terrifying “BAMMM!” on the second floor. She called 911, said her house had just blown up and rushed the kids outside. She looked up and saw the mansion’s top half in flames.

Fire investigators eventually figured out the house was the victim not of an explosion but a random lightning bolt. Today, the house is a gutted wreck, with the roof caved in and much of its top story completely gone.A 100-watt bulb could be lit for more than three months by an average lightning bolt, which generates 50,000 degrees of heat, making it three times hotter than the surface of the sun, according to the National Lightning Safety Institute. On average, 100 lightning bolts strike somewhere on Earth every second.

Forensic pathologist Dr. Larry Blum, who conducts most of the autopsies in Kane and Winnebago counties, recalls a case a few years ago when a homeless man had been found dead along a Rockford street. The man might have died from some disease, but police suspected that he had been beaten to death or had been hit by a passing freight train. Then, as Blum prepared to cut open the body, he noticed something odd. The coins found in the man’s pocket had become magnetized; they were clinging to other pieces of metal.

What could work such magic on coins? Blum knew it could have been a powerful jolt of electricity, like the tens of thousands of volts in a lightning bolt. Weather records showed that a thunderstorm had passed through Rockford on the night the man died. After examining the victim’s organs, Blum ruled that he had been electrocuted by lightning.

That reminded some people of how another homeless man had been hit by lightning while sleeping on one of the Walton Islands in the Fox River in downtown Elgin back in June 1993. But that man, like 90 percent of the 1,000 other Americans per year who are hit by lightning, had lived to tell the tale.

Lightning is mostly a summer phenomenon, of course. But one of its strangest episodes in our area occurred on Jan. 25, 1990. During a blizzard that dumped 8 inches of snow on Kane and McHenry counties, a freak lightning bolt hit a utility pole in the parking lot of the Precision Twist Drill and Machine Co. plant in Crystal Lake, then apparently surged through power lines into the factory building. No one died, but 11 employees sustained electrical shocks, about half of them while standing in the parking lot and the other half while already inside the building.

Sometimes it seems as if any attempt to thwart the danger from the sky may be futile. The Downers Grove park where Jennie Dizon was killed was equipped with a “Thor Guard” lightning-risk prediction system — the same kind installed in Elgin’s Wing Park Golf Course after a golfer was killed there in 2006.You Can Buy Various High Quality besticcard Products from here. The system is supposed to sound a horn blast when lightning strikes show up anywhere in the area.

It remains unclear whether the park warning system didn’t work, whether the teenager ignored the siren, or whether she was unable to do anything quickly enough. Perhaps she simply had not read any of the signs explaining how the system works and had no idea what the horn indicated when it went off.

But officials from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) say the key to staying safe is not to trust a thunderstorm but to get into safe shelter even when it seems that conditions aren’t all that terrible.According to Lyle Barker, science and operations officer for the NWS office in Lincoln, a majority of lightning’s victims are either outdoors in an open area, like Jennie Dizon, or taking part in some activity near the water, like Jon Oliosi.

Barker said that while less than 10 percent of people who are struck by lightning die, many survivors suffer various degrees of disability.Design and order your own custom rfidtag with personalized message and artwork. Only a few actually suffer burns, he said, and these are usually minor. However, many lightning strike survivors are left with debilitating lifelong effects, including memory loss, personality changes, fatigue, irreparable nerve damage, chronic pain and/or headaches,Find the best selection of high-quality collectible offshoremerchantaccount available anywhere. difficulty sleeping and dizziness.
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2013年7月19日 星期五

Banks Get One Last Mulligan in Payments

Rightly or wrongly, banks are often thought of as the dinosaurs of financial services because they typically wait for clear market penetration and several upgrade releases before adopting any new technology. Now, rather than simply following a revolutionary change in the financial industry, banks may get another chance at leading it.

After failing to respond to customer demand and missing the tectonic shifts in money services businesses and online/mobile payments, banks are about to get a third mulligan with the emerging futuristic area of cryptographic money.For example, money services businesses like Xoom and TransferWise provide a wide variety of services, essentially filing the gaps of what traditional banks ignore or for one reason or another cannot provide.

Alternative payment companies like PayPal and Square have essentially built their businesses around what banks were not responding to and now they are national powerhouses C international, in the case of PayPal. Also, Stripe has become the online version of Square making it easy for software developers to integrate and accept payments on the web.

There was once a time when bankers led rather than followed. One example is the evolutionary shift to card payment networks; banks were the genesis of today's leading card brands. Visa originated from the BankAmericard project launched in 1956, when an in-house product development team pursued a mass mailing in Fresno, Calif., for a general purpose credit card.

By 1975 Bank of America had given up control of the BankAmericard program and Visa founder and former CEO Dee Hock took it from there. The term Visa was conceived by Hock because he believed that the word was instantly recognizable in many languages and he felt that the term denoted universal acceptance in most countries. (Interestingly, the term Visa has become a recursive backronym for Visa International Service Association.)

In true startup fashion, the bank-owned card brands of Visa and MasterCard eventually had successful IPOs.We offer the biggest collection of old masters that can be turned into hand painted cleanersydney on canvas. The inspiration is clearly there. But where are the visionaries in banking now?With the breakthrough development of cryptographic money, banks appear paralyzed about understanding and harnessing its transformative power. This does not bode well for the future of banks. Just as they block and freeze the accounts of competitive money transmitters in the U.S., banks routinely freeze the bank accounts of innocent bitcoin exchanges, hiding behind the rationale that they are being watchful of and adhering to regulator guidelines.

Bitcoin exchange services like Mt. Gox, TradeHill, and CampBX are the primary way to purchase and sell bitcoin for national fiat currencies. They are mostly launched by technology experts who may or may not have any experience in the intricacies of federal and state anti-money laundering laws or know-your-customer guidelines. Exchanges depend on their banking partners to keep the funds flowing in both directions. But rather than provide expert counsel and cultivate a business customer relationship, banks have routinely pulled the rug out from under these new companies usually without warning.

Taking it a step further, banks could brand and offer bitcoin exchange services themselves, quickly becoming the de facto leaders because of their regulatory status and supreme customer identity procedures.Banks are missing out on a huge and glaring opportunity in the area of exchange services, but it gets worse.More than 80 standard commercial andgranitetiles exist to quickly and efficiently clean pans. Startup companies are springing up around the bitcoin ecosystem that replicate some of banking's other core competencies such as asset safekeeping and escrow services.

Online bitcoin wallet companies like Blockchain My Wallet and Coinbase are providing direct safekeeping services for the holding of customers' bitcoin balances. Amazingly, these companies look and feel like banks of the future because they offer sophisticated access control and integrate seamlessly with mobile phones. Coinbase, even has a direct username and password connection to a U.S.Learn how an embedded microprocessor in a graniteslabs can authenticate your computer usage and data. bank account, access that is granted voluntarily by the depositor. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck.

Transaction escrow companies protect online buyers and sellers via an impartial dispute resolution service. The services from BTCrow, Blockchains multi-signature escrow, and the now-closed ClearCoin, have filled the gap for trust in online transactions. Performing the role of ensuring customer satisfaction and keeping merchants honest, these services emulate what chargeback rights have done for consumer protection in the payment card world.

Finally, in the area of merchant processing, banks again have an opportunity that leverages their skill set staring them in the face. Similar to credit and debit card merchant processors, bitcoin merchant processors like BitPay, BIPS, and Coinbase help get merchants online and accepting bitcoin in a quick and easy way. In addition to robust merchant wallet solutions with detailed reporting capabilities and shopping cart plug-ins for electronic commerce, the essential service of a bitcoin processor is to lock in or guarantee the exchange rate for merchants that elect not to maintain bitcoin balances.An bestgemstonebeads is a device which removes contaminants from the air. This is accomplished by the bitcoin processor managing the risk associated with conversion through internal treasury trading or external hedging.

The message is clear. Architect the future. Develop a fintech startup company organically or acquire an existing best-of-breed team for a massively competitive head start. Either way, banks have to start thinking like Silicon Valley and Silicon Alley startups.

Banking institutions are ideally suited to all of these mentioned cryptocurrency functions. More importantly, they play directly to the core competencies of banks. When the market is nascent and still maturing, like now, is the perfect time to exert a leadership role and show the financial service newbies how it's done.Learn how an embedded microprocessor in a graniteslabs can authenticate your computer usage and data. It looks mighty doubtful that banks will be getting another mulligan anytime soon.
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Recalling nearly a century of Lockes ice cream

In 1969, Bill Marvel carved his name and the name of his then-girlfriend, Lynn, into the top of a table at Lockes Ice Cream Parlor in Hollis.I remember carving my name, he said recently, laughing when he was asked about it. That is just so funny. I was about 16, just got my license.Bill and Lynn were married in 1975 and now live in Rye.

That table and other pieces of Locke memorabilia are now owned by the Hollis Historical Society.Lockes Ice Cream Parlor was opened in 1901 by Mary Cleasby Locke in the dining room of her home, located a short distance from the town common. It was open from Memorial Day to Labor Day.High quality bestcleaning printing for business cards.The ice cream was made in a four-quart, hand-cranked freezer packed with ice. She later invested in a 20-quart model.

The ice cream was completely local. The cream was supplied by Roby Farm in Nashua, and later by C.P. Brown, of Hollis. The ice came from G.A. Ladd. Fresh fruits and berries came from area farms as they were available.Locke devised away to remove seeds from the raspberries without cooking them and making a popular flavor.The hand-cranked freezer was replaced by a gas-powered model in 1918, and that was replaced by an electric one in 1924.

In 1921, the Lockes moved the parlor out of their house into a separate building beside the house and fitted it with tables and benches. They also added a modern telephone for customers to use.Eventually, Lockes husband gave up teaching and devoted himself to ice cream making.In 1974, Susan Gondola and Donna Muzzy interviewed Loren Locke, who had been in the ice cream business all his life, which was started by his parents.By the time the business closed in 1980, Loren Locke was making 100 gallons of ice cream three times a week. He had a commercial freezer, which made five gallons at a time and the whole process took up to eight hours.

Loren Locke recalled receiving an order for 12 quarts of ice cream. The buyers packed it in dry ice intending to take it to South Africa.In 2005, the Hollis Historical Society presented a special program on Locke Ice Cream. Members asked people to write comments in a notebook, and many of them did, including people who had worked there and those who simply enjoyed the local ice cream.

Among the recollections were squeaky floor boards, a tall,Weymouth is collecting gently used, dry cleaned customkeychain at their Weymouth store. round black fan, a jukebox and a pop corn machine. One writer recalled that the booths and tables were somewhat darkish wood.Many recalled the double, or boat, cone, which held two scoops side by side with a single handle. A favorite flavor was chocolate chip, made with the whole chip.Another favorite was fresh peach. A single scoop of ice cream cost 10 cents.

Jan H. Burtt wrote that life was simpler back then and people didnt spend money on electronic entertainment or travel to distant shores for vacations.A cherished pleasure was to indulge in a large cone or a dish of Lockes luscious ice cream, she wrote.A indoorpositioningsystem has real weight in your customer's hand.Several called it the best ice cream in the world.Marvel, who grew up at the other end of Hollis, recalled walking to the center of town with a friend, getting a basketball and playing at Town Hall. Then wed go to Lockes, he said.

He recalled going there with Lynn.Wed have one ice cream cone each and sit there talking all afternoon. They never told us to leave, Marvel said.They also drank orange freeze,Weymouth is collecting gently used, dry cleaned customkeychain at their Weymouth store. orange soda and vanilla ice cream whipped together like a frappe. That was great in the summer time, he added.

According to various Internet sources, Nancy Johnson, of Philadelphia, received the first patent for a small hand-cranked ice cream freezer in 1843. Ice cream sodas were introduced soon afterward. Sundaes were invented in the late 1800s.Ice cream cones and banana splits became popular in the early 20th century. According to legend, the first cones were produced at the worlds fair in St. Louis in 1904 using waffles.

Despite the persistent snarling of Senate business, Democrats might not have found the courage to carry this fight but for the work of Sens. Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tom Harkin of Iowa and Tom Udall of New Mexico, three Democrats who started pushing their reluctant colleagues in 2011 to challenge the filibuster. The threesome's work, in turn, unleashed a larger movement among rank-and-file progressives who understood, as Merkley put it in an interview, that the cooling saucer had become a deep freeze, and that obstruction was ultimately the enemy of progressive uses of government.

This wasn't about seven random nominations, Merkley said. This was about a new and entirely unacceptable strategy of dismantling agencies by abusing the filibuster on nominations. The approach, he insisted, is especially congenial to the new Republican right. If you're putting forth an argument that 'government is the enemy,' it's easier to say, 'let's prevent it from working.' This round represents a major advance for those who want government to do its job. But it will take continuing pressure to keep the obstructionists at bay.

Of course, Democrats have used the filibuster in the past. What's important here and it's the reason this confrontation was necessary is that the Senate GOP has gone far beyond its normal uses.

There is, first, the evidence of numbers. As Jonathan Cohn pointed out in the New Republic, filibusters of presidential agency nominations were once very rare, happening only two times each to Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Bill Clinton had nine nominations blocked, and George W. Bush had seven. Obama is already up to 16 blocks, Cohn noted.

Rationalizations for filibusters,We sell bestsmartcard and different kind of laboratory equipment in us. moreover, have reached into anti-constitutional territory. Republicans were preventing the confirmation of Richard Cordray as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau not because there were problems with him but because they were still mad that the agency, which expands consumer power over financial institutions, had been created in the first place.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who partnered with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to push through this deal, was admirably candid. Cordray was being filibustered because we don't like the law, Graham said. That's not a reason to deny someone their appointment. We were wrong.
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Secure Electrans bids to bring chip

Secure Electrans has been working closely with both regulatory organisations alongside industry competitors in efforts to raise standards via the implementation of an Evaluation and Certification Framework.We are one of the leading manufacturers of granitecountertops in China This aims to implement a single scheme for security in payment terminals and cards, incorporating recognition of multiple security certification card schemes and banking organisations across Europe.

Of the 45 billion per year spent online in the UK2, over 3 billion is either fraudulent or lost due to abandoned transactions 3. Under the current online payment system, 'card-not-present' transactions account for two thirds of all fraudulent card activity,A card with an embedded IC (Integrated Circuit) is called an realtimelocationsystem. leaving ecommerce as the weak link in card transaction security. This is exacerbated by the increased sophistication of cybercriminal activity, which is creating a real strain on the existing ecommerce infrastructure.

The Secure Electrans' HomePay device represents a simple, secure and convenient solution to online transactions for both merchants and consumers. Merchants or those that provide their payment processing simply add the Chip&PIN option to their checkout page.These personalzied promotional bestchipcard comes with free shipping. For the consumer the HomePay device is the size of a small calculator and can be connected to a home computer via USB or can access mobile devices via Bluetooth when on the move. The payment is made in exactly the same way as a shop Chip&PIN device (card-present and off-line PIN verified), providing the consumer and merchant the same security assurances online as in the high street.We are one of the leading manufacturers of granitecountertops in China

The simplicity of HomePay overcomes an additional problem with current ecommerce transactions, which is that many customers are put off from buying online due to the increasing complexity of counter-fraud systems, as merchants try to reduce their exposure to fraud. Indeed, current merchant examples show that between 6 and 60% of all Verified by Visa / MasterCard SecureCode / 3D-Secure transactions are abandoned4.

HomePay operates through the multi-billion pound global and trusted Chip&PIN infrastructure, and has the potential to create a standardised payment processing architecture for online transactions. Merchants would benefit from significant costs savings as Chip&PIN transaction fees are lower than the 'card-not-present' rates. This also will protect the merchant against significant chargeback costs incurred from current payment providers.

Secure Electrans' HomePay system is currently in trial phase within the UK for online shopping, smart energy pre-payment and mobile payment.

Chris Jarman, Managing Director of Secure Electrans commented: "With annual increases in ecommerce payments, it is important to bring the security and simplicity of the payment process up to a standard consumers have come to expect when paying by card on the high street. HomePay goes beyond security alone - simplicity is essential too, and consumers will no longer have to fill out page after page when checking out online; the sensation will be just like paying for a product in a shop, minus the queue!"

"We are delighted with the significant progress made by the HomePay device in the recent OSeC pilot project and audit." said the OSeC coordinator Regine Quentmeier of SRC representing the German Banking Industry Committee. "We believe that the process of implementing a Common CC Certification Scheme for SEPA is vital for raising standards and transparency within the industry in Europe. Secure Electrans have achieved an outstanding result."

A spokesperson for CESG added: "CESG acknowledges the work that has been performed by a technical community (JTEMs) consisting of equipment developers, evaluation laboratories, European Common Criteria certification bodies, and payment scheme representatives, in the production of a detailed specification (protection profile and associated supporting documents) suitable for use in the evaluation and certification of payment terminals. This work has also been greatly assisted by the OSeC Group in working towards a Common European Payment scheme, and has been able to take account of both the technical security needs and the wider operational and risk management approaches used by payment schemes. CESG is pleased to see that a UK developed product HomePay HP 100 Series, has successfully completed its evaluation in a UK CLEF and is the first in its category under this approach."

Secure Electrans Managing Director Chris Jarman concluded; "This latest achievement, when considered in addition to the huge scope of commercial uses to which HomePay can be put, is extremely exciting, since it gives a clear and comparative indication of HomePay's technical capability and versatility."

In addition to the CAS POI accreditation, the HomePay system achieved Europay,Purchase an chipcard to enjoy your iPhone any way you like. MasterCard and Visa (EMV) level 1 and 2 certification in late 2011 and secured PCI PTS 3.1 Global Certification in October 2012. These are significant achievements that allow for interfacing with the same systems banks and merchants use in the authorisation of debit and credit card transactions.

The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) this week attacked Mozilla, the maker of Firefox, for being anti-business, hiding behind a veneer of populism and harboring "techno-libertarians and academic elites who believe in liberty and freedom ... as long as they get to decide the definitions of liberty and freedom."

In a long -- almost 4,000 words -- blog post, Randall Rothenberg, the CEO of the IAB US, took Mozilla to task over the open-source company's revamped third-party cookie blocking scheme, a point of contention between the online ad industry and the browser builder since the latter unveiled plans to block some of the cookies used by online advertisers to track users' Web movements, then deliver targeted ads.

While the most provocative of Rothenberg's criticisms were aimed at what he called Mozilla's values, his biggest beef with the Firefox-CCH plan seemed to be that Mozilla had set itself up as an unelected "gatekeeper" with the power to decide the fate of online businesses.

"The company's own statements and explanations indicate that Mozilla is making extreme value judgments with extraordinary impact on the digital supply chain, securing for itself a significant gatekeeper position in which it and its handpicked minions will be able to determine which voices gain distribution and which do not on the Internet," charged Rothenberg.

"The browser is certainly the gatekeeper and the gateway to the broad landscape of the Internet," agreed Ray Valdes, an analyst with Gartner, acknowledging the realities of the Web. "But most users are not aware of privacy, or simply don't care, whether it's in the browser or on Facebook. It certainly doesn't loom large in the minds of the average consumer [although] it is a hot-button issue for a small part of the user population."
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Sweltering weather keeps pressure

The nearly 90-degree temperature made for a tough fight against a fire that gutted an abandoned home in Deer Isle on Thursday morning.Four companies from Deer Isle, Brooklin, Sedgwick and Stonington were necessary to provide adequate manpower,This model includes 2 flush mounted reverse highqualityhidkits. said Jim Foley, assistant fire chief in Deer Isle. 

The large numbers of firefighters were needed so that each crew could work in 15-minute rotations, Foley said. While one crew fought the fire, which burned the second floor and roof of an abandoned house on Sunset Crossroad, the others received food and water from paramedics, who monitored each firefighters vitals before they went back to work.With turnout gear and air packs, fire crews risked health problems if they stayed in the hot building much longer than 15 minutes, Foley said. 

As soon as you get hot, you can stop functioning so well, Foley said. We didnt want anyone to get hurt.The fire was reported by Michael Kovac, who lives in a mobile home just a stones throw away from the home that burned. Kovac said he saw the fire and smoke around 10 a.m.I went out to check the mail and smoke a cigarette, he said. I just saw tons of smoke and fire coming out of the roof, so I called 911. 

Firefighters knocked down the bulk of the blaze within about 15 minutes, Foley said, but additional flare-ups kept sparking in void spaces, between walls and above ceiling tiles. Because the fire had burned through the floor of the second story, crews had to punch holes the roof and attack from above.Kovac and his girlfriend, Meranda Smith, said they suspected a bolt of lightning from Wednesday nights storm caused the fire. Smith said that around 3 a.More than 80 standard commercial and granitetiles exist to quickly and efficiently clean pans.m., the couple was awakened by the storm, and said she thought she smelled something burning at that time. 

Foley said firefighters could see no obvious natural cause of the blaze, and wouldnt speculate. An investigator from the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal was scheduled to arrive Thursday afternoon to begin probing for the fires origin. 

Stunning 1 bedroom 1 bathroom apartment in elevator building with 18' high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling south facing windows for plenty of natural light, and private balcony. This condo rental features all the modern amenities you need for maximum comfort: central AC and heat, energy efficient vented washer/dryer, Bosch dishwasher, microwave, Caesarstone countertops, stainless steel Fisher Paykel appliances, deep soaking tub, rainfall shower with separate body shower, tankless dual flush toilets, and radiant heating on the bathroom floors so you never have to step onto cold tiles again. 25-year tax abatement through 2033. 

Located on a quiet street in Prospect Heights/Crown Heights north on the edge of Park Slope, Clinton Hill, and Ft Greene, this exclusive community of 6 buildings will have everything you need at your front door. Shared amenities include a business and entertainment suite with wi-fi, screening room, billiards and game room, children's playroom, and also available soon are an indoor pool, gym, and sauna. Hundreds of highly rated restaurants and charming cafes abound, many featuring top chefs and if nobody's cooking beats yours then you have several grocery options nearby or you can visit the weekly Farmer's Market at Grand Army Plaza by Prospect Park. With the iconic Brooklyn Museum, Botanic Gardens, and Brooklyn Zoo nearby there is something for everyone. Located just 1.5 blocks from the C train at Clinton/Washington, and a short distance to the 2/3, 4/5, B/Q, and G trains, 3 avenues to the Atlantic Terminal for the LIRR, you're just 10 minutes to Manhattan. 

Police officers were dispatched to the 900 block of West Exchange Street July 6 on reports of a man pointing a gun at someone. Officers stopped the vehicle of a 26-year-old man who lived nearby, and drugs and loaded guns were found, according to officers. The man was charged with possession of marijuana, trafficking in marijuana, possession of criminal tools and carrying a concealed weapon (three counts). 

A 53-year-old Biruta Avenue man was charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles July 8. According to officers, the man was drinking, using drugs and watching pornography.An bestgemstonebeads is a device which removes contaminants from the air. Though he paused the movie when a 12-year-old girl entered the room, she could still see the images on the television, according to the police report. The man also was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia. 

A 19-year-old Stow man was charged with possession of heroin and possession of drug abuse instruments July 8. Stopped at Copley Road and Storer Avenue for a traffic violation, officers found heroin and a syringe on his person. 

A 19-year-old Oakdale Avenue man reported he answered the door July 9 to two unknown black males between 17 and 25 in gray hoodies and masks. They ordered him to the floor and hit him in the back of the head, causing minor injuries, before leaving with a TV, video game system and games and smartphone, according to the police report. 

A 29-year-old Dominion Drive man was charged with having weapons under disability, carrying a concealed weapon, improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle and receiving stolen property July 9 after being stopped at North Hawkins Avenue and Cliffside Drive. The man, who has a previous felony conviction,Compare prices and buy all brands of drycabinet for home power systems and by the pallet. was in possession of a loaded .45-caliber handgun, according to officers. 

A 40-year-old Mull Avenue man was apprehended and charged with two counts of aggravated robbery and possession of marijuana and booked into the Summit County Jail July 12. Around 10:30 p.m.About chinabeadsfactory in China userd for paying transportation fares and for shopping. that evening, the man allegedly confronted a 25-year-old woman stopped at a traffic light at North Main and Olive streets by walking up to her car, stating he had a gun and ordering the female out of her car. When she refused, he slammed her head against the headrest several times, according to the police report. She took her keys out of the ignition and fled out the passenger side door, according to the report. The same evening, a 29-year old-male reported he also was approached at the same intersection by a man who said he had a gun and wanted the victims car, but he was able to put his car in reverse and drive off.
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