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Biopharmaceuticals Mergers & Acquisitons
U.S. Federal Trade Commission Clears Teva/IVAX Merger
Closing Scheduled for January 26, 2006
JERUSALEM & MIAMI--(HSMN NewsFeed)--Jan. 23, 2006--Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA ) and IVAX Corporation (AMEX: IVX ) announced today that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission ("FTC") has accepted the proposed consent order for public comment and granted early termination of the Hart Scott Rodino waiting period, thereby permitting the parties to close the transaction.
The parties have now obtained all regulatory approvals required to close the transaction and, accordingly, have scheduled a closing date of January 26, 2006.
IVAX shareholders are advised that, given a scheduled closing date of January 26, 2006, the election deadline for making a cash or stock election under the merger agreement will be 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 24, 2006.
Under the consent order that has been executed by the parties and accepted for public comment by the FTC, Teva and IVAX are required to divest certain formulations of eleven generic drugs with respect to which they have a product overlap, representing approximately $15 million in aggregate annual sales. In addition, generic distribution relationships that IVAX had with respect to certain amoxicillin, amoxicillin and clavulanate, leuprolide, and Calcitriol products have been or will be terminated and assigned to other companies.
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., headquartered in Israel, is among the top 20 pharmaceutical companies and among the largest generic pharmaceutical companies in the world. The company develops, manufactures and markets generic and innovative human pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients. Close to 90% of Teva's sales are in North America and Europe.
About IVAX
IVAX Corporation, headquartered in Miami, Florida, discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets branded and brand equivalent (generic) pharmaceuticals and veterinary products in the U.S. and internationally.
Safe Harbor Statement under the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995:
The statements, analyses and other information contained herein relating to the proposed merger and the contingencies and uncertainties to which Teva and IVAX may be subject, as well as other statements including words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "may" and other similar expressions, are "forward-looking statements" under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are made based upon management's current expectations and beliefs concerning future events and their potential effects on the company.
Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include whether and when the proposed acquisition will be consummated, Teva's ability to rapidly integrate IVAX's operations and achieve expected synergies, diversion of management time on merger-related issues, Teva and IVAX's ability to successfully develop and commercialize additional pharmaceutical products, the introduction of competitive generic products, the impact of competition from brand-name companies that sell or license their own generic products (so called "authorized generics") or successfully extend the exclusivity period of their branded products, the effects of competition on Copaxone® sales, regulatory changes that may prevent Teva or IVAX from exploiting exclusivity periods, potential liability for sales of generic products prior to completion of appellate litigation, including that relating to Allegra®, Neurontin®, Oxycontin® and Zithromax®, the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and pending legislation that could affect the pharmaceutical industry, the difficulty of predicting U.S. Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Association and other regulatory authority approvals, the regulatory environment and changes in the health policies and structure of various countries, Teva's ability to successfully identify, consummate and integrate acquisitions, exposure to product liability claims, dependence on patent and other protections for innovative products, significant operations outside the United States that may be adversely affected by terrorism or major hostilities, fluctuations in currency, exchange and interest rates, operating results and other factors that are discussed in Teva's Annual Report on Form 20-F, IVAX's Annual Report on Form 10-K and their other filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and neither Teva nor IVAX undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
This communication is being made in respect of the proposed merger involving Teva and IVAX. In connection with the proposed merger, Teva has filed a registration statement on Form F-4 containing a joint proxy statement/prospectus for the shareholders of Teva and IVAX with the SEC. Before making any investment decision, IVAX shareholders and other investors are urged to read the joint proxy statement/prospectus regarding the merger and any other relevant documents carefully in their entirety because they contain important information about the proposed transaction. The registration statement containing the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents are available free of charge at the SEC's website, www.sec.gov. You may also obtain the joint proxy statement/prospectus and other documents free of charge by contacting IVAX Investor Relations at (305) 575-6000 or Teva Investor Relations at 972-3-926-7554.
Source: IVAX
Search: IVAX
Search: Teva Pharmaceutical


The Sound of the New Party has a New Home!
The Sound of the New Party Radio Broadcast Series: Learning English by Following Politics now has a new home.
Special Posting for Mr. Christopher DiFranco's Social Studies Class at Georgetown Middle/High School in Georgetown, Massachusetts.


Everyone knows about Craigslist as the place where you can buy literally anything. Its easy free, and gets tons of consumer traffic. I have been using this platform to sell real estate for years now and have had some good success with sales through it. In this article I will teach you how I have used it and how I really got my start in real estate through using Craigslist to make up to $ 10,000 a month.
Step one: You need listings to post. What I did was search my local MLS service to find the homes I wanted to sell like property property, first time home buyer property and so on. (Tip: pick lower end homes as nobody buys luxury homes off Craigslist). When I found the homes I rolled everything from my brokerage to see who the listing agent was so I could ask permission. Most agents do not care, especially agents with 80-90 listings at a time, but its always good to ask.
Step two: Post the houses. You can use flyer services like V flyer or postlets to create flyers to post with your info if you want, but I have had the best luck not using these. All I do is copy and paste the marketing notes. Put the address and price in the relative areas with a catchy title. (Tip: use the same title format in all of your titles so you will start to be known by browsers for your angle like investment of first time buyer ** MINE WAS ALWAYS LIKE THIS **). The reason I do not use flyers is my posts are missing important information about the property and only has for pictures which gives the consumer a need to call if interested. At the bottom of the description I just have name phone number and DRE # with broker name. I also place a link to my site or a Google form which will be discussed in another article.
Step three: ANSWER THE PHONE! You need to answer the phone and respond immediately to capture any buyers. Nowadays they will have been through 5 other postings if you wait 5 minutes, and they will have forgotten about your house. (Tip: post 3 times a week so your postings are staggered like Monday Wednesday Friday. And do about 20-30 postings at a time. just surf and call from their work).
That's it! Simple and fast plus it works! Just repost every 7 days and keep adding new homes when other homes go pending. I hope these tips brought you as much success as it bought me.


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March 4, 2023 Berglund Center
Justin Moore has built a loyal following over the past decade with his traditional country sound and captivating live shows. Climbing the country radio charts with his current single, "With a Woman You Love," the emotional tune follows in the footsteps of his 10th No. 1 hit, "We Didn't Have Much," which is featured on…… MORE INFO »
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What is propaganda photography?
State propaganda is a kind of advertising for political ideas and parties. Recently, after all, the parties' election campaigns have been run by advertising institutes, which then convey the characteristics of their product "party" according to the principles of visual communication outlined above. Propaganda photography plays a big role in state propaganda.
Propaganda photography in WW2
The propaganda of the Third Reich was specially designed for visual communication. The ritualistic stagings of the Reich's cigarette advertisements with female and male sexual symbols
(e.g., shell, mast). party rallies (and their dissemination via the photograph) reached unconscious processing layers of the audience.
To illustrate the role of the photograph in propaganda, then, it is worth examining the Third Reich in more detail (see Herz 1994).
Specifically, the Hitler portrait is the focus of propagandistic efforts. Although the archives of Hitler's court photographer Hoffman are rudimentary, there are masses of postcards and front pages of Hitler that allow a study of the Führer's presentation.
Initially, the portrait photograph served to embellish Hitler's face. The face, described as doughy, with somewhat protruding eyes, and unattractively broad nose, and receding forehead, does not now at all exhibit the features expected of a great leader.
All the more reason to appreciate the achievement of the photographer, who succeeded in suggesting striking facial features by means of black drop shadows, and who conjured up an illuminated, charismatic look in the leader's face by means of a clever exposure of background light and backlight.
How propaganda photography trends evolved?
Rectangular mustache and the strand of hair hanging into the forehead, developed only later, led to the impression of the geometric, striking, distinctive when the lighting was right.
The lateral light also emphasized the "strong-willed" bulges above the eyes (compare, for example, Cranach's portrait of Luther, Warnke 1984).
Moreover, Hitler did not exhibit the characteristics of the Aryan, which he raised on the shield of his movement. Was he therefore not conceivably unsuitable for propaganda purposes?
Indeed, scoffing contemporaries pointed out this and other aesthetic flaws.
"Hitler, so to speak, does not look at all, he merely pretends sometimes.
His soft, uninteresting Kubinke features shine disconcertingly through all the Führer masks that have been applied thicker and thicker over the years."
The effect of propaganda
It was the mass-distributed embellished photographic portrait, however, that wrote Hitler's appearance into the memory of the masses.
Almost every postage stamp of the time features an image fashioned after such a photograph. During his speeches, the people saw their leader from a distance and could hardly recognize his face.
Carefully, portrait photos by amateurs and photographers of non-affiliated newspapers (e.g., by stipulating a distant photo location) were avoided at the Reich Party conferences.
The viewer from a distance recognized the features artificially added to the face, such as the dark, rectangular mustache (often retouched in Hoffmann's photos) and the triangular section of the forehead – and added in his head the face familiar from the press.
How easily this works can still be experienced today by anyone who paints a black square in a face circle and adds a diagonal strand of hair: Immediately the Hitler caricature is perfect, the face disappears behind the mask (cf. Gombrich 1984 b).
Hitler's real face was also often hidden under the black Wehrmacht cap pulled deep into his face. This was a carefully considered detail of propaganda photography.
Staged photos in oratorical poses (by the way, poses that Hitler had not even assumed while speaking) were placed in memory during the speeches in the empty space of Hitler's actual close-up view.
Because perception consists of a mixture of learned expectation and seen stimulus, one recognized in the real Hitler and his often unfavorable reportage photos the previously stored – and whipped – image.
Thus, Hoffmann's portraits became more the "real" Hitler than the one in the flesh. Once photographed by an American star photographer in a more personal pose, the potentate complained that these pictures looked nothing like him.
In the meantime, he knew himself only in the mirror of his photographer's portraits.
But the photographer's stagings also charged the Hitler portrait with hidden meanings: With his collar turned up, the subject is reminded of the storm-tossed captain.
How propaganda photography changed
Later, features of traditional portraits of princes were also put into the picture. The propped-up arm, the cloak billowing around the leader, the wide background overlooked from the mountaintop, the shot from the submissive lower view: all this suggests the potentate and is taken from the imposing paintings of emperors and kings.
From their experience with such models, the public understood, without wanting or being able to verbalize it, the fullness of the power of the leader.
A distant resemblance of the photos to portraits of Bismarck may also have been intentional. The statement achieved via the resemblance was, "Here is a statesman as important as Bismarck."
This statement was also brought to the people without words as pictorial communication. The simplicity of the uniform shown was reminiscent of the simplicity of old Prussian royalty.
But the charging of the image went even further: to a quasi-religious consecration. Damage to images of Hitler was punished with severe prison sentences, some lasting years – as was conceivable and customary for damage to images of gods in other cultures.
The Reich eagle above the swastika had a cross shape as an overall figure. Thus, a visual analogy to the Christian cross was established. The motif of the Führer's suffering for humanity was taken up in rapturous texts.
And the people cheered the mighty achievement bestowed by the Führer. The imagination of the NSDAP editors went so far as to recommend a house altar with Hitler's image (this, however, was not supported by the central propaganda leadership and photography).
Thus the Prussian newspaper of 29.1.1932 wrote:
"If we start from the fact that the altar in the churches of both denominations constitutes the main and central point around which church life revolves, then even dissenters cannot object if we call a place in our home that serves to honor Hitler an altar."
Huge enlargements of photos (max. 18 meters, 1937 at the exhibition "Give me 4 years time" in Berlin) reminded me of the enormous images of gods of all cultures.
In turn, power and significance were put into the picture via size.
Another icon of National Socialist propaganda was the cultic moment of the march past. The individual stood eye to eye with the "god." Hitler looked through his human material and examined it.
The march past of the Hitler Youth, the SA, and other associations at the Reich Party congresses was captured in detail on the plate by Hoffmann – usually from the Führer's perspective – and published in book volumes on the party congresses. The arrangement of the
crowds visualized order, discipline, and ever-ready thrust.
In a democracy, photographers can no longer be so tightly controlled. The leaders are photographed from all angles and in almost all situations.
It is not so easy to fool the public – as far as the appearance of the politician is concerned. This kind of photo coverage creates a clear demand for good and dignified looking political leaders.
Even a seasoned psychology professor once admitted to voting for an FRG politician simply because he was so irresistibly good-looking.
War propaganda also relied heavily on pictorial reporting. During World War II, the American press did not show pictures of fallen Americans.
There was fear for the willingness of the population to support the war (see above). When the war had already claimed many victims, this policy changed. It is important to understand this when we are speaking about propaganda photography.
Now a solidarity effect could be expected. Indeed, the sale of war bonds increased dramatically after a photograph of American dead at Buna Beach was published.In the film "wag the dog," the misleading of the people by the media is ironically extremized. The American president fakes a war in the media to distract from a sex scandal.
The – faked – touching photo of a fleeing Albanian peasant girl has a key role in this.
To conclude, propaganda photography was a powerful tool in the past to control minds of people and is still a powerful tool today.
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5 Best VPNs for Pokemon GO in 2022 – Expert Guide
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So after thinking about this for a while, we've decided to start development on the KZ climb server due to the high demand request for it for the past months. If you are a KZ player and have interest in taking part of joining our server , you can go make an admin application and state your experience as a KZ player and why you should be qualified. We're also planning to of course make this the best KZ server but we need the communities help.
We'll be taking a look frequently in that forum section to find any constructive feedback you guys provide, keep a look out of the server release this following week!


Each of us searching the internet for information on Ecuador is looking for something particular… retirement, ecotopia, adventure, new life experiences, culture, investment, a living solution that provides a high quality of life at a low cost of living… the list goes on.
Lynn and I seem to be drawn from place to place trying to find a healthy mix of science and adventure. We were so happy to find our little niche in Ecuador because it has offered us an amazing beach-base to work from, access to great food and local-living, an amazing country to explore, a beautiful beach to wander on in the evenings, and a paragliding launch just a short hike from our door.
But don't be mistaken… we've always had a traveling itch that needs scratching and can't help but keep moving around. To that end we have created a small network of good folks to help us sell and maintain our properties and get new folks introduced to the region so the gears can keep turning even while we're away.
Right now, Lynn and I are doing some foreign traveling… strangely enough… in the US! If you read our little "about us" blurb you'll see that we have a dream of doing scientific work while traveling around the world on our sailboat – Hawkswood… As we were formerly based in Chicago the first step is removing our boat from land-locked status… and we're working on that right now!
I'm writing from a dock in Peoria, IL as the waves lap up against the side of Hawkswood… we're headed down the inland waterway system to the Gulf of Mexico and then to Florida… That's right… from Chicago to the Gulf via rivers and waterways. Our travel plans are still open after that but after the few weeks we've spent in the cold so far… southern latitudes are screaming our names! If you'd like to follow us, please take a look at our other blog! The photo below is Hawkswood at anchor near Buffalo Rock State Park in Illinois.
Eduardo and Paola are happily showing lots in Ecuador and helping both new and old investors get acquainted with the area. Lynn and I generally have good access to email to help answer any questions. If our planned river route (Illinois, Mississippi, Ohio, Tenn-Tombigbee) passes through your neighborhood please do get in touch. Maybe we can meet up to talk all things Ecuador! Of course, when lots do sell we'll gladly be making the trip to Ecuador to help go through the paperwork process in person. We should be back early next year when it's time to take a break from the first of our sailing adventures.
Please do get in touch if we're coming through your neighborhood or planning a trip to Ecuador soon!


text:
Home💻 TechnologySelf Driving CarsAutopilot cars
Autopilot cars
Subject: 💻 Technology
Type: Informative Essay
Topics: Self Driving Cars, Automotive, Google, Innovation, Logistics, Transportation
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Advantages of self-driving cars
Involvement of Google in development
Advantages of legalization
Self-driving or autopilot cars are among the fastest developing technologies in the world today. An idea that was originally developed by Google, this company has put a lot of money in this project to such an extent that it will become a common sight in a few years time. Because of its fast development, a number of states have sought to develop laws to regulate this technology and this has ensured that there is government involvement in the process of technology that can be considered the future of driving. However, a significant number of states have yet to give self-driving car technology the recognition that it needs in order to become a part of the mainstream. Self-driving cars are the future because they are less likely to be affected by human error in such a way that prevents accidents, traffic jams, and loss of life that are associated with human drivers. This paper proposes that even though this has not been the case it is only a matter of time before autopilot cars are recognized by these states as being a necessary part of the future. This is because there will be need to make sure that the government is involved in the development process by seeking to protect the public interest through the use of regulations on the industry. Therefore, the more states that provide legal recognition for autopilot cars, the more likely it is that this technology will be able to be developed faster; helping in taking human beings to the next step of driving which will be much safer.
Self-driving cars have come to be greeted with optimism within society because they have the possibility of making life easier for a lot of people. Among their biggest advantages is that they can be easily be able to prevent such incidents as traffic jams and accidents that happen daily among human driven cars. They also have the potential of making sure that there is more efficient use of fuel, and this is important because it makes sure that there is a reduction of carbon footprint. However, despite the advantages that these cars have, there is still a long way before they are legalized in the United States. This is because most state legislatures and governments have still to be convinced that these cars are an important part of the future of driving. Because the technology for these cars is still being developed, the laws concerning them have not been fully thought about because there is still a long process to ensure that these cars come to common usage (NCSL, 2016). The development of self-driving cars, even though it is being conducted very quickly, is still has a long way to go and it is because of this situation that most state legislatures have not made the decision to ensure that there is the establishment of means through which to bring about their legalization. It is possible that they are waiting for further developments before taking any actions to not only legalize self-driving cars, but also to bring about regulations on the industry.
Self-driving car technology has for the most part been spearheaded by Google, which is a pioneer in the creation of these cars. It is this company that has put a lot of money in self-driving car projects to ensure that it is able to promote their establishment as part of the daily lives of all people. Google has developed the technology that has allowed self-driving cars to become well known and it is hoped that as they make improvements to it, these cars will become more accepted in society (HG, 2017). This company has also been behind the slow acceptance of self-driving car technology among some states such as California, Nevada, and Arizona, which have passes some laws to regulate the development of self-driving car technology. That these states have accepted self-driven cars are a necessary part of the future and have allowed for the development of ways through which there is collaboration between private developers and themselves to bring about the faster advancement of this technology. Google seems to be playing an important role in convincing state governments to legalize the self-driving car technology (HG, 2017). This is important because it shows the commitment that it has towards furthering its objective of making these cars the mainstream of life rather than human driven ones that are more likely to get involved in accidents. One of the most important assessments that were conducted on Google's self-driven cars over many thousands of hours found that there were no accidents and very few errors during the entire process; showing that self-driven cars are much safer and more convenient than cars driven by people.
In those states where laws concerning self-driven cars have been passed, there has been recognition that this technology has to be regulated in order to ensure safety and responsible use. This is especially considering that this technology is still at a developmental stage and has yet to achieve its full potential. Therefore, by passing laws concerning this technology, states are making sure that they become heavily involved in its development in such a way that they have an understanding of how it works. By having this understanding, it becomes easier for these government to take on any action that they deem necessary in order to ensure that there is the advancement of public safety and the promotion of the rights of both owners and those who do not own the technology. The recognition of self-driven car technology by some states is also an important step in making sure that they get involved in the various projects that develop this technology on behalf of the public (NCSL, 2016). The public needs to be made aware of all the advantages and the potential disadvantages of self-driven cars and this is a responsibility that state governments can handle very well. Therefore, the legalization of this technology at the state level is an important step in promoting the responsibility of government towards the public, which at the same time making sure that the companies involved in the development of self-driven cars are encouraged to work ethically towards the achievement of their goal of making their ideas a reality.
While self-driving cars have been given some legal recognition by some states, it still has a way to go before being provided with legal cover across the country. This is especially considering that the technology is still at its infancy and its full impact is yet to be seen by many of the states that should be regulating it. However, with the rapid development of a diverse number of technologies, it is only a matter of time before self-driving car technology achieves its full potential. There is need for the government to ensure that it participates in the entire process of development at the state level in order to bring about clarity to the way that it works as well as establishing a means through which this technology can be regulated. It will help in coming up with means through which greater safety standards, such as accident prevention, can be made an essential part of self-driven car technology. Legalization leads to the establishment of regulations in such a way that ensures that developers come up with self-driving technology that is not only environmentally friendly, but also ethical. The establishment of a level of government oversight is essential in promoting the public interest. It also helps to guarantee that there is more confidence in the technology, which will encourage more people, and companies to provide money that will help in the faster growth of self-driving cars.
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(2017). Are Self-Driving Cars Legal? HG.org. Retrieved from https://www.hg.org/article.asp?id=31687
NCSL. (2016). Autonomous | Self-Driving Vehicles Legislation. National Conference of State Legislators. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/transportation/autonomous-vehicles-legislation.aspx
Goal Setting in the Workplace
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Sequans Communications is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and is traded in the form of American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") under the ticker symbol "SQNS" and its corresponding CUSIP number is 817323108 or ISIN number US8173231080.
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text:
En/football/spanish-football
Saponjic: Simeone is one of the best coaches in the world
LaLiga Can't wait to get to work
Arturo J. Caballero
Ivan Saponjic during his Atletico Madrid presentation. AFP
Official: Atletico Madrid sign Ivan Saponjic
Paunovic: Jovic and Saponjic have a lot of promise
Ivan Saponjic is excited to get to work under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, following his move from Benfica.
The 21-year-old forward is their latest arrival this summer, taking the No.17 shirt, and he is delighted to have completed his switch.
"My first impressions are fantastic," Saponjic said of Simeone.
"He's one of the best coaches in the world.
"The whole coaching team here have welcomed me very well."
Saponjic has always wanted to play in LaLiga Santander, and he's grateful to now have the opportunity.
"It's been a dream," he said.
"It's an honour to be able to work with such good players.
"I'm going to give my all and I'm going to help the team."
With Joao Felix and Alvaro Morata already being signed this summer, the newest arrival will have a lot of work on his plate if he's to get minutes on the pitch.
"I came to fight, work and show my ability," he explained.
"At the end of pre-season, we'll see what happens."


but where is the "Read auto message" button?
When i click on contacts in my contact list, it doesn't appear.
You can always access it if you hold down the shift button. The reason it is not always shown is probably because the contact uses icq lite (&RQ doesn't think it supports auto messages for some reason).
but is it possible to add a checkbox or option to the preferences called like: "show always the read auto-message option - doesn't work with icq lite"


The resort of Albena, Bulgaria were delighted to announce the recent opening of the very first beach library in the European Union and only the third of its kind in the world. Located near the Hotel Kaliopa, the new beach library boasts 140 shelves with over 2500 books available in more than 10 languages.
The library is completely free for guests to enjoy and the titles available have been carefully selected for all tastes including world classics, thrillers, mysteries, romantic readings and memoirs. An extra special treat for foreign tourists is a collection of stories by Jordan Yovkov entitled "Albena", published in six languages.
The beach library is made of materials resistant to strong winds and extreme sun and in rainy weather the books will be protected by vinyl, fastened with a zipper. To help guests find books available in their language quicker, the shelves have been marked with national flags depending on the language of the books.
Herman Kompernas - Project Manager in Albena PLC said "The guests will take a book for free without a library card. If they haven't read the book they have taken, they can leave their own book in return in order to diversify our collection. Thus, the library will be filled with new titles."
At the opening of the beach library Margita Todorova - Director Marketing and Sales of Albena PLC said "Today, in time of high-tech and mass computerization we return back to traditions and add another touch to our beautiful beach - a chance to enjoy not only the sun, and the sea breeze, but also a good book. Let us develop this idea together with our guests, donate books and next year to add another 2 or 3 modules, so to let guests of the hotels within the so-called "Six" take advantage of the library."
"For the first time ever we have a beach library whose purpose is to foster reading and entertain the tourists. I wish everyone reading to find the book of his life," said the author of the idea Victoria Biserova - publisher and consultant of Albena PLC.
So if you are lucky enough to be heading to the beautiful resort of Albena for your summer holiday this year, be sure to check out the new library and enjoy one of the many books on offer.


On November 12, 1983 Rara Avis S.A. was established as a Costa Rican corporation for the purpose of managing rainforest profitably and wisely. We chose this site for its adjacency to Braulio Carrillo National Park, its comfortable temperature, relatively level terrain, clear title, extraordinary beauty and biological richness, and proximity to San José (although access was far more difficult than it is now) and we bought it in time to stop plans to cut the trees for timber. We lobbied to have the boundaries of Braulio Carrillo National Park adjusted to border us, and in April of 1986, President Luis Alberto Monge signed the decree expanding Braulio Carrillo National Park to the boundaries of Rara Avis and the La Selva Biological Station. In the same year, we purchased the principal pieces of land and remodeled an old, disintegrating prison building in the former El Plastico penal colony. We received our first paying guests there (School for Field Studies students), paying five dollars per night.
In 1988 we received 546 visitors staying in El Plastico, began to receive substantial publicity about the project and the logic behind it; and with fallen hardwood tree lumber we built the beautiful Waterfall Lodge deep in the forest, adjacent to a big double waterfall. By that time, government agencies in Costa Rica and the U.S. had begun to talk about "ecotourism" as a solution to the deforestation problem.
In 1995, Rara Avis established its presence on the Internet (the first non-academic Website in Costa Rica). A year later, Rara Avis assumed the founding presidency of the Costa Rican association of private nature reserves and has exerted important political influence to promote private conservation efforts as a complement to government efforts.
Rara Avis is designed to show that rainforest is a valuable economic resource that should not be destroyed and that can produce substantial economic benefits for the surrounding communities. As such, we encourage tourism, biological research, and the development of new ways to use the rainforest without destroying it.
A LOT OF help is needed to create the necessary shift in current thinking and we firmly believe that if perceptions are altered, intelligent behavior will follow. It is this change in behavior that will preserve our planet.
The tropical rainforest is not only a place of extreme beauty, but it is home to countless plants and animals, undiscovered foods and medicines and an infinite amount of genetic material with a vast potential for the future benefit of man. The tropical rainforest is a natural cleanser of our air and a stabilizer for our planet's atmosphere.
Deforestation is the most serious environmental threat facing most of the developing world. Unfortunately environmental concerns tend to be lost on people who need food and homes. Local farmers are by no means getting rich from subsistence farming, and some sort of more appropriate economic activity must replace their current means of survival. In addition, our global climate is changing at a dizzying speed and all of us are experiencing drought, storms and rising sea levels.
Rara Avis is a publicly held Costa Rican corporation whose principal goal is to demonstrate how the economically sound conservation and management of a tropical rainforest can serve the needs of landowners and governments, as well as the needs of the planet. As we prosper, we serve as a financial and ecological model for our neighbors both near and far. We have much to do, for we intend to change the way people think about endangered resources that are threatened by economic activities and a growing population.
Rara Avis Rainforest Lodge and Reserve has been host to a variety of educational and research-oriented pursuits, ranging from local elementary school students learning about the relationship between conservation and development, to international high school, university and graduate programs based on rainforest ecology, and to numerous field researchers continuing their investigations on a variety of plant and animal life.
We have been successful in disseminating many of our ideas for alternative forest usage, in making ourselves known as a tourist destination, and in meeting operating costs. However, we have a need to raise capital for the expansion and renovation of our facilities and programs in order to fully realize our goals.
We are but pioneers in our efforts, but we believe this approach may be the only sensible way to serve the needs of the many. The preservation of our rainforests is undoubtedly critical to the health of our planet.
We hope you will join in the fight to preserve those that remain!
This Costa Rican government program seeks to categorize and certify each tourism company according to the degree to which its operations comply to a model of sustainability.
Rara Avis has achieved three levels of the Certification for Sustainable Tourism (CST) as a demonstration of its environmental and social stewardship.
From the day it started in 1983 efforts in conservation and social responsibility were of the greatest importance to us in order to demonstrate that ecotourism can be an effective tool for conserving rainforests and for involving local communities as participants and beneficiaries.
The reserve directly conserves 485 hectares (1200 acres) of tropical rainforest and has indirectly conserved an additional 1000 hectares (2500 acres). More than 95% of Rara Avis is primary, old-growth rainforest, located in the center of a small section of forest that apparently survived intact during the Pleistocene glaciations of the last 2.5 million years. As a result, this area has extraordinary importance for conservation, many endemic species, and very high biodiversity. There are many rare species, such as the stained-glass window palm, Geonomaepetiolata, the highest diversity of amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica, more than 362 species of birds, and over 500 species of trees.
It receives over 8,200 mm (27 feet) of rain annually and protects the water sources of an important hydroelectric plant, contributing to Costa Rica being able to generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources. Rara Avis is an important altitudinal corridor for the movements of endangered jaguars, pumas, quetzals, and great green macaws. It borders Braulio Carrillo National Park and serves to protect the boundaries of the park. By protecting its forest, our reserve has avoided the emission of over 337,000 tons of carbon dioxide that would have been emitted had the forest been cut, as was planned by the previous owners.
Involved the population of the neighboring community of Las Horquetas as direct beneficiaries of the project. Nearly all employees of the company, including those in management positions, guides, and cooks, are from the village. This has required years of training of people who in some cases, had little or no formal schooling.
Company policy prohibits discrimination of any kind. As a result, the majority of management positions over the years have been held by women. The company prohibits child labor, it prohibits sexual exploitation and harassment in all its forms and is LGBTQ friendly. All employees receive full legal benefits, social security medical coverage, and insurance.
To minimize energy consumption, the buildings are designed to use natural illumination and ventilation. There is no electricity in the rooms, so obviously there is no heating or air conditioning. Electricity is used only to illuminate the dining room at night, using about 200 watts for four hours (about 0.1 kilowatt-hours per guest per night).. Solar panels are used to power radio communications and telephones. Internet access is available with 3G telephones, but in some areas when climate allows.
Hot water is provided by efficient, tankless, flow-through gas heaters. As there is no hot water storage, there is very little wasted energy.
All water used by the lodge comes from the river that flows alongside it, and the treated water is returned to the aquifer after anaerobic processing in three chambers and two drain fields, through a rock, sand, and clay filter. Only drinking water is chlorinated.
There is no irrigation of the small green areas outside the forest, and only native plants and fruit trees are planted in them. No chemicals are used.
Products that are locally produced or supplied.
Avoiding disposable beverage containers and other disposable items.
Non-organic solid wastes are separated, and where possible, are returned to the supplier. Organic waste is used for compost on site.
The company maintains a close relationship with the community of Las Horquetas and has contributed to the school, the roads, bridges, and the community development association.


Donations With A Difference hosts twice-yearly 5-a-side football tournaments at Dover Leisure Centre. Our first competition was held in April 2014 and raised several hundred pounds for Sport Relief. Since then we have held five more tournaments to raise money to support our charitable grants.
The date of our next tournament has not been finalised yet.
To be kept up-to-date with details of this and future tournaments, join our mailing list or follow us on Twitter.
Reigning champions Crystal Phallus, four times DWAD Cup winners.
Action from our October 2015 tournament.


text:
Algeria women leave Sudan after week in hotel following coup
Algeria's women's football team finally left Sudan on Saturday evening, five days after a coup in the country, trapped the squad in the capital Khartoum.
The Algerian delegation had arrived in the Sudanese capital last Saturday, ahead of a scheduled Women's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against their hosts on Tuesday.
The squad returned to Algerian soil in the early hours on Sunday, after it was judged secure enough to embark on the journey.
Players and staff had been confined to their hotel since Monday's coup, with the game indefinitely postponed by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
On Friday, a day before the squad finally managed to leave, one of the players told BBC Sport Africa from inside the hotel that 'time is starting to get long as we don't know when we can leave'.
The Algerian Football Federation (Faf) said the squad was returning on a special Air Algeria flight.
"After intense contacts between the Algerian Football Federation, at its head President Amara Charaf-Eddine, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as our diplomatic representation in Khartoum, our national women's selection, will finally return this Saturday," said a statement on the Faf website.
Defender Sarah Boudaoud posted on social media on Saturday lunchtime that the delegation were leaving their hotel to travel to the airport.
"You do not imagine how happy we are at the idea of leaving," Boudaoud added on Instagram.
https://twitter.com/LesVerts/status/1454210409842491395
— (@LesVerts)
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1454210409842491395%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bbc.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fafrica%2F59103254
Another member of the squad told BBC Sport Africa the only time the team had security concerns was on the day of the coup, when both the internet and television were cut off - but that their resumption assuaged any further fears.
"That's the only time we felt unsafe," she explained.
Algeria had won the home leg of the Nations Cup qualifier against Sudan 14-0.
Source: bbc.com


Why is it a good idea to gift someone a rear-facing child car seat this Christmas and what should we take into account?
Would you like to give someone a child restraint system this Christmas, but don't know where to begin? Do you know how important it is for young children to travel in a rear-facing seat for as long as possible? We take a look at the main advantages of traveling in a rear-facing position and what kind of features we should be looking for when purchasing a CRS.
WHY IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO GIFT SOMEONE A REAR-FACING CHILD CAR SEAT?
-Firstly, a rear-facing child restraint system is much safer because it offers greater protection, particularly in more vulnerable areas of the body such as the head, neck and spine. In fact, 80% of injuries can be avoided by using these kinds of seats. The head, neck and back are in line with the backrest and the impact forces are absorbed by the seat itself thereby reducing the pressure exerted on the chest and abdomen.
Children under 135 cm should always travel in an approved child restraint system suitable for their weight and height, installed on the rear seats. Both approval standards currently in force advocate for rear-facing seats for very young children. Under standard R44/04 child car seats in Group 0 and 0+ are rear-facing and under standard R-129 they must be facing this way until they are 15 months old. At Fundación MAPFRE we recommend doing so until the child is at least 4 years old. Furthermore, we advise extending this legal requirement in order to use child restraint systems until the child reaches 150 cm in height.
-They are particularly suitable for children with certain special needs, such as underweight children or those with muscular problems.
WHAT SHOULD WE BE TAKING INTO ACCOUNT?
As mentioned, i-Size seats are rear-facing up to a minimum of 15 months old.
We should bear in mind that child car seats must be installed on the vehicle's rear seats. There are only three exceptions to this rule, when they can travel in the front seat: if the rear seats are being occupied by other children in child car seats, if the CRS cannot be installed on those seats, or if the vehicle does not have rear seats. In the event of placing the rear-facing child car seat on the front passenger seat, this airbag must be disabled.
Before purchasing a rear-facing CRS, we must consider the child's height and weight, as well as the approval standard - (R44/04 or R-129). We should also take into account the type of vehicle and ensure that they are compatible, since not all child seats can be installed in every car. Regarding this last point, it is best to check the manufacturers' guidelines or even better, to purchase the seat in a specialized store where they will always be able to help you and clear up any doubts you might have as well as be able to show you how to install the seat in the car.
We also need to find out whether the seat has to be installed with ISOFIX anchorages (only if the car is equipped with them) or if they are installed with seat belts. However, for safety reasons, ISOFIX anchorages are always a better option.
Moreover, we should select rear-facing car seats that are easy to install and secure. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions for the correct installation of the seat.
-We should choose good quality rear-facing seats which have been proven to offer good protection. Generally speaking, any child car seat that has been approved has passed certain minimum safety levels. Nevertheless, we can also take into account the Plus Test stamp, one of the most internationally-recognized tests of child road safety, granted in Sweden. This stamp guarantees that the child car seat in question has successfully passed very strict testing designed to guarantee the occupant's safety, especially in the neck area, in a head-on collision, providing that the manufacturer's installation instructions are followed. It should be noted that manufacturers submit their products for this testing voluntarily and the test does not replace but rather is in addition to the European R44 and ECE R129 standards.
This infographic outlines the key aspects of rear-facing child car seats.


text:
Q: NSSlider custom knob image I tried searching the internet for good tips to draw a custom Image with a different size for the knob of a NSSlider.
I hope we can gather the ideas this time in one place.
The problem most people get is that they want a different size knob, sometimes a bigger one which is not working unless you override sizetofit as far I could read.
I dont have a solution myself and searched for the same thing.
My problem (and the whole problem) is, I have a image for my knob which is 22x30px.
I have a subclassed NSSliderCell in which drawKnob: method is:
- (void)drawKnob:(NSRect)knobRect {

NSImage *image = [NSImage imageNamed:@"sliderImage"];

[[NSColor colorWithPatternImage:image] set];
NSRectFill(knobRect);
}

which is filling the old knob with my image. Then changed the RectFill to:
NSRectFill(NSMakeRect(knobRect.origin.x,knobRect.origin.y,25,35));

25/35 just to get some bigger values.
But the size isnt going to change the width (in my case its a vertical slider) and the image is not starting in a real corner. Its placed in the middle of the knob, a part of the left side is cut off, on the right side it gets doubeled.
When initializing the NSSlider the frame is big enough to fit the image in, but doesnt get displayed proberly.
I tried a sublass of NSSlider in which I used -(void)sizeToFit {} but I did not really know what to set in there.
I hope we can post here one sample Code of a NSSlider with custom knob image everyone can use and doesnt have to google for 2-3 hours.
I'm shure someone has done a Slider with a custom image
Thanks

A: In your NSSliderCell subclass, you also need to override knobRectFlipped:.  Here's some code of mine, where mNormalKnob is an NSImage loaded into a member variable in initWithCoder:.
- (NSRect)knobRectFlipped:(BOOL)flipped
{
    NSSlider* theSlider = (NSSlider*) [self controlView];
    NSRect myBounds = [theSlider bounds];
    NSSize knobSize = [mNormalKnob size];
    float travelLength = myBounds.size.width - knobSize.width;
    double valueFrac = ([theSlider doubleValue] - [theSlider minValue]) /
        ([theSlider maxValue] - [theSlider minValue]);
    float knobLeft = roundf( valueFrac * travelLength );
    float knobMinY = roundf( myBounds.origin.y +
        0.5f * (myBounds.size.height - knobSize.height) );
    NSRect knobRect = NSMakeRect( knobLeft, knobMinY,
        knobSize.width, knobSize.height );
    return knobRect;
}

I guess I'm assuming that the height of the knob image is no more than the height of the view frame.
Here's another approach that ought to work without regard to the view frame height, though I haven't tried it.  Designate the slider and its superview as having Core Animation layers.  Make a CALayer as a member variable of your subclass, and set its content to your knob image.  Then when it's time to draw the knob, just adjust the position of the knob layer.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Perhaps you've noticed those colourful pet hair dyes in the grooming supplies section of your local pet supply shop or pet boutique. It's these fun dyes that are responsible for those blue, pink and purple dogs that you'll see on occasion! But are they really safe for your pet?
Pet hair dyes are specially-formulated to be safe for a pet's skin and coat. But just like humans, there are some individuals who are hypersensitive to chemicals that are supposed to be safe and well-tolerated. So just like you would with a human, it's important to perform a spot-test on a small area to ensure they respond well to the dye. Wait 24 hours to look for any signs of redness or irritation.
Applying the pet hair dye is simple. Don gloves to avoid dying your hands and apply it to the pet's fur. Leave it on for the recommended amount of time, then rinse well. Conclude by shampooing and conditioning as usual.
To apply streaks or to dye small portions of your dog's fur, use a toothbrush to apply the dye. This allows for much greater precision. Also, remember to stay clear of their eyes and mouth, especially while you're rinsing.
Also beware that some residual dye may wipe off on your towels, so just keep it mind while you're towel-drying your pet! Pet dyes fade naturally over the course of a couple weeks.


If you want to change every color, try a rotational function (shifting or adding) rather than a flipping function (inverting). In other words, consider the range of 0 to 255 for each single color (red, green, and blue) to be wrapped, connected at the tips like a circle of values.... 5/12/2010�� Checked with Microsoft support this morning. The "invert" and many other "picture effects" found in PowerPoint for Mac 2008 are no longer present in the 2011 version (they did not exist in the Windows version of the program, so PPT 2011 for Mac is now more like its Windows version).
The key is � how to set up the chart so that the positive values show as green (or whatever color you choose) and the negatives as red (or some other color). First, I�ll � how to make spanish omelette recipe 21/05/2010�� The colour Green is associated with :- Money, Health, Growth, Fertility, Earth and Plant, Magick, Personal Goals, the Fourth Chakra and the sign of Taurus..
5/10/2012�� In this video, i'll be teaching you how to turn the colour of the screen, into a negative colour. It is actually pretty simple! Nothing much to it. It is actually pretty simple! Nothing much to it.
Change font color based on cell value with Select Specific Cells If you like to try some handy add-in tools, you can have a try on Kutools for Excel , there is a utility called Select Specific Cells can quickly select the cells meeting one or two criteria and then you can change their font color.
The Invert command inverts all the pixel colors and brightness values in the current layer, as if the image were converted into a negative.
5/12/2010�� Checked with Microsoft support this morning. The "invert" and many other "picture effects" found in PowerPoint for Mac 2008 are no longer present in the 2011 version (they did not exist in the Windows version of the program, so PPT 2011 for Mac is now more like its Windows version).


text:
This is a small program dedicated to reducing the number of colors in an
image. It operates with files in PNG or binary PPM format ([Portable
PixMap][ppm]), and features automatic palette generation (using a median-cut
algorithm) and dithering implemented with the Floyd-Steinberg method.

## Installing

#### On macOS with [Homebrew][brw]

    $ brew install tessarin/core/dither

#### Manual Installation

First, install [`libpng`][lpg]. Running `make` will then compile the program
and generate the documentation (requires Perl). To install, move the
executable and manual files to appropriate directories in your system.

    $ make
    $ mv dither ~/bin
    $ mv dither.1 ~/man/man1

Individual targets can also be specified to only compile the program or to
generate the manual page:

    $ make dither
    $ make doc

## Usage

    $ dither [-p name.size] [-dv] input output

Detailed information about the program options are included in the
[manual][man].

## Features

By default, `dither` will use a 3-bit RGB palette and dithering when
processing an image. Other possible palettes include:

 - Grayscale of any given size
 - Automatic, generated with the given size using a median-cut quantization
   algorithm
 - Custom palette

Dithering on the final image can be disabled and the program can also be used
just to generate a palette.

## Samples

#### Automatic Palette

    $ dither -p auto.32 bird-original.png bird-auto.32.png

![original bird](samples/bird-original.png)
![generated bird](samples/bird-auto.32.png)

#### 1-bit Black & White

    $ dither -p bw flower-original.png flower-bw.png

![original flower](samples/flower-original.png)
![generated flower](samples/flower-bw.png)

#### 50% Gray Test

Generates a perfect checkerboard pattern.

    $ dither -p bw gray-original.png gray-dithered.png

![original gray](samples/gray-original.png)
![dithered gray](samples/gray-dithered.png)

 [ppm]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netpbm_format
 [brw]: https://brew.sh
 [lpg]: http://www.libpng.org/pub/png/libpng.html
 [man]: dither.pod

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


The PowerPoint PPT presentation: "Epidemiology 101: basic concepts" is the property of its rightful owner. Do you have PowerPoint slides to share? If so, share your PPT presentation slides online with PowerShow.com.... Start studying Epidemiology 101 Friis chapter 1. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools.
Epidemiology 101 - Ebook written by Robert H. Friis. Read this book using Google Play Books app on your PC, android, iOS devices. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read Epidemiology 101.
Produced under the direction of author Robert H. Friis, PhD, Navigate Epidemiology 101 is pre-loaded with rich content from the best-selling companion introductory textbook, Epidemiology 101, giving your students easy access to the authoritative content they need to become proficient in this subject.
The PowerPoint PPT presentation: "Epidemiology 101: basic concepts" is the property of its rightful owner. Do you have PowerPoint slides to share? If so, share your PPT presentation slides online with PowerShow.com.
Preface. I wrote Epidemiology 101 in response to a call to increase the epidemiologic content of undergraduate programs. A growing movement advocates for incorporating epidemiology into undergraduate curricula as a liberal arts subject.


Families who have previously attended or are currently attending this service but are NEW to My Family Lounge (MFL) – Please contact the service to receive your unique Login.
For NEW Waiting List families who have NOT used My Family Lounge before, click on the REGISTER option to create your My Family Lounge account.
For families who have an EXISTING My Family Lounge account, skip the registration process and go to step 2.
Sign-in to your My Family Lounge account and add your booking request. You'll receive a confirmation email verifying your waiting list registration.
Once your booking request has been submitted your details will be registered on our waiting list. When we have availability, you'll be contacted by phone and emailed an 'Enrolment Offer'. Simply login to your My Family Lounge account and accept the offer, pay the required Enrolment Fee and Bond (as per our fees policy), then complete and submit your child's Enrolment form online to confirm your child's spot.
Visit myfamilylounge.com.au to see how this amazing parent portal will benefit you and view step-by-step videos on how to use it.


text:
NewsUS Ski TeamWorld Cup
Long Time Coming, U.S. NoCo Reaches World Championships Team Podium
Alex KochonFebruary 25, 2013
From right to left: Taylor Fletcher, Billy Demong, Todd Lodwick and Bryan Fletcher sporting the "StacheTats" they wore to win bronze in Sunday's normal-hill/4×5 k team event at the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy. (Photo: Sarah Brunson/U.S. Ski Team)
FasterSkier's coverage of the 2013 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy, is brought to you by the generous support of Fischer Sports.
VAL DI FIEMME, Italy – Bryan Fletcher had a pretty bold preposition for his U.S. Nordic Combined team the night before the normal hill/4 x 5-kilometer team event at the 2013 Nordic World Ski Championships.
The 26-year-old Steamboat Springs, Colo., native had brought these mustaches, temporary tattoos made by a former schoolmate.
"When I was home I saw one of my classmates from high school started a company called StacheTats, and they had a whole bunch of American flag ones," Fletcher recalled. "I was like, 'Those would be awesome to wear to a team event so I brought a whole bunch over.' "
While talking tactics among other things at the team meeting, the group decided: they were all going to wear them in competition, and if they won a medal, the coaches would have to shave their eyebrows.
The stakes higher than ever, the Americans headed into Sunday's team event with added motivation and lots of inquiries from media and spectators. The team's most seasoned veteran, 36-year-old Todd Lodwick said it was a lot of fun and definitely enhanced his ninth World Championships.
U.S. anchor Billy Demong (c) works to hold off Austria's Mario Stecher (l) and Yusuke Minato of Japan (second from l) while sprinting into the stadium behind eventual winner Jason Lamy Chappuis of France (second from r) and Norway's silver-medalist Magnus Moan. The Americans secured bronze for their first medal in a team event at World Championships. (Photo: Fiemme2013)
"It just brings team comradery and some laughs and we got some funny looks," Lodwick said. "The crowd liked it and the TV ate it up."
Enjoying every moment, even the unforgiving 2.5-kilometer cross-country course at Lago di Tesero, the U.S. men reached the epitome of their day when anchor Billy Demong finished third, 4.2 seconds behind French winner Jason Lamy Chappuis and Norway's Magnus Moan in second.
Rising from fifth and more than a minute back in the Gundersen start, the Americans – with Taylor Fletcher, his older brother Bryan, Lodwick and Demong – had done it. For the first time at a World Championships, the U.S. medaled in a four-man team event, three years after winning silver in the relay at the Olympics.
At the awards ceremony Sunday night in the center of Cavalese, U.S. head coach Dave Jarrett lifted his ballcap to reveal American-flag temporary tattoos in place of his eyebrows.
"For sure, that was our goal," Jarrett said before snapping photos of his four guys, with two veterans in Lodwick and Demong and two relative newcomers in the Fletchers, on the brightly lit outdoor stage.
"We could've won as easily as gotten fifth, so to split the difference and get a medal is awesome," he added.
Fifth in the jumping portion, which was complicated by variable wind conditions, the Americans put themselves in fighting position for the relay. Jarrett said Taylor's effort on the 106-meter hill specifically carried the team after he overcame adversity in the competition round.
Because of the wind, officials moved the bar down about six gates for his jump.
"He didn't have that bad of a jump, but they just went short," Jarrett explained. "They canceled that round and then he had to go back up and jump again and he did a great job and took every opportunity to get a do-over."
Taylor Fletcher (USA) works to close a one-minute starting deficit on the first leg of Sunday's 4 x 5 k relay. Following his lead, U.S. NoCo placed third for their first medal in a World Championships team event. (Photo: Fiemme2013)
Taylor, 22, ended up posting the team's second-longest jump of the day (93 meters) after his brother's mark of 95.5 meters. Two days earlier, Taylor went 85.5 meters on the same hill in the individual competition and Bryan led the team with an individual jump of 92.5 meters.
Jarrett said entire team stepped up their game on Sunday, which made the difference. Starting 1:02 minutes behind Japan in first, the Americans strategized to close the gap as soon as possible. Taylor took that to heart, coming within nearly 30 seconds of the lead by the first kilometer.
About halfway through the scramble leg, Austria's Wilhelm Denifl started to break away. Taylor said he and Norwegian Jørgen Graabak tried to work together in fourth and fifth to catch Austria, France and Japan head of them.
"You want to work when it's like that so you can get up to the podium, but also you know that you have to get away from that other person and try to give yourself a better advantage," Taylor explained. "There's some small talk going on in the group, but it's mostly just, 'Hey, come on, get up to the front, help me out.' "
Taylor tagged off to Bryan in fifth, 10.5 seconds behind the leader, but Austria's Bernhard Gruber continued to pull away and gapped the field by more than 20 seconds on the second leg. Bryan fed off his brother's performance and brought the U.S. to second just over a kilometer in.
He held the position until shortly before the exchange, where Norway's Haavard Klemetsen came through less than a second ahead of him, and Japan and France skied close behind in fourth and fifth.
From there, Lodwick had what Jarrett called his best race of the year. He kept the team in contention with France, Norway and Japan, and worked with them to catch Austria's Lukas Klapfer. Austria slipped to the back of the pack, and Lodwick tagged to Demong in fourth.
Demong didn't waste any time in taking the lead, pushing the pace to hold off Germany's Fabian Riessele, who was trying to close a 40-second deficit on the group.
Even with a headwind throughout much of his two-lap leg, Demong stayed in front, trying to get others to help carry the load. Without any takers, the 32-year-old pushed on.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Americans watched anxiously from the stadium. On the final climb, France's Lamy Chappuis and Moan attacked, but Demong didn't quite have quite enough left to go with them. As they fought for gold, Demong crested the hill with a small gap to Japan's Yusuka Minato and Mario Stecher of Austria, and accelerated down into the stadium to hang onto third.
"Even sprinting into the finish, it was anyone's game," Bryan said. "It was a nail-biter right to the end."
Billy Demong (c) after capturing third for the U.S. in Sunday's 4 x 5 k team event at the 2013 World Championships. (Photo: Fiemme2013)
When Demong crossed the line in third, 1.5 seconds ahead of Minato and 3.4 ahead of Austria, his teammates and staff rushed to his side. It was a long time coming – with two fourth-place team finishes in the last two World Championships – but the Americans had finally succeeded.
"For us, this is a dream come true," Bryan said of his and Taylor's first World Championships medal. "I literally came into this World Championships being like, 'If I could just do this once, it would be amazing.' I'm ecstatic, I think Taylor's ecstatic and everybody else is ecstatic to come away from this with a medal, especially when our team this season has been a little bit shaky, really up and down, and I think we're starting to come into our own."
For Demong, it was his fourth World Championships medal since winning gold and bronze in 2009 in Liberec, Czech Republic, and a silver in 2007 in Sapporo, Japan. The team medal was a first for Lodwick, a two-time individual world champion in 2009, after having helped the team win silver in 2010. And it was an excellent finish for the U.S. exactly 10 years after one of its members, Johnny Spillane, won a World Championship gold at the same venue in Val di Fiemme.
"We've had a pretty good season, especially with the Fletcher brothers," Demong said of their recent breakout results. In January, the team notched its first podium in a World Cup relay, placing third in Schonach, Germany.
"We knew we had to be having a really good day to fight for the medal," Demong explained. "It would've been nice to win, but I think at this point, a bronze can feel like a gold a little bit.
From left to right: Todd Lodwick, Billy Demong, Bryan Fletcher and Taylor Fletcher with their bronze medals after Sunday's team event at the 2013 Nordic Combined World Championships in Val di Fiemme, Italy.
"It was really, really amazing to watch these guys ski up so much time and catch the lead and then be in the hunt," he added. "I think coming into the [stadium] the way that skis and to be able to pull off a medal felt like a big success."
Lodwick said he couldn't be happier.
"Bill and I have been here, but it's nice to have the next generation of skiers come up and step into places that need to be filled," he said. "For me personally, this is a bit of a monkey off the back in regards to being fourth at World Championships so many times in the team event and losing a bib and doing all these other things that have hindered us.
"Today we came together," Lodwick added. "I cant tell you how awesome it was to live in the moment and take it for what it was worth and not get too far ahead of ourselves and smile as much as I could today."
Especially pleased to see his jumping improve, Lodwick said it hasn't been easy adjusting to new rules and equipment regulations.
"My jumping throughout the season has been pretty horrible to say the least; I did not start off very well at the beginning of the season," he said. "The feeling of ski jumping that I used to know is no longer and it's a new sport. I've struggled with it quite a bit, but this is World Championships. You've got to bring your A-game and rely on past experiences.
"Hopefully you have teammates that understand that and coaching staff," he added. "I can't be more happy than to have the teammates stand up there on the podium … and for it to all come together today, in a place where Johnny won his first medal, that's pretty f*ing awesome."
— Audrey Mangan contributed reporting
2013 Nordic Combined World Championships
4 x 5 k team event
Todd Lodwick
U.S. NoCo
u.s. nordic combined bronze
world championships team event
Alex Kochon
Alex Kochon (alex@fasterskier.com) is the former managing editor at FasterSkier. She spent seven years with FS from 2011-2018, and has been writing, editing, and skiing ever since. She's making a cameo in 2020.
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