text:
Proform 505 CST Treadmill
- Condition - Open Box (never owned) - View Condition Definitions
- Seller Condition Notes: Fully assembled showroom unit. Machines have minor bumps and bruise that do not affect the performance of the machine or void the warranty. 100% functional.
- Local Delivery ETA -1 - 3 Days
- Model Year - 2020
- Weight Capacity - 300lbs
- Incline - 0- 10%
- Delivery Option - (see shipping calculator for local and nationwide delivery cost) / will-call pickup is FREE.
- Lowest prices online GUARANTEED! Find a lower price online and we'll beat it!
- Save on shipping with FREE will-call pickup (Los Angeles Showroom)
- Questions? Talk to an Equipment Expert Now 323-345-7216 (Mon-Sun 10AM to 6PM)
New Life Cardio Equipment
2438 East 55th St
Los Angeles Ca 90058
OPEN EVERYDAY 10am - 6pm
Expert Personal Trainers in Your Living Room
iFit® Coach Ready™*
- World-Class Personal Trainers
- GlobeTrek™ Workouts and LiveCast™ Studio Classes
- Strengthening Personalized Nutrition
- Extensive Connected Tracking
There's No Limit
20" x 55" Tread Belt
- Roomy Deck Area
- Maintenance-Free Tread Belt
Simple, Hassle-Free Storage
SpaceSaver® Design
- Folds in Seconds
- Safely Locks into Place
Do More in Less Time
0 – 10% Digital Quick Incline™ Control
- 0 – 10% Incline Range
- Motorized, Instant Adjust-ability
SHIPPING WITHIN the Southern California Region:
You can get an accurate door to door delivery quote at the checkout screen by entering your zip code. Pick up is always free! Installation / white glove delivery is NEVER INCLUDED in the cost of delivery. Installation / white glove delivery must be quoted based on your site and difficulty of the install. Install prices may range from $25 - $100 additional. This cost is always paid COD!
Machines below $499 can (only) be picked up at our Los Angeles showroom or delivered locally for a quoted prices (see above). There is no charge for local pickup.
Please note that the cost for shipping is per machine and not per order. Certain exclusions may apply. Call with questions.
Open 7 Days a week - 10am-6pm
New Life Cardio Equipment
2438 E 55th St
Huntington Park Ca 90058
A representative from New Life Cardio Equipment will contact you once your order's delivery date and time has successfully been set up. Delivery times are scheduled in 2-hour blocks. Depending upon your geographic location, you will be routed accordingly by our driver. Company policy requires that someone of legal age be present at the time of delivery to sign for, inspect and assist in the unloading process if necessary. All orders are considered "DOOR DROP" unless installation details are written on the receipt. Your equipment will be delivered to your doorstep or garage. It is your responsibility to install your equipment in your desired location.
ALL BRAND NEW, BODY SOLID machines and FLOORING ITEMS are drop-shipped to your home and DO NOT QUALIFY FOR FREE SHIPPING. You will either be contacted for shipping cost or you can elect to pay shipping COD. Shipping cost for NEW items is usually about 10-15 % of the item cost.
For your convenience, drop ship cost can be quoted over the phone!
We're open 7 Days a week - 10am-6pm
New Life Cardio Equipment
2438 E 55th St
Huntington Park Ca 90058


text:
The Light of Dawn
On Saturday night I saw Souglyy and Poldra in a heroic ICC run, and I asked her if they were doing heroic Lich King. She said yes and told me to whisper Ashes, a mage on the server who is always selling stuff, running stuff (in fact he is the one I bought my second Sandstone Drake from - it was so much cheaper than me getting my mats, I couldn't understand how he did that).
I sent a tell and got an invite, and made my way along. It was a speed run to get to LK, I could see someone was collecting shards. It seems to be a weekly event - lucky I managed to get it in before Mists hits.
Hilariously, Lich King heroic was one shot, but we wiped on Putricide. And we nearly wiped on Sindragosa. Having not done it before, nor progressed much on attempts, I didn't know we all get pulled into Frostmourne and then we run around healing and I have no idea what the DPS were hitting. Next thing you know we're dead. I had a nervous moment when people were talking about it as if we'd wiped, when I thought it was the normal bit where he kills us all, but Souglyy reassured me that we had completed it and then the talking started so I did feel better.
Arvash was on and asked me, wasn't I going to JD's ICC run on Sunday (Saturday night for them). However, I was going out in the morning to take my kids and my nephew on the train to the city for Family Fun Day (cheap train tickets) and that usually wears the kids out for a good night sleep.
Take that Arthas.

subset: commoncrawl


text: FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Braden Koelliker scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Colorado State opened its season by successfully holding off New Mexico State, 64-61 on Sunday.Colorado State held a 10-point lead with 3:28 left, 59-49. Ian Baker and Braxton Huggins each hit 3-pointers to cut the lead to four, 61-57, and Eli Chuha converted a layup with 46 seconds left to make it a two-point game, 63-61. But the Aggies (1-1) could get no closer.Koelliker converted 13 of 15 attempts from the free-throw line and the Rams collectively shot 25 of 31 from the line. New Mexico State was 11 of 14.Che Bob finished with 11 points and eight rebounds for Colorado State and Emmanuel Omogbo grabbed nine boards.New Mexico State, coming off a 100-52 win over Arizona Christian, got 16 points from Baker and a dozen more from Chuha.Cyber Monday Nike Air Max 97 . Coach Mike Munchak says Fokou stretched ligaments in his left knee Oct. 13 against Seattle, which could keep out up to five weeks even though the linebacker didnt need surgery. Nike Air Max 97 Online . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel. https://www.fakeairmax97wholesale.com/ . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. Black Friday Nike Air Max 97 . Collaros, 25, was solid last season, posting a 5-2 record as the starter while incumbent Ricky Ray was injured. Collaros also started Torontos 23-20 regular-season finale loss to Montreal Ray didnt dress because the Argos had already clinched first in the East Division but was one of three quarterbacks to play that day. Wholesale Nike Air Max 97 .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. ST. LOUIS -- Adam Wainwright cant explain his mastery over the Houston Astros. St. Louis All-Star is simply enjoying the ride. Wainwright picked up his National League-tying 12th win with seven scoreless innings and Matt Holliday hit his team-high 13th home run to lead the Cardinals to a 9-5 win over the Astros on Tuesday night. Matt Carpenter had three hits and drove in three runs for St. Louis, which has won four in a row and five of six. Houston dropped its ninth in the last 11 and leads the majors with 58 losses. Wainwright (12-5) improved to 13-1 in 15 career starts against Houston. His 1.56 ERA against the Astros is his lowest for any opponent. "Its just one of those weird things," he said. "Ive matched up well with them over the years. I think my first real quality game as a starter in 2007 came against them." Wainwright won three successive starts against Houston at the beginning of the 2007 campaign. He allowed just four runs over 20 innings in beginning his personal run against the Astros. He allowed five hits, struck out nine and walked one on Tuesday. The right-hander, who will make his second All-Star appearance next week, has won seven successive starts against his former NL Central rival. His lone loss to the Astros was a 2-0 setback on Aug. 2, 2009. Wainwright, who is tied with Washingtons Jordan Zimmermann (12-3) for most wins in the NL, was in complete control. He retired the first five batters and never looked back. "Its never easy against a big-league squad, but I felt I stayed out of trouble for the most part," Wainwright said. St. Louis manager Mike Matheny agreed. "He just came out and established his breaking ball," Matheny said. "He used different speeds and moved in-and-out with his fastball. Just terrific." St. Louis closer Edward Mujica struck out J.D. Martinez with two on and two out to pick up his 24th save in 25 opportunities. The Cardinals, who jumped out to a 7-0 lead, battered former nemesis Bud Norris (6-8) for seven runs and 11 hits in five innings. Norris entered the game with an 8-5 mark and a 2.74 ERA against St. Louis. Norris won his first four starts against the Cardinals allowing just one run over 26 innings. "Ive been throwing thhe ball pretty well, but today wasnt my day," Norris said.dddddddddddd "I made some good pitches, I made some bad pitches. Thats a good ballclub over there. They know what theyre doing." Holliday slammed Norris seventh pitch of the game over the left-field wall for a 2-0 lead. Carpenter highlighted a three-run rally in the fourth with a two-run double. David Freese broke out of an 0-for-11 skid with three hits for St. Louis, which has won its last seven home games against Houston. Daniel Descalso chipped in with a pair of doubles. Freese and Descalso started the fourth with hits. Carpenter pushed the lead to 5-0 with a double that just eluded a diving Carlos Pena at first. Carlos Beltran followed with an RBI single. Allen Craig added run-scoring hits in the sixth and eighth. He is second in the NL with 71 RBIs. "This was a full offensive game from top to bottom all the way through the lineup," Carpenter said. "It was impressive." St. Louis reliever Kevin Siegrist pitched a scoreless eighth inning. He has not allowed a run over the first 12 appearances of his career, a franchise record. The Astros scored four times in the ninth. Jake Elmore and Jose Altuve had RBI singles. Houston manager Bo Porter was pleased with the way his club fought until the end. "We forced their closer into a game in which the ninth inning started with us down 9-1," he said. "Thats a tribute to the guys in this room. Theyre not going to quit. They are going to battle until the end." NOTES: St. Louis right-hander Shelby Miller (9-6, 2.80) will face Jordan Lyles (4-3, 3.87) in the finale of the two-game series on Wednesday. ... The Astros are 8-8 in interleague play this season. ... Houston INF Ronny Cedeno left the game in the fifth inning after fouling a pitch off his left big toe. He is listed as day to day with a contusion. ... St. Louis C Yadier Molina returned to the lineup after missing the last two games with right knee inflammation. ... Molina and Houston catcher Jason Castro were each hit by pitches. Norris hit Molina in the fifth. Wainwright plunked Castro in the sixth, prompting home plate umpire Mark Wegner to warn both benches. ... Craig has hit safely in his last nine games. ' ' '


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Welcome To My Square Dancing Site. Inside you will find some animations of patterns in the Basic thru Advanced levels of Western Square Dancing. You will also find a link to different Square Dance Sites that I have found enjoyable and informative.
"You have a great product here and this is will improve callers that have program and the dancers that get this program.........In my 35 years of calling I've tried to improve the dancing activity ...with a program like yours it will be a great help to Square Dancing and the Callers..........."Your program will last longer than my 35 years of calling to the activity".
I have 2 other Square Dance Programs that are animated and to make sure that I call the movements correct I check them all. These programs will write material to call a dance.......I like yours best to show each movement and the movement only...this will make you understand how the movement works and the body flow...."
Mike King, Caller, Cairo Ohio


text:
In the United States, about 1.1 million people are HIV positive, and nearly 50,000 people contract the virus each year—with African Americans and Latinos disproportionately affected. Men who have sex with men—especially those of color—have among the highest infection rates across the globe. Millions of lives have been saved since the introduction of effective antiretroviral treatment in 1996—but there are still many negative beliefs, biases, stigmas and fears surrounding people who are positive. Many experts believe that stigma is a major driver in perpertuating the epidemic.
"Stemming Stigma" is my latest article and one of two cover stories for the July/August 2014 issue of POZ.
New HIV cases among men who have sex with men are increasing as they flatten or even fall among other groups. Advocates blame HIV stigma among MSM, which they claim has created a "viral divide."This divide is probably the most evident on social networking apps and hookup sites. Phrases such as "DDF UB2" (short for "drug and disease free, you be too") and questions such as "Are you clean?" have become commonplace. Many HIV-positive gay men note anecdotally that when they challenge HIV-negative men about such language ("Does having HIV make me 'unclean'?") the responses are often filled with contempt.
Additional surveys have shown stigma remains a significant barrier to care and treatment. A 2009 Lambda Legal study shows that 63 percent of HIV-positive LGBT people experienced discrimination from health care professionals. Other times, the stigma keeps people from even seeking medical care.
"Let's say you're a black gay man living in a community of lower socioeconomic status," says Terrance Moore, director of health policy at the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD). "You could be very concerned that someone is going to see you walk into an HIV testing facility, so you may not access that test." Similarly, you might not want to be seen taking meds, so you skip doses—which can increase your viral load and the risk of transmitting HIV.
Read the full report HERE.
Many thanks to the editors of POZ, The Sero Project, NASTAD, Maria Mejia, Duane Cramer, The Stigma Project, Jack Mackenroth and HIV Equal, Mark King, Kevin Maloney and many others.


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We as a society deal with it like it's a personal relative. People are so related to those who are celebrities as if they were our brother and sister. They relate to them because of their past, their livelihood, their whole experience with them.
Krissy Broek
Santa Cruz | Teacher
If you don't see yourself equal to a person, you'll put them above you or below you. If you put someone above you, you'll put them beneath you at some point in your life.
Jonathan Chorn
Santa Cruz | Sculptor
As far as the media—they really indulge themselves in a celebrity's death because they really don't have that much to talk about. So they use it as an opportunity to trumpet their own relationship with that celebrity, and mostly spin it positively, but it just goes on too long.
Isaac Saavedra
Santa Cruz, Engineer/Artist
To die tragically is the best way of getting people to say nice things about you.
Paul McGrath
Santa Cruz | Environmental Entrepreneur


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Jun plaid top, DIYed vest, Crissa Jeans, Parisian wedges, Vintage bag
If you like this look HYPE it!
I absolutely love wearing neutrals, I think ever since they are the color palette that
flatters me the most which is very important, because knowing the colors that flatters
you gives so much difference than wearing a piece of clothing in a color that doesn't even
flatter the body type or the skin color that you have is tacky as hell.
Love accessorizing I think they give a better vibe to your outfit.
I feel incomplete without wearing any ring, bracelet or watch in my hand.
This is actually a photo that surprises me because it's very candid.
My cousin took this while she was playing with my camera, I ended up liking it.
XOXO Miki


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« No Shortage of STEM Plans Vying for Innovation Grants | Main | Kentucky to Model Professional Development for New Standards »
STEM Professionals Urged to Consider Move to Classroom
On Capitol Hill yesterday, a House panel examined efforts that encourage experts in the STEM professions to transition from jobs in industry to new careers in teaching (or consider serving as mentors).
"Individuals who have spent time in a STEM profession bring a unique perspective to the classroom and can make a great contribution to our STEM education efforts," Rep. Mo Brooks, an Alabama Republican who chairs the House Subcommittee on Research and Science Education, said in a press release. At the same time, he cautioned that "good teaching requires an additional and special set of knowledge and skills."
The panel invited five witnesses to discuss teaching in the STEM fields—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—including former software engineer Christine Sutton, who now teaches secondary math and computer science in Huntsville, Ala.
"As a parent, I had many opportunities to volunteer at my children's schools and to help their friends with math assignments," she said, according to the press release. "I was amazed by how many students (and adults) disliked math and believed that I could transfer my love of problem solving to the classroom to change attitudes and build confidence."
At EdWeek, we've recently highlighted some efforts aimed, at least in part, at recruiting and preparing professionals from other fields for new careers in teaching, including two fellowship programs: Math For America and the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program.
UPDATE (1:05 p.m.)
Speaking of STEM and Congress, I just learned that Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) this week introduced the STEM Education Innovation Act of 2011.
The bill would:
• Create an Office of STEM Education at the U.S. Department of Education;
• Institute a state consortium bringing together states to take the lead in shaping best practices in STEM education; and
• Establish the Education Innovation Project to promote the development of "transformational technologies" for the classroom by providing grants to develop ed-tech innovations for STEM education.


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Top flight deals to Vilnius (VNO)*
Fly to Vilnius with KLM
Together with our global network, we as KLM Royal Dutch Airlines offer flights to Vilnius, serving Vilnius Airport (VNO). We pride ourselves on our tireless efforts to get you to your destination on time, and as such we are extremely proud of our reputation for punctuality. With our focus on arriving on schedule and our convenient flight times, you can be confident flying with us on your next trip to Vilnius.
Top Vilnius attractions
- Vilnius Cathedral: a beautifully restored Roman Catholic cathedral, originally built in 1783 and home to more than forty works of art dating from the 16th through 19th centuries, including frescoes and paintings of various sizes.
- Gediminas' Tower: a famous historic tower overlooking the city, nowadays housing a museum exhibiting archaeological findings from the hill and the surrounding areas.
- Sts. Peter & Paul's Church: a stunning baroque Roman Catholic Church built in 1638, boasting masterful compositions of some 2.000 stucco figures by Giovanni Pietro Perti, and ornamentation by Giovanni Maria Galli.
- St. Anne's Church: an incredibly picturesque church in Vilnius' Old Town, reminiscent of flamboyant and brick gothic architecture, it is said to be Napoleon's favourite church.
- KGB Museum: used as a prison for political enemies by both the Nazis during World War 2, and the KGB during the Cold War; the soviet-brutalist building now serves as a museum telling the story of the various invasions into Lithuania.
If you're itching to find out more about beautiful Vilnius, take a look at our travel guide. We've got all of the information you need on the best attractions to visit so you don't have to miss a thing on your holiday to Vilnius!
What's the best way to get around Vilnius?
There is an excellent bus system that can be used to explore Vilnius. Trolleybuses and normal bus routes operate regularly throughout the city. Be warned that buses and trolleybuses use the same numbering system but run different routes, so while you might need a number 2 trolleybus, the number 2 bus won't be the same! There are also express buses, known as "greitasis" which run to and from the main stops at a quicker pace.
What's the weather in Vilnius?
Vilnius is cold and wet most of the year, with quite a lot of rainfall reported each month. If you really want to avoid the rain, try travelling in February. While February is one of the driest months, it is also one of the coldest. Over December, January and February, temperatures can plummet to colds of -5°C (23°F). The annual high temperature is just 17°C (62°F) in July.
Weather in Vilnius
Powered by: OpenWeatherMap.org
19 °CThursday13/08/2020
22 °CFriday14/08/2020
23 °CSaturday15/08/2020
24 °CSunday16/08/2020
24 °CMonday17/08/2020
25 °CTuesday18/08/2020
24 °CWednesday19/08/2020
*All amounts are in BHD. Taxes and carrier surcharges included. No booking fee applicable.


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When we first visited Brady Street Jewish Cemetery back in May 2007 we took photos of the memorial to Miriam Levy, a rare, perhaps unique, example of a Jewish memorial with a bust of a woman. This, presumably is an actual likeness of Miriam, who has been described as a welfare worker who opened the first soup kitchens in the East End.
Unfortunately our original photos were not especially clear; it was a very sunny day and the light and shade made reading the worn inscription almost impossible. So when we heard that Brady was to be opened for a day in April '09 we jumped at the chance of a return visit, eager to finally be able to read the full inscription. Well, hopeful at any rate!
Brady Street is normally locked and the visit was made possible by Babs, a British-Jewry member, who lives in Australia and had found the tombstone of her 5 x great-grandfather, Nathan Raphael (1726 – 21 Sep 1808) on GenPals website.
On her visit to Brady in 2008, she had been unable to find the tombstone so, when the opportunity to visit London arose in April '09, Babs contacted the United Synagogue and organised for the cemetery to be opened. Here is an extract from her marvellous family newsletter:
… the morning of Sunday, 19th April 2009, was set for a reunion of some distant cousins at the grave of their common ancestor – just over 200 years after his death! I suddenly became very nervous, what if I still couldn't find the grave? I anxiously re-checked Gaby's instructions and downloaded pictures of the tombstones she said were positioned either side of Nathan's. Both these tombstones were quite distinctive, with relatively clear inscriptions. I felt reassured; surely I had enough information to ensure success this time round. At the very least, there were several other graves of family members to visit I told myself while trying not to hyper-ventilate.
….. our group decided it might be quicker to split up and search separately. It was not long thereafter that my eagle-eyed husband triumphantly announced "I've found it!" As one, my newly-met cousins and I rushed to the scene. The tombstones on either side, we all agreed, clearly matched those identified by Gaby as Nathan's "neighbours".
Sunday 19th April was a truly memorable day for me too, it was an absolute pleasure to meet Babs and know that we had helped her locate the burial place of her ancestor and especially to walk around the cemetery seeing descendants visiting the graves of their ancestors. I fully understand the need to keep the cemetery closed but seeing several groups of families paying their respects to the those that died many years ago was a wonderful thing: how long has it been since these graves have been visited by family members?
Babs' visit was particularly special, as she had brought some polished stones from the Orange region NSW, Australia, where Nathan Raphael's grandson and patriarch of the Australian branch of the family is buried, to leave as a token of her visit.
Here is a photo (copyright K O'Connor) taken by Babs' husband, with Babs, and family members John and Julia, the polished stones visible on the top of the tombstone.
My time at Brady was nearly up so we took some photos of Miriam Levy's memorial from as many angles as possible and this time we were successful: the details of the main inscription are now included on the entry found here. As yet the details of her life and her involvement with the East End soup kitchens elude us.


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Thomas R. Proctor Senior High School's student council president wants to use a popular social networking Web site to connect the large student body. But MySpace and other similar sites are blocked on school computers, and that's unlikely to change, school officials said.
Thomas R. Proctor Senior High School's student council president wants to use a popular social networking Web site to connect the large student body.
But MySpace and other similar sites are blocked on school computers, and that's unlikely to change, school officials said. MYSPACE IN SCHOOLS * MySpace (www.myspace.com)
is a social networking Web site
that members can use to communicate. Members create profile pages and can link to friends' pages. Members can post comments on profile pages or send messages to other users.
* All school districts are required
by law to have an Internet safety
policy. They also can choose to
block certain categories of Web
sites in school including social networking sites.
* Most school districts block
access to social networking sites,
said Tracy Clark, director of the
Mohawk Regional Information
Center, a BOCES processing center that provides Internet filtering to about 50 school districts. Clark wasn't aware of any local districts that allow access to MySpace.
"I was hoping to use it to pass information to the students and get their information," senior Antonio Dougherty said.
Web sites such as MySpace expose students to Internet predators, educators said, and online disputes from the site sometimes end up in school buildings.
Blocking these sites is one of several moves local districts - including Utica, New Hartford, Ilion and Clinton - are taking help students learn how to use the Internet safely, educators said.
"From what I've seen of MySpace, it certainly isn't a site that's educationally sound," Proctor Principal Steve Falchi said. "The site itself has caused more problems for schools than it has helped schools."
Student communication
Dougherty said he wants to clean up Proctor's home page on MySpace to make it more student friendly, then post messages about events and pose ques
tions to students.
The school's page now contains multiple obscenities and some references to drugs, he said.
"There's stuff on there that really shouldn't be on there," he said.
About 2,000 current students and alumni are linked to the page, and posting there would be a quick way to let students know about activities and get their input.
Dougherty represents students' interests as the student member of the Board of Education.
"There's a lot they have to say, and they don't say it," he said.
It would be easier to maintain and update the site if he was permitted to do it at school, he said.
But Superintendent Marilyn Skermont said opening up the site for use during the day could pose a danger to students.
"It's the parents' responsibility at night," she said. "But we do not want to provide that access to them."
Skermont suggested an online message board, maintained by the school, would be a better option.
Dougherty agreed a school-run site would work, but he still plans to use MySpace to post information so students can access it after school, he said.
Proctor freshman Andriana Tkachuk has heard students complain about being denied access to MySpace at school, she said.
She understands it's a safety measure, she said, but doesn't think there's anything wrong with using the site only to talk to friends.
"We should be smart enough not to do stupid things or to get our personal information online," she said.
Classroom safety
Some educators noted an increase in the number of online disputes that ended up spilling into the classroom. A student might be upset about gossip posted on a site, or a post on the site could cause safety concerns.
In May, a rumor posted on MySpace about a gun prompted many students at Ilion Junior Senior High School to stay home. The post in question stated that someone heard a 16-year-old student was going to bring a gun to school, officials said.
New Hartford educators also began to notice an increase in online disputes making their way to school, said Assistant Superintendent Vincent Condro.
Students "were not being all that safe on the Internet or not knowing all the ramifications of the Internet," he said.
The district partnered with the New Hartford Police Department to implement an Internet safety program that teaches students everything from protecting their information to avoiding copyright infringement, Condro said.
"We're trying to protect our kids from all kinds of dangers," he said.
New Hartford Superintendent Dan Gilligan said students may argue their freedoms are being restricted, but it's the school's responsibility to keep students safe. Still, schools have a responsibility to educate students about online dangers, he said.
"You've got to teach the kids to swim," he said. "You can't constantly tell them to stay away from the water."


text:
Well, there go the holidays (for tablet buyers). Reports from The Wall Street Journal point to a delay in production of the Retina Displays, rumored to be a top selling point and feature of the iPad3.
Maybe the ridiculously high-res screens will be around in time for the Super Bowl? Unlikely, since both versions of the iPad have launched or pre-ordered in March.
Apple's fall retail push will fall to the iPhone 5, expected to launch in September.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
The iPad 3's Retina is expected to showcase a 2048 x 1536 display, compared to the 1024 x 768 in the iPad 2. The screen size stays the same at 9.7 inches.
Many suppliers in the pipeline adhere to Apple's tight-lipped approach to product and other business chatter, but one person did tell WSJ: "Suppliers will ramp up production and try to improve the yield rate for the new iPad in the fourth quarter before its official launch in early 2012."
Just in time for high-res pics of the cherry blossoms in DC, or SF Giants' Opening Day.


text:
Great cheese starts with great milk. At 5 Spoke Creamery (based in Goshen, N.Y) all of their cheeses are hand made in the farmstead tradition (produced on site with a closed herd) from the raw milk of grass-fed cows. Their milk comes from Holstein cows that are free of hormones. Raw milk from a grass-fed cow has a depth of flavor-or terroir-that cannot be duplicated.
5 Spoke Creamery's raw milk cheeses offer numerous health benefits. Their raw milk cheeses, all aged a minimum of 60 days, promote easier digestion and better calcium absorption; contribute to a stronger immune system; aid in combating allergies; are high in conjugated linoleic acid - the most potent cancer fighter and contain a perfect balance of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.


text:
< Features
Java 7
Make Java 7 (OpenJDK7) the default Java runtime and Java build tool set.
- Name: Deepak Bhole
- email: dbhole at redhat dot com
Current status
- Targeted release: Fedora 17
- Last Updated: 2012-01-06
- Percentage of completion: 80%
Detailed Description
OpenJDK7 has been available as a tech preview in Fedora 16 since GA.
In Fedora 16, the default JDK has been kept as OpenJDK6 due to the relative untested state of OpenJDK7 at the time. OpenJDK7 has received a fair bit of testing since in Fedora and in other distros. For Fedora 17, it should therefor be made the default.
Benefit to Fedora
Fedora users will have access to all the new language and feature enhancements provided by Java 7. Should they want to use Java 6, OpenJDK6 will be available as an optional alternative.
As OpenJDK builds already exist in rawhide, the only work that remains is to change the provides such that OpenJDK6 provides "java6, jdk6, etc." so that nothing accidentally builds with 6 (thus masking potential breakage with 7).
How To Test
- Install
- Run (as root) 'alternatives --config java' and select the 1.7 version
- Run 'java -version' to ensure that it is correct
User Experience
By default, users will have access to all of the new features that version 7 of the language provides. If they want Java 6, they can install java-1.6.0-openjdk in parallel and switch the alternative.
Note that the default set of packages provided by Fedora will *NOT* work with OpenJDK6 as they will have been built with OpenJDK7 which has a newer class file format. OpenJDK6 will only be supplied for cases where users are using custom/proprietary apps that do not work with OpenJDK7 yet.
No new dependencies are needed for java-1.7.0-openjdk.
Contingency Plan
Everything built with Java 6 is usable with Java 7, so no contingency should be needed. For sanity, all Java packages should be built with OpenJDK7 (locally or in Koji) to ensure that there are no API discrepencies. Such discrepencies will be few and far given how compatible 7 is with 6.
New features in OpenJDK7 are listed on [1].
Release Notes
Comments and Discussion


text:
Pot charges over time: The statistics differentiate between rural and urban areas in some cases. This is because some RCMP detachments are responsible for policing in the outlying areas beyond city limits.
There is a myth that lighting up a joint in public can't get you arrested in B.C. And that misperception, say police, may be leading to an increase in criminal charges for marijuana possession.
It's still illegal to possess marijuana in Canada, and pot possession charges in B.C. have been rising faster than population growth for the past decade, according to numbers obtained from the Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics' uniform crime reporting survey. The survey collates data from police forces across the country.
In some rural areas, the rate of charges jumped tenfold over the last decade — far greater than the provincial average of 88 per cent between 2002 and 2011. B.C.'s population rose 11.7 per cent in that time period.
There's been no change in RCMP policy to indicate why charges are on the rise, and there's no simple explanation for the increase, said Sgt. Duncan Pound, media officer for the RCMP's federal programs.
Areas with a reputation for easy access to pot and leniency in policing may actually experience higher charges.
"So those communities might see more charges because you might see more people openly flouting the current laws," he said.
Nelson, which earned a reputation for growing and smoking B.C. bud, had 298 charges per 100,000 people last year. And Tofino, a laid-back surfer haven, had 588 in 2011, compared to Vancouver, which had just 30 per 100,000.
Across Canada, 28,183 people were charged with possession last year, or about 81 charges per 100,000 people.
Pot charges in the Lower Mainland: The following map shows which Metro Vancouver cities have the most charges for pot possession per capita. The darker the colour, the more charges there are in that municipality. Click on a city for more details.
According to a 2011 Health Canada survey, about nine per cent of Canadians aged 15 and older used marijuana in the past year. That suggests about one out of 90 pot users was criminally charged.
The RCMP's role is to enforce the laws of Canada and possession of marijuana remains illegal, Pound said, adding that possession is a crime that often comes down to officer discretion and consultation with Crown counsel.
"But in the bigger picture, the expectation that Canadians have is that RCMP will enforce the laws, that we won't show preference."
Other police forces attribute a steep increase to a change in police procedure — like Delta's drive to be drug-free.
"Being one of our strategic goals, it's indicative of our patrol members and front-line members being proactive in the community," said Const. Ciaran Feenan of the Delta Police, which has seen eight charges in 2002 rise to 82 charges in 2011, an increase of 925 per cent. Proactive drug enforcement has been a focus since 2007.
"During that time, the Delta police department took a three-pronged approach: awareness, education and enforcement."
The Delta police force also has a "no call too small" motto, meaning police are obliged to respond to a complaint of marijuana smoke in a downtown park.
Police in most other jurisdictions don't set out to bust dope smokers.
Possession charges generally arise in a number of ways, such as a roadside police check for impaired driving, patrol officers breaking up a loud party, or someone's involvement in a more serious offence like a domestic assault or a disturbance outside a bar that leads to search and seizure.
The justice centre's statistics don't indicate the quantity of marijuana seized.
Geography can also play a role in pot charges, said Revelstoke RCMP Sgt. Kim Hall.
"We're on a main highway here, so many times vehicles are stopped for accidents, they're stopped for road checks, people are found in possession with a joint here or there. That's possibly one reason why there's a high number of charges."
There's also a high influx of young people during the ski and snowboard season, but Hall cautioned against speculating young people were charged more often.
"Maybe we can put it down to great police officers here wanting to keep drugs off the street ... we're very active in preventing the illegal use of drugs."
The University of B.C. is another surprising hot spot for marijuana charges, from zero charges in 2002 to 72 in 2011, a rate of 576 per 100,000.
Campus is patrolled by the same RCMP detachment responsible for the famously liberal Wreck Beach.
"UBC students use Wreck Beach but so do lots and lots of other people, so I could not presume (the charges) were all UBC students," said Dr. Patricia Mirwaldt, head of UBC health services. "We have no way of knowing who they gave these citations to."
According to UBC data from the 2009 National College Health Assessment, only 14 per cent of students reported they'd used marijuana in some form in the last 30 days, and about two-thirds claimed they had never tried pot.
Vancouver Police state they place a low priority on simple possession and the number of possession charges per capita in Vancouver is small, just 30 per 100,000 residents.
In North Vancouver, the rate increased about 500 per cent in both the district and city, according to the statistics. That surprised even Cpl. Richard De Jong of the North Vancouver RCMP. He said it's possible an old recording system distorted the number of charges early in the decade.
But while officers are generally tolerant of small amounts of marijuana, officers have also been more proactive in foot patrols in the last few years.
"Obviously we'd be smelling it more, we'd be seeing it more, we'd have a lot of possession," he said. "It also speaks to the fact of just how comfortable people are with having small amounts, so you'd see the increase."
With statistical analysis by Chad Skelton
Pot charges per 100,000: The statistics differentiate between rural and urban areas in some cases. This is because some RCMP detachments are responsible for policing in the outlying areas beyond city limits. The appearance that rural Revelstoke has a very high number of charges per 100,000 - 5,727 - is due to the very small population sample. There were 39 marijuana possession charges laid there in 2011.


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2014 SRT Viper Gets Stryker Green Treatment
SRT is introducing a special new high-impact color for the Viper that will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Called Stryker Green.
Before the Viper was created in 1992—back when Detroit was making cars for the denizens of Woodward Avenue—Chrysler stood out. They may not have been the first with stripes or shaker hoods, but they always exploited them to their fullest. For example, Chrysler had the brightest and largest palette out of any manufacturer in Detroit or Kenosha (don't forget li'l AMC). Bright colors have been such a part of the image of Mopar muscle that Dodge revived or updated several for the new-gen Challenger.
With that inspiration, SRT is introducing a special new high-impact color for the 2014 SRT Viper that will make its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Called Stryker Green, it is an evolution of the Snakeskin Green color that was first introduced in 2008. Stryker Green, however, is slightly different, featuring enhanced green and yellow pigments and a "liquid mercury" appearance.
Here's what Ralph Gilles, President and CEO, SRT Brand and Motorsports, has to say about the new color: "We're continuing to develop and build unique, low-volume, special-edition colors for the Viper that adds to the exclusivity of our American-built flagship supercar. Every SRT Viper is painted with a process that is very similar to what we use for our show cars. The application of the new Stryker Green exterior paint is a very detailed and intricate process, taking approximately eight hours to complete. The process first starts with a base color coat followed by a green-tinted mid-coat and topped off with a clear finish. Each coat application adds depth and accentuates the curvature of the Viper's exterior design."
Stryker Green will be available starting in February 2014 on the Viper GTS and the Viper with the Grand Touring package.
GT package? Indeed. Featuring Nappa leather seats, five-mode Electronic Stability Control and the two-mode Bilstein DampTronic Select suspension (both previously only available with the Viper GTS), it lends a bit of civility to the Viper without going totally smooth with the GTS. The GT package will be limited to the new Stryker Green or Venom Black paint.
And if the Viper, Viper with the GT package, and the Viper GTS are simply too tepid for you, you always have the Viper Time Attack (TA), which is SRT's ultimate track-day package car. Not a new announcement for Detroit, but with 93 to be built in TA Orange, 33 in Viper White, and 33 in Venom Black, its collectability will be assured.
As if any Viper isn't collectible already.


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Jon Hamm's big ham is getting attention once again.
According to The New York Daily News (with several unnamed sources), the 42-year-old actor was politely told to wear underwear while filming Mad Men because the tight-fitting wardrobe in the period drama can be overly revealing otherwise. In the season premiere specifically, Hamm's character Don Draper vacations in Hawaii where he's clad in '60s-style short shorts. While we can't say for sure that he donned skivvies under his suit, from the looks of the set photos, he could use them.
Photos: Everybody's posing nude!
Last year, Gawker pointed out what they believed to be a very revealing paparazzi shot of Hamm walking the streets.
Do you think too much attention is being paid to Hamm's crotch?


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Narrator: Linda Emond
Format: Unabridged-CD, Paperback
Publisher: HarperAudio
Published: Feb 2014
Genre: Fiction - Thrillers
Retail Price: $39.99
When Felix Brewer meets nineteen-year-old Bernadette "Bambi" Gottschalk in 1959, he charms her with wild promises, some of which he actually keeps. Thanks to his lucrative—if not all legal—businesses, she and their three little girls live in luxury. But in 1976, Bambi's comfortable world implodes when Felix, facing prison, vanishes. Though Bambi has no idea where her husband—or his money—might be, she suspects one woman does: his devoted young mistress, Julie. When Julie disappears ten years to the day after Felix went on the lam, everyone assumes she's left to join her old lover—until her remains are discovered in a secluded park.
Now, twenty-six years later, Roberto "Sandy" Sanchez, a retired Baltimore detective working cold cases for some extra cash, is investigating her murder. What he discovers is a tangled web of bitterness, jealousy, resentment, greed, and longing stretching over five decades. And at its center is the man who has never been forgotten by the five women who loved him: the enigmatic Felix Brewer.
Felix Brewer left five women behind. Now there are four. Does at least one of them know the truth?


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The foundations for Manageability in Windows 7/2008/Vista/XP/2000 and Millennium Edition/'98 are Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI; formerly WBEM) and WMI extensions for Windows Driver Model (WDM).
ActiveXperts Network Monitor provides the ability to build monitor check routines based on WMI. ActiveXperts has collected more than a hundred WMI samples. You can use these samples as a base for new check routines you can write yourself.
On this site, you can find many WMI samples.
use strict; use Win32::OLE('in'); use constant wbemFlagReturnImmediately => 0x10; use constant wbemFlagForwardOnly => 0x20; my @computers = ("DELL17"); foreach my $computer (@computers) { print "\n"; print "==========================================\n"; print "Computer: $computer\n"; print "==========================================\n"; my $objWMIService = Win32::OLE->GetObject("winmgmts:\\\\$computer\\root\\CIMV2") or die "WMI connection failed.\n"; my $colItems = $objWMIService->ExecQuery("SELECT * FROM Win32_ConnectionShare", "WQL", wbemFlagReturnImmediately | wbemFlagForwardOnly); foreach my $objItem (in $colItems) { print "Antecedent: $objItem->{Antecedent}\n"; print "Dependent: $objItem->{Dependent}\n"; print "\n"; } }


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An imposing Victorian-era building in Exeter, Devon, which once housed the West England Eye Hospital, has been converted into a 59-room hotel, the Magdalen Chapter.
While exterior and some heritage features remain, including wide hospital corridors and oak floors, each room has an iPad, complimentary minibar and coffee machine. Some rooms have views to the Haldon Hills, the high ground between the rivers Exe and Teign.
The hotel has an "inside-out pool" so that guests can swim year-round and sit by an open fire between laps. The day spa is within a walled garden and the hotel's lounge, with floor-to-ceiling glass, includes topiary lights to reflect the area's rural landscapes.
The restaurant, guided by British chef and author Simon Hopkinson, has a circus-top-style ceiling in the main dining area and a semi-private alcove, The Circle, to the side. The site's original potting shed with wood stove is available for private dining.
The hotel is within walking distance of the Norman-era Exeter Cathedral, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and, for the dandy or dandyess, the boutiques of Gandy Street.
It is the second property of Chapter Hotels, which opened the Montpellier in Cheltenham in 2010.
The company specialises in restoring period properties in British cities and towns. Magdalen Chapter rooms, via paperless check-in, cost from £152 ($230) a night.
See themagdalenchapter.com.
Spring fever
The 126,000-plus crowd of interstate and overseas guests to Canberra's Floriade, who stay an average of 3.1 nights, can add one more hotel to their where-to-stay-in-the-capital list.
The East Hotel, on Canberra Avenue between Manuka and Kingston, is about a 20-minute bike ride (the hotel will lend you a treadley) or 50-minute walk from Commonwealth Park, the site of the annual spring festival.
The hotel has polished concrete floors, recycled timber and a large central atrium with fireplace. A black ceiling punctuated with small holes gives a "limitless sky" effect and dark materials are juxtaposed with colourful furnishings. All 140 rooms have king beds and kitchen facilities. There are two children's studios with bunk beds, child-size furnishings and XBox Kinect.
The hotel also has a 24-hour gym, dedicated exercise classes and a restaurant and bar. A studio room costs from $300 a night; apartment from $350 a night. Floriade, now in its 25th year, begins on September 15 and runs until October 14. See easthotel.com.au; floriadeaustralia.com.


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1375 Blossom Hill Rd
Suite 36,
San Jose , CA 95118
Phone: (408) 723-7222
Parents call it a break from the kids. Kids call it a break from their parents. That sounds like a win-win situation to us. Our Parents' Survival Nights out let you enjoy some adult time to see a movie, catch up with friends or enjoy a meal without—ahem—your pint-sized food critics in tow. Meanwhile, your children get some quality "kid time" in a safe, fun, familiar place with trained instructors who lead them through music, games, and fun LEGO® building activities. We schedule Parents' Survival Nights out for select Friday and Saturday evenings. Spots fill quickly, so book soon for your win-win night off.See schedule
Ages 3-12
Starting at $45 Members,
$50 Non-members
Pricing: Starting at $45 Members, $50 Non-Members
Select the desired event time to schedule your Parents' Survival Night!
Ages 3-12
August 22
Pricing: $45 Members, $50 Non-members
The Little Gym is the exclusive childhood development center home to LEGO®-based activities. Look for special building experiences in "Let's Build, Let's Play" Parent/Child events, WonderKids Club, Awesome Birthday Bash parties, Camps and Parents' Survival Nights!
LEGO, the LEGO logo, and DUPLO are trademarks and/or copyrights of the LEGO Group. ©2020 The LEGO Group. All rights reserved
Come join us to make new friends, learn new things and build self-confidence in a super fun, supportive environment.


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Classic and comfortable women's flats made for every day wear. Your feet will thank you.
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What does Sole Society offer in terms of women's flats?
Flats are one of the most versatile types of shoes. Not only are they always in style, but they are also comfortable, stylish, and go with just about anything.
At Sole Society, we are big lovers of flats—we're always sourcing the newest styles from our favorite brands to bring you the best collection of flats online. We also take inspiration from the latest fashions to create our signature line of flats that are always a hit with our customers.
Our collection is always rotating to bring you the hottest styles. From seasonal looks like woven mules to classic silhouettes like ballet flats, our collection is always full of styles that you'll love.
Are Sole Society flats comfortable?
No matter what you're looking for, you can shop confidently knowing that every pair of flats in our collection is made from quality materials. We know that you value comfort, which is why we only select flats that are crafted with care. In a quality crafted shoe, you get support in all the right areas while remaining fashionable.
Flats can be notoriously difficult to break in. To help your flats fit more comfortable right from the start, try them on with a pair of socks on your feet. Blow hot air from your blow dryer onto your feet. The shoes will have an easier time molding to your feet, giving you more comfortable wear.
How to pick the right size and width?
No matter where you shop, do you feel like you're always a different size? So do we. We know that no two brands make shoes in the same way, which is why we've created a few shopping tips on each pair of flats so you can pick the right size every time.
When you've found a pair of flats that you want to make your own, before choosing your size, look at the product description.
There, we've outlined a few essential fit notes that our style team has created after wearing these shoes. Listed in the product description is the material used, fitting notes, shoe width, heel height, and more. This will help you better determine which size is best for your feet.
What materials are the flats made of?
At Sole Society, we hand select every pair of flats you'll find our site. We do this to ensure each is made from the best materials and infused with effortless style. Some of the most popular materials that our flats are made of are: Leather, Suede, Haircalf, Fabric, and more. These materials have proven to create long-lasting, comfortable, and stylish flats.
How do you take care of women's flats?
Caring for flats is simple if you have the right products to guide you. Leather flats are a wardrobe staple. Before wearing your leather flats, apply a leather conditioner and water-resistant spray. These products will keep your flats safe from warping due to water or dry heat. For suede flats, a suede brush will help prevent the suede from losing its supple texture. For canvas flats, you can use mild soap and water to clean and maintain your shoes. If you have stains, you can use a stain-fighting treatment that is made for clothes. This will help your flats stay looking fresh and new.
What can you wear flats with?
One of the most amazing things about flats is that they go with just about anything. Dress down a pair of work slacks without looking too casual with a pair of leather mule flats. Create a pretty femme look with a pair of classic ballet flats and summer dress that will have heads turning your way. Rock a pair of cutoff denim shorts with a loose blouse and some leather sneakers for a cool-girl look that never goes out of style. Flats are comfortable and classic. Made for everyday wear, your feet will thank you for wearing flats.


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All About Baby
Your little one will begin to fill out over the next few weeks. Fat layers form throughout your unborn baby's body. These layers will eventually keep him warm and insulated once outside the womb. Soft hair, called lanugo, covers his body, too. His eyelids are still closed, making him appear like he's sleeping, but frequent wiggles will let you know he's awake. You may also feel Baby hiccupping.Those jerky motions you feel in your belly are a result of little lungs practicing the important task of breathing.
All About You
Now that your body is accustomed to your new addition, you'll notice several pregnancy symptoms disappear: Nausea becomes a distant memory and fatigue more manageable. Your breasts and abdomen are less tender, but you may experience itchiness and see stretch marks as your body continues to expand. As your internal organs are pushed aside to make room for the growing fetus, you may have heartburn, indigestion, and bloating. Your mood swings lessen, but you may have more anxiety about labor and motherhood as the reality of your baby's birth draws closer.
Bonding with Your Baby-to-Be
You don't have to wait until your baby arrives to begin bonding. Throughout your pregnancy you may have thoughts and impressions about your baby-to-be's personality. Maybe she constantly wiggles at a certain time of day, or her movements become less frequent when you're listening to particular kinds of music. Try these simple ideas to feel closer your little one.
Talk to your baby-to-be: According to a 2005 study by Barbara Kisilevsky, a nursing professor at Queens University in Ontario, Canada, babies prefer their mothers' voices even before they're born. Kisilevsky, who conducted the research with a team of psychologists from Queens and obstetricians in Hangzhou, China, found that babies' heart rates in utero accelerated at the sound of their mothers' voices. You can help your baby get to know your voice by talking to him. Sing to him in the car, rattle off the ingredients as you cook dinner, or read to him. Let other family members in on the fun; your partner or other children can talk to your tummy, too!
Start a library for your little one: If this is your first child, you may not have any baby books in your home. Before your baby arrives, pick out stories you can share with her. You'll be reading these stories over and over again, so choose carefully. (And remember, you don't have to wait she's born to start reading to her.)
Listen to music together: Your baby can hear sounds, including music, in utero (how well she hears it is still a matter of scientific study). While you may not convert your baby-to-be to your preferred bands, you'll feel a connection to her as she kicks during your favorite tunes. Try picking an anthem for your baby — maybe a Beatles classic, a country ballad, or a calming lullaby.
Ready the nursery: Preparing your child's room can help you envision what life will be like once he arrives. Choosing colors, picking out crib sheets, and adding decorations to plain walls may make your impending motherhood feel all the more real.
Buy baby clothes: Shopping for a little one can be fun. Just look at how small those newborn socks are! Display your finds on hangers in the nursery.
Blog your pregnancy: Help your family and friends know more about how you're feeling through a website designed around your pregnancy. Post ultrasound pictures or — if you're brave enough — pictures of your growing baby bump. Friends and family can offer support and share in your excitement.
Keep a journal of your thoughts: Take time to reflect on what it means to be carrying your child. Record these thoughts in a diary so that you'll never forget how you felt during your pregnancy. You may even share this journal with your child once he gets older.
Got questions about Week 21? Other women have asked…
Q: My back really hurts! What can I safely do to help alleviate this pain?
Lower back pain or discomfort is a common pregnancy symptom for many women. As you gain weight and hormones loosen joints to accommodate the size of your baby, many women will complain of aches, fatigue, or even moderate to severe pain in the lower back. There are some things you can do to lessen the severity and improve the symptoms. Read more about back pain during pregnancy.
Q: Is it normal to have contractions at 21 weeks?
Contractions usually feel like a balling up or tightening sensation over your lower abdomen, or sometimes in your back. They might feel a little like menstrual cramps. Up to a few contractions an hour can be normal. Read more about Braxton Hicks contractions at 21 weeks.
Q: Will having sex during pregnancy hurt our baby?
This is a fairly universal concern that most fathers-to-be have on their minds. As far as hurting the baby, worry not: The baby is well protected by the uterine wall, the amniotic fluid, and the amniotic sac. The opening to the uterus, the cervix, is also closed and has a mucus plug to protect the uterus and your baby. Read more about sex during pregnancy.
Q: Is it safe for pregnant women to pass through airport screening machines?
Don't worry! According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), passing through an airport screening machine poses no threat to you or your baby. Read more about travelling while pregnant.
Your Partner
When Something Goes Wrong
Lugging an extra 10 to 20 pounds or more can be terribly exhausting for some pregnant women. Combine that weight with the rigors of day-to-day life, and your spouse's body is now working harder than it ever has before to simply walk from the car to the front door, up and down stairs at the office, or around the grocery aisles. The truth is, pregnancy affects every woman differently, and it is hard — if not impossible — to determine how it is going to affect your partner. If your spouse begins to feel ill at this point in her pregnancy, experiences complications, or is ordered onto partial or complete bed rest, it becomes your job to do everything in your power to help her.
When the unplanned occurs during pregnancy, it is stressful for both you and your spouse. In order to help her, you'll need to be as flexible and creative as possible. She may need to have more food or water with her wherever she goes (equipping her with a Camelbak or other low-weight, ergonomic water carrier can be key). She may need to remain lying down as much as possible (try rearranging areas in your home so she is never far from anything she needs). You can help by setting up a little snack and water tray by the bed or couch. Get her good books to read, videos to watch, or music to listen to.
Remember, taking care of your partner gives her a better chance of carrying to full-term and delivering a healthy baby for you both.
But to take care of yourself, you'll also need to think creatively. You can't afford to be overwhelmed by stress but like many expecting dads, the added stress and worry affects you, too, and you don't want to burden your partner more than she already is. Yet it is extremely important that you find some way to manage your increased stress. Try talking to friends and family, seek out the advice of fathers who have already been through this.
When things get tough, it is even more important that you two find special time together, time where you can push aside the stress and anxiety and remember that it was the love you two have for each other that brought you here today, that your love for each other, your ability to communicate, to share, to love will be what helps you both get through all of this together.


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Building strong, lasting relationships with our clients is our primary focus. Our regular wealth preservation seminars conducted in all major cities around Australia provides the spring board for face to face contact that seems to be so often missing in our industry. Backing up our seminar program is our regular Silver Update, providing clients with the latest developments on Precious Metals.
Whether you place an order online 24/7, chat online or call us over the phone to enquire about anything on Gold or Silver, you have our assurance, we will in all cases demonstrate our desire to provide you with extraordinary service. We look forward to hearing from you in the future as your interest in Precious Metals develops, allowing us the much valued opportunity of helping you build your wealth in hard assets.
Get the Silver Update sent straight to your inbox!


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What's appropriate and what's not regarding the use of social networks? Beyond formal codes of conduct at work, what behaviors and attitudes will likely lead to trouble? What tips can we share from those who have gone before us and learned about the good, the bad and the ugly? What good habits enable a positive experience in the long run? And, what are some examples of social media technology being used in destructive ways that undermine relationships?
What's appropriate and what's not regarding the use of social networks? Beyond formal codes of conduct at work, what behaviors and attitudes will likely lead to trouble? What tips can we share from those who have gone before us and learned about the good, the bad and the ugly? What good habits enable a positive experience in the long run? And, what are some examples of social media technology being used in destructive ways that undermine relationships?
These are topics that need more attention, in my opinion.
One aspect of cybersecurity that gets far too little attention online is pragmatic cyber ethics. Most security bloggers (including me) spend beaucoup time elaborating on viruses, malware, hacking, passwords, insider threats, external bad guys, policies, conferences, cloud computing challenges, do's and don'ts of government technology contracts and more. However, we spend too little time addressing online etiquette issues that are getting people in trouble – even when technology and security are working properly.
Don't get me wrong. Social media marketing advice abounds – if you are looking for it. A quick Google search will yield almost half a billion page views. One top article offers: 10 Social Media Tips From a Top Media Agency, with advice like "Don't Be an Island" and "Listen Up."
But marketing is not what I'm talking about. I'm referring to personal advice that works for the average user – even at home.
I like this About.com article entitled: Top 10 Social Media Do's and Don'ts, which focuses on finding a job using social media. Also, there is advice on how to act online to, amongst other things, "not get fired."
Another worthwhile article is a few years old but still very relevant: Social Media Etiquette: 20 Dos and Don'ts to Avoid Looking Like an Ass. Here's an excerpt:
"… DO think before "speaking." – Yes, social media involves the ability to publish your thoughts instantly. But just because something pops into your head, it doesn't mean it should be shared with the world. Think first.
DO personalize messages and introductions. — When you first connect with someone new and they don't already know you, go ahead and say hello. Let them know how you came across them. It's a little less creepy and you might just make a great impression.
DO think (and network) outside your circle. — If your social networks only involve people who agree with you, you're living in a box. It's silly at best.
DON'T post questionable photos of others without their permission. — Regardless of whether or not you legally need a model release to post a certain photo, don't post anything questionable or compromising of someone else unless you check with them first. It's just the right thing to do. And if you don't, remember this — karma's a bitch. You have no idea what they have on you.
DON'T send automated messages to new followers. — When someone follows you on Twitter, don't use automated tools to immediately bombard them with messages (no matter how sweet you think you're being in your not-so-personal "hello"). Remember, it's not just you annoying them — others are doing it too…."
But my favorite social media advice, and the blog that got me thinking about this topic again this week, comes from Pastor Kevin DeYoung. I urge you to read his entire post – regardless of your religious beliefs. Here's an excerpt from: The One Indispensable Rule for Using Social Media:
"…Whether you are a tween, a teen, a pastor, a politician, a grandma, or a grad student, whether you blog, tweet, post, or pin, here is the one indispensable social media rule you must follow if you want to be wise, edifying, and save yourself a lot of anguish:
Assume that everyone, everywhere will read what you write and see what you post.
No matter your settings or how tight your circle is, you ought to figure that anyone in the world could come across your social media. All it takes is a link or a search or a bunch of friends you don't know gathered around a phone that belongs to someone you do know. Anyone can see everything. Your pastor, your parishoners, your ex-whatever, your boss, your prospective employer, your spouse, your kids, your in-laws, your I don't know if people forget fans, your constituents, your opponents, your enemies, your parole officer, the girl you like, the dude who freaks you out, the feds, the papers–assume everyone can read your rant and see your pics…."
Now I'm sure that some readers will misinterpret this perspective – especially endorsed from a chief security officer. No, I am not giving up securing sensitive data via appropriate channels. Yes, I think Facebook, Google and other others should offer better privacy setting options.
But social media sites are, by design, very open and shared. Kevin's advice affects how we wisely post material and interact in online conversations. There are real consequences to bad judgments regarding whether content should be posted. One friend said to another friend: "What part of the words 'social media' don't you understand?"
I even left a comment on Kevin's blog about this rule applying to most email exchanges at work. (I know this goes beyond the social media category.)
Yes, I believe secure email can be private. However, I have seen hundreds of examples of inappropriate use of email by staff to rant about personnel problems, coworkers, their management, a lack of a raise, their spouse or other topics. These emails can be forwarded to others, show up in court proceedings via an e-Discovery (court-order) request, accessed by the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in governments, sent via "blind cc," or even inadvertently read by coworkers on screens.
I'm no longer surprised by stories of the inappropriate uses of social media. Yes, I am an optimist who believes that technology can, and will, do amazing things. But as Thomas Jefferson once advised, "When angry count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred."
I think this quote applies to online social media channels as well. What are your thoughts? Any tips to share?
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This week I upgraded from a 2011 Cabrinha Crossbow 13m and 2011 Convert 9m to the 2013 Cabrinha Xbow 13, SB 10 and SB 7.
I got out Thursday for the first time on the SB 10. It is a great improvement over the 9m i was riding before. Riding conditions were 16kts gusting 24kts. Main differences are power (obviously a size increase) and the SB has lighter bar pressure.However I really notcied that the new SB handles the gusts smoothly. Not jerky and didnt flutter through the gusts like the convert did.The boost is alot better over the convert too.
Main differences in the Xbows riding 13 to 17knts tonight: the 2013 is a great improvement in turning speed. I would say that it probably turns almost twice as fast as the 2011.
I noticed it right away. And on transitions where the 2011 would take its time, the 2013 is already over before i've reacted to the direction change. Felt closer to SB speed than older Crossbow speeds. I feel that this kite would do decent loops as well, however i didn't try it in a drysuit in 3 degree waters. Bar pressure is significantly lighter. I'm curious to know how it flies in lighter winds, say 10 knot range with a Sector.
Overall I'm extremely pleased with my upgrades. I couldn't recommend these kites more.
FYI I am not affiliated with Cabrinha in any way.
Will post an update after a few more sessions.
Saturday I was able to test out the 7m Switchblade. First thing that I love about this kite is the colour. The Wildcard mostly black colour i think looks amazing.
The sandbanks sensor was reading 35 knots when I arrived early Sat. I was surprised to be the only kiter there, but figured I since I drove all that way I should test it out.
Self launching wasnt an issue. As soon as i pulled the kite into the wind it launched along the window with ease.
Smooth handling and low pressure. It felt as if it had no power but as soon as I dropped it to start to ride it pulled. Soft bar pressure I guess.
In the severe gusts it barely fluttered and power increased very smoothly. The turning speed was fast. I hit the water a few times at first until I got used to the turning speed. Way faster than the 10m SB.
The small bar seemed perfect size for the control of the kite and I quickly found myself one handing and steering with ease.
Self landing was tricky. I used the IDS system and the kite didnt flag like my other ones do. As i started to walk up the front line it did take off and repower in a gust, crashing itself.
I was able to pull one line and have it flip onto its LE. If i were to kite with it again, I would tie off an anchor and pull the ids then anchor the loop to flip it myself.
I did try some air but found I dropped instantly, but I found out later that when i checked my lines they come from the factory untuned.
Overall Im extremely happy with the purchase for 25+ knot days!


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adriannla wrote:Rudi,
For me, it was obvious the v126.96.36.199 disconnect issue is viewer side, as I've been using it for a short while to connect to various clients on many different OS and several different vnc_server versions. As long as the viewer remained on top and had focus, there was usually no disconnect. Minimizing or even alt-tabbing to another app would result in the viewer disconnecting, at intervals anywhere from ~30secs to a couple minutes.
I've only just begun using the 1.2.2 viewer linked above, but so far have not experienced the issue.
P.S. you are aware of the google reCaptcha upgrade? New users signing up are getting a warning that the currently used captcha expires at eom.
And you use the 188.8.131.52 viewer with the same server version?


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Posts Tagged 'Futisforum'
Case: The hunt of the mysterious advertisement love seeker in Finland
The biggest newspaper in Finland, Helsingin Sanomat, had 29.3.2009 an extraordinary full page ad costing about 20 000 euros. Anonymous person was seeking a woman seen a month ago at restaurant Mecca in Helsinki. Normally these kind of requests are put on the Personal -section and much more cheaper. The original ad with english translation here by 1541.
Many readers thought that it was just a campaign ad instead of personal announcement. At the same time number service Fonecta had quite similar campaign in tv channels. Also MTV3 has started to promo its new tv series about tracking missing people.
But Helsingin Sanomat (HS) insisted, that that the ad was not a part of any commercial campaign and really from anonymous person. Also, HS told that the announcer does not give any interviews and will not come to the publicity. He just hopes that the lost woman might contact to email address lostyouinhelsinki (at) gmail.com.
MuroBBS is the home of the net detectives in Finland. I'll cover later in my blog some brilliantly solved cases by MuroBBS. In MuroBBS and in Futisforum, for example, were tested the gmail address. They faked to forgot the password and Google asked in Russian about the register number of a car. Also, someone managed to fake Google itself and got secondary address of lostyouinhelsinki (at) gmail.com. That leaded to www site under Geocities and after some fiddling to consumer sector director of Philips in Russia. Need to emphasize, the person working in Philips is just a wild guess and maybe totally wrong lead. Iltalehti covers these 'findings' as facts without any mentioning to MuroBBS, Futisforum or other actual net detective sources.
In that phase, Reijo Aarnio, Data Protection Ombudsman of Finland, started to comment the case. – In my point of view, they are playing with fire, he told to Iltalehti.
The mystery is not solved yet. But it might be the case, where the privilegies of the proam net detectives is tested. I'll cover the case if it has any solutions. Today there has not been any achievements, maybe due to the April fools' day.
Update 09-04-01 17:55+2 GMT: Ilta-Sanomat published today details in its print version full page coverage about the mysterious ad love seeker. Claimed to be ~40-years old business man, Ilta-Sanomat made detailed profile – althought without any named sources. Ilta-Sanomat thinks this is a solution to the mystery.
The interesting part with this case is – again – how pro journalists use more and more the work of proam net detectives, googling and other net resources without any hesitation or proofing the gathered information. Is the only skill needed to be professional journalist just the ability to make some simple googling nowadays? Ordinary people on the net can do it faster and better.
Update 09-04-02 17:26+2 GMT:
Ilta-Sanomat published today a flowchart how the mysterious ad seeker might have seen the mysterious lady. At least two woman have identified herself as the mysterious lady. One of them in www forum of Vauva-lehti. She writes, that she is actually scaring the man who has so much money that can do so desperate things like whole page ad.
Update 09-04-03 17:26 +2 GMT:
Anonymous Finnish male ITC milionaire seeks escort wife on the web recruitment service Uranus.fi. Obviously April fools' day prank, but it reached almost 8 000 reades.
Update 09-04-03 09:40 +2 GMT:
Hollywood director Renny Harlin (originated from Finland) has got two ads and love confessions in Personal -section of Helsingin Sanomat from anonymous Leena Leijona (after April fools' day).


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Craftsman Farms
Craftsman Farms is the former country estate of noted turn-of-the-century designer Gustav Stickley, a major proponent of the Arts and Crafts movement in decorative arts, home building and furnishing styles. Stickley combined the roles of designer and manufacturer, architect, publisher, philosopher, and social critic. He is best known today for his straightforward furniture, sometimes called "mission" or "Craftsman" furniture. Around 1905 Stickley moved his headquarters from Syracuse to New York City. In 1908 he began acquiring 650 acres of property on what is now the western edge of Parsippany-Troy Hills, an area formerly part of Morris Plains where he envisioned establishing a farm school for boys. The focal point of his "Garden of Eden" was a large house constructed of round, hewn chestnut logs that were cut from the property's woods and local stone also found on the property. Stickley originally designed the main house at Craftsman Farms as a "club house", a gathering place for workers, students and guests. In its huge kitchen, meals could be prepared for 100 people. The living and dining rooms, reaching fully 50 feet and warmed by copper-hooded fireplaces, made ideal meeting rooms. The porch opened to a vista of the farm and brought in light and air. The house is T-shaped, with a one-story kitchen attached to the rear. The large gabled roof has long shed dormers at the front and back, which allow for light and ventilation in the bedrooms. The Log House is now widely considered to be one of the most significant landmarks of the American Arts and Crafts movementA separate home for the Stickley family was originally planned to be built further up the hill. When Stickley decided that the school's opening would have to be delayed for several years, he modified the upstairs plans of the Log House to accommodate his family, consisting of his wife, Eda, five daughters and a son.Craftsman Farms exemplifies Stickley's philosophy of building in harmony with the environment by using natural materials. To quote from Stickley's magazine, The Craftsman (November 1911): "There are elements of intrinsic beauty in the simplification of a house built on the log cabin idea. First, there is the bare beauty of the logs themselves with their long lines and firm curves. Then there is the open charm felt of the structural features which are not hidden under plaster and ornament, but are clearly revealed, a charm felt in Japanese architecture....The quiet rhythmic monotone of the wall of logs fills one with the rustic peace of a secluded nook in the woods."Stickley designed Craftsman Farms to be self-sufficient, with gardens for vegetables and flowers, orchards, dairy cows and chickens; the produce grown on the farm was used in the restaurant operated by Stickley as part of his furniture showroom and department store in Manhattan. Stickley commuted to his New York showroom by train from Morris Plains.Stickley and his family lived at Craftsman Farms until 1915, when he filed for bankruptcy after several years of financial difficulties. By then the taste of the American people that 15 years earlier had embraced the clean, strong lines of Craftsman furniture changed once again, this time towards the revival of early American and other styles. But Gustav Stickley made a lasting impression on American decorative arts. It is difficult to realize what a revolutionary step his designs were without keeping in mind the crowded, highly embellished interiors of the Victorian age that had preceded him. His functional approach to design and his unornamented, clean-lined furniture introduced Americans to the modern decorative arts to come.In 1917, Major George and Sylvia Wurlitzer Farny purchased the property in the bankruptcy sale and their descendants lived on or owned the property until 1989. After Stickley left Craftsman Farms, the Farny family maintained the farm in Stickley's tradition, adapting certain interior features for modern family life. In the intervening years they also sold some of the property, but maintained the core area. When the property was threatened with development for 52 town houses, the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills, with the encouragement of community groups and others interested in the importance of the site, obtained the property through eminent domain. Today, Craftsman Farms consists of 30 acres located in and owned by and located in the Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills and it has been designated a National Historic Landmark. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms (formerly the Craftsman Farms Foundation), a 501(c)(3) organization, was formed in 1989 to protect and preserve the property.The 30 park-like acres include meadows, wooded areas, walking trails, a pond and stream, and several support buildings including a massive stone stable, three cottages, a calf barn, and the ruins of a dairy barn. The Log House has been largely restored to its 1910-1917 appearance and is open to the public for tours. Work on the historic landscape has begun as well. We invite you to join us...step into the Garden of Eden and experience the Stickley family's home. Restoration of the National Historic Landmark, Craftsman Farms, is made possible in part, by a Save America's Treasure's grant, administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, and by support from Morris County Preservation Trust Fund, the New Jersey Historic Trust, and individual members. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms gratefully acknowledges a grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust.
August 12, 2020
The Museum and Grounds will be CLOSED as we recover from extensive damage caused by Tropical Storm Isaias. We apologize for any inconvenience.
More about temporary closure due to Covid 19.
We're open virtually!Virtual Programs


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Athabasca finally closes Dover oil sands sale to PetroChina
Sale will bring in $1.184 billion, $600 million of which has already been paid in cash.
Business Operations
Oil & Gas
Athabasca Oil Corp.
Dover oil sands
Oil Sands
CALGARY — A big weight has been lifted off Athabasca Oil Corp. with the sale of its Dover oil sands stake finally closing.
The sale, to a Canadian unit of PetroChina, will bring in proceeds of $1.184 billion, $600 million of which has already been paid in cash.
The Calgary-based company has received interest-bearing promissory notes for the remainder, committing PetroChina to make three payments over the next two years.
"Closing of the Dover transaction is an important milestone for Athabasca and marks the beginning of a new chapter for our company," CEO Sveinung Svarte said in a release Friday.
"We can now finalize our business strategy which will be focused on profitable production and reserve growth, cash flow growth, cost discipline and balance sheet flexibility."
The company plans to provide a strategic update some time in the next few weeks, including revised guidance and spending plans.
Athabasca now has "ample liquidity" to continue developing its holdings in Alberta's promising Duvernay shale and the Hangingstone oilsands project and the timing of the promissory notes is aligned with spending plans over the next few years, Svarte added.
The notes are unconditional and secured by irrevocable, standby letters of credit issued by HSBC Bank Canada.
Earlier this month, Athabasca said it had set aside $49 million to settle PetroChina claims related to the cost of abandoning old oil and gas wells at Dover and MacKay River so that the oilsands resource there can be developed using steam-assisted gravity drainage technology.
Athabasca had been aiming to close the Dover deal by mid-year and the delays had been weighing on its stock price.
With the "much needed cash infusion," Athabasca will likely focus this winter on stepping up drilling in the Duvernay, Dejardins analyst Justin Bouchard wrote in a note to clients.
Athabasca is looking for a partner to help develop its Duvernay acreage.
"We view the outcome of the process as the last 'big' near-term catalyst for the company, potentially adding significant shareholder value given comparable transactions on nearby acreage," wrote Bouchard.
A 2009 joint-venture deal between Athabasca and PetroChina covering the MacKay River and Dover projects included an exit strategy of sorts for the Canadian company. In 2012, PetroChina took full control of the MacKay River project without any significant glitches.
But the process for Dover – in which PetroChina would buy Athabasca's 40% stake in the project, giving the Chinese company complete ownership – has been anything but easy.
Concerns over the transaction had been mounting amid Chinese reports that a handful of PetroChina officials with Canadian ties were caught up in a corruption probe.
The Financial Post reported in July that PetroChina was trying to lower the amount owed to Athabasca because it is unhappy with the quality of the oilsands assets.
Months before that, regulatory approval for Dover _ a prerequisite for the sale to PetroChina _ had been held up by a legal challenge from a nearby First Nation.
The proposed five-phase Dover project aims to eventually produce 250,000 barrels of crude a day.
© 2014 The Canadian Press
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Amazon Watermarking mp3's?
Yesterday some people started a buzz around some Amazon mp3's being "watermarked". Now, please, calm down: I know that talking about watermarked songs might be good to get some readers, after the discovery of iTunes watermarks on their DRM-free songs, but not everything can be considering watermarking...
Amazon sells plain and simple mp3's, directly ripped from CD's. That means that there are no watermarks in the sound, and since there's no way in the mp3 specification of watermarking a file in another way, the only information that Amazon could possibly add to the files is the ID3 info - simply editable by almost every mp3 player out there. And yes, some Amazon mp3's (surprisingly not all) have ID3 tags telling that they were purchased in Amazon, but there's no personal info there and there's really nothing wrong in those tags. To give you a comparison term, all songs bought at amiestreet.com come, in the Comments section, "This song was downloaded from AmieStreet.com". Simmilary, all songs downloaded from last.fm have in the Comments section "Free download from www.last.fm (http://www.last.fm/)".
It gives me more nerves knowing that every last.fm downloaded track comes bad tagged (every track is tagged as being the 1st of the album, even when the last.fm website knows it is not) than knowing that Amazon's mp3's come with full tags, including a comment saying the track was purchased there.
Nothing to see here, move along.


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In my article of October 15,2009, titled "Chinese Media Revert to Pre-Deng Rhetoric on India" available at http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/papers35/paper3460.html , I had stated as follows: "The more hawkish line adopted by the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the party media indicate that the hawks in the PLA and the party have started influencing the policy towards India. "
2. An article under the bye-line Li Hongmei under the title 'How to respond to Russia's "Ambiguous Diplomacy"?' carried by the Chinese Communist Party's "People's Daily" on October 21,2009, (annexed) indicates that the newly-evident hawkish line in foreign policy matters reflecting some of the arguments, characterisations and rhetoric of the pre-Deng Xiaoping era has been directed not only against India, but also against Russia.
3. The article carries intriguing references to Russia as a fair-weather friend and as practising an ambiguous diplomacy. There has been targeted criticism of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for some of his economic decisions affecting China and Chinese illegal traders in Russian territory.A comparison of the criticism of India, which has been accused of nursing hegemonistic aspirations, with the criticism of Russia indicates different motivating factors.
4. The motivating factor of the criticism of India is with reference to its foreign policy ---particularly its relations with the US ---, its aspirations of emerging as an important power and the border dispute. Economic factors do not appear to be behind the criticism of India.
5. In the case of Russia, economic factors seem to be mainly behind the criticism. The Chinese disappointment that Moscow did not give preference to China in respect of the award of the contract for the Far Eastern Oil pipeline project is writ large in the article. The article says:"Chauvinism and double-dealing tactics, which set the basic formula for making foreign policies in its Soviet time, can still be found in today's Russian diplomacy. This can be clearly illustrated by the 10-year-long competition between China and Japan for Russia's Far East oil pipeline project. The usual economic considerations inherent in a strictly commercial competition do not apply in this case. Instead, geopolitical considerations far outweigh any and all commercial considerations.Within the context, Russia had been cast in the role of exploiting the China-Japan rivalry. By waiting for the highest bid, Russia was fascinated by its triumph in converting the pipeline courtship into the pipeline diplomacy, in which Russia benefited from both sides while manipulating from behind the scenes."
6.There is also ill-concealed bitterness over the June 29,2009, decision of Putin to put down the illegal trading activities of Chinese immigrants in Russian territory by closing down the Cherkizovsky Market, Europe's largest marketplace, located in the Izmaylovo District of Moscow. Putin had ordered it to be closed down on grounds of violations of regulations and illegal activities. The market, which was owned by a Turkish group, had thousands of traders from China and the Central Asian Republics. Illegal traders from China constituted the majority in the market.
7. The need to pursue and enforce core Chinese interests----against India on the border issue and against Russia on economic issues---- has been the underlying themes of the two recent articles on India and Russia. While the emphasis on the enforcement of core Chinese interests is understandable, the use of pre-1979 rhetoric and arguments indicates the growing assertiveness of "China first" hawkish elements in the party and the PLA, who have no use for the reconcilatory language of the Deng era. What they are indicating is that the time has come for China to start using its military, diplomatic and economic muscles for enforcing its core interests.
8. What support these elements have in the party and the Government? It is difficult to answer this question,but the fact that the "People's Daily" has found it necessary to give voice to them in its columns shows that these elements are not insignificant. ( 27-10-09)
( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai. He is also associated with the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: email@example.com)
By Li Hongmei
Tightly pressed by the U.S.-led Western world since the end of the Cold War, and constantly beleaguered by the tit-for-tat measures devised by the West to counterbalance its military might---- just to name a few----NATO's eastward expansion, color revolution and deployment of missile defense system, Russia at times has to turn to China for a relatively sound security environment, but it has thus far remained a fair-weather friend to China, practicing "shadow-boxing" on its China policy.
Russia's ambiguous position seen in its diplomatic strategies could even trace back to its initial years in handling the ties with the then fledgling Chinese Communists. On the eve of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the pro-Kuomintang U.S. Embassy and its Ambassador Leighton Stuart chose to remain in Nanking, former capital of Chiang Kai-shek's Kuomintang government. But the Embassy of the Soviet Union, technically the sole supporter to the newly-born Chinese communist government, fled to South China with remnants of the overthrown Chiang clique.This can partially showcase the "Ambiguous Diplomacy" Russia has since sought after purportedly to gain advantage from both sides. By playing balance between the Communist Party and the Kuomintang, the Soviet Union could probably maximize its vested interests, its intention being self-evident in this case.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union left the U.S. as the world's monolithic superpower, Russia has appeared to get closer to China after a history of suspicion, rivalry, and even open hostility in 1960s. But the legacy of Soviet-style ambiguous diplomacy lingers on and suspicions remain overshadowing its relations with China. To shrug off the pressure imposed by the West, to which Russia found inaccessible even after the Cold War, Russia tilted its diplomatic favor to the East by adopting the so-called "Two-headed Hawk" Strategy. And on this basis, it finally entered into "Strategic Collaboration Partnership" with China.
With the wheel of history rolling on, Russia has been making desperate efforts to cut off its blood tie with its bygone days as a communist giant. But Chauvinism and double-dealing tactics, which set the basic formula for making foreign policies in its Soviet time, can still be found in today's Russian diplomacy. This can be clearly illustrated by the 10-year-long competition between China and Japan for Russia's Far East oil pipeline project. The usual economic considerations inherent in a strictly commercial competition do not apply in this case. Instead, geopolitical considerations far outweigh any and all commercial considerations.Within the context, Russia had been cast in the role of exploiting the China-Japan rivalry. By waiting for the highest bid, Russia was fascinated by its triumph in converting the pipeline courtship into the pipeline diplomacy, in which Russia benefited from both sides while manipulating from behind the scenes.
If this is not enough to reduce or limit the ever-growing Chinese clout, which has reportedly upset Russia for some time, Russia would go as far as it can to drag China down. For instance, its hard-line PM Vladimir Putin persisted in setting the limitation for issuing Russian Far East visas to the Chinese citizens, while the same Putin may speak in Moscow about bilateral ties being "at their highest level ever."
His recently wrapped-up debut Beijing visit as Prime Minister sealed a package of nearly $40 billion worth of orders and bilateral contracts. Nevertheless, Moscow's decision on the closure of Cherkizovsky, the largest market, which came in June unexpectedly like a bolt from the blue for the Chinese vendors, is still shrouding the minds of many Chinese, especially those who were born and bred in the years when the Soviet Union acted as China's Big Brother and who even today still cherish a subtle "Russia Complex".
Unfortunately, in reality, little has happened to strengthen the bilateral ties. On the other hand, Russia has attained a high degree of perfection in pushing its "Ambiguous Diplomacy" and even extending it to almost all the spheres of foreign affairs.
To China, what must be done in terms of its future bilateral relationship with Russia is, first and foremost, abandoning the one-sided wish, or so to speak, the thinking to "take a part as the whole". The best way to deal with Russia is to follow the path, more realistic and more reasonable, leading to a mature diplomacy, which will expect a reciprocal gesture of goodwill and satisfy the mutual interests as great powers.


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HomeOur LocationsOrland Park16660 S. 107th AvenueInternal Medicine
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