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Enterprise Architecture for Transformative Research and Collaboration Across the Geosciences
NEW!-- Final report on GEAR conceputal design...
Not so new... Executive Summary of GEAR project conceptual design, for comment and discussion. Please have a look! (2015-09-24)
Conceptual Framework
This project seeks to integrate traditional information system components developed in various branches of the geosciences with a number of emerging technologies that support scholarly communication, self-organization and social networking in order to create an enterprise architecture that enables more comprehensive, data-intensive research designs and knowledge sharing within EarthCube. EarthCube is conceptualized as an evolving, community-governed cyberinfrastructure supporting geoscience research and education enterprise. It is considered from five distinct perspectives: as an open federation of systems, as an environment for scholarly communication, as an environment for cross-domain information integration, as a system to enable efficient execution of research workflows, and as an environment for alignment of stakeholder interests.
Technical Approach
Development of the conceptual design for EarthCube involves: (1) analysis of geoscience user needs and research scenarios, to understand the scope and functional requirements of the enterprise system; (2) review of architecture designs and technical approaches adopted in similarly large cross-domain information system projects, in geosciences and elsewhere, at the international (e.g. INSPIRE in Europe, GEOSS) and national (e.g. Federal Enterprise Architecture, NIF, NIEM, iPlant) levels; (3) development of a high-level EarthCube information model to include main functional components and their interactions; (4) analysis of emerging technologies and approaches that support scholarly communication in the science enterprise, such as researcher profile systems, social networks, Q&As, and stakeholder maps; (5) demonstrating how EarthCube will support configuring systems on demand for new research designs; (6) enabling reproducible science; (7) monitoring of different types of feedback in the science system as an instrument for configuring and tuning system to changing research designs and available resources. The design generally follows the Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) in the use of various viewpoints to specify large, distributed systems.
The project will demonstrate how the key concepts of the design will be implemented and validated in several use cases at the intersection of different geoscience domains, including critical zone science, hydrology, geochemistry, and geology.
Science Drivers
The project involves both geoscientists and computer scientists. The main drivers are: 1) geoscience grand challenges as articulated in a series of NSF vision documents and refined through the first several years of EarthCube development; and 2) adapting science practice to leverage the accelerating pace of technology innovation. Responding to grand challenges such as climate change prediction, water sustainability, analysis and management of hazards, and CO2 sequestration, requires new insights into the earth system dynamics, transcending disciplinary, organizational, political and other boundaries. A long-term design for EarthCube must accommodate science drivers and research designs that are not yet fully articulated, using technology that is constantly introducing new possibilities.
Benefits to Scientists
From the perspective of geosciences, the primary contribution of this work is the development of a conceptual framework for technology to support efficient, scientifically-sound and sustainable resource sharing and collaboration across geoscience disciplines to address grand challenge problems. In the operational EarthCube system, researchers will be able to efficiently execute complex research workflows; discover and integrate data from different domains; contribute their data and research products; visualize information in multiple dimensions, efficiently collaborate with other researchers, and jointly participate in advancing the infrastructure to accommodate new data types, models, and research designs. It will become easier to re-generate simulation results, independently validate modeling conclusions, or re-run models with new data obtained from different geoscience domains. From the perspective of cyberinfrastructure research, the main impact of the project is in extending enterprise architecture design methodology for the case of a highly complex, multi-stakeholder federation of systems, and generating new insights into the needs, opportunities and limitations of resource sharing and information integration across different types of geoscience data and models.
- GEAR Executuve Summary (published 9/2015): http://earthcube.org/node/2067
- GEAR Conceptual Design Document: [PDF]
- EarthCube Semantic Wiki: http://earthlexicon.sdsc.edu/wiki/mainpage
- GEAR Information Model: [PDF]
- EarthCube Seed Inventory of High Level Infrastructure Resources (including resources from EarthCube funded projects, plus resources contributed by geoscientists in the course of end-user workshops and surveys): Template; HTML5 Viewer
Additional relevant links to EarthCube-wide summaries:
- EarthCube Connections: http://connections.earthcube.org/memberconnections/ (earthcube members with editable research interests)
- EarthCube posters from AHM 2015: HTML5 / SuAVE
- EarthCube stakeholder alignment survey: HTML5 / SuAVE (see other surveys releated to cyberinfrastructure and data management, at http://besuave.azurewebsites.net/gallery/)
- EarthCube organizational landscape: HTML5 / SuAVE
- David Valentine, San Diego Supercomputer Center/UCSD


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TAKAJO, Japan—Within the dark and fetid wards of the Senen General Hospital, some 120 patients lie in their beds or slumped in wheelchairs, moaning incoherently.
"There is no food!" cries an old man in a blue gown, to no one in particular.
Last week's powerful earthquake and tsunami heaped untold new misery on those already suffering—thousands of elderly, infirm and sick people in hospitals that were laid to waste by the violent shaking and the walls of water that followed. There are no figures yet on how many hospitals were ravaged, but few could have escaped unscathed given the scale of the destruction.
Senen General Hospital in Takajo town, near Miyagi prefecture's capital of Sendai, had about 200 patients when the earthquake hit, tossing its medical equipment around and collapsing part of the ceiling in one wing. All of its food and medicine was stored on the first floor. Everything was ruined or lost in the 30 minutes when Takajo, a small town of about 12,000, was flooded by the tsunami.
"We're only administering the bare necessities," said administrator Ryoichi Hashiguchi. So far four patients have died, all older than 90 and severely sick even before the calamity. Another 80 that could be moved were sent to a nearby shelter. There is no power or running water, and for the first two days the staff and patients shared some frozen noodles and vegetables they salvaged from a toppled freezer.
The nurses have been cutting open soiled intravenous packs and scrubbing down muddy packs of pills with alcohol to cleanse them. A gut-wrenching stench from the bathroom, after several days of waterless use by hundreds of people, was clear from half a building away.
No aid came from the government the first two days, but some rice balls were handed out on Monday. A relative of a worker donated a flooded generator, which two men were trying to get working outside. The local gas company set up a set of burners outside to warm food and water. From the outside the hospital looks abandoned, with thick mud layered across the parking lot, and a jumble of cars piled up by the tsunami.
"I'm sorry, we have no medicine," the staff repeatedly told a constant flow of people from the town, many of them elderly. Hashiguchi said he has been in contact with city officials, and told them that the conditions of many patients is worsening. "I don't think this is going to be resolved any time soon," he said. With even hospitals deprived of aid, it is no surprise that ordinary survivors are living a hand-to-mouth existence.
Osamu Hayasaka, 61, said the government hasn't provided anything to people who didn't move into the refugee centers. He strapped two cardboard boxes of DyDo drinks on his red bicycle with a bungee cord to take home to his family of six, including his sick mother, and neighbors. "There are a lot of older people near where I live, so I'll give them some of this," he said.
Hayasaka said the local supermarkets are running out of goods. He lined up 2 1/2 hours Sunday and was allowed to buy just a few items, including a grapefruit and an orange. In a community center crammed full with hundreds of people, there is slightly more to eat. "Today I had some cake and an orange," said Yuto Hariyu, 15, whose middle school was destroyed the day before his graduation ceremony.
"I'm hungry, but what I want most is furniture, like a bed, and a TV," said Yuto's classmate, Shio Fujimura. At a government-run center for the elderly on the outskirts of the city, the food allotment yesterday was two rice balls, one in the morning and one at night, says Takahashi Sata, 43, who works at the center.
"Yesterday I had two rice crackers and a bottle of water," he said. "Today there is nothing for anyone."

subset: commoncrawl


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European stocks are expected to open lower on Monday following heavy selling of equities on Thursday and Friday of last week.
The DAX was seen down 64 points, Britain's FTSE 100 was expected to open 63 points lower and France's CAC was seen 35 points lower.
The performance of Europe's major banks will remain in major banks will remain in focus following huge volatility in the sector.
Late last week Europe's major banks saw stock prices fall sharply amid fears that the euro zone's debt problems are deteriorating into crisis.
Over the weekend German Chancellor Angela Merkel told public broadcaster ZDF that she was opposed to the idea of a euro bond amid mounting pressure for Germany to accept the idea.
"Euro bonds are exactly the wrong answer to the current crisis. They lead us to a debt union and not to a stability union," said the Chancellor.
CNBC correspondent Silvia Wadhwa pointed out last week that there had already been a tectonic shift in Berlin given the German government have gone from saying "no way" on a euro bond to indicating not now.
A raft of confusing headlines hit the wires following Merkel's interview on ZDF.
The Financial Times reported that she had ruled out euro bonds whilst Deutsche Welle said that Merkel was hesitant on euro bonds but had left herself with some wriggle room on the issue.
Brent oil prices fell in overnight trade as pictures from Libya indicated the 41-year reign of Muammar Gaddafi is coming to an end.
Rebels took control of large parts of Tripoli and placed two of the Libyan president's son's under house arrest.
Gold and other precious metal prices have had a strong session with gold hitting new all-time highs as Asian stocks looked for direction amid volatile trade.
While the market awaits word from Federeal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at the central bank's meeting in Jackson Hole on Friday, two other central banks are expected to take center stage.
Overnight the Japanese authorities indicated they were ready to intervene to push the yen lower should it make further losses against the dollar.
Japanese Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Japan was ready to take decisive action against any speculative moves in the currency market.
In Switzerland speculation is mounting that the Swiss National Bank will intervene to curb the rise in the Franc.
Over the weekend the Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported that the Swiss government expects the Swiss National Bank to set an exchange rate target against the euro of 1.20.
A poll in the same paper found 63 percent of those questioned backed intervention to weaken the Swiss franc even if it leads to higher inflation.


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» Click to list general statistics » OR, select a date :
Home Above
Home is not this earth for us, for soon we'll be with Christ Jesus,
With Him in our Heavenly abode, at the end of our temporal road.
A place He prepared for those, who truly believe the Savior rose,
And this home is for all eternity, where with Christ we'll forever be.
read more >>
- Hits: Number of visitors who read the poem on the given date.
- Posts: Number of visitors who posted the poem to a friend (via e-mail) on the given date.
- Dates that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list.
- Dates, poems and poets that have "0" hits may not be shown on the list. Statistics are generated daily.


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ACE has launched specialized servicing capabilities designed for the construction industry through ESIS, Inc., a risk management services company owned by ACE Group. These services are available for general contractors, construction managers, trade contractors, and developers for both new construction and renovation projects as they prepare for anticipated new requirements from OSHA.
ESIS has assembled its team of health and safety professionals to develop and deliver a set of service offerings that can be customized for each client to help identify, assess, and address each of the top five concerns facing the construction industry today, including:
- The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) for communication standard
- Fall protection in residential construction
- New standards for confined spaces in construction
- Silica-dust exposures in construction
- Fall hazards in construction
ESIS offers a range of programs designed to address exposures faced by companies within the construction industry, including:
- Construction Site Safety Manager (CSSM) appointment
- Implementation and auditing of HSE programs
- Pre-construction planning
- Job hazard analysis
- Jobsite surveys
- Tower/ mobile crane and rigging training
- OSHA 1926 10/30 hour training
- Supervisor and task specific training
- Insurance loss control evaluations
ACE's Construction Industry Practice consists of business units that offer a suite of products and services including:
- Workers compensation, general liability & automobile liability risk transfer
- Environmental, including contractors pollution liability & contractors professional liability
- Inland marine, including builders risk & contractors equipment
- International casualty enterprise & package products, including Defense Base Act workers compensation
- Umbrella/Excess
- Wrap Ups & other project-specific programs
- Specialty construction claims
- Construction risk management services
- Surety
- Professional liability for architects and engineers, construction managers and trade contractors
- Public and private company D&O, EPLI, fidelity and fiduciary liability
Insurance is provided by insurance companies within ACE Group. All products may not be available in all jurisdictions. ESIS, Inc. (ESIS) is part of ACE Group, providing claim and risk management services to a variety of commercial clients. Insurance is provided by insurers within ACE Group.
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The lakeside towns of Puerto Varas and Frutillar have always been well-known for their beauty, but now there's a new reason to include these destinations on your Chilean itinerary: they're working to become leaders in the sustainable tourism industry.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) has selected Puerto Varas and Frutillar to become part of its pilot program to test out new criteria for sustainable tourism design. Puerto Varas and Frutillar, along with the Cusco-Sacred Valley-Machu Picchu corridor in Peru, are the first South American destinations to be selected for the program.
Housed within the United Nations World Tourism Organization, GSTC is a worldwide endeavor that aims to share and promote information about sustainable tourism. Their Criteria and Indicators for Destinations program, which is now in its pilot stage, created a set of steps for approaching sustainability that can be implemented at tourism destinations around the world.
Members of GSTC's partner organization Sustainable Travel International will soon be traveling to Chile to consult with key stakeholders in Puerto Varas and Frutillar, including NGOs, community leaders, government agencies, and private sector tourism companies. With information gained in Chile, GSTC hopes to create a final version of their Criteria and Indicators for Destinations to distribute worldwide that takes into account the realities of actual tourism destinations like Puerto Varas and Frutillar.
These two Chilean towns were selected to test out this new set of GSTC criteria because of their "impact on the environment, their economic and social benefits to communities, and their education of visitors and residents, among other criteria," according to the GSTC website.
GSTC was also impressed with the sustainable tourism initiatives already taking place in Chile.
"Tourism is growing steadily across Chile, and the destination has recently initiated a local sustainable tourism committee tasked with ensuring that development happens with preservation of local culture, environment and community needs in mind," GSTC said.
Located in the Los Lagos Region of Chile, both Frutillar and Puerto Varas are situated on the shore of Lago Llanquihue, one of South America's largest lakes. Both towns offer excellent options for families and outdoor-lovers alike, with fun activities like skiing and natural hot springs nearby.


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Kenya is set to spend Shs98.4 billion to upgrade and rehabilitate several roads and interchanges around the country this year. The massive infrastructure plan seeks to boost economic function and growth.
In the plan, 1.5 kilometers of road will be constructed at a cost is estimated at Sh103.3 billion in fiscal year 2017/18. The budget for road construction, therefore, totals to Sh201.7 billion. The number of roads covered by bitumen is expected to rise to 20.6 thousand kilometers, an increase of 42.3 percent. In 2016, 14.5 thousand kilometers were covered by bitumen. Meanwhile, the trunk and primary roads are also expected to rise significantly to 12.2 thousand kilometers by the end of fiscal year 2017/18. This will be an increase from 8.5 thousand kilometers in 2016.
According to the survey, roads under earth and gravel doubled to 140.8 thousand kilometers from 72.5 thousand kilometers after reclassification of roads was done. The government acknowledges the rising burden of the cost of rehabilitation and construction of roads while it tries to fix the infrastructure without increasing taxes or taking huge loans. The government has, therefore, resulted in scouting for private investors to repair infrastructure. The highways earmarked for construction will be tolled under Public Private Partnership models spanning for 15-20 years under the partnership.
Peter Mundinia, director general of the Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) confirmed that feasibility studies carried out had shown that the private sector was the best option to help ease the infrastructure budget shortfall. He also said that the move would speed up the process of road construction and rehabilitation. However, some members of the public have raised concerns saying that the toll is a double tax on top of the already high fuel levies. This would, therefore, hurt many low-income motorists in Kenya.
Some of the major highways earmarked for tolling include the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA)-Rironi Highway, Nairobi-Nakuru-Mau Summit road, Thika Superhighway, Nairobi Southern Bypass, the newly proposed Nairobi-Mombasa expressway and the second Nyali Bridge connecting Mombasa Island to the mainland.


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About ELITAS
ELITAS has actively been in signage business since 1995. Started with printing business and production of single signs, ELITAS is growing up and becoming a company capable to meet the strict requirements of the modern visual communications and to improve them. How do we work today? What is our work based on and what does our offer include?
Since then up-to-date, ELITAS business is primarily based on long-term business relationships with our clients for mutual satisfaction. We are completely focused to fulfil our clients' demands, what we manage to achieve by our professional and responsible approach toward all the participants in our projects as well as by satisfaction of our employees who are multi-disciplinary, highly qualified staff, ready to respond to any new challenge. Socially responsible business policy that ELITAS leads is also one of the key points in our business.
Why our clients let us do complete signage projects for them? Thanks to years of experience, ELITAS provides complete service to its clients based on the system "turnkey". Complete service includes planning and designing, obtaining consents and permissions, production, installation, preliminar and final building-craft works, maintenance and reparation of visual communication elements. We provide reliable support to our clients in building-up their image through visual communication. We see that as a good way to gain better business results for the both sides, what makes WIN-WIN situation.
Our offer is presented on the pages: Signage, Products and Services
ELITAS Development
Company's development is based on long-term and socially responsible business policy, on innovativeness in each aspect of our business, on new technologies application and expansion of business activities also to foreign markets.
The main goal of our innovation policy is to ensure continued development of our business in general as well as improvement of our products and services, what we provide through the processes of control, staff training and management actions. Integrated Management System (IMS) that we apply has been set complaying with international standards ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001, certified by the international Accreditation Body. Currently our IMS consists of Quality Management System (QMS), Environmental Management System (EMS) and Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS).To download our certificates turn to page Quality/Certificates.
Committed to implementing sustainable business policy, Elitas develops and improve long-term business relations based on mutual comprehension, trust, stability and satisfaction of all the participants. This is all applicable for the external aspect (with suppliers, clients and all the other business partners) and internal (with our employees).
An important aspect of our development is also increasing export volume. Currently, we have our network of partner companies in Europe and we actively work to expand it purposely to provide complete technical and logistic support to the foreign clients who import our products. Some of our sources for getting up-to-date with global trends in our industry are years of membership in ISA (International Sign Association), purchasing professional literature, visiting important specialized fairs and exhibitions.
Collaborating companies network
Energy efficiency is also an important aspect of our development, which we apply to our products.
Our clients get advantages from the new technologies by cooperating with us.
ELITAS Mission
Our mission is to satisfy all the needs and requirements of our clients in the field of visual communications, thereby supporting to their reputation and expansion.
By our specific, original and modern solutions, our clients' consumers get a clear messages about your market position and advantages they can get from you.
ELITAS provides reliable support for you by completing agreed project terms on maximum level, specially terms of quality and deadlines. Our basic principle for getting to the good result is to combine your requirements with our knowledge and experience.
9 arguments to select ELITAS for your business partner
ELITAS offers to its' clients and other business partners the following benefits they could take from cooperation:
- Complete service by the system "turnkey" (design, permissions, production, installation, preliminar and final building-craft works, maintenance and service)
- Top quality raw materials, processes and design solutions (visually, structurally optimal and serviceable)
- Meeting agreed deadlines (our own recourses: completed production line, qualified staff, own stock of raw materials)
- Wide product range and production by demand
- Guarantee on products and services, including minimum response time to a claim
- Complete logistic support in the country and region
- Innovative design solutions (the development team of engineers occupied with following and implementation of new technologies)
- 23 years of experience and tradition on performing complex and reference projects in the field of visual communications
- Extra benefits for the long-term contracts
Our experience, creativity and enthusiasm we turn from day to day into solutions, which help our clients to build their image and achieve their goals.
ELITAS production programme
ELITAS production programme has been created to comply with requirements of the clients in a way to meet their needs for visual communications and to support creating and keeping a good image through visual communications. Some of our products are as follows:
All types of signs - lighting signs with LED, neon or fluorescent lighting in various shapes, like light box, channel letters and logos then unique shaped signs, pillar signs, non-lighting signs…
Information signs - totems with electronic displays inside, LED displays, weather stations with GPS accuracy (date, 100% accurate time, temperature, humidity, wind direction and speed...), traffic signs, guide signs, registration and information boards and plates, outside and inside signage elements (parking space, objects inside content, floor signage, office signage...).
Signage elements - products made of composite materials, inox, aluminium, acrylic glass and other materials (holders, shelves, info desks, decorative coating of various constructions...) and
Digital signage - Digital signage is a sub-segment of electronic signage. Digital displays use technologies like: Full Colour LED Displays and LCD to display digital images, video, web pages, weather data, restaurant menus or text.
Urban furniture – serves the functional and aesthetic equipping of populated areas. These can be elements of a city infrastructure with features useful for passers-by (wi-fi signal, mobile charging, protection from the elements, local information, illumination, etc.), and security features (video surveillance, panic buttons, anti-vandal systems, sensors, etc.) and commercial (signage displays).
Why sign = image?
Your sign creates the first impression about you, your business, reliability, level of quality.
Imagine what you first think about the company, which has dysfunctional or semi-functional sign, inconsistently illuminated, and faded, with hanging parts, foil, cables... On the other hand, what do we think about company with a functional but inadequately performed sign, with visible connections, illumination lamps, which is extremely simple and plain or the company that has a network of branches and different sing on each branch...? As opposed to this, high quality and creative sign makes you visible, recognizable, sets you apart from your competitors, and puts you in a better negotiating position. This is why your sign is one of the most important elements of your image. This is why ELITAS, with its experience, long-term business policy and complete service by the system "turnkey" is your business partner which will provide you maximal support in building and preserving your image and bringing clients to you. Let's set standards together!
Our offer is presented on the pages: Signage, Products and Services
Our quality is your competitive advantage
Imperative of our business is quality!
The most important for our clients are quality of the raw materials, production and professional attitude toward all the participant in our business. In 2011. we implemented Quality management System in compliance to international standard ISO 9001:2008 in order to provide constancy and improving of the quality level. Beside years of tradition and experience, this certification by international Accreditation Body is an additional guarantee of quality. ELITAS delivers top quality products that has a strong impact to our clients' image and their signage elements' maintenance cost reduction, by visually appealing, modern and servicabile designs and by implementing top quality raw materials, quality processing and finishing.
Policy of quality - Instructions can be downloaded in pdf format via the link
Who our clients are?
Dominant groups of clients in our portfolio are retail chains, chains of business and commercial facilities, companies that advertise and mark themselves through roof signs or other big size signs, shopping malls, building contractor companies, marketing agencies, representatives and many others.
Some of them are petrol stations' chains (in Serbia NIS/Gazprom 19 years long cooperation, Lukoil, then out of Serbia Nestro Petrol in Bosnia and Herzegovina, AP Petrol (Zaton) in Montenegro etc), retail chains (MAXI, miniMAXI, TEMPO, Mercator S, IDEA, SuperVERO...), bank branches chains (Hypo Alpe-Adria-Bank, AIK banka, SBER banka, KBM banka...), shopping malls (UŠĆE, Delta City, Stadion) and other chains of business and commercial facilities, high class hotels (Four Seasons in Moscow (Russia), Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn Express, Merriott in Belgrade, Regent in Portomontenegro Resort in Tivat, Tre Canne in Budva) and many clients that we realized smaller volume projects for.
We offer extra benefits to marketing agencies and other agencies and representatives and we are open to establish new partnerships with companies from our sector purposely to join our forces and perform bigger volume local and international projects together.
Call us and you will get a prompt response!
Our sales and engineering teams are consisted of designers, architects, civil, mechanical and electronical engineers who are going to analyse your requirements and needs for visual communications and propose optimal solution that includes the most effective signage and also adjusted to your business and reputation and technically quality.


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Use allonge in a sentence
" You may want to always include an allonge so that there is plenty of space for people to sign their name on. "
" The allonge had been including in the documents presented as evidence of the financial transactions that had taken place recently. "
" Allonges are no longer prevalent because not only are most transfers of funds transacted electronically, those paper instruments requiring signatures would only require a few, eliminating the need for a "signature appendix." "


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The origins of Castrocielo date back to the sixth century AD when, after the destruction by the Lombards, groups of Aquino families took refuge in a castle on the Asprano mountain. For the position in which they found themselves, the castle was called "Castrum Coeli" (Fortress in the sky). In 994, when the twenty-eighth abbot of Montecassino went up the mountain he found only abandoned ruins as a result of the lack of water and started to build a new fortress. For this reason the foundation of Castrocielo date is set to 996.
When the period of the raids ended, the population began to descend to the valley and founded the towns of Colle San Magno and Castrocielo.
After the Abbey, Castrocielo has been ruled by the families of D'Aquino, then in 1583 the Boncompagni and after 1796 was part of the Bourbon kingdom. Because of its location on the border, after the unification of Italy it was enlivened by bandits. Castrocielo was bombed heavily during the Second World War.


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Contemporary adult day services benefit family caregivers as well as seniors, providing socialization, community and lifelong learning. Elderwise is one program offering art classes, museum visits and wellness activities to seniors throughout Seattle.
As today's adults become seniors, they are redefining what it means to get older — and that new definition includes aging with grace, dignity and creativity. This transformation in how we view aging is taking place all across the spectrum of senior care, from residential communities to neighborhood senior centers.
One innovative organization called Elderwise, offers dementia-friendly social programs for seniors, and incorporates the arts, music and wellness into a holistic approach called spirit-centered care. Elderwise's unique model for adult day care provides residents of downtown Seattle's Horizon House and other community members with the opportunity for lifelong learning and healthy socialization.
Adult day services can be a truly beneficial option for families of loved ones who need supervision or care during the day. Senior centers as well as senior communities may provide adult day services, with offerings ranging from health care and meals to social activities and enrichment classes. Far from being the stereotypical roomful of old folks playing desultory bingo, you might find dance and exercise classes for active adults as well as art therapy and medication supervision for those with physical or cognitive impairments.
Talk with a Senior Living Advisor
Our advisors help 300,000 families each year find the right senior care for their loved ones.
Adult day services are a boon for families, too, relieving the stress of 24-hour caregiving for those with aging loved ones at home. Daytime care can make it possible for seniors to continue aging in place — in their own home or that of a loved one — rather than entering a care facility. Beyond that, they receive the benefits of socialization, which have a positive effect on both mental and physical well-being. This has definitely been the case for Elderwise, which Horizon House CEO Bob Anderson describes as "a dramatic success."
"Our residents love the programming which often allows a spouse to remain in his/her apartment for a longer period of time before residential 24-hour care is necessary," Anderson says. "Thus spouses who are caring for a loved one get a break during the day and dependent spouses enjoy a stimulating and supportive environment."
In the words of Sara Shelton, the Elderwise Board Chair: "Elderwise is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating and providing engagement opportunities for seniors with early to mid-stage dementia." Their model of spirit-centered care goes one better than the current concept of person-centered care. In addition to caring for a person's physical needs and individual preferences, spirit-centered care takes a holistic approach that also considers a person's essence, which remains the same even as they may experience physical or cognitive changes.
In their adult day program that serves small groups of Horizon House residents as well as community members, Elderwise provides "a structured program of arts, exercise, discussion and shared community" from 10:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. They also provide offsite outreach programs to other senior centers and communities, primarily one-hour watercolor painting classes.
Perhaps most exciting is their partnership with the Frye Museum called the "here:now program," which is "specifically for those with dementia along with their care partner," says Shelton. "This program includes a tour of current exhibits followed by facilitated artwork." Elderwise also educates and collaborates with other local organizations to share their philosophy and provide low-cost dementia-friendly opportunities throughout the Greater Seattle region.
The benefits, however, go far beyond the art classes and museum visits themselves. Says Shelton:
"The greatest benefit to seniors with dementia is the opportunity to engage with others in a meaningful and enriching way. There is a deep sense of community among the participants and we emphasize continuous learning through art, discussion, music, and movement."
Horizon House's Bob Anderson agrees, calling it a "win-win situation" for both Elderwise and his residents. "Horizon House residents and the community get access to a first-class Day Program, and Horizon House gets to express its mission of service to the broader community in yet one more important way."
If you or a loved one has attended an Elderwise program, we want to hear about your experiences. Please share your story with us in the comments below.
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A Place for Mom is paid by our participating communities, therefore our service is offered at no charge to families. Copyright © 2020 A Place for Mom, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy & Terms. Do Not Sell My Personal Information.


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· 2 years ago
Can the [press F5 + Enter keys simultaneously to go back the previous cell] be automated as a macro? If so, how, as I've tried to record it and that does not work. Also, I have tried creating a macro with [SendKeys "%{F5}" + "{ENTER}"] (as per other posts) but this only operates the last command, ie. "enter".
- To post as a guest, your comment is unpublished.· 2 years agoNo, it just a shortcut.


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There are more than just fish in the sea. But it would be hard to know that from observing the progress of the Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) in Northern California. The MLPA is a multi-year process to redesign California's nearly 100 state Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) into networks of protected marine habitats.
But those working to implement the MLPA along the North Central coast are so narrowly focused on fish that they are missing the proverbial forest for the trees.
The MLPA is a forward-thinking law passed by the California Legislature in 1999 mandating that our state system of MPAs be redesigned using principles of ecosystem management for our marine environment. The first two goals of the MLPA mandate are that we "protect the natural diversity and abundance of marine life, and the structure, function and integrity of marine ecosystems" and "help sustain, conserve and protect marine life populations, including those of economic value and rebuild those that are depleted."
The MLPA process along the North Central Coast is making great progress toward protecting fish. The level of conflict and tension between conservationists and the fishing community appears to have been replaced by cooperation.
That's great for the fish. But maintaining healthy marine ecosystems means protecting more than just fish. It also means protecting those species that feed on fish, like seabirds, whales, porpoises, sea lions and all marine habitats from the range of threats to their marine ecosystem—including shipping.
The three proposals for new MPAs have failed to do both.
After a record number of endangered whales were struck and killed by large vessels in California waters last fall—including a humpback in Pt. Reyes—and the cargo ship Cosco Busan crashed into the Bay Bridge last November coating Bay Area beaches and the ocean with about 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel, scientific advisers to the MLPA came up with a good idea. They proposed Vessel No Traffic Areas be created to address these very threats to vulnerable bird and mammal populations in the region.
But these protections have been marginalized. The Blue Ribbon Task Force directed stakeholders to severely limit the use of these areas, also called Special Closures, regardless of the scientific data or the mandate by the MLPA to protect these species and areas.
While Vessel No Traffic Areas are a good first step, they are far too small to adequately protect the Farallon Islands, Fitzgerald and Pt. Reyes from the approximately 3,600 large cargo vessels and oil supertankers entering San Francisco Bay every year virtually unregulated by the U.S. Coast Guard. These jewels of our coastline lie in or near shipping lanes leading into the rapidly growing Port of Oakland, already the fourth largest port in the United States.
The Cosco Busan tragedy has yet to teach many of those planning the new MPA network a lesson. How well will these crown jewels of our new MPA network be protected from the 732 potential Exxon Valdez oil tankers entering the Bay every year with an estimated 400 million gallons of fuel in their holds?
The scientists working to advise the MLPA process need to be heeded. Otherwise harbor porpoises and threatened and endangered seabird and coastal bird species such as marbled murrelets, gray whales and humpback whales will remain completely unprotected.
Additional protections from vessel traffic would not just protect birds, porpoises and whales but also the very fish that is the narrow focus of the current planning process, as well as the many people who use our coastal waters.
In fact, we still have no information about the value of nonextractive uses of the ocean to the California economy. A planned study of the lucrative economic contributions of surfing, diving, snorkeling, coastal trail hiking, bird and whale watching, swimming and even beach visits has yet to be done.
Without protecting all the vulnerable threatened and endangered species of marine birds and mammals and addressing the threat of large vessels using our Yosemites on the Sea as on-ramps to the global economy the MLPA will fail to truly protect the entire marine ecosystem as the California Legislature intended.
Robert Ovetz, Ph.D., is executive director of Seaflow, a marine conservation organization based in Sausalito. See www.seaflow.org and www.vesselwatchproject.org for more information.
Open Mic is now a weekly feature in the Bohemian. We welcome your contribution. To have your topical essay of 700 words considered for publication, write [ mailto:firstname.lastname@example.com ]email@example.com.


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When designing the format of the kitchen, you will want to think about the gear and where they are going to be positioned, the effectiveness of lighting and you will have room to store pots and tools. Cupboards with glass doors give a perfect overview of the objects inside. In an open-plan kitchen, additionally, you will need a separate eating and/or living space, placed as distant from the work zone as attainable in order not to disturb anybody consuming or enjoyable in those areas.
Hannah enjoys placing collectively inspirational articles for The LuxPad and interviewing interior consultants who are keen about design. The art's giant measurement really makes the room feel bigger, and adds visual curiosity to the in any other case empty wall.
Make certain this area isn't in the pathway to a door or blocking the primary thoroughfare by means of the room – dealing with sizzling cookware while persons are making an attempt to walk previous you is a recipe for catastrophe. The flooring: Flooring choice plays an important role in the kitchen design since the kitchen ground takes quite a lot of abuse.
Use colourful or patterned wallpaper (specially designed for kitchens), tiles, or a distinctive splashback to create a focus. A thoughtful mixture of supplies together with reclaimed wooden (on the walls and island) and aged zinc (on the countertops and hood) provides this kitchen an acquired-over-time vibe.
Plain outdated chrome steel has its deserves, but in a small kitchen, a giant swath of silvery steel can rapidly dominate the room. The kitchen, with its excessive ceilings and enormous windows typical of a property of this scale, manages to retain a sense of yesteryear with the richly toned flagstone flooring and French range cooker.


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On April 20th, 2018, I made the trek from Midland all the way to Austin, Texas, to take a look at a 1999 Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 Kompressor Sport. My intent was to car shop a bit, as I was looking for a small but sporty car to commute to work daily.
My car shopping ended quickly after driving it, and I bought the car right away.
This car had been in California most of its life, and later in Texas. It had been garage-kept for the most part, and the service records look good. But, a 19-year-old car with 185K on it is going to have some issues. I have a little consolation in knowing that with proper care, Mercedes cars are known to go 300K-500K miles.
Mechanically, it is very sound. The engine sounds and runs great, and the 5-speed manual transmission shifts well. The clutch feels great. The top goes down and back up. The windows work. The radio (and 6-CD changer in the trunk) also work. Air conditioning and heating work. Cosmetically, though, it could use a few improvements. So below, I've listed a wish list of things I wish to do to this car in the future. I plan to document these here.
Wheels are peeling – some kind of plating is coming off. These are the AMG wheels, so maybe they can be sandblasted and painted? Who knows? Center caps are also in bad shape.
Paint – Body has a lot of touch-up paint spots. No major dents, but you can tell the front bumper was repainted poorly and has a dull finish. Quite a few pits in the front of the hood. I'd like to have the entire body repainted.
Seals – The rear window seal shows sign of cracking. The door window seals are pretty good, but can let in water in the right conditions.
Windshield wipers – They work, but need repainting.
Antenna – The "eye-poker" is huge and needs to be replaced with a "shorty" antenna.
Side mirrors – The passenger side is cracked, and the driver side is faded. Both need replacing.
Lettering – The "K" is missing from "Kompressor" on the rear. Also the "S" in "SLK" appears to have shifted downward. I may de-badge it, or possibly replace all the lettering.
Console – The plastic in the center console where the lighter plug sits is cracked, and the first day I pushed the plug down into the console. I plan to replace it with a dual-USB charging plug.
Cup Holder – The stock cup holder is broken beyond repair (I think). I have to have my coffee in the morning, so I bought one of those wedge cup holders that slide between the center console and the seat. It will be temporary until I come up with a better solution. I MAY possibly fit a touch-screen display into where the stock cup holder was on the dash as part of an infotainment system.
Radio – The stock radio works fine, but the CD changer is old-school. As mentioned above, I might want to update the music system to a more modern look.
Seats – The black leather seats are pretty good, but the passenger is showing sign of fatigue. I've tried some leather conditioning, which I will need re
-apply occasionally, but I fear they will be coming apart.
Ash tray / Coin Holder – This doesn't come out, but I may look at refitting the entire area there with a place to hold sunglasses, etc. The tray adjacent is not wide enough to hold much of anything.
Rear-view mirror – The auto-dimming has completely faded out. A genuine replacement is rather expensive, so I may go with non-auto dimming model.
Steering Wheel – The stitching in the leather wrapping is unraveling and breaking. The leather seems okay, so some new thread will likely fix it. (Repaired: See Video Here)
Cosmetically needs work. Needs a complete detail and the valve cover could stand to be sandblasted and repainted. New valve cover gasket required.
No record in the Carfax or from the owner of the supercharger oil ever being changed. This is high on my priority list as this should be done at 100K miles if possible. Might also look at replacing the fuel injectors and cleaning the throttle body, and change spark plugs as I have no idea when these were last done.
- Trunk compartment is missing the stock air compressor, for use in case of a flat tire. These cars come with a space-saver spare that is deflated. I have purchased a 12V compressor to replace the missing stock one. I also plan to install a 12V receptacle in the trunk for using the compressor or plugging other devices.
- I would like to add a 35% tint to the side windows and rear window.
- I may possibly upgrade the headlights to the newer halo lights, and add LEDs all the way around and inside, as long as they are compatible.
- The guy I bought it from threw in a car cover, but the elastic is almost gone in it. I may stitch in new elastic and give it some new life again. Also is missing a locking cable.
- Rear tires are different brands, so I could use some new Continentals on the back.
A few things I did already:
The previous owner couldn't figure out why the fuel door lock was making a terrible noise when locking the car. A closer inspection revealed that the lock is a simple solenoid piston. A little bicycle wax lube on the piston, and a few cycles of the lock, and all was quiet again.
This page might see some edits in the future as I find new stuff to upgrade or repair.


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Google announced Google Map for iPhone on 13 Dec. Google Map would be available for download in the Apple App Store. Non- availability of Google Maps has been a longstanding complaint among the iPhone users and now the gap has been filled with the latest App for iPhone from Google. The company promises customers fast and accurate results.
Google map includes more than 80 million businesses across the world. Now these 80 Million businesses are accessible to the segment of people that make use of iPhone, which is considered a prospective segment of Customers. Google Map gives information such as the business address, Opening hours of the business and other useful information about the business.
The rolling out of this new app from Google for the iPhone users should come as good News to the Webmasters because the Website's accessibility has now been extended to new range of customers. So the efforts taken by the website owners will now become even more worthwhile now with extended audience.
If you have not included your business in Google places already then it is high time that you started taking efforts on getting your business listed in Google places. By getting your business listed in Google maps, you will be able to dramatically improve the online visibility of your business. Google Maps for the iPhone has been rolled out simultaneously in 40 Countries and the app supports around 29 languages. Businesses in the travel industry can enjoy great growth because people that are looking for travel services on other countries and hotel information in other Countries will have access to your business through Google Map. Not only the travel industry will start getting more visitors from international queries there are many other industries and businesses that Serve international Customers that can benefit through the new App for iPhone.
Google promises to continually improve the quality of the user experience. As more and more people continue to download the app from their iPhone businesses that already have their history in Google places will receive More walk-ins. Webmasters Should try the Google map in iPhone to see Whether the map renders all the details correctly in the iPhone interface.
If you already do not have your business listed in Google maps then before you start feeding Google places with your business information you should check a couple of other business listings in Your own niche. This will help you get a better picture and a better grasp on how you can make your listing lot more interesting. Choose your keywords carefully so that your business will be listed for the right searches and increase the footfalls.
Try to improve your brand visibility with Google Maps for iPhone. Optimize your Google Places listing and make sure to provide as much information possible regarding your business. Include all the contact information possible so that your customers will be able to get in touch with you easily without any problem and that you do not lose any lead.
1.The ERA Of VOICE SEARCH Hello, 2020! Long gone are the days when we used to head over to the search engines on our desktops andRead More
The year's 2019! We have long laid our footsteps in this digital world. Did you know that more than 4 billion people alRead More
Introduction about National SEO Services A National SEO service provider uses search engine optimization practice to enhance theRead More


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Salahis not stars of DC "Housewives," other cast insists
White House party crashers Michaele and Tareq Salahi are not the stars of Bravo's upcoming "The Real Housewives of D.C." and their White House partying ways are, in fact "one small snippet" of the first season, two of the non-Michaele cast members said Thursday with all the certainty of people who have not yet seen any of the episodes.
The "one small snippet" line was Mary Schmidt Amons's. She's the wealthy granddaughter of '50s broadcast Arthur Godfrey cum McLean mother of five. She's the one you're going to see in the first episode telling Stacie Scott Turner - a real estate agent and the show's only African American cast member - that Washington hair salons "need to integrate" because, "we have different hair, different needs, but why do we need to be in different salons?"
On a phone conference call with The Reporters Who Cover Television, Mary wanted to make sure everyone understood the show "is not all about the Salahis."
"We spent five months together, and we spent a lot of time sharing our stories, and I think that the American public is going to be really interested and inspired by our stories," she said, sounding very much like someone who's none too happy about having been upstaged by Michaele Salahi.
"I think viewers are going to be so surprised to find out the White House Party crash is not the crescendo of the show," added Stacie, who was the other housewife on the call.
One reporter wondered whether the Salahis, whose party crashing ways got them all the way to NBC's "Today" show - twice -- had "tarnished" the "Real Housewives" show. This, of course, was asked by a guy -- who clearly is out of his depth trying to cover "The Real Housewives" story, because otherwise he'd know "tarnished" would be an improvement to this gloriously tacky franchise.
He put the question to Stacie only. Because Mary, shortly after being asked how much she had been paid to do the show and responding, after a long, annoyed pause, that she was not comfortable with the question, suddenly vanished from the call and only returned for the call's last few minutes, explaining "Matt put a baseball through our living room window." (Matt's one of her children.)
Anyway, Stacie answered the guys' question, saying the whole gate-crashing thing threw all the other housewives "totally off guard."
"It was so unbelievable because they'd been nothing but nice and normal around us," Stacie said, adding, "things did change a little bit after that point."
"I was just shocked that anybody would have the gall to crash a party like that," Stacie said, later in the call after taking the umpteenth question about the Salahis and a note had started to creep into her voice suggesting she was starting to think the Salahis had pulled a fast one and hijacked this show.
"I couldn't personally imagine - it just makes you wonder: did they really believe they were invited? I can't imagine who would have the gumption to do that," Stacie asked rhetorically.
In reality - the real reality, not the made-for-TV reality - the five housewives of DC did all not know each other before being cast in this series. Or, so said Stacie, now flying solo on the phone call.
This came as a surprise to some reporters, who had come away from all the Bravo hype thinking they were, you know, people who knew each other. Except Brit Catherine Ashley Ommanney, who is playing the role of a relative newcomer in town.
"I did not know any of the ladies intimately. I had met Mary a couple of times - we have mutual friends, we had crossed paths," Stacie said, adding nicely, "it was great getting to know them."
Both women, who seemed intimately familiar with the other iterations of the "Real Housewives" franchise, said they were approached by the producers about doing the show and gave it a lot of thought before agreeing to participate.
Stacie said she agreed to do the show after the producers won her over with talk about "their vision for the show" and how the DC "Housewives" was going to be oh so different than the other "Housewives" series on Bravo that have become such a ratings hit with all their loony table- flipping fights and vampire accusations.
The producers told Stacie how "the backdrop of DC makes for a different story," "there will be different storylines you haven't seen before," and "we have some really important provocative substantive conversations about political issues" on this version, she explained.
"Our producers are more interested in featuring these five ladies, and what they do and bring to the city, rather than any catfights and drama," Mary said, in her pre-Matt Put Baseball Through Window phase -- proving she had not seen the first episode.
"I think overall our show is going to be very different in that it's going to be much less about dramas than it is about issues and political views -- and all that stuff," Mary said.
Asked what political issues would be front-and-center on the show, Stacie brought up the issue of gay marriage. Mary did not weigh in, but she'd vanished at that point.
But, when asked if we were going to see any politicians in "The Real Housewives of D.C." Stacie quickly responded, "You know they can't do that."
This was intriguing. We wanted to hear more. She had more to say:
"One of the things that was really difficult in terms of casting, is that in DC so many people who are in politics -- it's super-conservative -- there are so many people that couldn't do the show for that reason, and confidentiality," she explained.
Wait a minute! House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, CIA director Leon Panetta, and White House assistant chief Sam Kass have been booked to appear in this season's episodes of Bravo's "Top Chef: DC"!
We let it go.
Lisa de Moraes
July 22, 2010; 4:49 PM ET
Categories: TV News
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Next: "Kate Plus 8 Plus Sarah"?
Best comment of the whole story -
"One reporter wondered whether the Salahis, whose party crashing ways got them all the way to NBC's "Today" show - twice -- had "tarnished" the "Real Housewives" show. This, of course, was asked by a guy -- who clearly is out of his depth trying to cover "The Real Housewives" story, because otherwise he'd know "tarnished" would be an improvement to this gloriously tacky franchise."
I would consider being "clearly out" of my depth in covering a "Real Housewives" story to be the best way to be and a supreme compliment.
All of these shows clearly show the worst and craziest of women - none of whom any of us would want to emulate or use as a role model. They are materialistic back-stabbers and they all need serious therapy. Not one single woman seems to have it together in any way.
Posted by: GKALE | July 22, 2010 7:26 PM | Report abuse
Michaele Salahi posts on her facebook page that she is the star of the show and it is the most anticipated show ever. Tell her what you think.
Join our Facebook page: Tell the White House Party Crashers to Go Away
Posted by: seraphina2 | July 22, 2010 10:51 PM | Report abuse
First time for be to watch this show.
The reason. The Salahi's.
Posted by: lisag1 | July 22, 2010 11:27 PM | Report abuse
Wrong! Just watching for that salhiee's b! t ch's cootie.
Posted by: Rocc00 | July 22, 2010 11:47 PM | Report abuse
Lisa, just so you know ... by making any mention at all of the Salahis being on the show, "The TV Column" is part of the reason people believe they're a bigger part of the show than they are.
Posted by: carrdona | July 23, 2010 3:59 AM | Report abuse
Lisa, just so you know ... by making any mention at all of the Salahis being on the show, "The TV Column" is part of the reason people believe they're a bigger part of the show than they are.
Posted by: carrdona | July 23, 2010 3:59 AM | Report abuse
What, pray tell, is the point of this show if not to feature dramatics and crazy antics? That's the only reason people watch Real Housewives. They're not going to watch for "political discussion" and neither will I! BRING THE DRAMA, REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DC...BRING IT!!!!
Posted by: crzytwnman | July 23, 2010 9:35 AM | Report abuse
If any of the women cast on the Real Housewives of DC are under the impression that a) it's going to be 'very different and about issues' and b) not focusing on the Salahis then they are either lying or supremely stupid.
These women are not real anything. They are not real DC socialites. They are not real housewives. The only thing real about this show is the money Bravo's going to be making on it.
Posted by: akhix2001 | July 23, 2010 10:34 AM | Report abuse
Posted by: newman5 | July 23, 2010 1:56 PM | Report abuse
For the unknowing, the poster "lisag1" is Michaele a/k/a "Missy" Salahi.
She always opines,
When she goes on-line,
How the Salahis are really so great!
But please be assured,
It's Missy at the keyboard,
To post again, she simply can't wait.
[Calling herself 'Susan' or 'Lisag1' or 'Mary' or 'Deborah' or 'Morgan', etc.].
You might ask how can one tell?
Well, it sure rings a bell,
When the poster can't spell,
And the comments are so poorly written.
Seems Missy is lacking,
In basic punctuation tracking,
And her grammar is quite atrocious.
Perhaps she should look,
At her old high school text books.
Her comments are most surely precocious.
Posted by: LAWPOOL | July 23, 2010 2:49 PM | Report abuse
..."We spent five months together, and we spent a lot of time sharing our stories, and I think that the American public is going to be really interested and inspired by our stories," she said...
I am so let down by this country and it's morals everyday, day in and day out. It's sad that this ultra privileged, affluent "member of society, REAL Housewife" believes that people will be interested and inspired by watching this show. The worse part about it is, it's probably true. Dumb dumb dumb dumb people.
Posted by: Bigfoot_has_a_posse | July 23, 2010 2:54 PM | Report abuse
this is too funny.what on earth do they have to talk about other than botox and dieting.they are a bunch of nobodies, grifters, and obviously they have emotional issues, let's hope! I think Bravo comes into town looking for the craziest, most desperate social climbers who seem to be willing to do anything to get their botoxed mugs on tv.They look for numbskulls with some money because they don't pay them very much, As delusional and wacky as this group sounds i think i will pass on DC housewives. Yuck!
Posted by: newman5 | July 23, 2010 3:11 PM | Report abuse
This is one show I won't waste my time on....
Posted by: clarkesq | July 23, 2010 5:05 PM | Report abuse
Can't wait for the show.
"lawpool" sorry you are so empty and jealous of michaele. try eventually you will get your own life. Michaele we all love you and are excited for the show.
Posted by: lisag1 | July 24, 2010 3:42 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.


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Lido Foundation expands help for Somalis with new HQ
A new home on the Edward Woods Estate is making a big difference to the Lido Foundation in its work to help the Somali community and other minority groups.
The charity used to be based in a cramped office behind a café in Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush. Now, with the help of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, they've found a new home on the Edward Woods Estate in North Kensington. The Housing Resident Involvement Team work with third sector organisations to offer affordable office accommodation on housing land. There are eight office units on the Edward Woods estate managed by the team.
"We now have a proper centre," said chief executive Liban Muse. "Our old office was cramped and we were hidden away. But now we're much more accessible and we have the space we need."
The Lido Foundation is a fantastic charity," said Cllr Max Schmid, H&F Cabinet Member for Finance.
"It not only changes the lives of individuals, but gives them the skills and knowledge to they need to make a real contribution to our community."
Help with work and training
The Lido Foundation was set up by Liban in January 2014 after realising there was a lack of support and advice for the Somali community.
The foundation helps them and other minority communities in different ways, including finding work and training, literacy skills and getting the benefits they are entitled to. Where they can't help directly, they show people who to talk to, such as councillors, job centres and other charities.
The Lido Centre, part-funded by H&F Council, is open three days a week and is staffed by volunteers.
"Demand is growing all the time and the barriers to accessing support and services are getting worse," added Liban.
He said people can struggle for a variety of reasons such as a lack of internet access and poor English.
He realised there was a need for the charity because of the amount of parents who approached him asking for help when he was a governor at Wormholt Park Primary School in White City.
"It began with parents asking me to help their children with their homework," said Liban.
"I soon realised that the whole family needed support and not just with homework. I thought I couldn't continue like this and I needed to set up a registered charity.
"I'm really grateful for the help we've received from councillors and H&F Council."
The issues the foundation deals with are varied and complicated but choosing the charity's name was easy.
"Lido is a beautiful beach in Somalia which brings everyone together," he said.
You can find out more about affordable office lets on housing land by emailing email@example.com or calling 0208 753 6652
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How embarrassing!
Not only have have we given cash to Iceland's bankrupt banks, we're now stranded like prisoners on the British Isle because of their silly volcano. To add insult to injury our northern cousins are now having a good laugh at how we pronounce Eyjafjallajokull. Jeez.


text: This Is How Katharine McPhee Is Spending Her Hiatus From Acting 5:18 PM PDT 4/15/2015 by Chris Gardner FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Getty Images/Courtesy of laChambre Public Relations Katharine McPhee - P 2015 The 'Scorpion' star tells all during Giuseppe Zanotti's L.A. store opening party on Tuesday. (Hint: Her break involves making new music with someone from Florence's awesome Machine.) Ask any starlet in town: Scoring a series regular role on a hit TV show is a lot like winning the lottery. And the good news is the riches that arrive with TV stardom come complete with a much-deserved summer break. So when we snagged some face time with Scorpion star Katharine McPhee on Tuesday night inside Giuseppe Zanotti's well-heeled bash to toast his newly expanded digs on ever-chic Brighton Way in Beverly Hills, we just had to find out how the fresh-faced star is spending her hiatus from the CBS show. (Luckily, our chat came before Beyonce showed up, affecting our concentration.) Her answer? More work and some beach time. Read more Beyonce Causes Freak Out at Giuseppe Zanotti's L.A. Store Opening "I am putting out a new single in a couple weeks," teased McPhee, who just wrapped a Diane Martel-directed music video to support the song titled "Lick My Lips." The track was written by Florence and the Machine member Isabella Summers (aka Isa Machine) for McPhee's upcoming — and still untitled — new album (release date TBD). "The song is very tongue-in-cheeky and samples a Luther Vandross song. It's a fun summer song, and I'm excited about the body of work as far as the album goes because this record is something I'm very connected to — like a diary of what I've been through." She's also about to go through some serious relaxation. "I'm also going to Thailand to sing with [Andrea] Bocelli for a show and then I'm going to travel for a week in Thailand and lay on the beach somewhere," smiled McPhee, in Zanotti shoes, an Elle Sasson dress and Marina B jewelry with an Emm Kuo clutch. And while she didn't mention if she's traveling with anyone, we assume her beach bud will be her boyfriend, the handsome Elyes Gabel. Read more Chanel's 'Coco Crush' Jewelry Collection for Net-a-Porter Is Here Equally good-looking were the rows and rows and rows of Zanotti shoes inside the Italian designer's new digs. Even McPhee had her eyes on a few pairs, especially the sandals. "I'm a legitimate fan of Zanotti," she explained. "He does, to me, the most beautiful sandals with beading and hardware and gold." Sandals seem perfect for her summer vacay, but McPhee admits (gasp!) that she's trying not to spend all her hard-earned cash on shoes and clothes. "I'm trying to splurge on travel because I feel like I don't need more things and it should be more about the experience for me and going to nice places with friends and family." And cute boyfriends. FACEBOOK TWITTER EMAIL ME Chris Gardner firstname.lastname@example.com chrissgardner


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ET has confirmed that BRITNEY SPEARS is engaged to backup dancer KEVIN FEDERLINE. Yes, the 22-year-old is ready to walk down the aisle again, but this time she's apparently going to take a more traditional route. Her 55-hour Las Vegas marriage to childhood friend JASON ALEXANDER ended in an annulment. Federline has been by Britney's side as she recovers from arthroscopic surgery on her knee, which forced her to cancel the remainder of her Onyx Hotel Tour. Marrying Federline will also make Britney a step-mom — he has a 2-year-old with actress SHAR JACKSON, who's also currently pregnant with his second child.
Our STEVEN COJOCARU chatted with Britney last February following her first short-lived marriage. At that time the pop star said: "Honestly, I really wanted to see what it was like to be married," she revealed. "Maybe that sounds silly, but, in that moment, I was with a friend that I love dearly and I wanted to do something wild and crazy and I wanted to get married. So that's why I did it."
People magazine has the exclusive on the story and the couple is expected to do the a new interview and cover shoot for next week's issue.
Source: ET


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Performance Therapy
Imagine you are standing at the open door of an aircraft. You are wearing a parachute. Mentally/cognitively/logically you know you are safe, you have the parachute. Still, everything in your body is shouting 'DON'T DO IT! DON'T JUMP!' You have to find your courage to jump and once you jump and your parachute opens, the feeling is elating and you land safely. The sense of achievement is so good you want to do it again.
You want to improve an area of your life or your business. You know what to do, so why aren't you doing it?
Maybe you've seen a business advisor, a coach, your bank manager, your marketing consultant, a nutritionist, a dietician, a fitness coach etc. You have all the information you need about what you need to do and how you can do it, but you're just not motivated to do it. Or you think you aren't. Actually, it's not your lack of motivation that is the problem. You are mentally motivated but there is another factor at play.
Your brain is designed to keep you safe, your sub-conscious brain is designed to stop you doing things which are difficult, scary or uncomfortable. Therein lies the catch. In order to build your business or to perform better, you are going to have to do things which are difficult, scary or uncomfortable. So you're never going to feel like it. We are only motivated to do things which feel good.
You think, 'I know doing this will help me', 'I know it's what I need to do'… then 'I'll make that phone call when I've…' 'I'll tackle that conversation when…' 'I'll commit to that course when…'
You tell yourself 'I'm not feeling well.' 'I'm too tired.' 'I don't have the time.' 'I feel down about it.' 'I don't think I can.' 'I'll make a fool of myself', 'I'll fail' and here's the big one… 'I'm not good enough.' You think these are excuses. They are reasons you create to support your avoidance of danger.
Your thoughts create feelings and your feelings create behaviour, your behaviour creates thoughts, which create feelings which create thoughts and on you go. It is possible that you can deal with your conscious thoughts and change them and then a change in behaviour will follow. This is the basis of therapy such as CBT. However, this is where you might be stuck. You know what you think, you know what you feel and you know the behaviour you need to stop or adopt. But you just don't get round to it.
When you have a subconscious fear driver, which is designed to keep you safe, this can manifest as a conscious away from motivation. When you identify the subconscious driver and through discovering it and knowing it, bring it into the conscious mind, you then have a means of changing it – it is now known to you and you can then change your behaviour through a conscious choice. Take for instance a subconscious fear of not getting it right. Imagine that you are an architect or a financial trader, a surgeon or a jet engineer – the impact of not getting it right could cost you millions of pounds or even someone's life. So you will strive to get it right. BUT you are driven by an away-from subconscious motivation. So whilst it may serve you in getting it right – it will cost you in mental, emotional and physical stress. It will feel like a struggle to do it, time will pass slowly and you may dread the time you will have to do it again. Now think of something you love doing. It feels easy, time passes quickly and you are motivated to do it again – in fact, you can't wait.
By identifying the subconscious fear, bringing it into the conscious mind, letting it go and transforming the fear (of not getting it right) into the towards motivation of a desire to get it right, you remove the stress. The end result is the same – you get it right but the stress impact on your mental, emotional and physical state is removed. When you have a goal or a performance level you want to achieve and you remove the stress, you find yourself doing the everyday little things that you need to do to move forward and achieve your goal or improve your performance.
A word about fear.
As I've said, fear keeps us safe. Rational fear like fear of falling or fear of being eaten by the tiger that is chasing you is appropriate but we are often held back by irrational fear. The 'what if' that keeps us from doing the thing we are driven to do. Someone once said that irrational fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. Our logic tells us our fear is just our fear – but it feels real we have a physical response to a mental thought. We still have desire and belief. You are between a rock and a hard place – a rabbit in the headlights, caught between what you are driven to do and the fear.
Remember when you started your business or took a new job. You started with a belief you could succeed. Why would you start a new venture thinking you would fail? You started with a desire to provide a service or a product and a belief that you had something which people would want or an aspiration to do well. So you jumped in.
In order to fulfil your dream or meet your vision, you had to do things which you had not done before – or you had to represent yourself rather than be an employee of a company. It became real – this was you out there in the world, putting yourself on the line, risking criticism or ridicule. You might have had to publish your website, present to a prospective customer, deliver a speech, attend a networking event or ask for the business. It's at that moment that the fear kicked in and your internal imposter piped up with 'What if I'm not good enough?'
'What if I can't deliver?' 'What if I fail?' – whatever your particular internal voice says. And yes you do have a critical, internal voice – everyone has one. You lost your way.
You thought you needed the confidence to do these things because you felt fear – but you are a confident person – you started a business or took a promotion. What has happened is that you stepped out of your comfort zone, the place where you are doing something you have never done before, the place that feels uncomfortable and unfamiliar. You are waiting to fully commit until you have the confidence to do the thing – actually it's doing the thing which gives you the confidence. What you actually need is courage. Courage is the starting place of creativity, growth and success.
'Do the thing and you will have the power.'
Ralph Waldo-Emerson
When you understand that fear is the result of moving forward and find your courage to be truly with the fear, understanding that it is created by you, by your imposter syndrome and by your 'what if', then you have self-awareness. Then you can trust yourself because you understand your process, are prepared to feel vulnerable and have the ability to call upon your courage. As you find yourself doing the things which you were previously fearful of, you will have the confidence and desire to get out of your comfort zone again – to do the next thing. You will remember that you are a confident person and you will understand that feeling fear means that you are growing, expanding, becoming more competent and really and truly living. This is where life is, the vibrant edge of our full potential.
Click the button below f you would like to know how I use kinesiology to support you to transform fear, gain confidence and perform better.


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Arrive In Style
Very high quality and durable padded gig bags for transporting your precious modular synth cargo.
- Clearance to leave your system patched
- Padded main compartment protects your case from bumps and scratches
- Zipped outer pocket for stuffing accesories and other gear
- Rear pocket closes with veclro at top but unzips at bottom to become a handle sheath so your case can sit on top of a rolling suitcase.
- Super beefy strap connectors with clipped strap
- Handles
- Lightweight
- Sized to fit our 104HP 4U Eurorack Cases.


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Farm Vehicle & Equipment Loans
Rural life and equipment go hand in hand. From tractors and other utility vehicles to specialty equipment such as balers, cutters, dozers, and implements – Southern AgCredit can finance virtually all of your equipment needs, large or small.
Equipment Loan Services
- We can finance up to 100% loan to purchase price, depending on total collateral offered.
- Repayment options of monthly to annual payments.
- Terms from 1 to 7 years, depending on age and condition of equipment.
Search Mississippi Property for Sale
Search Louisiana Property for Sale
Contact Southern AgCredit to learn more about financing equipment for your farm.


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One of my favorite classroom management strategies is using hand signals! I swear by them! I don't even know how I ever managed a classroom without them. I've revamped them and I always seem to change them from year to year. That makes the beginning of my year pretty interesting….staring at a child trying to figure out what in the world they're asking me. Or, calling on someone for an answer when they're holding up the tissue sign.
However, once I have my hand signals down, I feel unstoppable! Seriously, teaching a lesson and someone needs:
- a tissue
- the bathroom
- a drink
- a new pencil
- help with their work
I don't ever have to interrupt the flow of what I'm doing to address it. I just keep on going about my business like nothing else is even going on outside of my priceless words of wisdom that I'm imparting upon my eager students. Okay, maybe the last part is an exaggeration but the rest is entirely true!!
So, here are the signals that are up right now. I picked these up on TpT for a very reasonable price. I use freebie signals before but there were always ones that I needed that I couldn't find in the set. Sure, I could've made my own posters but doesn't that defeat the purpose of using such a time-saving device? These ones are perfect and I love the multicultural hands!
So, give it a try if you haven't yet and share your favorite classroom management strategy below!!


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TIFF Bell Lightbox will be revamped into a massive modern school for the arts for boombox, TIFF's annual fundraising event on Thursday, November 2. Exploring the building, guests will immerse themselves in multi-sensory experiences inspired by the 1980 film's prestigious performing arts high school in New York City. Proceeds from this year's event will support Share Her Journey, a campaign to boost participation, skills, and opportunities for women behind and in front of the camera.
The night will be a choose-your-own adventure of music, art, film, and performance by emerging Toronto artists, each inspired by an area of TIFF's fall programme including Black Star, Aabiziingwashi (Wide Awake/Unable to Sleep), Canada on Screen and Filipino New Wave.
The entire building will be transformed into a creative arts school, with each event space taking the form of a classroom, studio or common area. DJ Beat Sampras will kick off the celebration in the Atrium-turned-Auditorium. Next up will be DJ Cool V with performances by Indigenous dancers Marie Morrison, Leslie McCue, Angel Recollet and Jonathan McDonald. To close out the night we are excited to have powerhouse DJs Nino Brown & Dre Ngozi as our headline act.
Director and producer Raha Euphoria will create an enveloping experience in an active film set in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Gallery. This up-close look at a music video production will incorporate live dance performance with 3D image-mapping and other projection technologies. The Loading Docks is a very different scene, an open creative space where "students" hang out and impromptu dance cyphers turn into breakdance and rap battles against the backdrop of the musical stylings of DJ Xavier Pierre. Luma Restaurant will be transformed into the school's Dance Studio for the evening, where guests will be treated to a rare view of the auditions, dress rehearsal and final presentation of a special dance performance and fashion show, directed and choreographed by Fly Lady Di. Finally, you don't want to miss celebrated artist OLUSEYE's live art experience in the Bell Blue Room, where he will bring a painting of a vogue dancer to life throughout the night.
Guests can also experience 2167, the collection of virtual reality projects commissioned by TIFF, imagineNATIVE, Pinnguaq and the Initiative for Indigenous Futures as part of the Canada on Screen programme that asks Indigenous filmmakers and artists to envision Canada 150 years into the future. The works by Jeff Barnaby and Kent Monkman are also on display at TIFF Bell Lightbox during the imagineNATIVE Film + Media Arts Festival.
Tickets to boombox are $160 for the public, $150 for TIFF Members and $1600 for a Party Ticket Package that includes 12 tickets for the price of 10. Doors open at 9pm. Guests are encouraged to dress with the event theme in mind or in cocktail attire. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit tiff.net/boombox or call 416-599-TIFF (8433) or 1-888-599-8433.
TIFF prefers Visa.
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Winterizing Your Home
Whether you reside in, are buying, or selling a home, you should have a professional home inspection performed.
A home inspection will look at the systems that make up the building such as:
- Structural elements, foundation, framing etc
- Plumbing systems
- Roofing
- Electrical systems
- Cosmetic condition, paint, siding etc
If you are buying a home, you need to know exactly what you are getting. A home inspection, performed by a professional home inspector, will reveal any hidden problems with the home so that they may be addressed BEFORE the deal is closed. You should require an inspection at the time you make a formal offer. Make sure the contract has an inspection contingency. Then, hire your own inspector and pay close attention to the inspection report. If you aren't comfortable with what he finds, you should kill the deal.
Likewise, if you are selling a home, you want to know about such potential hidden problems before your house goes on the market. Almost all contracts include the condition that the contract is contingent upon completion of a satisfactory inspection. And most buyers are going to insist that the inspection be a professional home inspection, usually by an inspector they hire. If the buyer's inspector finds a problem, it can cause the buyer to get cold feet and the deal can often fall through. At best, surprise problems uncovered by the buyer's inspector will cause delays in closing, and usually you will have to pay for repairs at the last minute, or take a lower price on your home.
It's better to pay for your own inspection before putting your home on the market. Find out about any hidden problems and correct them in advance. Otherwise, you can count on the buyer's inspector finding them, at the worst possible time. Old Man Winter is settling in for a long chilly season. Before the temperatures dip too far south, follow these simple guidelines to winterize your home and save money on utilities.
Inside Your Home
- Have your furnace system serviced to ensure it's working efficiently, is not a combustion hazard and is not emitting carbon monoxide or other toxic fumes.
- Clean permanent furnace filters and replace paper or disposable filters.
- Replace the batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- If you have a wood stove or fireplace, have your chimney swept thoroughly. It should be inspected and cleaned seasonally. Find a certified sweep in your area via please click Chimney Safety Institute of America See the complete article below
- Check your water heater for leaks and maintain proper temperature setting (120 degrees is recommended by Department of Energy). On older water heaters with less insulation, for every 10 degrees Fahrenheit you lower the temperature, you save 6 percent of your water heating energy.
- Check the attic to see if insulation needs to be added or replaced. This is the most significant area of heat loss in many homes, so it is also important to see that it has proper ventilation. Inadequate ventilation could lead to premature deterioration of the insulation materials or roof systems damage. You may also need to check insulation in exterior walls, crawl spaces and along foundation walls.
- Check all windows and doors for air leaks. Install storm windows and putty, caulk or add weather stripping as needed.
- Check basement and cellars for seal cracks or leaks in walls and floor.
- Make sure all vents are clean and operating properly.
- Clean and vacuum baseboard heaters, heating ducts and vents.
- Remove or winterize air conditioning units.
Outside Your Home
- Store or cover outdoor furniture, toys and grill.
- Purchase rock salt for melting snow and a shovel or snow blower if you don't already have one. Make sure you have the right kind of gas and oil on hand for your snow blower in the case of an unexpected snowstorm.
- Caulk joints and minor cracks on exterior walls and siding.
- Look for deteriorating finishes. Minor problems can be patched to preserve the wood. Put bigger jobs, such as scraping and refinishing painted or stained areas, on the calendar for next spring or early summer.
- Drain and shut off sprinkler systems and other exterior water lines to avoid frozen and broken pipes. Leave all taps slightly open.
- Insulate exterior spigots and other pipes that are subject to freezing but can't be drained or shut off.
- Rake and compost leaves and garden debris, or put out for yard-waste pickup.
- Clean storm drains, gutters and other drain pipes.
- Check the foundation for proper drainage. To do this, spray yard with a hose to see if water runs away from the house. A little shoveling to reshape the earth next to the house may make the water run away from the foundation.
- Make sure dirt or piles of wood don't come into contact with or touch siding, inviting termites and carpenter ants into the house.
- Seal driveway and walkway cracks, if needed, before ground freezes regularly.
- Inspect the roof for loose, damaged or missing pieces.
- Check attic vent openings for nests or other blockages.
With natural gas and propane prices continuing to rise, you'll likely be looking to the old fireplace this winter to help cut your home-heating bills. But before you spark up the logs, take heed that fireplaces and chimneys are involved in 42 percent of all home-heating fires. So first make sure yours is up to snuff by following the seven safety tips below.
1. Hire a chimney sweep. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that chimneys be swept at least once a year at the beginning of the winter to remove soot and debris. Find a certified sweep in your area via the Chimney Safety Institute of America
2. Check for damage. In addition to cleaning, a chimney sweep should inspect the chimney structure for cracks, loose bricks, or missing mortar. Chimney liners should also be checked for cracking or deterioration.
3. Cap the chimney. A cap fitted with wire-mesh sides covers the top of the chimney and keeps rain, birds, squirrels, and debris from entering. Replace or repair a cap that's missing or damaged.
4. Burn seasoned hardwoods. Choose dense wood, such as oak, that's been split and stored in a high and dry place for at least six months. Green wood and resinous softwoods like pine produce more creosote, a flammable by-product of combustion that can build up in the chimney.
5. Don't overload. Small fires generate less smoke, thus less creosote buildup. Also, a fire that's too large or too hot can crack the chimney.
6. Build it right. Place logs at the rear of the fireplace on a metal grate. Use kindling, rather than flammable liquids, to start the fire.
7. Use a spark guard. Prevent errant embers from shooting out of the firebox with a mesh metal screen or glass fireplace doors. A guard in front of an open flame is especially important when the room is unoccupied.
We strongly encourage you to accompany the inspector so that you may ask questions and gain a better understanding of the systems in the home.
If you have any questions, or are interested in any other services, please contact us so we may discuss your specific needs.


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Saint-Gobain Boron Nitride provides a number of files available for download. These files range from datasheets and brochures to safety data sheets (MSDS, SUIS, SDS), to technical bulletins and various other subject files. Files can be sorted by product and language for quicker access. Please Contact Us if you are unable to find what you are looking for.


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In Washington, D.C., in the summer of 1859, some government clerks, "fascinated by newspaper accounts of the Game of Base Ball in other cities," started playing with bats and balls just behind what was then referred to as the President's Mansion, as the sportswriter Shirley Povich recounted in a history published about a century later. One of the early teams was called the National Club, later the Nationals.
Entering Wednesday's games, with just over a tenth of the 2012 season played, a team called the Washington Nationals stands in first place of the National League East division of Major League Baseball, with a record of 13-4. This is a novel and fragile situation. The last time a team in Washington won the World Series was in 1924, when President Calvin Coolidge attended the ballpark to watch the Senators defeat the New York Giants in the twelfth inning of the seventh game. This, then, is the moment to ask whether the Nationals' success could affect the 2012 Presidential election—quickly, before the Nats revert to form and the question becomes moot.
The path between 1859 and 2012 has not been straight. It took a while for baseball to organize itself as a professional sport, and when it did, a team called the Washington Senators (but sometimes referred to as the Nationals or the Nats) joined the American League. By the dawn of what would be known, for other reasons, as the American Century, the Senators were so bad that they had become a popular vaudeville gag: "The folks in the theater, the man in the street and the children in school knew that Washington was first in peace, first in war, and last in the American League," Povich wrote.
A Renaissance began when Walter Johnson came to town—several pennants were captured, in addition to the '24 Series. The political exploitation of D.C. baseball by incumbent Presidents also flourished. William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Dwight Eisenhower all successively mugged for photographers and tossed out first pitches to the Senators on Opening Day, even if, after 1933, the home team usually stank.
In 1960, an era of betrayal, open racism, and disillusionment arrived. Clark Griffith, the son of a successful Nats owner and manager, Calvin Griffith, became concerned that his Washington audience was "getting to be all colored," as he put it, so he moved the Senators to Minnesota to create the Twins. "You only have fifteen thousand blacks here," he explained later to Minnesota businessmen. Griffith said he appreciated his new fan base of "good hardworking white people."
President Eisenhower strong-armed baseball into creating an expansion team, also named the Senators, to compensate for Griffith's departure. Those Senators floundered, and were bought by a debt-burdened failed Minnesota politician named Bob Short. Short schemed to move his team to a more lucrative market and sell them at profit. He eyed Dallas, Texas. On Short's last night in town, in 1971, drunken fans carrying signs calling for the owner's demise tore up stadium seats and the field.
"This isn't exactly a pleasure," the team's slugger, Frank Howard, remarked after the last game. "Nobody's going to buy a horseshit product, and that's what we've been."
Short created the Texas Rangers, sold them as planned, and thereby created the conditions under which a failed oil wildcatter named George W. Bush could, as the Rangers' managing partner, redeem himself as a moderately competent baseball executive. This set the stage for Bush to become governor of Texas and, later, move into the White House. It is a little remarked upon fact that the Iraq War and the 2008 financial crisis are the responsibility of the late Bob Short.
For a long time after the second Senators left town, there was no Major League Baseball in Washington, and it seemed as if there never would be. The city and the suburbs constituted a large market, but the Baltimore Orioles played nearby, and they built an appealing stadium, Camden Yards.
In 2005, following an unlikely and faintly miraculous series of events, Major League Baseball agreed to move the insolvent Montreal Expos to Washington; they became the Nationals. A shiny new ballpark beside the Anacostia River opened a few years later. The ring of fame honoring the club's history on a strip of stadium concrete has to be one of the most confused and confusing in sports—a bizarre mix of Expos, Senators, and random names. As invented traditions go, the Nationals offer an unusually unconvincing story.
However, baseball had recruited the Lerners, a local family of real-estate moguls with deep pockets and established ties to the city, to buy the team. The theory is that they won't decamp if hard times return. The Lerners have proved to be cautious and not dazzlingly adept in their baseball decision-making, but lately their patience and devotion to building through young pitching has delivered. The Nationals have an awesome starting rotation of power arms, and, at 2.21, the lowest earned-run average in the game by almost half a run.
All very interesting, but as I write this, the Stephen Strasburg bobblehead doll above my desk is shaking his head to indicate that the Nationals' hot start might not matter much outside the Beltway. But Stephen, you are ignoring the calendar.
The next president of the United States will be elected on November 6, 2012. The most important nationally televised sporting event preceding the vote will be the World Series, likely during the last week of October. And what if the World Series includes the Nationals? What if there are games in Washington? What if, as in 1924, there is a thrilling game seven, and it goes into extra innings, and the President of the United States is in attendance, smiling confidently during television cutaway shots?
Consider this the start of the Washington Nationals subset of the general election contest. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney each have considerable ground to cover.
The former is a Chicago White Sox fan—a credible sports head, but one who has neglected the Nationals unduly. (This year, the team recruited the actor and former Army soldier J. R. Martinez to toss out the first pitch for the home opener. The Nationals' Opening Day game was on the road in Chicago, where Bill Murray did the honors.) Romney recently conducted an interview with ABC Television in Fenway Park, and declares himself a Red Sox man. He is not a baseball obsessive, however; he was unaware that the Tampa Bay Rays, a division rival of the Red Sox, play under a dome.
Neither candidate has yet admitted that Washington, D.C., is not a terrible place to live in a mansion or that its live-armed squad of 2012 deserves attention. This might be the time to show initiative—turn up at the ballpark while optimism is in the air, commune with some players, toss it around. By October, those in the stands may well be calling, by habit, for the heads of hypocrites, betrayers, and latecomers.
President Woodrow Wilson throws out the first pitch at a season-opening baseball game, in 1916. Photograph: Corbis.