text:
The historicity of Adam and Eve is a critically important topic in the discussion of Christianity and human origins. Although BioLogos takes a firm stand on the fact that Adam and Eve could not have been the sole biological progenitors of all humans (see here), science does not rule out the possibility of a historical Adam and Eve. Indeed, there is a wide range of Christian perspectives on this topic, several of which have been explored here on the BioLogos Forum in posts from Tom Wright (here and here), David Opderbeck, Pete Enns, Daniel Harrell, and Alister McGrath.
In the final chapter of Evolutionary Creation: A Christian Approach to Evolution (2008), Christian scholar Denis O. Lamoureux presents another important perspective, stating, "My central conclusion in this book is clear: Adam never existed, and this fact has no impact whatsoever on the foundational beliefs of Christianity." Also summarized in a slide-audio web lecture with a two page handout A and B, today's post is the first of a three-part series taken from Lamoureux's I Love Jesus & I Accept Evolution (2009), in which he argues forcefullyagainst the historicity of Adam, primarily on biblical grounds.
Part 1: The De Novo Creation of Life
De novo creation is the ancient conceptualization of origins found in the Bible. This term is made up of the Latin words de meaning "from" and novus "new." Stated more precisely, it is a view of origins that results in things and beings that are brand new. This type of creative activity is quick and complete. It appears in a majority of ancient creation accounts and it involves a divine being/s who act/s rapidly through a series of dramatic interventions, resulting in cosmological structures (sun, moon, stars) and living organisms (plants, animals, humans) that are mature and fully formed.
Considering the limited scientific evidence available to ancient peoples, this conceptualization of origins was perfectly logical. As with all origins accounts, including those held by us today, the ancients asked basic etiological questions (Greek aitia: the cause, the reason for this). These included: Where did these things or beings come from? Why are they this way? Who or what is responsible for their origin? There was no reason for ancient peoples to believe the universe was billions of years old, and they were unaware that living organisms changed over eons of time as reflected in the fossil record. Instead, the age of the world was limited to the lengths of their genealogies, many of which were held by memory, and therefore quite short. Biological evolution was not even a consideration because in the eyes of the ancients, hens laid eggs that always produced chicks, ewes only gave birth to lambs, and women were invariably the mothers of human infants. Living organisms were therefore immutable; they were static and never changed.
In conceptualizing origins, ancient people used these day-to-day experiences and retrojected them back to the beginning of creation (Latin retro: backward; jacere: to throw). Retrojection is the very same type of thinking used in crime scene investigations. Present evidence found at the scene is used to reconstruct past events. In this way, the ancients came to the reasonable conclusion that the universe and life must have been created quickly and completely formed not that long ago. And this was the best origins science-of-the-day.
Grasping the notion of de novo creation is one of the keys to understanding Genesis 1 and the origins debate. This creation account refers 10 times to living creatures reproducing "according to its/their kind/s." Young earth creationists and progressive creationists argue that this phrase is incontestable biblical evidence against biological evolution, because God created separate groups of organisms. They term these groupings "created kinds" or "baramins" (Hebrew b?r?': to create; min: kind). However, this popular anti-evolutionist belief that the Creator intervened dramatically in the creation of individual groups of plants and animals fails to appreciate the ancient mindset and its intellectual categories. The phrase "according to its/their kind/s" reflects an ancient phenomenological perspective of living organisms (Note: this is not to be confused and conflated with our modern phenomenological perspective. What the ancients saw, they believed to be real and actual, such as the literal movement of the sun across the sky. In contrast, what we see today, we understand to be only apparent and a visual effect, such as the "movement" of the sun). Ancient people always saw that birds reproduce birds, which reproduce birds, which reproduce birds, etc. They retrojected this experience back into the past and came to the logical conclusion that there must have been some first or original birds that the Creator had made de novo. Thus, the de novo creation of living organisms, such as birds in Genesis 1, is based on the classification of life in static or immutable categories, as perceived by ancient peoples like the Hebrews. More specifically, it reflects an ancient biology; and in particular, an ancient understanding of taxonomy. This biblical fact has a very challenging implication.
Ancient biology profoundly impacts the conceptualization of the divine acts that created living organisms in Genesis 1. Stated precisely, God's creative action in the origin of life is accommodated through ancient taxonomical categories. In the same way that Genesis 1 filters divine events regarding the origin of the heavens through a 3-tier astronomy and the ancient notion of de novo creation (i.e., God using the firmament to separate the waters above on creation day two, and His placing of the sun, moon, and stars in the firmament on day four), the common phenomenon of seeing living organisms reproduce "according to its/their kind/s" profoundly shapes the events regarding the origin of life. The writer of Genesis 1 attributes the origin of the basic kinds of plants and animals to de novo creative acts by the Creator. In other words, ancient science directs the Holy Spirit-inspired biblical author's conceptualization of divine creative activity. Ancient peoples saw that the basic kinds of living organisms around them never changed, and that these reproduced only after their kinds. It was perfectly logical for them to connect these two observations and then come to the reasonable conclusion that creatures must have originally been created quickly and completely formed. We would have arrived at the same conclusion had we lived at that time. So here's the bottom line: Genesis 1 does not reveal how God actually created life.
To be sure, this idea is challenging and even threatening to many Christians. But the Message-Incident Principle sheds light on the situation. Accordingly, the Holy Spirit descended to the level of the biblical author of Genesis 1 and used his incidental ancient science regarding biological origins in order to reveal the central Message of Faith that He was the Creator of life. Of course, some are quick to ask: Did God lie in the Bible? Absolutely not! Lying requires a malicious and deceptive intention. The God of the Bible is not a God of malice or deception. Rather, by grace the Holy Spirit came down to the level of the ancient Hebrews and employed their ancient understanding of origins—the de novo creation of life—in order to communicate as effectively as possible inerrant, life-changing, spiritual Truths. The ancient origins science is a vessel that delivers "living waters" (John 4:10) to nourish our thirsty souls. To conclude, God accommodates in the Bible and simply does not reveal how He made plants, animals... and humans.


text:
Kurouto Shikou
From NAS-Central Buffalo - The Linkstation Wiki
KuroutoShikou (玄人志向) is the Japanese distributor for the Kurobox. They also distribute a number of other peripherals. Typically products distributed are packaged in a plain brown corrugated box. The "Man in the sunglasses" logo is usually on the package as well. Unlike the US/Europe in Japan these products are available at many Brick and mortar and Online computer stores. They are even available at the Japanese Amazon.co.jp
|This article is currently a stub. You can help this Wiki by expanding it . This template will categorize articles that include it into Category:Stubs.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
|Send News. Want a reply? Read this. More in the FAQ. News Forum - All Forums - Mobile - PDA - RSS Headlines Twitter
Ignited Games announces they are accepting signups for closed beta testing of WindSlayer 2 on the official website of the upcoming North American launch of this 2D side-scrolling, multiplayer RPG. "WindSlayer 2's fast side-scrolling action provides a compelling RPG experience that players around the world currently enjoy, and we can't wait to introduce the game to players in North America," said Peter Kang, CEO of Ignited Games. "Each of our games will provide what our players expect, a fun gameplay experience and stable service. WindSlayer 2 is a fun online RPG and we expect our players will enjoy it as much as we do."
Copyright © 1996-2019 Stephen Heaslip. All rights reserved.
All trademarks are properties of their respective owners.
Privacy Policy. Manage Cookie Settings.
News CGI copyright © 1999-2019 James "furn" Furness &
Blue's News.
All rights reserved.
Chatbear v1.4.0/blue++: Page generated 23 January 2019, 13:18.
Chatbear Announcements.


text:
Hello Piggy,
here are 12 rules of using "the". I hope that this will help you
1.) Used before singular or plural nouns and noun phrases that denote particular, specified persons or things: the baby; the dress I wore.
2.) Used before a noun, and generally stressed, to emphasize one of a group or type as the most outstanding or prominent: considered Lake Shore Drive to be the neighborhood to live in these days.
3.) Used to indicate uniqueness: the Prince of Wales; the moon.
4.) Used before nouns that designate natural phenomena or points of the compass: the weather; a wind from the south.
5.) Used as the equivalent of a possessive adjective before names of some parts of the body: grab him by the neck; an infection of the hand.
6.) Used before a noun specifying a field of endeavor: the law; the film industry; the stage.
7.) Used before a proper name, as of a monument or ship: the Alamo; the Titanic.
8.) Used before the plural form of a numeral denoting a specific decade of a century or of a life span: rural life in the Thirties.
9.) Used before a singular noun indicating that the noun is generic: The wolf is an endangered species.
10.) Used before an adjective extending it to signify a class and giving it the function of a noun: the rich; the dead; the homeless.
11.) Used before an absolute adjective: the best we can offer.
11.) Used before a present participle, signifying the action in the abstract: the weaving of rugs.
12.) Used before a noun with the force of per: cherries at $1.50 the box.
Best regards,
help meGuest


text:
We work closely with evaluation societies and advocacy groups, which share our commitment to promoting evidence-based policy making to enhance development effectiveness.
Our global network of partners has enabled us to explore alternative ideas and new perspectives on development issues. It has also helped us reach credible evidence to influential audiences and bring about policy change.
Contact us to become a partner


text:
Port Arthur man convicted of killing wife in Waco
WACO, Texas (AP) — A Southeast Texas man who met his wife as a pen pal while he was in prison has been convicted of killing her in front of her child.
Prosecutors in Waco are seeking the death penalty in the punishment phase that began Tuesday for Carnell Petetan (PET'-uh-tahn) Jr. of Port Arthur.
Jurors late Monday convicted Petetan of capital murder in the 2012 fatal shooting of his estranged spouse, Kimberly, during an argument at her Waco apartment. Investigators say Carnell Petetan abducted his wife's then-9-year-old daughter. The girl was rescued by police in Bryan.
Prosecutors say Petetan served nearly 20 years in prison for attempted murder. He met the victim as a pen pal and the couple wed in 2010. The September 2012 slaying happened several months after Petetan's release.


text:
Shauna Richardson Crafts "Crochetdermy"
No matter what your view on taxidermy is (or in this case, Crochetdermy), you have to give a nod to the extreme craftsmanship needed to complete these life-size works of art. Shauna Richardson operates out of the UK and takes a traditional form of crafting (crochet) and applies it to this unique idea.
Shauna's pieces are made with different wools and mohair mixes to give the animals a more realistic effect while not covering up her beautiful free-style stitching. The entire animal is done by using a single type of stitch with one size hook and changes up the angles to highlight the animals features.
Even though it takes her a full month to create each piece, we're grateful for her contribution to the art world. Her Crochetdermy pieces are pretty fabulous and made a dull winter day a little bit brighter. You can find more of her work from her website, along with photos of her pieces "in the wild."
(via: Designboom)
(Images: Shauna Richardson)


text: Just a heads up, one of the best wrestling games of all time, Fire Pro Wrestling Returns, is available for download on the Playstation Store. It's only $9.99, which is a steal. Here are a few videos I've made to give you an idea of what the game is like:


text:
Ladies Fuck Gents is a brilliant site featuring excellent collection of strapon pics and flicks where elegant ladies would strapon fuck horny gents who're more than willing to pull their pants down and turn their backs to allow gorgeous babes full access to their anal holes.
Action involves an elegantly dressed woman, often in the business attire, and an eager dude who loves taking this sweet rubber thing up his ass. There's usually some scene setup that gets the action started, it is usually some sort of seduction scenario, where a guy acts kind of coy at first but before you know it the trousers are down and their pasty asses are getting filled with strap-on dongs. Some scenes feature female dominators, and in yet another kind of scenes guy would be trying to talk a puzzled girl into screwing him in the ass with a meaty dildo. There's lots of strapon action from CFNM angle available, when woman is still fully or partially dressed and the guy is fully naked. Strapon action itself is always hot as hell and very realistic in all scenes.
Amount of content that could be found on this site is pretty impressive – there are more than 150 photo sets available, photos are hi res and can be downloaded in a zip file; and more than 120 videos, the bulk of them are DVD quality AVIs and the most recent ones are widescreen WMV HDs. New material is posted every week, and on top of that there's a free bonus access program available for loyal members – every week of your membership you can add one more site of your choice to your access pool free or charge (it could be any Ferro Network site, whether strapon or not). One more bonus site is available immediately after you subscribed, also free of charge.
Tags: Ass-Fucking, Femdom, Fetish, Mistress, Strapon, Toys
Related Posts:
» Kikny mistress strapon fucking sissy guy
» Sexy mistress ass fucking female clothed guy
» Sexy mistress fucks dude in ass with strapon
» Cruel lady fucking her slave
» Kinky redhead lady strapon fucking sissy guy
» Sexy dominatrices fuck guys
» Sexy mistress screwing sissy


text:
The CDA Scenic Challenge is one of the biggest Olympic distance triathlons in the Northwest, and gets a pretty good crowd of competitive athletes - so whenever I show up I know that it's going to be a "world o' pain" for a couple hours.
The 2010 event promised to be no different. But in the days leading up to the race, I was a bit nervous that my legs were not recovering from the Troika Half Ironman six days earlier. So I began using cold water treatments, compression tights and doubled up on Recoverease (http://www.pacificfit.net/supplements.php#recoverease) to speed up healing. When I crawled out of bed at 4:30am Saturday morning to leave for the race, I still had no clue if my legs were going to be able to race, and gave some serious thought to sleeping in and having banana waffles instead of racing.
But my pride won out over the banana waffles.
Halfway down the highway to Coeur D' Alene, while munching on a honey-soaked baked potato from our garden, I realized that I left my bike shoes at home. After scrambling back home to get my shoes, I broke several Washington and Idaho state traffic laws to arrive at the city park with enough time to set-up transition. Heck, I figured at that time in the morning the 25mph school zones aren't too busy anyways.
I used all the same gear and nutrition for this race as my Half Ironman events like Troika (see last week's post), with the exception that as is my practice for Olympic distance racing, I simply take in 300 calories of GU Electrolyte Brew mixed in 16 ounces of water for the first half of the bike - and really don't touch anything else in the way of calories or hydration the rest of the race (other than water to dump on my head).
Also, I was trying out the Millennium Sports Carnage for this race, which is an alanine based supplement. Loading with alanine can help to buffer lactic acid and improve blood flow to muscle, so I took 1000 mg a day for the week leading up to the race. Within 15 minutes after taking it (with a carb source), you get a strange prickly sensation all over body...
So that's how I started the swim. Feeling like a porcupine was inside my wetsuit.
I knew that pro triathlete Kalen Darling was racing, and he can swim the parallelogram shaped 1500K in 17 minutes and change, so I knew that I'd be completely punished if I even *tried* to hop on his feet. I figured I'd be in good shape race-wise if I could come out of the water in the first pack behind Kalen.
It turns out the swim was a bit long, as Kalen came out in 17:59, and I came out with the first pack of swimmers a little over 22 minutes. My usual swim time is closer to 20 minutes for Olympic, and the general consensus among those who raced is that the swim was a bit long. Regardless, I knew I had some work to do on the bike.
The "Scenic Challenge" bike course is a twisted combination of steep hills back behind Coeur D' Alene, along with some flat to rolling sections of the Ironman Coeur D' Alene course. As a "semi-truck" style cyclist (i.e. I point my bike in one direction and mash hard), the hilly courses aren't especially my strength, so I rode conservatively for the first little bit of the bike to keep my legs fresh for the hills.
Bryan Hadley, who beat me in last week's Troika Half Ironman, passed me on the hills, and another strong local triathlete, Derek Garcia, was coming up fast behind me. I tried to keep Bryan in sight, while also knowing Kalen Darling was still a couple minutes ahead and another pro triathlete and very fast runner, Matt Shryock, was somewhere behind me as well. After throwing in a two-wave start, a mix of duathletes and team racers on the course, it starts to becoming confusing to know your overall placing, so sometimes you just have to put your head down, race, and see what the results look like when the smoke clears.
Bryan rolled into transition 15 seconds ahead of me. I barreled through, racked my bike, and sprinted out of transition ahead of him (T2=39 seconds).
Bryan caught back up to me at the 1 mile mark and we ran side by side to the 3 mile mark, where Matt Shryock sprinted by at his 35 minute 10K pace. Bryan and I were both feeling our stiff and sluggish Half Ironman legs not wanting to stride-out - my legs felt like foreign objects moving underneath my body by that point. Kalen was still a couple minutes ahead and after Matt passed, I knew I'd have to hurt bad to not just have a chance at the podium but also to not get caught by the rest of the strong runners behind Bryan and I.
So as we reached the turnaround mark, I began to stride out. I figured I'd either blow up and have to walk, or else make it to the finish line and get to crumble there. Turns out sometimes the other guy is hurting just as bad as you, and Bryan didn't go with me.
The rest of the run went by quickly. I glanced back every quarter mile to see Derek Garcia hot on my heels, and constantly reminded myself:
"You Pass Out Before You Die"....
I swallowed a bit of puke in my throat at the 5 mile mark and put my head down. My apologies to all the people headed out for their run who said hi or tried to high-five. I wasn't in a chatty mood - just survival mode.
I crossed the finish line 3rd overall and 1st in my division. There was no way I could have caught Matt or Kalen 35 and 36 minute runs, so I was happy with my performance, especially as the first "age-grouper" triathlete.
I'll take today to recover from the race and the post-race partying, and then officially begin my Ironman Hawaii World Championships training tomorrow. The goal is to get 4 high quality training weekends in between now and the October race in Hawaii, which means four 4K open water swims, four 100 mile race-pace rides and a run build-up of 15, 17, 19 and 21 miles. Pepper in a few races for speed-work and I'll be ready to rock on the Big Island!
Over and out.


text:
A Loss For Words
The last four games has gotten my thought process out of whack. I usually try to find the positives in all aspects of any Cowboy football game, but this past month has really taken a toll on my mind.
I'm reaching and reaching for something good to take out of this past month, but there's nothing there.
Sure the signing of Roy Williams was a plus, but after last Sundays game I felt horrible for the guy. After listening to all his interviews and how glad he was to be home, It sickened me to see how this team played to welcome him.
There… I got that out!
I am not going to vent or rant! I'm sure everyone (including myself) has heard enough.
It has been sunny and clear here in Big D, but the dark cloud is hovering over EVERY Cowboy fan. The look on a fan's face tells it all. It's that 'someone please say something wrong to me' look.
I've tried to do the pep talk, saying things are gonna get better. I've tried the pat on the back, the sunshine and daffodils approach, but nothing.
Literally A LOSS FOR WORDS from most everyone I have spoken to.
I myself have a few words:
Stunned, Embarrassed, Puzzled, Angry, and last but not least Ashamed.
Ashamed for the most part! Like Fred and Kelly both stated, the lack of leadership.
Soooo.. I went digging threw some vids and found some tape for the Boys to watch before they study Tampa Bay tapes!
And also for all us loyal LoneStarStruck readers.
This video is is the creme de la creme of all things leadership should be!
The end segment of this video is the missing ingredient the Cowboys need for this team.
Bleed Blue and Silver Fans!
We CAN turn this around!


text:
Hear the untold stories of enslaved people and learn about historical and contemporary slavery.
Historical and contemporary slavery.
A beautiful building housing one of the UK's finest collections of fine and decorative art.
Paintings, Wedgwood and Chinese ceramics.
Uncover objects from the Titanic, find out about life at sea and learn about the port of Liverpool.
The Titanic, life at sea and Liverpool's port.
This museum tells the story of Liverpool with diverse exhibits housed in a stunning building.
Liverpool's history and popular culture.
Explore a Victorian merchant's house with its period furniture and beautiful paintings.
Paintings, vintage fashion and furniture.
Beautiful paintings, sculpture and decorative art from the 13th century to the present day.
Paintings, sculpture and decorative art.
Discover treasures from around the world, explore outer space and meet live creatures!
World cultures, space and live creatures.
Also in this section…?
Betty's Paradise © Stephen Shakeshaft
Stephen Shakeshaft, former picture editor and chief photographer of the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo, is renowned for his remarkable and varied studies of people including rich and poor, unknown and famous.
This exhibition featured about 70 of his photographs including unpublished gems alongside award-winning images amassed since the 1960s over decades of great social change.
Follow the links below to find out more about Stephen Shakeshaft, read the stories behind the pictures on the blog and see highlights from the exhibition in the image gallery.
Stephen Shakeshaft
Blog posts
Betty's Paradise
Arthur Dooley
Steble fountain
A face in the crowd
Bessie Braddock
After the Toxteth riots
Scotland Road doorstep
Willy Russell
Fire in Fazakerley
Candlelight portrait
Paddy's market
Pope Bill
Bath night
Liverpool docks
Man with a broom talking to children
We use cookies to allow you to use parts of the site, to provide extra services such as page translation, to help us analyse how our visitors use the site, and for marketing and advertising purposes. The site includes content and tools provided by third parties, such as social media platforms, who may also use cookies to track your use of this site.
National Museums Liverpool
© Copyright 2019


text:
Dr. S.s. Bandi
Doctor Detail :
Dr. S.S. Bandi is a General Physician in Girgaon, Mumbai
General Physician
Speciality Alias
General Practitioner
Conwest Jain Hospitals, 8/10, S.V. Somani Path, Kandawadi, Girgaom, Mumbai, Maharashtra - 400004
Phone No.: 02223808933, 02223808934.
Share your genuine experiences and reviews about the doctor!
Other General Physician in Girgaon, MumbaiDr. Amin Virani Rated : 4.0 Dr. Manish Mavani Rated : 1.0 Dr. Behram Pardiwalla Dr. Ajay Kantharia Dr. Behram Pardiwala
Other General Physician in MumbaiDr. Rajesh Uchil (Dadar West) Rated : 5.0Dr. Shubhangi Nevgi (Elphinstone Road) Rated : 5.0Dr. Suresh Pawar (Mira Road) Rated : 4.5Dr. Sandeep Guthe (Ghansoli) Rated : 4.2Dr. Amin Virani (Girgaon) Rated : 4.0
Most Read
7 tips to Prevent Hair Loss
Losing precious scalp hair is one of the worst nightmares for any man or woman. Excessive hair lo...
10 Tips to Get Rid of Dark Circles
Simply can't get rid of dark circles under the eyes? Well, fret not;it is a common problem ...
Eating rice won't make you fat
Before assessing whether eating rice leads to weight gain, let us try to understand why do we gai...


text:
Bay Area Hospital strives to improve the health of our community every day.
Bay Area Hospital is a tobacco-free campus.
We provide some of the most advanced and compassionate care in the region.
Whether you are receiving care or visiting a loved one, our goal is to make your stay with us a positive one.
Bay Area Hospital offers a wide variety of support groups and programs to improve the health of our community.
We are continually looking for opportunities to improve our organization and keep our community informed.
Family planning — Consider the risks of timing pregnancies too close together or too far apart.
Considering having another child? Pregnancy spacing can affect more than how close your children are in age. It can also have an impact on your health and your baby''s health. Find out what you need to know about family planning and timing pregnancies.
Whether you''re thinking about getting pregnant for the first time or you already have children, it''s important to think about family planning and your reproductive goals. Knowing whether you do or don''t want to have children in the next few years can help you and your partner prepare for conception or choose appropriate contraception.
After your first child is born, family planning takes on new meaning. Having another child will change your family''s lives. Are you and your partner ready to take care of a newborn again? How will your other child or children react to sharing your attention with a new baby?
It''s also important to consider the timing of your pregnancies. While you and your partner might have preferences about how close in age you''d like your children to be, some research shows that spacing pregnancies too close together or too far apart can pose health risks for both mother and baby.
Limited research suggests that a pregnancy within 12 months of giving birth is associated with an increased risk of:
Research also suggests an increased risk of uterine rupture in women who attempt vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) less than 18 months after a previous delivery.
In addition, a pregnancy within 18 months of giving birth is associated with an increased risk of:
Some experts believe that closely spaced pregnancies don''t give a mother enough time to recover from the physical stress of one pregnancy before moving on to the next. For example, pregnancy and breast-feeding can deplete your stores of essential nutrients, such as iron and folate. If you become pregnant before replacing those stores, it could affect your health or your baby''s health. Inflammation of the genital tract that develops during pregnancy and doesn''t completely heal before the next pregnancy could also play a role.
However, it''s also possible that behavioral risk factors, such as failure to use health care services, unplanned pregnancies, stress and socio-economic disadvantage, are more common in women who have closely spaced pregnancies. These risk factors — rather than the short interval itself — might explain the link between closely spaced pregnancies and health problems for mothers and babies.
Research suggests that long intervals between pregnancies also pose concerns for mothers and babies. A pregnancy five years or more after giving birth is associated with an increased risk of:
It''s not clear why long pregnancy intervals are linked to health problems for mothers and babies. Some experts believe that pregnancy improves uterine capacity to promote fetal growth and support, but that over time these beneficial physiological changes disappear. It''s also possible that unmeasured factors, such as maternal illnesses, might play a role.
To reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and other health problems, limited research suggests waiting at least 18 to 24 months but less than five years after a live birth before attempting your next pregnancy. However, further research is needed to determine whether the effects of birth spacing on maternal and fetal health differ between developed and developing nations.
Choosing when to have another baby is a personal decision. When planning your next pregnancy, you and your partner might consider various factors in addition to the health risks and benefits, including your health, age, fertility, relationship, how many children you have, how many children you hope to have, access to health care, child-rearing support, and social and economic circumstances.
Until you make a decision about when to have another child, be sure to use a reliable method of birth control — even if you''re breast-feeding. Once you feel ready to get pregnant again, ask your health care provider for guidance.
Every child — and family — is unique. However, research suggests that closely spaced pregnancies can affect children. For example, children who are less than two years apart might experience more conflict than do children who have greater age differences. Spacing siblings more than two years apart also might mean better reading and math scores for the older children. This could be a result of parents spending more time with the older children before having a new baby.
There''s no perfect time to have another baby. And, even with careful planning, you can''t always control when conception happens. However, understanding the risks and benefits associated with timing your pregnancies too close together or too far apart can help you make an informed decision about when to grow your family.


text:
Ahmose I (Nebpehtire)
Ahmose I ("the moon is born") liberated Egypt from the Hyksos. It is thought that he was only ten years old when he assumed the throne. Both his father Seqenenre Tao and his brother Kahmose died fighting the Hyksos. Most scholars believe that his mother, the powerful Queen Ahhotep, acted as his co-regent for the early part of his reign and retained a great deal of influence with the king. He also relied heavily on sister-wife (Queen Ahmose Nefertari) and his grandmother (Queen Tetisheri) for support, and honoured their names throughout his reign.
Much of the information we have regarding Ahmose has been gleaned from the tomb of Ahmose, son of Ibana. He had a detailed autobiography inscribed in his tomb, and as an officer in the Egyptian army, he was well placed to provide us with details of the king's campaigns. Apparently the early years of his reign were fairly quiet, and the Hyksos may even have made some gains. However, he resumed hostilities about half way through his twenty-five year reign launching attacks on Hyksos strongholds including Memphis and Avaris and retaking Heliopolis. He laid siege to the Hyksos fortress at Sharuhen for six years, at last forcing them to retreat. The king then led his army to Nubia (Kush) imposing his control as far as the Second Cataract and installed a Viceroy in Buhen to manage the area.
While Ahmose I was in Nubia, Hyksos sympathisers led by Teti-en tried to seize the throne. However, his mother (Queen Ahhotep) quashed the rebellion and maintained power until the return of her son. For her bravery, the Pharaoh awarded her "the gold flies". The king then returned to Palestine, pushing as far as the Euphrates, to make it clear who was in charge. On returning home, he seemed content to allow local governors to get on with their jobs, rather than imposing central authority. He also encouraged support for his rule with gifts of land, and was careful not to forget those who had helped him regain control of Egypt. He did undertake some temple reconstruction at Abydos, and reopened the Tura limestone quarries, but left little mark outside Thebes. However, recent digs have found evidence of his palace in the Al-Dabaa area, close to the ancient Hyksos capital.
Ahmose I married his sister, Ahmose Nefertari (the daughter of Ahhotep I and Seqenenre Taa II), and the couple were blessed with a number of children. Two of their sons died at a young age (Sapair and Saamen), but the third went on to become Amenhotep I. As well as honouring his mother, the king respected his powerful sister-wife. She already held the title, "Second Prophet of Amun", an exceptional rank for a woman, and he gave her the title "God's Wife of Amun". This begun the convention of naming the chief wife of the pharaoh by this title.
He was apparently buried in the Dra Abu el-Naga area, but his tomb has not been located. His mummy was reburied in the Deir el-Bahari cache (to protect it from tomb robbers) in antiquity. However, he did construct a cenotaph at Abydos, composed of two temples, one against the cliff and one on the edge of the Nile, and a small pyramid. The pyramid is the last known royal pyramid in Egypt. Inside the pyramid the pharaoh appears in a series of battle scenes which include some of the earliest depictions of horses in Egyptian art.
Names and Titles of Ahmose I
- Manetho; Tethmosis (Josephus), Amos (Africanus), Amoses (Eusebus)
- Horus name: Aakheperu
- Nebty name: Tutmesut
- Golden Falcon name: Tjestawy
Nomen; Nebpehtire
Nomen; Iahmes, Ahmose
- Bard, Kathryn (2008) An introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt
- Bourriau, J (2000) "The Second Intermediate Period", in The Oxford History of Ancient Egypt Ed I. Shaw
- Dodson, A and Hilton, D. (2004) The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt
- Kemp, Barry J (1991) Ancient Egypt: Anatomy of a Civilisation
- Rice, Michael (1999) Who's Who in Ancient Egypt
- Van De Mieroop, Marc (1999) A History of Ancient Egypt


text:
Radical Islamist sect in Nigeria grows more dangerous to Africa as government fumbles response
JOHANNESBURG – The radical Islamist sect in Nigeria known as Boko Haram is growing more violent with a record number of people killed this year as the government struggles to control the situation.
An Associated Press count shows more than 770 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks this year. That makes 2012 the worst year of violence attributed to the group. Analysts say President Goodluck Jonathan's government has not found an effective response.
Making matters worse, government soldiers last month killed dozens of civilians in two incidents when they responded to Boko Haram attacks by opening fire in public places. Local residents say these shootings further alienated Nigeria's Muslim population and made them more sympathetic to the sect.


text:
Welcome to the CRG Discussion Forum!Forum registration problems: Make sure you enter your email correctly and you check your spam box first. *Then* email KurtS2@gmail for help.Classified ads are not allowed on the forum.
Thanks for posting the photos, Mike. I see a Motorsports Research decal on the front fender behind the tire.Were Jim Swan and his company involved with the build of the car or possibly the engine for it?


text:
BFG GeForce 9600 GT 512MB Review - NVIDIA G94 Tested
GeForce 9000 series makes its debut
Some would speculate, and I would agree, that in many ways the GPU world has been pretty stale over the past 2 years or so. We haven't seen any incredibly dramatic shifts in technology or even performance, but perhaps the shift from DX9 to DX9c and then to DX10 just has us spoiled. The fact that the 8800 GTX/Ultra remains the single fastest GPU on the market since November of 2006 makes us pine for the good old days of rapid change -- at least a little.
That doesn't mean that ATI/AMD or NVIDIA have been sitting still; quite to the contrary both company are continuing to find ways to remarket and resell their tweaked products, even if they are a bit too similar to previous options. When the 8600 parts launched we said then that the performance and feature advantages over the 7600 GT were few and far between and it seemed the mid-range parts, the best selling parts, were stuck in the mud. AMD started to mix things up with the release of their Radeon HD 3850 and 3870 parts and then NVIDIA's own G92-based 8800 GT cards flipped the coin again.
NVIDIA is back again with another new mid-range part, this time under the disguise of the GeForce 9000-series descriptor. The GeForce 9600 GT aims at the price point that AMD's HD 3850 sits in, from $170-$200, and will surely push their previous 8600-series cards out the door once and for all.
The New GeForce 9600 GT GPU
Codenamed G94, you can already guess that the new 9600 GT has a lot in common with the G92 aka the 8800 GT and 8800 GTS 512MB. Built on the same 65nm process technology, the G94 takes the great features of hte G92, cuts it down just a bit, and comes up with the following features:
The interesting bits start with the 64 stream processors that run at 1625 MHz on GPU core that runs at 650 MHz. If you remember, the 8800 GT had 112 SPs while the GTS had 128; the GTS SPs also ran at 1625 MHz with a 650 MHz core speed. The 9600 GT still sports a 256-bit memory bus that is used for transfer of data between it and the 512MB of GDDR3 memory that runs at 900 MHz on the card. There are 16 ROPs on the G94 giving it more than enough fill rate to power some high end gaming titles.
Also of note is the display support on the card: all 9600 GTs will support HDCP and have the option for DisplayPort and HDMI connections. We even have a new DVI-to-HDMI adaptor to work with here, just as we did when AMD introduced it last year. Though NVIDIA's card don't have an on-board sound controller to implement audio over the HDMI, some cards will ship with a connector to attach to your audio card for HDMI pass through.
Other than those features chages, NVIDIA was eager to promote some "new" features that the GeForce 9600 GT. I say "new" like that only because these features ALREADY existed on the G92 cores of the 8800 GT and GTS, they just weren't advertised as heavily. Take this compression technology that allows more efficient transfer of data from memory to the GPU - NVIDIA is comparing it to the G80 in the graph above, not G92.
Also "new" to the 9600 GT is support for an improved PureVideo HD that allows for a new feature called Dynamic Contrast and Color Enhancement. This is a software update the existing VP2 engine that exists on the G92 cards as well, and support for it should be quietly rolling back for owners of those cards soon.
Finally, its always nice to see how companies compare themselves to the competition. With the release of the 9600 GT, NVIDIA again has a sub-$200 part that they are pushing as the main competition to the AMD Radeon HD 3850 that has been so successful over the past three months.


text:
No Breaking Brad: Keselowski Wins Sta-Green 200
Brad Keselowski has Perfect Saturday at NHMS
Brad Keselowski made one mistake all day. It was the kind of mistake that, as a driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, you're happy to make. Keselowski dropped the American flag out of his window as he cruised around New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday night, following a dominating performance in the Sta-Green 200.
It was the first win from the pole position for Keselowski, who now has two wins, three runners-up and a third in six Nationwide starts this season. It was Keselowski's 29th victory in 211 NASCAR Nationwide races, which breaks a tie with Matt Kenseth for sole possession of sixth on the all-time Nationwide wins list.
"It was really, really windy and my hand was sore. I took my hand off the flag for a second and the wind just took it from me. It wasn't one of my finer moments," said Keselowski, who won the 2012 July Nationwide race at NHMS. "We had a lot of adversity, but we fought through it and got the pole which was very rewarding today."
Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Larson, and Chris Buescher round out the top-five finishers.
Regan Smith's 10th-place finish was tops among all "Dash 4 Cash" qualifiers, earning him a nice payday of $100,000. The "Dash 4 Cash" is a bonus program that rewards the highest-finishing eligible driver in four designated races with a $100,000 bonus above and beyond the race purse. Smith, Ryan Reed (11th), Ryan Sieg (18th) and Jeremy Clements (20th) were the eligible "D4C" drivers this week.
"This means a lot to our team," said Smith, who leads the Nationwide Series point standings by eight points over Elliott Sadler. "It is great to get a little extra spotlight in the middle of our season for our team."
Smith, Chris Buescher (seventh), Sadler (14th) and Brian Scott (18th) have qualified for next week's "D4C" race at Chicagoland Speedway.
Keselowski led 152 of 200 laps, but needed to hold off a hard-charging Busch over the final 30-plus laps to secure the victory.
"We fought our way up to second, but just didn't have enough to get by him," said Busch, whose three-race Nationwide win streak at the Magic Mile was snapped. "We came in thinking we had a second-place car and that's what we got out of it."
Buescher led three laps and was the highest-finishing full-time Nationwide pilot.
"We held on and found speed being in little bit better air (late in the race)," said Buescher. "This was a really good day for us, and I'm proud of our guys."
The weekend caps off with the 22nd running of the NASCAR Camping World RV Sales 301, which will run on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.


text:
Find Our Latest Video Reviews on YouTube!
If you want to stay on top of all of our video reviews of the latest tech, be sure to check out and subscribe to the Gear Live YouTube channel, hosted by Andru Edwards! It's free!
Smallville - January can't come fast enough!
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Television, DC Comics,
The other night we had Chloe's wedding and it was the disaster that it was projected to be. Doomsday crashed the party and carried off the bride (yes, bride, they did get married before all the hullabaloo). Lana came back after learning Green Arrow's secret and is working with some suspicious character. Lex came back plugged to some weird machine. Jimmy is half-dead. Lois thinks that Clark might be the One. Clark is plain pissed. A typical "Smallville" cliffhanger because they never put one person in peril when they can end a half or full season with just about everyone up the creek. But what do we have to look forward to on January 15, 2009 when the show returns?
Well, how is Clark to deal with Doomsday? Even with Impulse, Cyborg, Aquaman, Black Canary, Martian Manhunter, and Green Arrow, it seems Supes is going to need more help. Even though a lot of shows, including "Smallville," are cutting back to reflect the current economy, we still have room for a slew of guest stars. Well, comic book guest stars as opposed to big name actors.
On January 15, we are going to see the arrival of The Legion of Super Heroes. Cosmic Boy, Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl are going to arrive from the 31st century with stock market tips and to help our hero out. No more worrying about corn prices for a certain Kansas farmboy. DC is digging a little deep from the bench, in my humble opinion, because time travel shows, even when fun, makes my hair hurt. Let's face it. Go back in time, fail in your mission, then try it again 10 minutes earlier until you succeed. Surely those Terminators sending guys back in time must realize their guys have failed when John Connor and the resistance is still there. Didn't kill him, try again for Sarah. Fail with her, try the grandmother, etc.
If I have the scenario right, this Doomsday is made from Kryptonese genetic material so he should be superior to Supes. Assuming green kryptonite doesn't kill him, I wonder if magnetism, lightning bolts, and telepathy will do any good. Well, we will find out in January.
DC Comics Review: Batman #681
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
The conclusion to "Batman: RIP" is finally here. The last issue saw Batman entering Arkham Asylum as his back-up personality The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh to rescue Jezebel Jet from the Black Glove and the Joker.
Grant Morrison stated in an interview with Comic Book Resources that what would happen to Batman in this storyline would be "so much better than death. People have killed characters in the past, but to me, that kind of ends the story! I like to keep the story twisting and turning. So what I am doing is a fate worse than death. Things that no one would expect to happen to these guys at all." When I read this, I became very intrigued. What would happen to Bruce Wayne when the story was over? Well, the story is over and I'm still wondering what the big deal was.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Batman #681
Read More | Comic Book Resources
DC Comics Review: Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: Magog
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
This issue was written by Peter Tomasi with the art provided by Fernando Pasarin. It's a very good issue featuring Lance Corporal David Reid who was resurrected as Magog in the current "One World Under Gog" storyline. I liked the introduction of David Reid to the team by Geoff Johns and Alex Ross. The character is the great-grandson of President Franklin Roosevelt who was a part of the formation of the Justice Society of America (JSA). I love American history and I always love comic stories that weave real history into their storylines.
This issue has some JSA members following Gog on his "mission" to help the people of the world. The group comes across a river with dead bodies floating in it. They discover that it has been poisoned by militants and it will kill everyone in the immediate area who use it for water if they don't block it's path. The river is blocked by Gog and he and the JSA members make their way to locate the militants.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: Justice Society of America Kingdom Come Special: Magog
Read More | DC Comics
Latest Gear Live Videos
- Subscribe:
- YouTube
- iTunes High Definition
- iTunes Standard Version
DC Comics Review: The Flash #246
Posted by David Torres Categories: Reviews, DC Comics,
I haven't been reading "The Flash" for close to a year now. At various times over the past 15 years, "The Flash" has been one of the best comic books out there. From Mark Waid's first two runs on the title, to Geoff Johns classic run, I can't say enough good things about it. After Johns run came to an end, "The Flash" just hasn't been that good.
After "Infinite Crisis," Wally West aka The Flash disappeared along with his wife Linda and twin babies. Bart Allen aka Kid Flash, like Wally West before him, became the Flash in his absence. A year later, Bart was killed by Inertia and the The Rogues. Wally returned along with Linda his wife and their kids who were now physically older due to their link to the speed force. With Wally's return, Mark Waid also returned to write the character.
Click to continue reading DC Comics Review: The Flash #246
Read More | DC Comics
Last Son of Krypton
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,
Part of the Superman mythos is that he is the last survivor of the planet Krypton. This planet orbited a red sun and there weren't too many of those. Earth's yellow sun and lower gravity made Kal-el into what he is today. Very unique. Of course, over the years, we have seen a heckuva lot of survivors of Krypton ranging from horses, dogs, cats, monkeys, and quite a few people. Anyone who was ever sentenced to the Phantom Zone seems to have at least one Get Out of Jail Free card. Remember, we are only talking comics here because we could do a whole other editorial on "Smallville". Other dimensions add a few more. Escaped space pirates: one more. Seemed to me, the last son had a lot of company before the latest storyline takes shape.
Because Superman seems to have freed 100,000 Kryptonians from Kandor when he recently defeated Brainiac for the final, but not last time. I know Supes is a very lonely guy, but I really don't think even he really thinks this is a good idea. At least I hope so.
Remember the Eradicator? He is from Krypton and wanted to remake earth into a new Krypton a long time ago. In fact, every time a Kryptonian shows up, he wants to remake earth, with its puny humans (sorry, Hulk) into a recreation of this poor dead planet. One already killed a whale and it is only a small step to wiping out all the humans and repopulating the planet with Kryptonians. I can only foresee three endings to this storyline but I'd love to hear some others.
Ending number one is Supes putting them all back in the bottle. Not easy, but I'm sure Brainiac will help. Ending number two is transporting them to some other dimension, unless Crisis finally resolves itself and there is only one. Ending number three is put them on some other planet where they will be powerless. I'm sure they'd be happy to welcome Kal for visits after he strands them there. Then he really will be the last son of Krypton - except for all the others running around.
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, Reviews, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
This week Diamond Comics shipped the paperback version of the classic JLA/AVENGERS saga. These came out in comic book form in 2003, but was only compiled in hardcover format for $75. Now we have a softcover at $19.99 and it is time to revisit this story.
I believed at the time that the entire concept was flawed. Kurt Busiek wrote a story in which every Avenger and every Justice Leaguer that ever existed made at least a token appearance. He succeeded in his mind, but not mine. By putting too many characters in a story, you lose the ability to focus deeply on any of them. Recall the series of Marvel/DC Crossover books. These stories usually had one hero and one villain from each universe and you had a real interaction among the heroes and villains. Remember Crossover One with a full Superman/Spider-Man story, Hulk/Superman, etc. You really got into how the characters reacted to each other. In Crossover 2 we had Batman/Punisher, Silver Surfer/Superman and Batman/Captain America. The other two books weren't as good, but it is always fun to match heroes from different universes. In my opinion, confining the epic to 7 or so stars from each universe would have made things much less cluttered and a better read. Characters kept coming and going so quickly it is difficult to keep track.
The story itself starts as one of the generic contest of champions ideas we have seen a million times before. Mystic artifacts being sought by both sides being manipulated by cosmic beings. Ho-hum.
No real detail in the battles to get an artifact and the 12 items are quickly divided up. They we get a mish-mash of heroes from diferrent universes interacting in a confusing way and then A Crisis on Infinte Earths climax against the super-duper villian with everyone throwing in a few shots. Been to the Source, done that.
It was, I suppose, a noble effort and it is certainly a better buy at $20 rather than $75. But as the pundit said about Dicken's Great Expectations, I hoped for more.
A Possible Return to Common Sense?
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, Television, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
Most of the current media bemoans the fact that an increasing amount of movies and TV are based on the comic universe. We geeks and fanboys, of course, love this trend. But most of us are not mindless drones and still have the ability to separate quality from garbage. Spider-Man 1 - good. Spider-Man 2 - not so good. Spider-Man 3 - a waste of good sand. Batman Michael Keaton - good. Batman Val Kilmer - not so good. Batman George Clooney - a waste of good nipples. Heroes season one - good. Heroes season 2 - not so good. Heroes season 3 - a waste of good comic writers.
Recently, DC announced a prospective series entitled "The Flying Graysons". Folks speculated that with an uncertain future for "Smallville", we would need something for our superhero fix. But was Dick Grayson, before he became Robin, solving crimes traveling with the circus the best they could come up with?
So, I printed out the article from Variety and posted it at Phoenix Comics, your favorite neighborhood comic store. Now, remember, these are the same customers who wanted to lynch Marvel for the whole Brand New Day fiasco or put up a statue to Marvel for ending the Peter-Mary Jane marriage. And does anyone remember Birds of Prey? How could anyone mess up a TV show featuring three awesomely good looking girls in spandex. Couldn't be done, could it?
Well, the polling is over and if the U.S. ran like this, we could have saved hundreds of millions of dollars in campaign contributions. Nobody liked this idea. Not one customer. Nobody. And somehow DC must have gotten the message because they have canned the idea. Obviously I am only one store but still… maybe once in awhile they do listen to us.
Read More | Variety
Are Comics Over?
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, DC Comics, Marvel Comics,
I wonder if there will be comics in our future. The reason for this is that it seems that no one wants to write comics anymore. No, what they want to write is the Great American Comic Novel.
As the proud owner of Phoenix Comics in beautiful Eastchester, New York (shameless plug), I have the great fortune, or misfortune, of reading just about everything that DC and Marvel publish. Back in the day, going back as far as 10 cent comics, a huge percentage of books were what we would call today, stand alone stories. Batman caught the bank robber, jewelry store heister, or murderer in one issue. Superman battled the evil monster and/or fooled Lois about his secret identity in one book. A two-issue story was a major event. Even as a youngster, I realized Superman was fighting a never ending battle against evil and we all moved on to the next story.
Starting with "The Death of Captain Marvel," the first mainstream graphic novel, everyone seems to be writing 120-page comic novels and slicing them into six parts. Before the ink is dry on part six, the whole thing is published in a trade paperback. At least you had a good read on an airplane. But even that doesn't seem to be enough.
Now we have continuing sagas that seem to go on forever: Crisis on Infinite Earths to Infinite Crisis to Identity Crisis to 52 to Countdown to Final Crisis to….? And don't even start with all the tie-ins. When they hit Final Bar Mitzvah I quit. Of course the X-Men books have been doing this for years. They even put numbers on the spine so you can keep reading, and reading, and reading and the story line goes on forever. At my age I have to keep reading the books because I would hate to miss a possible ending. Some of my customers have given up and just read the trades as they come out.
Is this progress?
"Inside" Smallville
Posted by Joel Rosenberg Categories: Editorials, Television, DC Comics,
One of the subjects my comic shop customers love to discuss, besides "Heroes," is "Smallville". To survive nine seasons on TV is remarkable in itself, but one of the things I most enjoy is picking up the insider references that they toss in. My comic shop partner, Jason, hates every one of them. Here are a few of them.
Just this season, Clark had to change into a suit at the Daily Planet. The only available place was a telephone booth. Clark said that he wouldn't change his clothes in a phone booth and Lois had to push him in. Clark's dog, back at the farm, is named Krypto. When he first met Bart Allen AKA the Flash, Bart was fleeing from Clark when Clark ripped open his backpack. Out flew a bunch of phoney driver's licenses in the names Jay Garrick, Wally West, and Barry Allen. Bart later suggests they form a club or a league. When Clark meets Arthur Curry AKA Aquaman, Arthur suggests to Clark that they fight crime on the land and sea. Clark responds that he isn't ready for the Junior Lifeguards of America.
In the very first season Lois is reading a book and explains to Clark that Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus and asks him " What planet are you from?" John Jones AKA the Martian Manhunter, drops Oreo cookies in his first appearance. Clark now works at a great metropolitan newspaper. Anyone remember others?
Personally, I love watching "Smallville" with my son and every time one of these inside references show up, I have to explain them to him. Father and son bonding - who knew Smallville could help.
Batman dead?! So says DC Comics February Solicitations
Posted by David Torres Categories: Editorials, DC Comics,
The advance February solicitations for the final issue of "Nightwing" goes as follows: "As Robin, Dick Grayson fought alongside Batman as part of the Dynamic Duo, the greatest crime-fighting team in history. As Nightwing, he teamed up with his peers to combat injustice in the Teen Titans and the Outsiders. Now, Dick Grayson faces the most important battle of his life. Batman is dead. The Mantle of the Bat must be passed, but it will require all of Dick's training and skills to carry out the last wishes of Bruce Wayne and protect Gotham City."
Over at the solicitations for the last issue of "Robin" which also comes out in February, we have the following stated: "Gotham City has found a new hero and his name is Robin – but with a battle for Batman's cowl looming, is Tim Drake ready to become something more?" Now, if Bruce Wayne was dying, I seriously doubt DC would have that written in their advance solicitations two weeks before the end of Batman: R.I.P.
As previously stated in my blog in regards to DC's plans for the Post-R.I.P. world of Batman, Grant Morrison has stated that Batman will not be dying and that he has plans for something better than just killing off Batman. I believe him. I think for whatever reason, everyone will think Batman is dead, but in reality he will be in hiding. I've read on message boards that Batman will become a New God during Final Crisis - which is also written by Grant Morrison. I don't think that will happen. To be honest as of right now, I have NO IDEA what Grant Morrison has in store for Batman in "Batman" #681 the final issue of R.I.P. I do think it will be shocking and it will probably anger a lot of fans - but isn't that what happens all the time?
Read More | Comic Book Resources
© Gear Live Inc. {year} – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.


text:
No Vehicles Found.
Home .
Browse Inventory .
Advanced Search .
Apply Online Now .
Policy .
Contact Us .
Links .
Sold Inventory .
All Rights Reserved. © 2019 Auto Search Technologies Inc.
Auto Dealer SEO by Auto Search Technologies Inc
Marketing Technology by ApogeeINVENT
This page has been visited 712,317 times since December 06th, 2011
Coastal Auto Group | Guaranteed Car Loans Foley AL has been visited 6,029,525 total times.


text:
Magnum Tools is a Master Distributor of high-quality, specialty tools and equipment used in the construction, automotive, energy and fabrication industries. Centrally located in Southeast Michigan, we excel at delivering goods domestically as well as to foreign countries such as Canada, Australia, the United-Kingdom and other locations throughout the world. Let our export experts do the work for you! Contact us with any questions, concerns, or quotes you may require!
The Pro's Source for Tools and Equipment Online
Call 866-588-6300 for more details and other special offers!


text:
Home > Scrapbooking > Stamping
Ready to Buy?
|$1.05 (18%)
Delivery Details
5-10 Business Days
Stampendous HappyHopper Cling Rubber Stamp
3.5" x 4" Sheet, Ice Cream Lick
Item #: NOM310054
FREE Shipping on this item with any order over $49
- HappyHopper Cling Rubber Stamps.
- These are the same premium quality precision trimmed rubber stamps as the Stampendous wood-mounted version.
- A piece of cling vinyl has replaced the wood on the adhesive side of the foam allowing the image to be used with any acrylic block (sold separately).
- Simply remove the disposable acetate layer revealing the vinyl cling with printed image; press onto a block; align and stamp!
- Use any ink that can be used with traditional wood-mounted stamps and clean with wood- mounted stamp cleaner.
- This package contains Ice Cream Lick: one cling rubber stamp on a 3-1/2x4 inch backing sheet.
TAA Compliant
Looking for more items of this kind?
Product Reviews
This product is not yet rated. Be the first to Write a Review!


text:
All of the reviews I've put on this site to date have been previously published in one magazine or another, but here's one that I wrote specifically for Goodreads, a nice book/ social networking website. If you're interested in books, sign up and friend me, it's populated by a lot of very nice, articulate people, many of whom write great critiques of all manner of papery products (and digital one, naturally).
I'll probably write more of these "original" reviews, but probably not many. Nearly all books I read are for reviewing purposes, and I blush to say therefore for financial gain (no, not bribes, a magazine fee for the review. Tsk). But I enjoy Adam's books so much, and I am determined to tell as many people as I can about them, that I wanted to have my say on this, his latest novel for FREE. Wow, an almost Christian level of generosity there.
There are reviews of Land of the Headless and By Light Alone also on this site. As always, click on the links.
Jack Glass
Roberts' books are truly difficult to rate, because there isn't anything else like them in the modern SF genre. He writes beautifully, really beautifully; the kind of image-dense, well-crafted sentences that you have to read three times just to savour the feel of them sliding through your neurons. His ideas are magical, and he's no imaginative slouch – each novel he writes sports a new and freshly minted world of wondrous veracity.
Set in a future where humans thickly clot the space between the worlds of the Solar System and are ruled most oppressively, Jack Glass is a story about a kind of cosmic terrorist, but presented as a series of three murder mysteries; the literary conceit here being Roberts' take on the old country house, Agatha Christie style whodunnit.
To a point this is what we have, but the detective angle proves more a surface gloss to SF world buildery. The murders take back seat and we're soon hip-deep in Roberts' usual concern of the unworthy swain courting the unobtainable damsel. Who are we to complain? All authors have their literary drums to beat, but with the gruesome first installment of Jack Glass it appears at first that we have escaped this particular obsession, and it's something of a surprise and disappointment to be presented with it again.
Glass himself is a confident, capable man, much more sure of himself than many of Roberts' earlier protagonists. Part of the book's draw is the slow revelation of the various layers to his character, and the discovery of the romantic flaw in Glass is well-judged, if slightly disappointing, by which I mean it fits this story perfectly, but anyway, see above. The dividing up of the story into three undoes the pacing, and the contrast between the first taut, superbly claustrophic tale and the more languid tone of the latter two unseats the reader. There's a little too much time spent detailing the inner thoughts of teenage girls (something Roberts already tackled brilliantly in By Light Alone). He does it well, admittedly, but too much here.
Although this is not his strongest work overall, Jack Glass contains some of Roberts' most artful writing, and the first part of the book is among the best SF stories from one of today's finest British SF writers.


text:
Bonn-o-Tron wrote: I just need to do one final mission which involves driving an armoured truck through a couple dozen tracking arrays (which includes the many guards defending them).
So I got this on sunday.
The min spec graphics card is GF7xxx, I have a GF6800. So with the screen at 1024 and all graphics at min. I got 10 FPS, which is playable. At slightly higher settings it was 7 fps. I prefer 15 at min but 10 is really the break point.
I did that mission last night and won on the first try. It looks like I could have failed, but each time I turned off road I was headed in the right direction.
When I destroyed the last tower I continued off a cliff and landed on a smoking enemy vehicle, it exploded and sent my heavily damaged truck sailing into the air, landed upside down on fire.
The game pauses to inform me that I won the mission etc...
The game starts, I scramble out and run just before my car explodes. Lucky for me all the enemies disappear at the end of the mission or I would have been run over by 10 cars.


text:
There's never been a better time
to apply to Otterbein University.
Apply online today!
Adding a Secondary Teaching Licensure component to your Physics major prepares you for teaching physics at the secondary level.
See the Department of Education site for requirements for students seeking licensure in physics. Students must meet both the requirements for a B.A. in physics
and the requirements for teacher licensure. To be recommended for
licensure a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or
better, have a 2.5 grade point average in the teaching area, be in good
standing with the Education Department, have positive recommendations
from student teaching, and have successfully passed the Praxis II exam.
Donna RhodebackAdministrative Assistant
Science Building 236
p / 614.823.1517
e / email@example.com
Otterbein University, 1 South Grove Street, Westerville, OH 43081 614.890.3000
Otterbein University is a private, non-profit, United Methodist affiliated, regionally-accredited institution.
© 2019 Otterbein University. Otterbein University is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer


text:
The November 2009 Daring Bakers Challenge was chosen and hosted by Lisa Michele of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. She chose the Italian Pastry, Cannolo (Cannoli is plural), using the cookbooks Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and The Sopranos Family Cookbook by Allen Rucker; recipes by Michelle Scicolone, as ingredient/direction guides. She added her own modifications/changes, so the recipe is not 100% verbatim from either book.
Cannoli are known as Italian-American pastries, although the origin of cannoli dates back to Sicily, specifically Palermo, where it was prepared during Carnevale season, and according to lore, as a symbol of fertility. The cannoli is a fried, tube-shaped pastry shell (usually containing wine) filled with a creamy amalgamation of sweetened ricotta cheese, chocolate, candied fruit or zest, and sometimes nuts. Although not traditional, mascarpone cheese is also widely used, and in fact, makes for an even creamier filling when substituted for part of the ricotta, or by itself. However, cannoli can also be filled with pastry creams, mousses, whipped cream, ice cream etc. You could also add your choice of herbs, zests or spices to the dough, if desired. Marsala is the traditional wine used in cannoli dough, but any red or white wine will work fine, as it's not only added for flavor or color, but to relax the gluten in the dough since it can be a stiff dough to work with.
Despite not technically a "baking" challenge, I was SO excited to see this month's challenge recipe at the Daring Kitchen. I have only had cannoli a few times, but have always loved their delicate crispy shell and creamy fillings. We had a choice of fillings, so I made half with vanilla and half with chocolate, and dipped the ends of both in melted dark chocolate. For the cannoli with chocolate filling, I then dipped the ends into candied orange peel also for a bit of a jaffa flavour. YUM YUM!!
Anyway, if you would like a printable copy of the recipe, you can find it here.
My first batch, I tried the forming them around the premade cannelloni tubes. Unfortunately, they blistered and cooked along with the cannoli and I was unable to separate the two without smashing the entire thing into smithereens. Luckily, I had some stainless cream horn shapes in my cooking stash, and they worked a treat. Had they not worked, I would have opted for the flat, layered version aka millefeuille/napoleon style. All in all, a great hit with the family and definately will be made again. Am hoping Santa will bring me an ice cream maker for Christmas, as I can really imagine these with a yummy home made ice cream filling!! Delish!


text:
Washington – As the 2008 Democratic National Convention kicks off in Denver, the party is bursting with optimism and a sense of possibility.
Come the Nov. 4 election, Democrats are likely to build on their slim majorities in both houses of Congress, and their new standard-bearer, Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, has a serious chance of retaking the White House for his party after eight years in the wilderness. On most issues, from the economy and the Iraq war to healthcare and education, a majority of voters say they favor Democratic positions over Republican.
But what is the "big idea" animating the party and fixing a 21st-century Democratic brand in the minds of voters? From Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal to the conservative Reagan revolution to Bill Clinton's New Democrat centrism, American presidents have sought to put an ideological stamp on their era and convey to voters boldness and vision.
So far, Senator Obama has risen from long-shot candidate to presumptive nominee on a message of hope and change, and while his campaign is awash in policy proposals, his program defies easy characterization. Still, Obama may well win the presidency simply by not being the Republican, as the GOP struggles against an image in shambles.
Two years ago, the Democrats retook control of Congress without the benefit of a Contract With America-type manifesto, and they could succeed again this November on the strength of the same larger atmospherics – a deeply unpopular Republican president, economic woes, and war weariness.
For now, the Democrats' governing philosophy is "to be announced," says Byron Shafer, political-science chair at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Obama is "relatively careful to make sure you understand that he's not a quote unquote New Democrat, but he also makes clear he's not an old Democrat."
The Republicans' task of reimagining the future is clearer cut: The party is in crisis and is anxiously debating what to do. The Democrats have also moved away from their old models, but their rosier prospects this fall make for less urgency about the future.
If Obama loses in November, that will all change. The Democrats will have their own crisis, as they try to fathom how they could have failed in such a favorable political environment.
If Obama wins, Washington will become a one-party town again, and all eyes will be on the Democrats to produce. Given what happened the last time the Democrats controlled both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue – their congressional majorities were swept out of power, just two years into Mr. Clinton's presidency – an Obama administration is expected to do all it can to prevent a repeat.
"You're going to see greater federal activism, because there will be the expectation that he reacts to the country's problems and finds answers to them," says presidential historian Robert Dallek. "If he doesn't, the Democrats will be out on their ear from Congress."
In a way, though, that approach may clash with another piece of what Obama has promised as president: a "bottom up" approach. Like the community organizer he once was, he plans to tap into the energy and ideas of those he serves, rather than command from on high, he says. Although Obama has presented myriad policy proposals on the main issues of the day – withdraw from Iraq in 16 months, a plan for near-universal health coverage, job creation through investment in clean energy, to name a few – his interest in getting things done may preclude adhering to an ideological line.
And thus, it may be that Obama is being intentionally vague about his approach, other than to call it "post-partisan." But at least one veteran Democrat questions whether he can reach the Oval Office without giving voters more to go on.
"During the course of the campaign and debates, what people have to find out is, where's his bottom line?" says Leon Panetta, a retired congressman and Clinton administration alum. "Obama's all about change and compromise, but … in Washington, the first lesson you learn is you can only compromise from strength. Strength means that people know what you stand for. That's what he has to define, before the Republicans do."
Voters yawn when they hear a long list of proposals, and the public pays little or no attention to the party platform. So Obama and the Democrats have to get specific, Mr. Panetta says: "What are the four or five goals that they plan to accomplish?"
In a broad sense, the Democrats are still Democrats, sticking to their belief in government as a force for good, a provider of a hand up if not a hand out for those in need, and a willingness to raise taxes on the better-off to pay for services. But near the end of the first decade of the 21st century, the world is a markedly different place from what it was even 20 years ago, when New Democrat centrism came to define the party.
In an obscure office at 21st and L Streets in downtown Washington, the Democratic Party is being reimagined.
The occupant of that office, Ken Baer, and his friend Andrei Cherny, cofounder of the journal Democracy, don't pretend to have all the answers. Rather, these former speechwriters for Al Gore believe that the future of the party rests in the power of ideas, not just in charismatic personalities or a piecemeal approach to governing. And so two summers ago, they started the magazine as a forum for ideas – much the way, they hope, William F. Buckley's magazine National Review gave voice to the ideas that eventually became the backbone of the conservative movement.
"By and large, the conservatives shaped politics for a generation," Mr. Baer says. "Now they're out of answers. So there's this ripe moment, and we need to fill that moment."
Baer rejects the idea that "big ideas" don't matter and that all Democrats need to do is be "smarter" about policy on a case-by-case basis. It is big ideas he says, that capture the imagination of voters and reset the political playing field.
What that vision should be is still a work in progress, Baer and other Democrats say. Economic globalization, which has advanced dramatically in the past 20 years, is a central issue. So is the US role in a multipolar post-9/11 world.
On the domestic front, today's social safety net in many ways corresponds to a world that no longer exists – when most women stayed home with their children and workers stuck with the same company throughout their careers.
One essay published in Democracy, "Families Valued," which proposes a new social insurance system for families in times of need, was touted by conservative columnist David Brooks as one of the best magazine essays of 2006. More recent pieces explore "Pentagon 2.0," "A Helsinki Process for the Middle East," and "Wiki-Government."
For years, Democrats have bemoaned their paucity of bottom-up infrastructure – think tanks, magazines, and broadcast media – that's analogous to the infrastructure the Republicans began to build decades ago. Now that is changing. After Clinton left office, former Chief of Staff John Podesta started a think tank, the Center for American Progress, which is now a hub of Democratic thought and activity.
The centrist Democratic Leadership Council, down from its heyday of the Clinton years, is nevertheless still in the hunt. The group just released a collection of proposals for the next president in "Ideas Primary," many under the signatures of top elected officials.
In media, MSNBC-TV has boosted its lineup of liberal talk in the evening to counter the conservative Fox. Liberals still don't have an answer to Rush Limbaugh on radio, but on the Web, the left dominates, though the right is rising.
To Robert Borosage, head of the liberal Campaign for America's Future, it's about countering the conservative echo chamber. "Having an infrastructure independent of the party arms the activists," Mr. Borosage says. "When they're at their neighborhood barbecue, they'll have answers when someone claims that, say, Obama is Muslim."
Nailing down Obama's exact views on key topics, however, may be more complicated. His love of nuance on issues like trade has kept even the congressional Democratic Caucus guessing. But come November, that may not matter, says Bill Galston, another Clinton alum and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington.
"If you ask what's distinctive about Obama, I would say it has much more to do with leadership style and generational appeal than it does with a clear departure either doctrinally or programmatically," Mr. Galston says.
Mr. Dallek, the historian, agrees. He says Franklin Roosevelt wasn't clear about what he meant by "a new deal" when he accepted the Democratic nomination in 1932. His opponent, President Hoover, found Roosevelt so hard to pin down he called him "a chameleon on plaid."
With presidents, there's a powerful impulse to get things done, Dallek says, which is why they should avoid pledges like "read my lips, no new taxes."
"It's hard to know what [new presidents] are going to do, exactly," he says. "I don't think they know."


text:
AS ALFALFA producers gear up for 2010, industry sources indicate that seed supplies could be tight — especially for the elite alfalfa products.
"We've seen some very good demand for alfalfa products in 2009, and we anticipate reasonably good demand into 2010," says Tom Strachota, general manager of Dairyland Seed. "But the alfalfa seed market will see some tight supplies."
It's a long way from a few years ago, when the alfalfa market was literally overrun with supplies of alfalfa seed. The market has worked through that supply and is seeing steady demand for the high-value alfalfa offerings.
Because of the nature of alfalfa seed production, the supply of seed can vary significantly from year to year. A harsh winter can increase incidences of winterkill, thus increasing seed demand the following spring.
Although the dairy industry's troubles have not yet significantly affected alfalfa seed sales, a protracted slump could have a more profound impact. "If dairy prices remain depressed, it's quite likely that producers will stretch their rotations a year or two more than they would normally," Strachota says. "And that would translate into less alfalfa sales."
According to USDA data, new seedings for alfalfa and alfalfa mixes have dropped from approximately 3.4 million acres in 2006 to 2.6 million in 2008, a 20% reduction in seeded acres.
Alfalfa hay prices also can have an impact on seedings, as can prices received in the grain market.
What could have a major impact on the alfalfa seed market is Roundup Ready alfalfa, which was put into a holding pattern in the spring of 2007 when an injunction prohibiting its sale went into effect. A judge ruled that the USDA should have completed an environmental impact statement (EIS) before deregulating the crop. The issue has been mired in court proceedings and delays since that time.
The draft EIS is expected this fall, which means Roundup Ready alfalfa could be in the sales pipeline for 2010 planting. Seed companies that have licensed the Roundup Ready alfalfa seed indicate that there will be supplies of the seed should the okay be given.
However, it is also possible that the court battle could become even more protracted, with a possible review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Garrett Kasper, spokesman for Monsanto, says, "Monsanto continues to weigh our legal options."


text:
I'm a full-time Debian Etch KDE user, having installed my system from the Debian KDE installation CD #1. I also installed the nvidia drivers for my geforce 6200 graphics card, using "the Debian way." The nvidia drivers are working and I have really good 3D.
This morning, I used Synaptic to install xnow, the little toy that adds falling snowflakes to the desktop background. But when I run it by typing xsnow in a terminal window, the xsnow information appears in the terminal, telling me that it's running, but nothing happens on my desktop, other than it turns off the transparency of my kicker panel, and it takes a minute or so for the terminal prompt to appear again.
Has anyone here successfully run xsnow in Etch KDE? Did you have to do anything to make it work?


text:
Mail time can be the most exciting time of day, especially if you're expecting the latest issue of Ranger Rick or a million-dollar inheritance check that your long lost Habsburg relative should be sending any day now... This dog, though, takes epistolary excitement to a whole new level when, squeaky toy in mouth, he (?) has a full-blown mailgasm.
via Buzzfeed


text:
HOUSTON --With a flair for style all her own, Rebecca Spera serves as host of "Mirror/Mirror" on the Live Well Network. Rebecca brings fresh insight and a sense of discovery to anything and everything that can make you feel better in front of a mirror. From fashion, to beauty, to health and medical breakthroughs, Rebecca has you covered.
Check out her flash beauty tips in the videos above.


text:
AMZER® Hybrid Dual Layer Designer Case - Bench Buddies for Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
- Customer Rating:
Now Only £1934 exc. VAT
Shipping Time: Out Of Stock
Fulfilled by : AMZER
Part No : AMZ601042182513
- Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus
Product InformationCollapse —
This must-have features not one, but two layers of advanced hybrid protection! Layer 1 is a durable Flexible TPU cover that is a perfect fit over your device. Layer 2 is an impact resistant polycarbonate hard shell that easily wraps around the TPU layer....providing dual protection for your device. All controls and ports are easily accessible for instant operation while the power and volume control are covered by raised TPU delivering extra coverage. This Dual Layer case Provide next level to your Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus protection for your active lifestyle! Now add a layer of fashion and style With Protection for your device with this designer Dual Layer Case. Customised and Print on Demand products like Designer Cases, Designer Hybrid Cases, Neoprene Sleeves can not be returned for a refund, they can only be replaced if any manufacturing/printing defect is found.
- Inner Layer: Soft, Flexible, and Impact-Resistant TPU.
- Outer Layer: Protective Hard polycarbonate plastic with unique printed design.
- Stylish designs: Eye-catching colors and patterns dress up your device.
- Easy to install - snap your device on inner Flexible TPU case then slip the Hard Plastic layer over top.
- Both layers combine into one perfect form-fitting protective case for better Protection.
- Protect your device against scratches, bumps, dings, drops, and other accidents with this tough hybrid case.
- For its full body protection, the case is lightweight and significantly less bulky than other two layer hybrid cases
- Effortless access design gives easy access to all ports, buttons, and features.
- Unique, fun, and stylish profile protects your device with minimal bulk.
- This hybrid case will add a truly unique look in addition to a high level of protection to your phone.
- Product Type: Hybrid Dual Layer Designer Case.
- Manufacturer: AMZER.
Legal Disclaimer: AMZER is the exclusive license holder for this artwork and holds the right of a legal action if required; in case of any intellectual property rights violation is observed.
Customer Reviews & RatingExpand +
£ 19.34 exc. VAT
£ 19.34 exc. VAT
£ 19.34 exc. VAT
£ 19.34 exc. VAT
Sign up for Newsletter
Question: What is 9 * 3 ? Answer:


text:
- News
- This week's mix? Pure trash. January 21 by Keith Harris
- The week's best concerts: Jan. 21-24 January 21 by CP Staff
- The weekend's best concerts: Jan. 18-20 January 18 by CP Staff
Food & Drink
- Maker to Market is back to help make your culinary dreams a reality January 21 by Theresa J. Beckhusen
- Check out the Minnesota State Fair's $20 million expansion plan January 21 by Emily Cassel
- Hell yeah, the Twin Cities is sending another pastry master to the 'Olympics of Baking' January 18 by Emily Cassel
- Arts & Leisure
- Calendar
- Welcome to Dreamland: Two Early John Waters Films January 21
- Drop Dead Gorgeous January 21
- Review: Comedy royalty Laurel and Hardy get bittersweet biopic in 'Stan & Ollie' January 16 by Tony Libera
- Best Of
- Promotions
Turnpike Troubadours
Nov. 15
7 p.m.
Americana, Country, Rock, Singer-Songwriter
With Charley Crockett.
Stay Up To Date WithCityPages Events


text:
THOMASVILLE | The tone has been set and the ball is rolling for this year's United Way of Davidson County 2013-14 campaign.
THOMASVILLE | The tone has been set and the ball is rolling for this year's United Way of Davidson County 2013-14 campaign.
The nonprofit organization's Pacesetters kicked off the general communitywide effort by raising $188,418 toward the $1.8 million goal. Officials with the organization proudly shared the news Tuesday during a lunch celebration for the Pacesetters.
Donna Lane, campaign director, thanked the businesses for providing assistance to help what some may consider the invisible people in the county. She noted they have more than 20 loaned executives who are working around the clock to make life better for residents.
"You're lifting them up and giving them a better life. That's what we're here for," Lane said. "I thank each and every one of you for what you do. You're offering them hope and inspiring good will for the future. Everybody seems to be excited and anxious."
The event was held at the Tom A. Finch Community YMCA to highlight the funds raised by Pacesetters during the month. Sixteen businesses that are considered Pacesetters kicked off the campaign by hosting a series of internal fundraisers to give their employees opportunities to contribute before the official campaign starts Monday.
"We welcome you," said Jarrod Dunbar, director of membership at the YMCA. "We're always delighted to host this Pacesetter celebration. Thank you for what you do. We're so happy to be a United Way agency. (The campaign) helps us carry out our mission."
Nearly 60 people attended Tuesday's celebration. Those in attendance were representatives from the Pacesetters, United Way agencies, United Way board members and loaned executives.
"Thank you all for being here," said Kelly Craver, Pacesetter and campaign chairman. "We do appreciate the Pacesetters. You truly do set the pace for the rest of the campaign. It's great to have the campaign going. I feel good about this year's campaign. Everybody's doing such a great job."
The campaign officially ends Nov. 15, however, funds are always accepted after that. During the campaign, the United Way agencies are in the blackout period where they are not allowed to solicit any funds individually. United Way raised $1.72 million last year.
"One point eight million. One point eight million is what we need to do. One point eight million," Craver said. "That's a little more than what we raised last year. We all know the need is there once again. It falls to the citizens of Davidson County. We appreciate all of your efforts."
The Rev. Ray Nance Howell IV, director of patient services for Carolina Cancer Services, expressed gratefulness toward the Pacesetters for all of their efforts. He also noted it's important for the nonprofit agencies to mirror what they're asking the community to do by giving as well. The agency assists residents and families by providing emotional, financial and physical support to those affected by cancer.
"It's so important what you're doing. Thank you so much for what you do," he said.
The Workshop of Davidson County Executive Director Mike Foster backed up Howell's words. The Workshop is a private, not-for-profit, vocational rehabilitation facility that serves people with intellectual and development disabilities. Both of the United Way agencies had 100 percent participation in the campaign this year.
"It's very important for us as agencies to participate as well. We're so thankful for the support we receive," Foster said.
Twenty-nine Davidson County partner agencies depend on United Way funding to help them provide services to the community for older adults, at-risk children, youths, the sick, the abused, the hungry and those struggling with addiction.
"We have a lot of different folks that need our money," said Dr. Lee Jessup, president of the United Way. "I feel confident we're going to make the goal this year. There are still some people hurting. I'm hearing things are starting to improve. That doesn't mean we're out of the woods. People are a little more secure with their own families and able to help. I'm more confident than the last four or five years."
Deneesha Edwards can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 213, or at email@example.com.


text:
Photos: Bryan Giddens
Words: Shane Stalling
After a successful first stop of the A-Rob's Smash Life Banked Slalom series at Big Sky Resort on January 4th, the two-stop series came to an end at Alpental, WA. The Smash Life Banked Slalom series is a fundraiser for A-Robs Plant a Seed Project, but new this year, a qualifier for the Mt. Baker LBS. Lots was on the line for anyone who had competed in Big Sky two weeks prior.
If I could only say two things about A-Rob, I would say that he loved snowboarding, and was the friendliest person I have ever met. You can tell a lot about a person by the people they surround themselves with and anyone who competed, not fortunate enough to have met Aaron, got a great understanding of who he was from the lively, friendly vibe of the contest. Many old friends were able to connect, and many new friends were made who will hopefully reconnect next year. Overall 275 people participated in Smash Life this season.
To start the race, a 150-person cheer to celebrate the life of A-Rob followed a powerful moment of silence. Then the Kids, Women and Grumpy old men made their way into the start gate. The course was similar to the Derby, it was full of tightly placed banks, but it was a good 25-30 degrees steeper. Hand dug by volunteers in only three days, the course was not your average Banked Slalom. Mid course berms were connected with long sidewalks, while the bottom of the course was hold on for your life tight. Short boards were helpful to say the least.
The 80 person open men's division followed up the rest of the groups. The only difference in the course was the top section. A large group of hecklers hung out above the start gate throwing snowballs and cheering for anyone who went into the fence on turn two. I was unaware of the reason that cheers were getting louder on the top of the course until I heard Paul Stanley recap his run after crossing the finish line. It went something like, "I fell on the second turn, but then a girl showed me her boobs, then I was laughing my ass off for the rest of my run and fell three more times, it was awesome! It was also another great example of the non-competitive nature of Smash Life.
After the awards Montana band "The Riot Act" kept a solid mosh pit going, which then funneled to lot three where those who were camping kept the party going late into the night. If you missed the after party, the Riot Acts album "Goin' Snakepunchin' " can be found on iTunes.
Thanks to Big Sky Resort, Alpental, K2, Volcom, Capita, Frontline Designs, Strobot Studios, Airblaster, Never Summer, World Boards, Four-o-Six, and A-Robs Plant a Seed Project for another great year!
Smash Life Series Overall
1.Kyle Miller
2.Todd Kirby
3. Chase Matteson
4. Tyrel Bacon
5. Micah Hoogeven
1. Sarris McComb
2. Brooke Geery
Alpental Results
1. Isabella Gomez
1.Keala Cole
2. Austin Buza
3. Matteo Sultane
1. Sarris Mccomb
2. Mallory Sullivan
3. Robyn Borneman
4. Jacqui Shaffer
Grumpy Old Men
1. Marcel Dolak
2. Ryan Mccurdy
3. Kimo Cole
4. Blue Montgomery
Open Men
1. Todd Kirby
2. Andy Bergin-Sperry
3. Kyle Miller
4. Jay Kelly
5. Chase Matteson
6. Micah Hoogeveen
7. Aaron Cardwell
8. Kael Martin
9. Tyrel Bacon
10. Carson Wiser


text:
Product Highlights
Featuring the 100mm Focus 18 Fluid Head, this Cartoni Kit is intended for users who shoot with loads between 13.2 to 40 lb and who need a lightweight system. The Focus 18 provides perfect balance along its entire +/-90° tilt range, and features continuous counterbalance adjustment.
The kit also includes the L502 Aluminum Dual-Stage Tripod Legs, which feature 25.5 - 60" height adjustment and non-slip flip clamps; a mid-level spreader; hooking rubber tripod feet; and a soft carry case with a foam interior, leather handles, shoulder strap, and exterior pockets. Everything is designed, manufactured, and assembled at the Cartoni factory in Rome, Italy. The Focus 18 Fluid Head comes with the peace-of-mind of a five-year warranty, and all the other items retain their standard one-year warranty.
The Focus 18 consists of 127 parts, machined or cast to micrometric precision and hand-assembled and adjusted to precision by one engineer at a time. A follow-up to the Cartoni Focus HD head and an evolution of the original Focus head, the Focus 18 incorporates the Sachtler Touch-and-Go 16 plate system, which is found on Sachtler's FSB and Video series heads, and integrates a new composite material in many parts that allows for a solid build while keeping the weight down. Of course, it also features Cartoni's renowned counterbalance and very smooth, "true" fluid drag. The Focus 18 uses the same patented Delta silicon wedge counterbalance system used in Cartoni's successful Delta head. The Touch-and-Go 16 plate system will allow you to efficiently move your camera between compatible heads in a studio setting, and will also future-proof your head for such possible uses.
The new composite material that's used is a sophisticated non-metal that's much stronger than aluminum, and yet lighter. It is used in the tilt fluid knobs, pan fluid gears, and other parts throughout the body. This composite is also highly resistant to the stress of weight, bending, rubbing, and extreme temperatures, so where it's used in the mechanisms of the head it actually provides for more stress endurance, in addition to saving weight. This composite is the result of a collaboration between Cartoni and the Department of Physics and Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome.
The Focus 18 features a Cartoni-patented labyrinth modular fluid drag system, which consists of individual pan and tilt modules. Each module contains two main sections that have thin concentric rings inside them. The rings in one section interact with the rings in the other, with aerospace industry silicon paste fluid between them that provides resistance. The two sections are never fully disengaged from one another, so movement is always smooth and with no play. With there being separate pan and tilt modules, pan drag and tilt drag are accordingly independent, yet work together to allow smooth, uninterrupted motion in any direction. Cartoni performs a laser-assisted, diagonal movement test on every head to ensure that there isn't even the slightest digression from a straight-line movement.
The pan drag control is a large ring in the center of the head that's easy to use even without looking. This and all other controls are designed with ergonomic grips that will feel secure between your fingers. There's also an illuminated bubble level that will be very helpful in dark settings. And a pan bar is included that can be attached to a rosette adapter on either side of the head. Additional pan bars are available and sold separately.
|Focus 18 Fluid Head
|Ball Diameter
|100 mm
|Load Capacity
|13.2 - 40 lb (6 - 18 kg)
|Pan Range
|Tilt Range
|+/- 90°
|Fluid Drag
|Camera Attachment
|Euro-style quick release system; quick release plate included
|Bubble Level
|Yes, illuminated
|Magnesium and lightweight composite
|Temperature Range
|-40 to 140°F (-40 to 60°C)
|7.7 lb (3.5 kg)
|L502 Dual-Stage Aluminum Tripodxafwscvrvdcdtytwyyystyuv
|Bowl Diameter
|100 mm
|Load Capacity
|132 lb (60 kg)
|Minimum Height
|25.5" (65 cm)
|Maximum Height
|60" (152 cm)
|Leg Stages
|Leg Sections
|Leg Lock Type
|Non-slip flip locks
|Spiked/Retractable Feet
|Folded/Transport Length
|29" (74 cm)
|6.8 lb (3 kg)


text:
Faux-Fur Coats and Vests For Girls
10 Faux-Fur Finds For Girls
10 Faux-Fur Finds For Girls
Controversial but undeniably chic, fur can be kid-friendly — we promise! If you're not up for splurging on Mackage's real-fur Leelee-T coat ($395), don't worry: we've found 10 faux finds, from the dramatic (Mini Rodini's faux fur might make Rachel Zoe jealous) to subtle (Juicy Couture's puffer jacket with a faux-fur-lined hood). Gap, Crewcuts, and Zara have created some awesome fur vests, perfect for Fall's falling temperatures, so keep clicking to find your favorite.