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Photo permission of Bridget Ben Dayan
"Hi -I really enjoy your website and I have a delicious and easy recipe for a new twist on medias (stuffed artichoke). When I'm in a health conscience mood i bake, other times I sauté. They are really delicious and deceiving, they look like meat every time I make it, I'm asked for the recipe." Bridget Ben-Dayan
Ingredients for this Kosher Recipe:
- 1 medium eggplant – peeled & chopped
- 1 box of baby bella mushrooms – chopped
- 1/3 c. flavored breadcrumbs
- olive oil to saute
- salt to taste
- 1 pkg frozen artichoke hearts (10-12 pcs)
- 3 cups of boiling water
- 1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 c. flavored breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place frozen artichoke bottoms in a bowl and cover with boiling water,
- Add lemon juice to the water. Leave the artichokes in water until tender.
- Saute chopped eggplant in saucepan
- When almost soft add in chopped mushrooms and continue to saute until soft.
- Puree mixture with hand held mixer, add in breadcrumbs and salt to taste.
- Spoon mixture into the artichoke bottoms. (If you find that your mixture is too loose, add more breadcrumbs.)
- Fill a small bowl with approx 1/4 c of breadcrumbs. Dip filled artichoke, mixture side down into the bowl with breadcrumbs. Then place artichoke, mixture side down onto greased tray, use oil not spray to insure the desired texture to the top of the artichoke. Repeat for all of the artichokes, then bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Send in your favorite easy, healthy recipes to email@example.com.
Every submission will be entered to win any Susie Fishbein cookbook!
Click HERE to Subscribe Now: and win the cookbook of the month, free weekly recipes and discounts to you favorite shops!
The Kosher Baker: Over 160 Dairy-free Recipes from Traditional to Trendy:


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A light-heavyweight between Alexander Gustafsson (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and former Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi (33-3-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is targeted as the headliner of an April 6 event in Sweden, likely to be UFC on FUEL TV 9.
Gustafsson announced the fight at a gym opening today, according to a report from mmaviking.com. On Friday a source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the bout was possible but not official.
UFC on FUEL TV 9 is expected to take place at Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, which also hosted UFC on FUEL TV 2 in April 2012.
That event, which saw the Swedish-born Gustafsson earn a dominant win over Thiago Silva in the headliner, drew an announced attendance of 15,428 and set a venue record for a sporting event with a $2.23 million gate, according to UFC officials.
Gustafsson currently is riding a six-fight win streak. In addition to Silva, recent wins have come over the likes of former champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, veteran Vladimir Matyushenko and Matt Hamill. Gustafsson's only career loss came in his second UFC fight when he suffered a submission defeat to Phil Davis, who's now one of his primary training partners.
The Swede will look to continue his march toward a title shot when he meets Mousasi, an experienced Dutch fighter who recently closed out his Strikeforce career with a submission victory over Mike Kyle a week ago. The fighter, who's also competed for organizations such as DREAM and PRIDE, is undefeated (5-0-1) in his past six fights, and he's 20-1-1 since 2006. The lone defeat came to Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal in a 2010 Strikeforce title fight.
For more on UFC on FUEL TV 9, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Alexander Gustafsson)

subset: commoncrawl


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Mac OS X 10.4.11 Update (Intel)
Meet the world's most advanced operating system. Again. Instantly find what you're looking for. Get information in an instant with a single click. Mac OS X Tiger delivers 200+ new features which make it easier than ever to find, access and enjoy everything on your computer.
Learn more about Mac OS X.
What's New in this Version
The 10.4.11 Update is recommended for all users running Mac OS X Tiger and includes general operating system fixes that enhance the stability, compatibility and security of your Mac. This update also includes Safari 3, the latest version of Apple's web browser.
Mac OS X 10.4.11 Update (Intel) SHA-1 Digest:
MacOSXUpd10.4.11Intel.dmg = 4c9103699c7925cc0277cffce4c7419a9d469c31
For explanation of what a SHA-1 digest is, please visit this website: Mac OS X: How to verify a SHA-1 digest.
For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: About the Mac OS X 10.4.11 Update.
For detailed information on security updates, please visit this website: Apple security updates.


text:
Kan. lawmakers plan votes on anti-abortion bill
Measure declares life begins at fertilization
Kansas legislators are preparing for final votes on a sweeping anti-abortion bill that blocks tax breaks for providers and outlaws abortions solely because of the baby's sex.
Senate leaders scheduled a vote for Friday on the measure. If senators approve it, as expected, it would go to the House, where passage would send the bill to Gov. Sam Brownback.
The final version reconciles differences between the House and Senate.
The bill also prohibits abortion providers from being involved in public school sex education classes and spells out in more detail what information doctors must provide to patients seeking abortions.
The measure declares that life begins "at fertilization." Abortion opponents see the language as a statement of principle, but some critics worry it could have practical implications.


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VANCOUVER — In early 2009, Mayor Gregor Robertson warned Vancouver taxpayers that they were on the hook for "all of" the $1.1-billion Olympic Village project. After five years that dire statement is coming much closer to reality.
The Province's analysis shows that with marketing costs still mounting, and about 130 hard-to-sell village homes left, when the last unit is sold final taxpayer losses of over $300 million seem realistic.
In 2010 a receiver, Ernst & Young, was tasked by the city to regain as much as possible of the $750 million owed to taxpayers, after developer Millennium defaulted.
The $750-million loan didn't include $171 million that the city was owed by Millennium for waterfront land that the village was built on. The city's latest financial statements say that after writing off a $50-million loan loss, about $300 million remains to be paid.
The problem is, real-estate experts say the remaining village homes generally have the worst layouts and views. According to The Province's rough estimates, potential sales revenue might only come to about $100 million, after expenses. That means taxpayers seem likely to owe over $200 million and lose the value of the land.
The city reviewed The Province's analysis for this story and offered a response: "The financing for the village is a work in progress," the city stated. "The city cannot predict the outcome of the village financing at this time."
In an interview, University of B.C. real-estate expert Tsur Somerville said: "I don't think there is anything the city can do to mitigate the losses they will experience.
"The best case was that the city got the loan paid off and got nothing for the land, and it doesn't even seem to be looking at that anymore," Somerville said. "The less-desirable units take longer to sell, but now they are trying to sell those units with a whole bunch of competing units coming on the market in that area."
But the village has bounced back since being labelled a "ghost town" in 2010. The latest reports show about 90-per-cent occupancy, plus thriving shops. But successful marketing and promotion efforts have come at a significant cost, and the bill continues to mount.
The latest court-ordered marketing update from Ernst & Young shows that as of June, 339 units have been sold by the receiver, for proceeds of $331 million. The receiver gave the city $250 million. The rest of the money was gobbled up by real-estate-agent and marketing costs, strata fees, mounting legal fees, unexpected repair and maintenance bills and the receiver's management fees of over $5 million.
"The involvement by the receiver has exceeded its original estimates," Ernst & Young's June report reiterates, also noting that sales of a final 135 units will slow down "due to the remaining mix of inventory."
So the question is, when should city hall cut off the small army of real-estate agents, lawyers and accountants that have nursed the village back to life?
Vision Vancouver Coun. Geoff Meggs, council's expert on village finances, said he couldn't comment. Meggs directed questions to the receiver, Craig Munro.
"There are still too many variables to attempt an estimate of total final revenue," Munro responded to The Province's questions.
NPA parks board commissioner John Coupar, meanwhile, said buying a condo in the village two years ago looks like a successful investment.
"When we first moved down here it was pretty quiet and it was a bit of a leap of faith that it would work out," Coupar said.
"I'm not that familiar with the financial ins and outs, but from a residents' point of view I think the place will come alive, and over time it will be seen as a real positive thing for the city."


text:
Contact Us
Would you like to contact the MobileHome.net Team? We have 3 options for users to contact us with.
You can either email, call, or write to us.
Send an Email
This is the easiest way to get in touch with us. Just fill out the form below, select what your inquiry is about, and a member of our team will be getting back in touch with you within one business day.
Give us a Call
We are also available by phone if you need to speak to one of our customer service representatives. Call us at (800) 950-1364.
Write to Us
If you need to mail a letter to us, you can reach us at the below address:
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11 Issue 327Published - 14:00 UTC
08:00 EST 11-Dec-2009
Next Update - 14:00 UC 08:00 EST
Editor: Susan K. Boyer, RN
All rights reserved.
Definitive study confirms chemo benefit in postmenopausal breast cancer
(11 December 2009: VIDYYA MEDICAL NEWS SERVICE) -- Chemotherapy added to tamoxifen can improve outcomes for postmenopausal breast cancer patients, according to a landmark study by the Southwest Oncology Group.
But a related study presented today at the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium finds that a multigene test on tumors can identify a subset of patients who may not benefit from that chemotherapy.
Both studies were led by Dr. Kathy Albain, of Loyola University Health System. Both have just been published online, the first in the journal the Lancet, the second in the Lancet Oncology.
The studies report on a randomized phase III clinical trial of 1,477 postmenopausal women that was conducted at institutions across the U.S. and Canada by the University of Michigan-based Southwest Oncology Group (SWOG), one of the largest federally funded clinical trial networks. All of the women had estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer that had spread to the lymph nodes under the arm, known as the axillary lymph nodes.
All women in the trial got daily tamoxifen for up to five years, long the standard therapy for treating ER+ breast cancer, the most common form of the disease. Estrogen latches on to receptors on these cancer cells and promotes tumor growth. Tamoxifen blocks those receptors, locking estrogen out.
Of the 1,477 women in the trial, 361 got only tamoxifen. The rest got tamoxifen plus a regimen of a three-drug chemotherapy treatment known as CAF (cyclophosphamide, Adriamycin®, and 5-fluorouracil).
Albain's team reports in the Lancet paper that they saw long-term survival benefits for the women who received CAF chemotherapy. These women's risk of dying or having a cancer recurrence was 24% lower than it was for women who had gotten tamoxifen alone. The team also found that those who got the chemotherapy before the tamoxifen did better than those who got both simultaneously.
The CAF group had higher overall survival rates as well. "Ten years after the start of their treatment, 68% of women who received chemotherapy followed by tamoxifen were still alive, while only 60% of women in the tamoxifen-only arm lived for at least ten years," says William Barlow, Ph.D., of the SWOG Statistical Center in Seattle, who served as lead statistician on both studies.
Initial results from this trial presented at professional conferences in recent years have already changed the standard of practice to include several months of CAF chemotherapy before tamoxifen in treating postmenopausal women with ER+ breast cancer.
The second study, published in The Lancet Oncology, was conducted to determine if subsets of women in the SWOG trial could be identified who did not benefit from chemotherapy despite being at higher risk due to lymph node involvement. This study retrospectively analyzed tumor specimens from the trial using a genetic test called the 21-gene recurrence score assay (Oncotype DX®). The assay measures the expression or activity level of 21 specific genes within a tumor sample, and the score predicts risk of recurrence. Testing was conducted by Genomic Health, Inc, who were blinded to the study results.
The study found that women whose tumors scored low on the genetic test appeared to get little or no benefit from CAF chemotherapy added to tamoxifen, while those with higher scores seemed to derive major benefit from this addition.
The 21-gene recurrence score test is now routinely used on the tumors of many patients whose breast cancer has not spread to their lymph nodes – node-negative breast cancer. Doctors use the assay score to help them decide whether a patient is likely to benefit from a course of chemotherapy.
The researchers conclude that this test may similarly predict chemotherapy benefit in patients whose breast cancer has spread to their lymph nodes. These patients account for about one-fifth of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases in the U.S.
"There's nothing magic about the biology being different in lymph node-negative versus lymph node-positive breast cancer," says Albain. When it comes to predicting benefit from chemotherapy, "our data suggest that it doesn't seem to matter whether the lymph nodes are involved or not, but the recurrence score on the genetic assay does matter. It identifies for us a group of patients who have a distinct tumor biology, for whom chemotherapy may not reduce the chances of recurrence even though their risk is high."
Currently, several months of chemotherapy after surgery is the standard of care for a patient with node-positive breast cancer, regardless of the hormone receptor or other biomarker status in her tumor tissue. Indeed, chemotherapy in this setting has been credited in part for a marked decline in breast cancer mortality over the last 20 years. But if validated by later studies, the results reported by the SWOG investigators would mean that many of these patients are being treated needlessly, since they do not benefit from the chemotherapy.
The researchers stress that these results only pertain to patients with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers, and that more work needs to be done to confirm the findings before doctors change clinical practice based on them.
"Many aspects of this retrospective study introduce uncertainty into our results and make our conclusions tentative," says Dr. Daniel Hayes of the University of Michigan Medical School, who was senior author on the Lancet Oncology study. "Prospective studies with larger sample sizes are needed to determine who will benefit from chemotherapy added to hormonal therapy and who should avoid chemotherapy altogether."
Hayes adds that the Southwest Oncology Group is now designing such a study.
References: The Lancet, DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(09)61523-3; The Lancet Oncology, DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(09)70314-6
Return to Vidyya Medical News Service for 11 December 2009
© Vidyya. All rights reserved.
Information appearing on the Vidyya Medical News Service is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Seek professional medical help and follow your health care provider's advice.
Interested in subscribing to our daily e-mail newsletter? Send an email to email@example.com with the word subscribe in the subject field.


text:
Dave and Gail
A man and his blonde wife were driving through the country when they spotted a blonde out in the middle of a field of grain, sitting in a rowboat and rowing like crazy. The blonde wife yells at her husband..."Stop the car and let me out" She runs over to the fence and yells to the blonde in the rowboat. " You stupid Girl,,,it's women like you that give us blondes such a bad name,,,,If I could swim, I'd come over there and Kick your butt"!!:p


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Sharjah is the third largest of the seven states which form the United Arab Emirates.
The settlement of Sharjah dates back some 6,000 years when it is believed to have been called Sarcoa. The population was small and people relied on trade and sea faring in addition to, farming, hunting, fishing and pearling. Many of the early settlements were based around the 'falaj', a man made underground water course.
Culture & Heritage
Renowned throughout the Arab world for its commitment to art, culture and preserving the local heritage, this emirate is the place to visit to explore, experience and discover the secrets of a unique Arabian lifestyle and islamic culture. Sharjah offers an impressive array of over twenty museums several art galleries and beautifully restored heritage areas.
Sharjah began its business odyssey centuries ago. Business grew from trading with the Far East and pearl trading and forged ahead at a great pace to its present status.
There was no major publicity blitz, just a carefully plotted out master plan in which commerce and culture blended into a harmonious work ethos.
In the last four years the concept has matured and its tangible success proves that Sharjah's commercial agenda has some very real merit. The 12% annual growth rate in Sharjah's industrial graph did not just happen overnight, nor was it a random development. It has been the distillation of some very meticulous planning and detailed know-how.
Sharjah City Of Humanitarian Service
The persistence of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services in pursuing humanitarian work, especially in the fields of care, training, education rehabilitation and integration of the handicapped in the society, does not stem from a utopian ideal, but from a conviction that ties the potential future to a radiant past. embodied by the adherence of the people of the UAE to standards derived from a deep-rooted history and a glorious Islamic past.
If we were to compare the past and the present we would find a wide contrast between the suppression, negligence and ignorance of the past, and the towering achievements we see and feel today.
The word "future" is more brilliant today. The future is guaranteed enough to break the barriers of fear and dread of a unknown tomorrow. We now can look forward to a bright tomorrow that carries hope and goodness for all.


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| 1.7°C Belfast
Cheryl Fernandez-Versini said Mel B has brought out her mischievous side as they headed into the latest round of X Factor auditions at Wembley.
The Crazy Stupid Love singer, who recently changed her name from Cole after marrying French restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini following a whirlwind romance, has returned to the singing contest after a four-year absence.
She joined returning panel boss Simon Cowell, new mentor Mel and show stalwart Louis Walsh as they prepared to give their verdicts on the latest wannabes.
Cheryl said of Scary Spice: "The troublemakers are always Simon, and Melanie is trouble but in the best way possible. In fact she brings out trouble in me so maybe the two of us together are trouble."
Asked whether she was preparing any insults for Simon, who famously sacked her from the US version of the show, she added: "They're natural, they just come out naturally because he's so rude sometimes, they just flow off my tongue."
Simon claimed the whole panel was getting on well, and said: "This whole thing about girls falling out, that's not happening. Everyone we've put on the show this year, we've said specifically you've got to put the hours in to find some stars."
Louis, the only judge to have sat on the panel for every series of The X Factor, agreed that finding a superstar was vital: "It's not like any other year. We have been told we have to find stars. Proper stars."
Referring to BBC ratings rival Strictly Come Dancing, he added: "We have to make the show the biggest show on TV. We have to kill that other show, the dancing show for older people. We have to find stars. We're looking for a new One Direction, a new Olly Murs, a new Ella [Henderson]. We're looking for people who are going to have proper careers."
But Cheryl, who is rumoured to have a long-running disagreement with Louis, said: "I want to find someone fresh. People are always saying we're looking for the next One Direction, we're looking for the next Olly Murs.
"I'm not looking for that, I'm looking for someone that's new and fresh and that we haven't got in the industry at the moment."
Asked whether he was the only man for the job on The X Factor, Simon, who recently returned from the US version of the show, said: "Of course, I'm the daddy."
He was unapologetic about his notorious sharp tongue with some of the contestants. He said: "If you get someone in who's a bit lippy and gobby and useless, you say what it is. I've never gone in there deliberately to be rude, but they're long days."
Fans can expect all of the judges to be outspoken this year - Mel has already gained a reputation for being strict with contestants, but claimed she was "just honest".
Show host Dermot O'Leary and new Xtra Factor presenter Sarah-Jane Crawford also made appearances at the Wembley auditions.
The X Factor is expected to return to ITV on August 30 for its 11th season.


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The Minority Report
The Minority Report, code-named "Operation: Plan", is a top-secret and criminally short MI5 report accidentally released to the public. The Minority was originally a mass-surveillance program whose sole purpose was to survey what MI5 believed to be the biggest threat to our world... us. Needless to say, upon it's release it sparked worldwide outrage. People were shocked, some cried, some sued.
Now, here is the complete report. Don't get your hopes up, it's incredibly short.
It Begins; Operation: Plan[edit]
The Wigger[edit]
Grouped together, they prepare to rob Gregg's.
Meet the stereotypical angsty teenage wannabe-rapper... also known by Daily Mail readers as "the future unemployable". These two will probably not live to see their financially productive years. They will, however, cause so much concern for their parents that orphanhood is just around the corner.
The Lucky Unstables[edit]
The Handicapped, These lucky people have it all. Free parking, "special" schools, hot nurses who tend to their every need (yes, their every need), and some have brute strength. Truly dangerous human beings if you have no free time. Trouble Rating: 8.0/10.
Drew, who went on to write Snow White: The Musical.
Hank - as we know - went on to compete on Robot Wars, and is now happily married to a babe.
Tommy, 1940 - 2009, thought he was the real Superman. Ran outside and got winged by a passing Minivan, ironically driven by a Mr. Lex "Luther" Lu'tare, of Houston, Texas.
Ginger Kids[edit]
In case you doubt the Minority Report's sincerity, it is the first to document that every other ginger out there should be considered armed and extremely dangerous. Jokes, cannot be taken. Laughs, will not be tolerated. Trouble Rating: 5.5/10.
FUN FACT: Everytime a ginger is born, a dog howls.
Let us pray.
Yikes! Keep your mace close-by at all times.
Wiggers, handicapped people, and Gingers...three well-documented citizen groups. But they are not alone. Known simply as "Gramps and Grams" to radicals worldwide, Pensioners are arguably the biggest threat polite society now faces. They are manipulative people who can do absolutely marvelous things... when no-one's around. Trouble Rating: 9.5/10.
Werther's annual Pensioner Beatdown, a yearly event held at Arkham Asylum, pitting two elderly super-villain wannabees against each other to see who truly deserves the TV remote.
Ralph here, counting what little money the local green grocer spared him, undecided whether to "end it all" via Kettle Gun or watch his shows.
Inspired by Nintendo's "Mario Kart" series, and desperate to prove to his grandson that he could do more than "sit in your damn chair and evacuate your bowels", William set-out to break a land speed record that existed only in his imagination...


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Welcome To Five F Publishing
A Resource for Serious Bible Students
Five F Publishing is the distributor for all the books published by Marion R. Fox.
Marion is a graduate of the Elk City School of Preaching and began preaching in 1970. College degrees include: (A.S.) Southwestern Oklahoma State University (Sayre campus), (baccalaureate and doctorate) Oklahoma State University, (masters) University of Illinois. Marion has completed upper division Greek at Oklahoma Christian College. He retired as a professor (engineering-science division) from Rose State College in 2003. He was a National Science Foundation fellow in engineering, physics, and semiconductor manufacturing. He has held gospel meetings and preached by appointment in several other states (Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming). He preached and lectured at two state universities in Russia on scientific evidences for the existence of God. Marion also lectured on the existence of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in England and has preached in Jamaica. He has engaged in six oral debates and two written debates (View the Rogers-Fox Debate on Holy Spirit Baptism here). Marion holds seminars on the Biblical Flood, the work of the Holy Spirit, and other special topics.
Marion has served as a teacher for the Elk City School of Preaching; Elk City, Oklahoma 1973-76; Westside School of Preaching; Duncan, Oklahoma 1976 (Fall); Oklahoma School of Bible/Preaching; McLoud, Oklahoma 1977-1981; Great Plains School of Bible/Preaching; Elmore City, Oklahoma 1989-91; Rocky Mountain Audio and Video Bible Institute; Selmer, TN: 1999-2006; and Online Academy of Biblical Studies; Dyersburg, TN: 2000-2005.
Marion taught electronic engineering technology, mathematics, physics, and computer programming in colleges in Oklahoma for 29 years (retiring in 2003). He taught as an adjunct professor (preparing students [in mathematics and physics] to enter medical school) for the University of Oklahoma for 8 years and has worked in industry as an electrical engineer (avionics, computer systems, and RF systems). Marion has served as Director of the Oklahoma City School of Biblical Studies; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma from 1991 to the present.
Marion R. Fox


text: In the last few months car navigation systems have seen a variety of enhancements, from aerial photography to 3d city modelling to live traffic data and internet connectivity. None, however, have done live video. The Travel Pilot N700 has a small camera stuck on the back of the windshield-mounted unit that feeds live video on which navigation instructions are superimposed. The unit also features voice control, live traffic info, WLAN and Bluetooth connectivity and the ability to read and warn of traffic signs with the integrated camera. The price is expected to be about US$740, but the N700 is exclusive to Europe, for now. Video demo after the jump. [Motor Authority via Navigadget]


text:
What is your favourite one among the six kinds of new products of Ideawheel, Z5 2-wheeled electric scooter, S8 saddle-equipped electric scooter, C5 intelligent helmet, E series or R series? Ideawheel Z5 is an excellent transport, as it alters the irreplaceable battery on traditional scooters, fashionable, foldable, apace saving and faster. Riders will never be worried about running out of electricity with the humanized replaceable battery design. Other than that, the modular battery has been equipped with USB port. During the journey, high efficient USB power supply interface can meet the charging demands of mobile phone, Tablet, SLR and other daily smart devices.
Ideawheel Z5 foldable electric scooter changes the side standing which easily cause fatigue, by adopting the anterior standing design that accords with principles of ergonomics. Every time riders start the motor, it will be combined with vehicle gear options. After precise calculation, the instantaneous output signals will be delivered to the motor controller with the most efficient drive motor output, to bring more sensitive control experience.
For office workers, riding Ideawheel Z5 standing up electric scooter can help them get rid of traffic jam and never be later for work. For self-driving travellers, they can enjoy their family time, riding to see the beautiful scenery. And for shopping experts, they will not feel tired even shopping a whole day. To trend setters, they will always be the folks' attention. For us, we can go to supermarket, being convenient and fast, without concerns about parking and taking problems with Ideawheel Z5 fast electric scooter. When we visit relatives and friends, we can take leave immediately without troubles. With the intelligent security tail lights system, it brings not only the attention, but also safety.
In a word, Ideawheel Z5 electric standing scooter, being fashionable, foldable, apace saving and faster, is an excellent transport, as it alters the conventional battery on traditional scooters.
Media Contact
Company Name: Ideawheel Technology
Contact Person: Jonas
Email: email@example.com
Phone: +32 494 26 71 78
Country: Belgium
Website: http://www.ideawheel.com


text:
Facebook is slated to set its price range for its initial public offering (IPO) at $28 to $35, according to an amended filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) first reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. The company is expected to be publicly listed on the NASDAQ exchange on May 18 under the ticker symbol "FB."
"Facebook, Inc. is offering 180,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock and the selling stockholders are offering 157,415,352 shares of Class A common stock," the company wrote in the S-1 filing.
"We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares by the selling stockholders. This is our initial public offering and no public market currently exists for our shares of Class A common stock. We anticipate that the initial public offering price will be between $28.00 and $35.00 per share."
However, one WSJ reporter also noted on Twitter that some investors, including Peter Thiel (founder of PayPal and venture capitalist), Microsoft, Greylock (another VC firm), and CEO Mark Zuckerberg himself are already looking to cash in to some degree before the IPO on non-public stock that they had held so far.
At the listed opening price range, the company is expected to raise over $13 billion, and would put its market capitalization, or estimated total worth, in the $77 to $96 billion range, just shy of Amazon's current value and about twice that of HP's. But that's still relatively low compared to the Silicon Valley titans. By comparison, Google's market cap is at about $200 billion, and Apple is hovering around $540 billion.
The filing also states that CEO Mark Zuckerberg "will hold or have the ability to control approximately 57.3 percent of the voting power of our outstanding capital stock following this offering."
In the S-1 filing, Facebook lists a number of perfunctory "risk factors" associated with the sale of its stock. Among those is: "there are changes in user sentiment about the quality or usefulness of our products or concerns related to privacy and sharing, safety, security, or other factors."
That comment couldn't come at a more opportune time, given Consumer Reports' new study on the social network. It included this gem of a statistic: "25 percent said they falsified information in their profiles to protect their identity, up from 10 percent two years ago."
As the New York Times aptly points out, that is in direct violation of Facebook's terms of service—and with the company's record on privacy not exactly being hiccup-free, privacy will certainly be an area that we all will be watching.


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Kenny Doughty has been added to the cast of Bong Joon-Ho's "Snow Piercer" and while I've never seen a movie he's been in he kind of looks like he's terminally ill so I'm going to hold back on the comments. The movie tells the tale of a group of people trapped on a train after the world has frozen over. I've talked about this a lot this morning. I still have no idea how trains work when the world is frozen.
Everything I know about Atilla the Hun I learned from "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and even that I don't remember too well. I think I remember him messing up a sporting goods store or something. But Warner Bros. is going to fix that for me with a new film that will tell the full story of Mr. Hun. I wonder if they'll get to the part where he's taken to the future to help two kids get an A on their history final. I hope so.
Stick with me here, because I'm going to try to explain the new movie "Bloodloss". It's a found footage flick about a filmmaker who's investigation into his sister's disappearance leads him into the underworld culture of real life "vampires". Alright now that I write it down I guess it's not that confusing. it's also not that interesting. I'm sorry I ever brought it up.
David Slade, the guy who brought you "30 Days Of Night" has been tapped by the people behind the new "Hannibal" series to direct the show's pilot. the NBC show will follow the "Red Dragon" story line and tell the story of a budding romance between Will Graham and Hannibal Lecter. I think. I don't know, I've never read the book but I do love a good romance.
This just in from the odd marketing department, Bloody Disgusting will be hosting the world premiere of Andrew Howard's "Pig" on their website tonight at 6pm PST. In an effort to encourage everyone to download, burn and pass the film around to their friends, the film makers have made a catchy retro DVD cover for you to print out and use as well.
Been waiting to chop into "Machete"? Good news for you then. The official release date for the Robert Rodriguez directed and Danny Trejo starring grindhouse throwback "Machete" has been set for September 3rd, 2010.
Interesting news for horror comics fans as DC announces an "X-Files" and "30 Days of Night" cross over event. As nice as the feral acting vamps were in the far north, I still don't think they stand a chance against the likes of Mulder and Scully!
Rumor has it that Richard Dreyfuss will make a cameo in "Piranha 3D", and will be "paying homage to jaws, even drinking Amity brand beer". Very subtle, guys.
Debbie Rochon stars in "Stopped Dead", about a group of friends vacationing in an RV who end up in a "race with death" against a homicidal biker gang. Good times.
Robert Rodriguez was announcing future projects yesterday, and mixed in with the voluminous list was a reboot of the "Predator" franchise. Granted, FOX is still involved because they're the rights holders, but I personally would love to see what Rodriguez can do with that story.
"The Crazies gets pushed back to a February, 2010 release. The Romero remake was previously scheduled to be released September 25th of this year.
Steve Niles has his script ready for a "30 Days of Night" sequel. Since the first one wasn't a smash success, Sam Raimi (in his role as head of Ghosthouse pictures, the label that released the film) has convinced Niles that direct to DVD is the way to go, so that's how the film will be released.
Brace yourself. David Slade, director of "30 Days of Night", will be directing the third film in the "Twilight" franchise, subtitled "Eclipse". Uh... what? Slade has not made a statement yet, but I'm sure someone is tracking him down right now to ask him what the hell he's thinking.
Rumors are that Rooney Mara is in final negotiations to play "Nancy" in the remake of "A Nightmare on Elm St." No confirmation yet, but the source seems reliable from what I read at the link.
The director of "S. Darko" says he's in the process of remaking the 1978 film "The Eyes of Laura Mars". That may be the most obscure sentence I've ever written.
"Chaos Experiment" is about a scientist working on a theory that humanity will devolve into violence by 2012 due to global warming, and attempting to prove that by locking a bunch of half-naked people in a sauna. Not exactly the most scientific experiment, but it is a really good way for filmmakers to force their stars to be in their underwear for 90 minutes.
A body cast of Arnold Schwarzenegger, taken at the time of the first "Terminator" film, is being used to create a fully functional CGI character of Arnie for "Terminator Salvation". THAT, should be interesting.
"Wolverine" producer looking for a writer so she can make a "Constantine" sequel. Huh, I'm one of the few that enjoyed the first "Constantine", and that sentence STILL makes my head hurt.


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Editors' note: The text of this review has been updated to reflect the fact that the flash-based version of the Ibiza Rhapsody does not include A2DP Bluetooth integration. The rating of this review has been lowered from 7.3 to 7.0 because of the player's subpar battery test results.
Home appliance and electronics manufacturer Haier America leapt into the portable media player market last year with the 30GB Ibiza Rhapsody, a jack-of-all-trades device that came loaded with features, including Wi-Fi music downloading. Even at the time, hard-drive-based MP3 players were a dying breed, so it's no surprise that the Ibiza was followed up by a flash-based sibling of the same name. The flash Ibiza Rhapsody offers most of the impressive array of extras found in its slightly larger family member, but comes in a different array of colors and with either 4GB ($199) or 8GB ($229) of memory. It's large and pricey for a flash player, but it comes with some nice extras right out of the box--including decent headphones--so if you're after an advanced device, the Ibiza could fit the bill.
As mentioned, the flash Ibiza is not the most compact MP3 player you can find--not even close, in fact. It's only a bit thinner (0.4 inch) than its hard-drive-based counterpart, while its height (4.1 inches) and width (2.4 inches) are the same. However, the unit has a nice, substantial feel to it. It's housed in a smooth and shiny seamless metal casing, which is available in a variety of colors: aqua, black, blue, pink, and purple. A large, square touch pad on the front of the device is complemented by a good array of tactile controls. The touch pad--which is surrounded by Play/Pause, Track Shuttle, and Back buttons--is responsive and can be clicked in the center to make selections. A dedicated Volume toggle and a Power key are embedded into the right spine; the latter can be a bit difficult to press as it rests flush with the edge. The top side of the player contains the standard 3.5mm headphone jack, a Hold switch, and the Connect button, which allows you to activate the Wi-Fi with one press. Oddly, the bottom edge of the Ibiza houses both a standard mini USB port and a proprietary dock connector. The former handles syncing and charging, so we assume the latter is meant to accommodate future docking accessories.
The flash Ibiza's QVGA screen is on the large side for a flash player--good thing, given the size of the device itself. At 2.5 inches, the display is on par with that of the Creative Zen. However, the interface in general brings to mind that of the iPod, because of its blue-white tinge and simple, hierarchical organization. The main menu includes direct connections to Rhapsody Channels and the Rhapsody catalog, which is handy for subscribers. Also handy is the search field that shows up along the top of the screen once you delve down into artist, albums, and songs. And we're keen on the way the Ibiza handles album art: there's a full-screen, faded-out image behind the thumbnail on the main playback screen. It's a cool effect.


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Griffin helping gather memorabilia for new museum
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Angels' first-base coach Alfredo Griffin spends his mornings working with infielders, but he spent his winter on a project much closer to home.
For the last few months, Griffin along with group led by former Major Leaguers Mario Soto and George Bell have been gathering historic memorabilia from the top players from Latin America for a baseball museum housed in a building outside of Quisqueya Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
"We want this to be a place where everyone, especially young players, can come in and learn about the history of the game," Griffin said. "They need to know who Jackie Robinson was and that Osvaldo Virgil was the first Dominican in the big leagues. It's important to know about players that came before them and paved the way, especially the Latinos."
The Angels struggled on defense overall last season and racked up 112 errors in 2013. Only the Brewers, White Sox and Astros committed more errors. They also ranked 27th in fielding percentage.
"We will be better," Griffin said. "We're healthy and working on every day. Being healthy is a big part."


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Tweets compiled with the help of Samer Kalaf.
When news breaks on a Saturday night during a holiday weekend, you can expect either a muted reaction (if it's complicated news) or all hell breaking loose (if it's simple enough to tweet about while you hold a drink in one hand). The James Harden trade was closer to the latter. Though some of the terms are deceptively complex—like the protected pick from Dallas that may not belong to the Thunder for a few seasons—the idea that Oklahoma City broke up the league's youngest and most exciting Big Three in recent memory is pretty easy to digest. The NBA got to digesting almost immediately last night, and sent out everything from sophisticated analysis to, in the case of a bunch of guys, just the word "wow." Below, the best from a wide spectrum of players talking about other players, between late last night and early this morning.
Surprise And Disbelief
Well-Wishes From LeBron
Money Talk
Concerned Parties
A Sad Tweet From Nick Collison
Totally Unrelated
There you have it folks: professional athletes grappling with their own transience, in real time.


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Log on with NemID
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Skye Cottages offers visitors a choice of two comfortable cottages in outstanding and contrasting locations...
Storr Lochs - famous Scots photographer Albert Watson
stayed here recentlyon his trip to Skye and the property featured on the BBC 4 series'What do Artists Do All Day'
Storr Lochs Lodge
... is a traditional stone built fishing lodge on Loch Fada, the first of the two Storr Lochs. Situated on the Trotternish peninsula, this is an area of mountains and lochs with views out to the islands of Rona and Raasay and the dramatic hills of Applecross on the mainland.
Only a short drive out of Portree with it's wide variety of shops and attractions, yet remote and tranquil, Storr Lochs Lodge is a perfect base for exploring the Isle of Skye.
11 Hallin Park, Waternish
... is a single storey stone built croft cottage, with extensions added to provide modern amenities.
The Waternish peninsula is a wild beautiful place with fewer mountain views, but an outstanding craggy coastline and views of inshore islands and out to the Western Isles. Looking west, sunsets abound... really, a place to get away from the bustle.
Despite its peacefulness, Waternish has a strong community and offers many attractions to the visitor.
Bookings are from Saturday – Saturday, although shorter breaks may be possible out of the main tourist season.
We have had very favourable comment from people who have booked a two week holiday, one week at either cottage, enabling them to explore two very different parts of the island.
The Isle of Skye offers the visitor a wide range of experiences for the perfect holiday. Whether you are looking for an active break, or a scenic relaxing destination Skye has it all.


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We are proud to offer South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Nebraska, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Iowa auctioneers an affordable, effective way to advertise their auctions on the Internet.
For complete information on how you can post your auctions on our network of auction pages, please contact us at email@example.com.
South Dakota Auction Pages is part of the The Auction Pages network designed to connect you with all types of auctions including:
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If you love auctions, you have come to the right place, please click any of the above auction links or click on the appropriate state on the map at the top of this page and you will be presented with a current list of upcoming auctions.
If you are looking for livestock, the Livestock Auction Pages are dedicated to bringing you quality auction and sale information for cattle, buffalo, bulls, calves, horses, swine, pigs, sheep, bison, and other livestock.


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Jonathan Brainin's Pendulum Video is a mesmerizing video sculpture work-in-progress. A camera points at a video monitor which is displaying the image from the camera. When a second monitor swings in front of the first, it creates a beautiful repeating pendulum pattern across the screen. Check out Jonathan's videos for a few other modes that alter the look of this slick installation. [via Triangulation Blog]
Pendulum Pr0n


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The US Government, Citizen Groups and the Cold War
The State-Private Network
Prices & shipping based on shipping country
Book Description
This new book examines the construction, activities and impact of the network of US state and private groups in the Cold War.
By moving beyond state-dominated, 'top-down' interpretations of international relations and exploring instead the engagement and mobilization of whole societies and cultures, it presents a radical new approach to the study of propaganda and American foreign policy and redefines the relationship between the state and private groups in the pursuit and projection of American foreign relations.
In a series of valuable case studies, examining relationships between the state and women's groups, religious bodies, labour, internationalist groups, intellectuals, media and students, this volume explores the construction of a state-private network not only as a practical method of communication and dissemination of information or propaganda, but also as an ideological construction, drawing upon specifically American ideologies of freedom and voluntarism. The case studies also analyze the power-relationship between the state and private groups, assessing the extent to which the state was in control of the relationship, and the extent to which private organizations exerted their independence.
This book will be of great interest to students of Intelligence Studies, Cold War History and IR/security studies in general.
Table of Contents
Editors preface: Helen Laville and Hugh Wilford
Section One:Themes
Introduction: Negotiating Freedom, Scott Lucas
Conceptualising the State-Private Network, Inderjeet Parmar
in American Foreign Policy.
Section Two: Case Studies
Clark Eichelberger and the Negotiation of Internationalism, Andrew Johnston
The Importance of being (in) Earnest, Helen Laville
Voluntary Associations and the Irony of the
State-Private Network in the Early Cold War From Cooperation to Covert Actions: The United States Government and Students 1940-52, Karen M.Paget
Building a Community around the Pax Americana: The US Government and Exchange Programmes in the 1950s, Giles Scott-Smith
The Finest Labor Network in Europe': American Labour and the Cold War, Julia Angster
In Search of a Clear and overarching American Policy: The Reporter magazine (1949-1968) and The Cold War, Elke van Cassel
Double Vision, Double Analysis: The role of Interpretation, Negotiation and Compromise in the State-Private Network and British American Studies, Alistair Fisher
Ambassadors of the Screen: Film and the State-Private Network in Cold War America, Tony Shaw
Section Three: Beyond the Cold War
Religious Nonprofit Organizations, the Cold War State and Resurgent Evangelicalism, 1845-1990, Axel Schafer
'Permanent Revolution'? The New York Intellectuals the CIA and the Cultural Cold War, Hugh Wilford
Public Diplomacy and the Private Sector: The United States Information Agency, it's Predecessors and the Private Sector, Nicholas J. Cull
View More
'The Cultural Cold War in Western Europe is highly recommended for Cold War
scholars. Most of the contributors offer fresh insights into the nature of what is often
now called the "state-private networks" operating on various levels during the Cold
War. Most of the essays are tightly argued, using primary sources culled from American and European archives. The contributors are rightly unwilling to take official claims of infuence at face value. Thankfully, they eschew the esoteric jargon that all too frequently bedevils cultural studies.'
'This is an excellent, and an excellently conceived and edited, essay collection.' - Cambridge Journal


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its been 2o years; I told myself Im going to create art exposition for a coffee shop and do my art; Ive had sincere intentions. but I never follow through; but I know it would be a good place to break through; but it never happens; I never allow anything to happen. I stay stuck in my CPTSD> dissociation. I stay mad at the world.
I ask myself; what will I get from having my art up at a coffee shop; for what. what does it mean; It means my intellect is coming out and Im taking chances in the outside world; Ive got such hardened views of things; of doing anything. I don't want to stay a bum that continues to talk about a life that could be. 2o years is a long time; Anger.
Ive been in 12 step groups; Christian 12 step groups that are not attracting the best people; and Im sick of it; but Im not in charge; it does not fit with my dissociative trauma problems; its not safe enough and Im really mad that its not safe for me; I hate it. it was a safe place to go and people are showing up and ruining it. ITs not safe for me to be around them; Im not the only one; many people have left; but now; its been taken over by people who don't play by the rules. and don't care what happens to me; what I don't understand; its not a therapists office. so; I might have to work with the universe to find a better situation for myself. People have been rude to me; but then; Its not a therapists office. Ive let things slide. I can go off; but the people playing games with me don't understand PTSD or who they are talking to; its not a controlled therapist office; I have to leave; Im not getting any recovery out of it. Im not the only one; I'm getting re traumatized.
Ive spent allot of time at 12 step groups I shouldn't really be at. I did it out of loneliness because of CPTSD; the way its made me; and dissociative disorder and AVPD; and Agoraphobia. Ill go to the meetings and half fit in; but they don't address my mental conditions; but their are several a day I can go to and I'm never alone. But I was never a hardcore drug addict or hardcore alcoholic. I did get to a place in high school I was overdosing on drugs; but that had allot to do with my home life that did not exist. And the Alcohol became a problem because of isolation problems; so; I've had experiences with it; but not always enough to be at those meetings all the time. Ive learned to say the right things and fit in; I don't want to fit in at those places anymore; I want a real life; I want my life back. Im grateful for what I have learned; I have addict behavior and alcoholic traits for sure. But the meetings only address a small part of my daily social and mental needs; Im cant get it all from a 12 step meetings; Im avoiding real life. And a wall is up for real life.
A wall is up for real life where I was thrown away and Im now alone. ITs a very hard trauma to deal with. unfortunately, Ive been sharing personal stuff around the wrong people; and I don't like myself because of it; that was the wrong thing to do; to give out information to unsafe people. People that would trample me under their feet; turn and tear me into pieces.
I have to keep working with the universe for something new; and new people; people of a greater sophistication.
I wish I had other places to go; so I have to change that to; wouldn't it be nice. and work through this recent trauma and focus on what is good around me and keep going. And that is truly hard.


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Musician Gift Guide 2020...
December 5, 2020
Wonderfully Made: The Anthony and David...
Pit & Balcony Community Theatre Announce...
The Four Seasons: The Genuine Imitation Life Gazette
December 6, 2012
A Forgotten Treasure...
November 15, 2012
Pit & Balcony Lights Up the Holidays with the Rollicking NUNCRACKERS: The Musical
The Bay City Players Makes the Seasonal ...
The Robert Lee Revue...
November 1, 2012
October 11, 2012
Brody & the Busch Road Trio
Nick Piazza
Bay City Players Explore the Humorous Circumstances of LEADING LADIES
September 27, 2012
Reinventing the Musical Parables of GODS...
At Home for the Holidays with Saginaw Choral Society
SBSO: Home for the Holidays: Holiday Pops Concert
Jim Brickman "The Magic of Christmas"
Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra's Virtual Holiday Housewalk (afternoon)
Mark Beltchenko: • • • — — — • • • (SOS) Virtual Exhibition
Wonderfully Made - Art Exhibit
Matter & Energy, Works by Phillip Hanson
A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play
Sounding Joy: A Virtual Cabaret
THE NEW GILDED AGE (Part 2)
13th July, 2017
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| 5.1°C Belfast
Arsenal blew a two-goal lead for the second time in a week as Fulham battled to a 3-3 draw at Emirates Stadium, where Mark Schwarzer saved a penalty in stoppage-time.
The Gunners were in control after early goals from Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski but Fulham rallied after Dimitar Berbatov reduced the deficit and Alex Kacaniklic levelled before half-time.
The visitors then went ahead from the penalty spot when Berbatov slotted home after Mikel Arteta had fouled Brian Ruiz and although Giroud quickly levelled at 3-3, the Gunners could not find a winner - but were then awarded a penalty in stoppage-time for handball, only for Fulham keeper Schwarzer to produce a brilliant stop from Arteta's low effort.
The Gunners went ahead in the 11 minute when Theo Walcott delivered a corner into the six-yard box, where Giroud powered in his second headed goal of the week and they doubled their lead in the 23rd minute.
Arteta drove into the right side of the penalty area and pulled a low cross back through the six-yard box, where Podolski got ahead of his marker to stab the ball past Schwarzer.
Fulham, though, halved the deficit after 28 minutes when Berbatov nodded home with a free header from a corner.
It was no real surprise to see Fulham level five minutes before the break. Berbatov strolled down the right channel and effortlessly floated a lovely ball back over to Kacaniklic, who dispatched a header into the bottom corner past the diving Vito Mannone.
Fulham went ahead for the first time when Ruiz robbed Arteta on the right side of the penalty area and was pulled back by the Spaniard and Phil Dowd pointed to the spot. Berbatov confidently sent Mannone the wrong way to turn the match on its head after 67 minutes.
The lead didn't last long as Giroud's shot came back off the post and Walcott send the rebound into the six-yard box, where the France striker guided a cushioned header over Schwarzer to make it 3-3.
There was more drama in stoppage time when Arshavin's cross hit Sascha Riether on the arm and Dowd pointed to the spot but Schwarzer produced a brilliant save at full stretch to deny Arteta.


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It's time to play 'Cast the Clintons'! NBC says it will soon air 'Hillary,' a major miniseries starring Diane Lane as the first lady-turned-secretary of state. Not to be confused with 'Rodham,' the still-in-development movie about Hillary in her 20s, with a bevy of young stars in play for the lead role.
For the TV version, set from 1998 to the present day, we already have our Hillary - but what fleshy-faced, voracious tower of charisma should play Bill? Our notes for the casting directors:
Jeff Bridges: Pro: Shave the 'True Grit' grizzle and he looks just right. Con: Too old to play Bill in '98. Too A-list for TV.
Matthew Modine: Pro: Right age, not too distractingly famous. Con: 'Tower of charisma'? Ha. Too skinny.
Josh Brolin: Pro: Charisma to burn, already played a POTUS (in 'W.'). Con: Newly divorced from Diane Lane.
Neal McDonough: Pro: Veteran TV actor with a cocky manner, can tackle good/bad ambiguity. Con: Meh.
Woody Harrelson: Pro: True Southerner. Loads of swagger. Cons: Too big for network TV. Too short. Too hard to envision with hair.
Thomas Haden Church: Pro: Right fame level for this project. Con: Quite possibly too craggy.
Russell Crowe: Pro: Unrivaled talent, face like a slab of beef. Con: Waaaaay too A-list for TV.
Dominic West: Pro: Suave, rakish. Nailed the U.S. accent on 'The Wire.' Con: Too rakish. Can he truly feel our pain?
Billy Bob Thornton: Pro: Arkansas native. Nice blend of charm and darkness. Probably available. Con: None.
Sean Bean: Pro: The 'Game of Thrones' star has gravitas, a cult following, maybe a decent Southern accent in his back pocket. Con: None we can see. Call him!


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Those square drive screws are the digital equivalent.
Voila! Now for some new paint on the cap rails. This project took just about three times the amount of time I estimated which I think is exactly the formula for estimating boat work.
- Chris
Life is short. Go boating now!
As we found with the mast, it won't be bright long, which is good. The sooner dark the better. I suppose I could piss on them to hurry it up, but that might take a lot of beer.
Rubbing my glass fishing float, peering into the clouds, seeing next months posting "How do I get these green stains off my nice white gunwhales, deck and sides???"
2019: returning from being sidelined with medical probs, crossing fingers worst is over, still in "armchair enthusiast" mode for time being.
When I (stupidly) bought the pipe cutter at Harbor Freight, there were four on the shelf. All four boxes had been opened, which should have been my first clue that they don't work. It was only 16 bucks, which should have been my second clue.
I had that same experience with a special wrench for replacing faucet washers. The one I bought in a big box store had tape. When I tried to use it, it turned out the metal was too thin so it distorted. I returned it. I went to a local hardware store that is, well, more connected to the local community and got a faucet wrench made of thicker metal.
Another red flag is if they have a large stack of neat looking tools such as a jigsaw stacked up with a big "on sale" sign. I bought one and it turned out to be a piece of junk.
I had an excavator here today (barn slab) & he had a 5 lb. 12" handle hammer for pounding stakes. $5 @ Harbor freight. As he put it: "I've lost a bunch of these on sites over the years - so this is perfect. Thing is, I've had it longer than any of the others"
Life's like that.
"If it ain't broke, you're not trying." - Red Green


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I am one of the lucky ones.
My paycheck does not stop because the feds are playing chicken with the future of this country.
You see, I am an elected official, which means that I am exempt from all sorts of consequences for the things I do. I could lock up the Oklahoma budget (which I vote against quite frequently, btw) and put tens of thousands of people out of work. Then, I could re-write the laws so they couldn't get unemployment compensation and reduce the monies going to our schools/roads/police/hospitals/etc to make up the shortfall, and …
Nothing would happen to me.
My paycheck would keep on coming.
In fact, a lot of people would call me a hero.
I know all about playing legislative chicken with the budget. I've played it — on both sides.
I have been a Democrat in a Democratic majority government in which we were trying our best to pass a budget over the heads of recalcitrant Republicans who were doing their best to lock it up.
I have been a Democrat in a majority Republican government in which my side of the fight was trying to lock the danged budget up and the Republicans were fighting to pass it.
Ho-hum and hidey-ho. I've done it all.
And I can tell you that it is never about the issues.
I repeat: It is NEVER about the issues.
Part of the legislative negotiating process is to play chicken.
Do you remember chicken? It's a throw-back to the 1950s. Young men would gather out on a deserted stretch of highway with their souped-up jalopies and line them up facing one another. Then they'd floor the things and drive straight at one another at max speed. The first one to veer off lost. That's playing chicken.
The legislative version of chicken is taking some piece of legislation that would harm millions of people and whose failure would cause immeasurable suffering and hold it hostage, thereby forcing someone else to compromise on a second issue. Legislative chicken surpasses the old Highway 9 Chicken of the 1950s in terms of the carnage it can wreak and the gravity of what it is trying to accomplish.
There is also another difference. Highway 9 Chicken carries the possibility that two people might kill themselves. With Legislative Chicken the players themselves are always — always — exempt from the harm they may do, but the price to literally millions of innocent bystanders can be mind boggling.
Let's look at the boys and girls in Washington and this dirty little game they are playing with our country as a for-instance.
What's at stake in their gamesmanship is significantly more than the wreckage of two souped up jalopies and the death of two young men.
On the one hand, we have the Affordable Health Care Act and all that it means, including the hyper funding for abortion and the lives of millions of babies, and the HHS Mandate and its blatant attack on the First Amendment.
On the other hand, we have the lives of millions of Americans and their ability to keep roofs over their heads and food on their tables, PLUS the entire American economy and the fear of another free fall like the one in 2008, PLUS the fear of literally billions of people around the globe who are watching Big Daddy, who they rely on for their security, play this game of Legislative Chicken.
That's a lot at stake. Do the players need nerves of steel to do this? Maybe. But I know from experience that they are also enjoying it. If you didn't like football, despite its blows and injuries, you wouldn't play football. It's the same with lawmakers everywhere. We are all fit for these battles and in ways that nobody who wasn't as nutty as we are could ever understand, we get off on them.
That's not a pretty fact. But it is a fact.
One other major difference between Legislative Chicken and Highway 9 Chicken is that the two young men driving those jalopies are the only ones with skin in the game. Their chicken is real chicken, since they can lose it all. Elected officials, on the other hand, are exempt from whatever havoc they wreak. No matter who pays what for their shenanigans, the one thing everybody knows is that the payers will not be them.
So, our elected officials' nerves of steel are mostly bombast combined with the crappola they tell themselves about the nobility of what they are doing.
Legislative chicken is a team sport. And it's a rough one. It can, and often does, provide the minority in legislative settings with a voice that also provides much needed balance to government. It is not always a bad thing. It is a necessary and useful device.
However, it always has the potential to become a kind of drug. Elected officials get so inured to constant crises that they have trouble with normal life, which seems flat to them. They become crisis junkies of the worst sort. Combine that with a ruthless drive for power at any cost in these elected officials — who were beamed into office on a beam of special interest money and don't really have a clue what they're doing there in the first place — and you have a recipe for disaster.
The thing which has made this nation tick for over 200 years is the essential decency of its people, which fed upstream to give us elected officials who were also essentially decent. No matter their various scandals and failures, the sum total of American governance has always been rooted in a belief in and concern for this country.
No more.
We're electing people who don't belong in office. I can't say it any other way. We are electing people who don't belong in office.
They are being sold to us by big-time money machines who control their every act once they are in office and they don't care about this country.
Both sides in this present shutdown controversy are lying out every bodily orifice they possess about the other side. According to each of them, the other side is entirely to blame. They are both lying. That is the only truth there is to their behavior.
I am not going to take a side in this current situation because I've come to the conclusion that neither side is the side of the American people.
As an American people myself, that is the only side that I'm on.


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And the cooling continues. Sorry – I mean that Global Warming is really an imminent threat to humankind. Especially in Warsaw.
I was not planning to do another update of the US temperature from a "historic" perspective. But I was so inspired by the shenanigans going on in Warsaw that I felt I had to.
So here it comes, first the 9 month trend and in a later post the 10 month trend. Dedicated with "special love" to the traveling UN Circus now performing in Warsaw (COP 19 and CMP 9).
An old advertisement for the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1900 said: "The greatest Show on Earth". I think a more apt one for the present one going on would be "The most costly, disastrous and hypocritical Political Show on Earth Paid by us the common people"
They were supposed to finish today but, as usual they have prolonged the proceedings. They have in negotiation speak "stopped the clock".
I thought it would be interesting to look at the recent 9 months (year to date, January- September) US temperature from a "historic" perspective. To see how the decade trends have evolved during the last 113 years.
Especially to see how the decade trends have evolved during the last 43 years. The period that according to the Global Warming Hysterics and computer models they worship should show a steady and accelerated increase in temperature.
I don't know about you, but I consider a 9 month, a year by year consecutive trend 113 years long to be a "quit good" indicator.
And as I always point out:
Remember, these are the official figures. With the poor placement of stations (91 % of the stations are CRN 3 to 5 = bad to very poor); where they have purposely taken away the urban heat island effect, use huge smoothing radius, the historical "adjustment and tweaking" to cool the past etc.
Not to mention the great slaughter of GHCN stations 1990-1993 – roughly 63 % of all stations were "dropped". Oddly enough many of them in cold places – Hmmm? Now the number of GHCN stations is back at the same numbers as in 1890.
Also remember that the US stations are now nearly a third of the all GHCN world stations.
So here are the trends:
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1900-2013
The trend for 1900 to 2013 is 0.13 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1970-2013
The trend for 1970 to 2013 is 0.52 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1980-2013
The trend for 1980 to 2013 is 0.43 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1990-2013
The trend for 1990 to 2013 is 0.34 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 2000-2013
The trend for 2000 to 2013 is – 0.07 F / Decade
Do you notice the "accelerated warming" trend from 1970-2013 to 2000-2013??
And as I said in the beginning – always remember that these figures are based on the official data that has been tweaked, "adjusted" and manipulated to fit their agenda (cool the past, ignore UHI and land use change factors, huge smoothing radius – 1200km etc.)..
So the "warming trend" 2000-2013 for Jan- September is exactly – 0.07 F degrees a decade. That is – 0.7 F COOLER in 100 years. That's what I call "warming"!
And to REALLY show you this "accelerated warming" trend lets recapitulate the last years (2012) figures for nine months and their trend /decade (see my post: Recent 9 Months U.S. Temperature trend/decade: 1.5 F Warmer in 100 years):
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1970-2012
The trend for 1970 to 2012 is 0.54 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1980-2012
The trend for 1980 to 2012 is 0.46 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 1990-2012
The trend for 1990 to 2012 is 0.42 F / Decade
US temperature recent 9 months (Jan- Sep) 2000-2012
The trend for 2000 to 2012 is 0.15 F / Decade
You REALLY, REALLY can see the accelerating trend one year later can you not?
Take cover – The sweat is really breaking out.
And this is also the decade that the Global Warming Hysterics have been screaming at the top of their lungs, trying to scare us to death, about the catastrophic treat that the "extreme increase" in temperature is to mankind and earth.
This is a perfect example of what I have been saying all along, it has always been a political agenda – anti human, anti freedom, anti development and anti capitalism. And this Global Warming Hysteria is part of that agenda. It has nothing to do with science, facts or saving the environment or the Earth.
All of this, as always, paid by us, the common people, in the form of taxes, high energy costs and reducing our living standard back to the Stone Age.
And all of this to "save" the Earth from a "catastrophic warming" when it is actually cooling.
And the most absurd thing is that all the things that the "intelligent" politicians and the so called "scientists", with the willing help of mainstream media, have forced through at EXTREME cost to us, are actually helping to accelerate the cooling.
Talking about an eminent treat to humankind!
According to the computer models that the Global Warming Hysterics love so much, worship and blindly follows (especially our intelligent politicians), it should be EXACTLY the opposite.
And we are supposed to be very worried about a predicted rise of 3-4 F?
But not this ACTUAL trend?
And for this predicted trend the politicians want to take our societies back to the Stone Age. But, as usual, they DO NOTHING about the actual trend.
So to summarize this evidence of this "accelerated warming" trend:
The recent 9 months trend 1970-2013 is exactly 0.52 F degrees a decade.
The recent 9 months trend 1980-2013 is exactly 0.43 F degrees a decade.
The recent 9 months trend 1990-2013 is exactly 0.34 F degrees a decade.
The recent 9 months trend 2000-2013 is exactly – 0.07 F degrees a decade.
So the "warming" trend is really accelerating wouldn't you say.
Some more "rapid warming" like this and the freezer looks really warm.
Another brilliant and glorious example of RAPID WARMING and an eminent treat to humankind! Especially during the last 43 years.
That is truly "Global Warming" US style.
An interesting "science" wouldn't you say.
This is the "stuff" that "Global Warming" is made of.
Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om http://bloggar.se/om/milj%F6" rel="tag">miljö, yttrandefrihet, fri- och rättigheter, Läs även andra bloggares åsikter om USA


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Emergency Plan Ideas for People with Disabilities
As a person with a disability it is important to take some time before a disaster to think through your personal plan. If you need help be sure to ask family, friends, caregivers and case workers to help you. They will be a vital part of your support network and may not have considered disaster planning either, so you can help them too!
Create an Emergency Plan
- Work with your support network to develop an emergency plan. Have a plan for home, work, school, or any other place you spend time regularly.
- Create different plans for the different disasters or emergencies that might affect your community.
- Use your life experience. How do you deal with the power outages or transportation delays or breakdowns in your everyday life? These plans will help you think about larger disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and terrorism.
- Create a communication plan. Make sure you and your support network share contact information and other ways to communicate if phones are not working. Strategies may include agreeing to meet at an assigned place, or using pagers, email, or other technology not reliant on phone lines.
- Make an evacuation plan for home, work, school, and other situations. Identify two options for getting out of each home or building.
- Plan for different ways of sheltering. Consider what you can do to safely shelter in place. Consider how to shelter with friends and family. Finally, consider how a shelter designated for the public would meet your needs.
- If you receive regular services (home health care, transportation, dialysis), make a plan with each service provider. Learn about their disaster plans and how to contact them in an emergency. Work with them to identify back- up service providers.
Have you considered...?
- If you require help evacuating a building, create a plan with the assistance of your support network.
- If you need them, look into evacuation assistive devices, or the installation of ramps at emergency exits. Identify an area where public safety officials can assist you in any building you visit regularly. Contact the building safety director for help.
- If you require accessible transportation to evacuate an area, identify public and private resources that will help you.
Do you need to plan for...?
- Do you use communication devices?
- Do you depend on accessible transportation to get to work, appointments, or to other places in your community?
- Do you receive medical treatments (e.g. dialysis) on a regular basis?
- Do you need assistance with personal care?
- Do you rely on electrical equipment or other medical equipment?
- Do you use mobility aids such as a walker, cane, or a wheelchair?
- Do you have a service animal?
Ready Kit and Go Bag
A Ready Kit is a supply of items that you will need if you should have to shelter in place or rely on your own resources for a few days. A Go Bag has fewer items, but they are the essential ones to take with you if you must evacuate quickly. Common items include:
- 3-day supply of non-perishable food and manual can opener
- 3-day supply of water per person
- Medical equipment and assistive devices (glasses, hearing aids, catheters, augmentative communication devices, canes, walkers), plus extra batteries and chargers
- Medications, including a list with the prescription name, dosage, frequency, doctor, and pharmacist. If medications must be refrigerated, bring a cooler with an ice pack or other coolant system
- List of emergency contact information including your support network members in and out of the region, service providers, etc.
- Copies of important documents (birth certificate, passport, licenses, insurance information, proof of address)
- Flashlight and radio with extra batteries
- Cash, credit cards, checkbook, ATM card
- Supplies for a service animal including food, identification tags, proof of vaccinations, and veterinarian contact information
- White distress lag or cloth, whistle, flashlights and/or glow sticks
- First aid kit
- Written identification of your disability-related or health condition, or medical alert tags or bracelets
You can find more information on preparing for an emergency at: https://www.ready.gov/individuals-access-functional-needs
Also, be sure to check out the Disability Program's Emergency Self-Preparedness for people with disabilities video training that you can use to create your plan!
Updated 8/25/17 JJ


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Moving Top Teachers to Struggling Schools Has Benefits
Study probes moving talent to low-performing schools
The transfer of top elementary teachers to low-achieving schools can help boost students' performance, but there's a catch: getting them to agree to move.
A new study, seven years in the making, finds that elementary teachers identified as effective who transferred to low-achieving schools under a bonus-pay program helped their new students learn more, on average, than teachers in a control group did. They also stayed in the schools at least as long as other new hires.
But despite a large financial reward, only 5 percent of eligible teachers made the shift, the report concludes.
"It's a hard sell, even with $20,000 on the table," said Steven M. Glazerman, a senior fellow at the Princeton, N.J.-based Mathematica Policy Research, the evaluation firm that conducted the study.
Education advocates have long deplored inequitable access by disadvantaged students to high-quality teaching. The federally financed study suggests there is promise in incentive programs, but highlights the logistical complexities in carrying them out, said Sarah Almy, the director of teacher quality for the Education Trust, a Washington-based group that advocates for poor and minority students.
"I think it's a reminder of how much we still have to understand about this issue, and that it is challenging," she said.
Called the Talent Transfer Initiative, the program and its study were financed by the U.S. Department of Education's statistical wing.
Project Spans 10 Districts
The initiative examined some 165 teams of teachers in 114 schools, located in 10 districts across seven states. Seven of those districts were followed for two years, from 2009-10 to 2010-2011, and three for one year, from 2010 to 2011.
When teachers with a track record of raising student achievement were given financial rewards to switch to teaching positions in low-performing schools, they tended to stay longer than other new hires. After the bonus payouts ended, they existed at statistically similar rates as other teachers.
Researchers used each district's "value added" measure to identify the most effective 20 percent of teachers in the districts. (Value-added is a statistical way to isolate teachers' contribution to student performance on standardized tests.)
The high-performing teachers were offered $20,000 to transfer to a low-achieving school in the district and to stay there for at least two years. (Effective teachers already located in such schools got $10,000 to continue teaching.) Payouts were made incrementally over the two-year period.
To examine the effects of the transfers, researchers randomly assigned teams of teachers in the same grade and subject with at least one vacancy to a treatment group, which got to hire one of the TTI teachers, or to a control group, which used its normal processes to fill the vacancy.
Then, the researchers compared how students taught by the TTI teachers and their counterparts in the control groups did academically.
At the elementary level, students taught by the TTI participants made greater gains, on average, in both reading and math than their counterparts. The results were even stronger after a second year. In all, the effect sizes ranged from 0.10 to 0.25 standard deviations, or enough to move up each student by 4 to 10 percentile points relative to peers in their state.
The teaching teams the TTI teachers joined also were more effective than those of their counterparts after two years, but those results were smaller, suggesting that the teachers did not have much effect outside their own classrooms.
No Gains at Middle School
The study's findings support evidence from other studies showing that the effectiveness of teachers is transferable, even when they are instructing students with more academic challenges. That's good news, Ms. Almy said, because it helps dispel the idea that a teacher who is successful in one context can't be successful in another.
Teachers in the Talent Transfer Initiative were similar to their counterparts outside the program in most ways, but they were more experienced by about four years and were more likely to hold advanced certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, an independent nonprofit. Both factors may have contributed to their performance, but the study doesn't tease out whether such characteristics helped to make them better teachers overall.
Gains were not seen among middle schools teachers participating in the study, a finding the researchers struggled to interpret. The difference may be because of inconsistent results among districts, the authors say. Even at the elementary level, where the net effect of the transfers was positive, some districts had much better results than others.
"Future implementers [of transfer programs] should plan for the possibility of results that differ from the averages presented," the report says.
As for retention, the bonus payouts helped keep the transferring teachers on the job at higher rates. After the two-year initiative ended, the TTI teachers were neither more nor less likely to leave than their peers.
Teacher Selectivity
The study points out, though, that it took a large pool—more than 1,500 eligible applicants—to secure the 81 teachers willing to transfer. Many eligible candidates did not attend information sessions, complete an application, or follow through with the interview process.
"There is an implication here that if you want to scale this up, it would be very hard to fill a lot of vacancies, because you would need to have that many more applicants," Mr. Glazerman said. "At some point, you run out of truly high-performing teachers, and there's a risk that if you lowered the bar on teacher selectivity, you wouldn't get the same results."
Ms. Almy of the Education Trust said the onus is on districts to improve working conditions and make lower-performing schools attractive places to work. Financial incentives are not enough, she said. And anecdotally, she added, teachers need to be surrounded by like-minded peers and leaders.
"We hear that even if teachers have what it takes and they're motivated [to transfer], they don't want to be there all by themselves banging their head against the wall," Ms. Almy said.
Vol. 33, Issue 12, Pages 1, 13Published in Print: November 13, 2013, as Transferring Top Teachers Has Benefits
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Mobile apps are all the rage these days, but to get one built for your organization can be a daunting financial prospect. Should you decide to go to a bespoke shop to have your dream iOS or Android app coded you would be looking at a seriously large price tag.
But if you're looking for Android and maybe iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, Palm WebOS, Bada (Samsung's smartphone OS), Tizen and Symbian as well, you could be looking at a biblical price tag.
What if you could use your in-house Web guys with their HTML and CSS and JavaScript skills and, with a lot less hassle (and expense), build your own apps? Sounds like a dream, doesn't it?
APP WARS: Windows 8 Metro vs. the iPad
Well, a dream it is not ... such an ambitious plan could be realized and, indeed, has been realized by the likes of the BBC, Nestle Mexico and NASA Science using an amazing free, open source development platform called PhoneGap.
It is claimed that PhoneGap (a.k.a. "Apache Cordova" ... just to make things confusing), which was contributed to the Apache Software Foundation, has been downloaded over 1 million times and is being used by over 400,000 developers.
According to the PhoneGap Website, "Nitobi was the original creator and is one of the primary contributors to the PhoneGap framework. In October 2011, Adobe acquired Nitobi, enabling the team to focus solely on the PhoneGap project and continue its work on efficient development across mobile platforms. ... There is also vast global community that contributes to the project, including many from IBM, RIM, Microsoft and more."
The scope of involvement by so many big players is fascinating and raises hope that a true cross-operating system development platform for smartphones that relies on well-understood programming paradigms could become a reality. Just imagine if the gap between identifying a smartphone-based business need and rolling out a robust, fully featured, multi-platform app was a matter of weeks or perhaps even days rather than months!
So, what does PhoneGap do? It provides access to smartphone APIs for everything from accelerometer to camera, compass, contacts, file, geolocation, media (audio and video), network, notifications (alert, sound, vibration) and storage, all via JavaScript interacting with HTML and CSS. It's beautiful! (See PhoneGap's chart for which APIs are supported on which OSes.)
Of course, even though PhoneGap is out of beta, it's not all wine and roses. If you want to check out PhoneGap be prepared for poor documentation, some conflicting instructions and moderately serious debugging.
For a general overview that is rather clearer than the PhoneGap documentation see "Explanation of PhoneGap/Cordova for the Layman," and for installation of the latest version check out "PhoneGap 2.1.0 in Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8: from Download to iOS App Store," both by Steve Husting. Following Steve's instructions I had a "Hello World" app up and running on the iPad simulator within about 15 minutes!
PhoneGap, while not a complete walk in the park, is the one of the most fully featured, most flexible and most well-developed cross-smartphone development solutions I've come across and, when it comes to capitalizing the basic Web skills of HTML, JavaScript and CSS, it stands on its own! PhoneGap gets a Gearhead rating of 4.5 out of 5!
Gibbs is cross about platforms in Ventura, Calif. Develop your thoughts at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter and App.net (@quistuipater) and on Facebook (quistuipater).
Read more about anti-malware in Network World's Anti-malware section.