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Gone, But Not Forgotten? What The Internet Will Look Like Under SOPA Fearsgiving Week Jesus Approves of Waterboarding Beware of Asteroids
Gone, But Not Forgotten?
What The Internet Will Look Like Under SOPA
Fearsgiving Week
Jesus Approves of Waterboarding
Beware of Asteroids
All links are current as of the date of publication. All content created by the author is copyrighted 2005-2010, except where held by the owners/publishers of parent works and/or subject materials. Any infringement of another's work is wholly unintentional. If you see something here that is yours, a polite request for removal or credit will be honored.
Southwest's Fashion Police?Friday, Sept. 14, 2007 1:18 AM
A note to telemarketers of all stripes:
Please LISTEN when I state that I am not interested in your offer, or unable to contribute to your cause.
DO NOT persist in your sales pitch, thinking I am merely reluctant and/or can be persuaded by your continued attempts at a personal relationship by using my first name in a cold call, or by doggedly reading from your script.
And, most certainly, don't end your call with an attempt to 'put me down for a booster-level contribution'.
That is, I believe, FRAUD. I will sue your ass into low-earth orbit.
I'm sorry you've chosen a job where you don't get paid for people who tell you no, and where the 'experts' who produce these lame-sounding fill-in-the-blank scripts tell you to ignore the word NO and keep pushing.
I'm sorry you're too stupid to understand the word NO when I say it politely. The correct answer is, "Thank you for your time, Sir. Have a nice day." Or do you really think that once I get done yelling in your ear and asking if you are just plain stupid that I'm going to be possessed of kindness and generosity?
(And, yes, I am on the Federal Do-Not-Call Registry. It appears that exceptions are handed out like candy canes at Christmastime.)
What the hell is up with Southwest Airlines?
A second woman has come forward with a story of being told to 'cover up' because her attire was deemed 'too provocative,' this time for a green halter-style dress.
While Southwest says it has no record of any complaint involving Setara Qassim, it responded to an inquiry by Kyla Ebbert's mother by noting it may remove any passenger 'whose clothing is lewd, obscene, or patently offensive'.
Here are the two young women:
(Photo of Ms. Ebbert from San Diego Union-Tribune. Photo of Setara Qassim via Google, unattributed.)
I don't get it. Nothing wrong with either of those outfits, and while both young women are pretty enough to draw a second look, their garb is hardly 'offensive'. (I wonder if Southwest would still be grousing if Ms. Ebbert had come aboard in baggy sweats and no bra?)
Let's get this straight. Even on Southwest Airlines, you get on the plane, you sit down. Unless you are in one of the areas with facing seats, you will have next to zero visibility of your fellow passengers' attire during the flight. How can you claim that a woman's short skirt or close-fitting top are disturbing your peace of mind if all you can see is the back of her head? Or that the handful of seconds it takes someone to pass by your seat is sufficient to 'disrupt' anything?
If your sensibilities are so delicate that the mere passage of an attractive woman makes you break out into a sweat, the problem is not the woman or her clothing or her perfume or God taking offense. It's all about whatever preconceived notions you have about women, their bodies, and oozing sexuality. This is America. We don't do burkas here.
Southwest's official policy is that the determination of what is or isn't disruptive attire is left to the common sense and discretion of the flight attendants.
To me, that would mean a simple guideline like, 'Full or partial nudity is unacceptable, except for the purposes of nursing an infant with appropriate concessions to modesty in a public area.'
I would love to see a woman's advocacy group or a media outlet send similarly-clad women aboard a Southwest Airlines flight, to see if they are treated equally. The women should be of different ages, and at least one should prominently wear a cross.
That, or lift the graphics from the Southwest Airlines website and make a cardboard sign proclaiming, "These breasts covered for your protection."
Addendum - 2:00 AM PDT
Seen here in ostensibly happier times is Abdul-Sattar Abu Risha, a
Abu Risha and his two chief bodyguards were killed yesterday by a roadside bomb. No claim of responsibility has been made, but clearly, Anbar Province isn't the shining light of progress being shoved up our collective asses when our Number One Guy in the region gets turned into camel chow.
Brin - 2007-09-14 06:15:04
There are no facing seats on the company-wide only plane in use at Southwest, the 737. I'm going to fly with them again in about a month. I'll go ahead and implement the best suggestion anybody has as to a protest that won't get me put on a list. :-)


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Our been aware of the Pokemon https://custom-roms.com/roms/apple-ii/eamon-045-swordquest-1990-r-pender-no-boot-usa video games, as well as for valid reason — they are simply hugely well-known game titles. Nevertheless did you know that also you can play Roms on your personal computer?
People love playing these kinds of online games issues PSPs or iPods — it gives them the capacity to enjoy Pokemon or perhaps related video games by wherever they are really! Although how can you get this kind of application just for the LAPTOP OR COMPUTER? Precisely what are the finest PC Roms just for Android os?
Very well, there may be an easy alternative if you would like to download online games that way. All you want is by using a down load administrator. These types of courses could make that really easy to download online games onto your laptop. You won't live through installing these people your self – what you just have to do is operate a course as well as the downloading will be looked after for you personally.
A further convenient choice should be to find a web page that will allow one to download PC game titles and other LAPTOP OR COMPUTER applications right to your PC. Of course , not every web page in existence will allow you to make this happen — several should. It just takes some time to obtain the appropriate one.
Make sure down load Roms on your PC is usually to get them by using a online store. When using the capacity to download online games any time you need, it makes sense to buy these people before you go to save cash and try before you pay for.
Downloading may also be created by linking a PSP or iPod to your pc using a UNIVERSAL SERIAL BUS cable connection. This may well not operate — make certain to try this first. Just be sure you will be utilizing a quality cable connection that will not have a whole lot of transmission loss.
Getting Pokemon ROMs for your SONY PSP may be slightly hard at times, especially if you don't an increased rate internet connection. It might take quite some time for a few ROMs.
An excellent spot to download Pokemon game titles for your Android-phone or tablet is normally XDA-Developers. org. There exists a discussion board there wherever users can easily discuss almost everything regarding all their video games activities.

subset: commoncrawl


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If you are an adult child of a narcissistic mother, this audiobook is for you, and if you are not sure whether your abusive mother is a pathological narcissist, you will find out.
If you listen to this audiobook:
You will become aware of all the reasons why your childhood was so traumatic. You will learn how to deal with your narcissistic mother without being her victim any longer. You will find out all dysfunctional beliefs and habits that you developed during your childhood. You will learn how to contrast Complex Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms.
The issue of toxic mothers challenges the status quo in so many ways but does need to be addressed. Adult children of narcissistic parents are often plagued with so much guilt and sense of deep obligation and shame that they feel duty-bound to keep whatever happened in the family secret, even when it is shredding their lives. It's really difficult to share your experience because narcissists, and especially a narcissistic mother, can be very good at creating the perfect image of the family for outsiders.
The solution is not forgiving or forgetting, but understanding and working on your self-development, and finally taking back control of your life.
Even if you were born in the wrong place, growing up dealing with an abusive mother, you can leave the past behind and build a better future by taking control of your life. This audiobook is a painful path of awareness, but it is also the first step of a journey toward a better life.
(Tags : Narcissistic Mothers: How to Handle a Narcissistic Parent and Recover from CPTSD: Adult Children of Narcissists Recovery, Book 1 (Unabridged) Caroline Foster Audiobook, Caroline Foster Audio CD )


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Contact us
04 76 79 12 22
Chalets Montana all year round
Rentals from 28/04 to 30/09
Pitches from 01/05 to 30/09
At almost 2000 meters above sea level, between the Robert lakes and the Sitre lake, the Crozet lake is an undeniable jewel of the Belledonne massif, unmissable when staying on the Grenoble or Chambéry side. Surrounded by the resorts of Chamrousse, Le Collet d'Allevard and Les Sept Laux, it overlooks the Grésivaudan valley like a vast infinity pool. The site is also historic. Inventor of white coal in the 19th century, Aristide Bergès conducted many experiments on hydroelectric power on Lac du Crozet. Owner of a paper mill in Lancey, he carried out numerous adjustments on the lake and its tributaries in order to regulate and stabilize the flow. The Crozet lake site is also classified for the richness of its biodiversity: we come across marmots, ibex, chamois, and many bird species including the emblematic black grouse. The object of many hikes, the lake also attracts mountain bikers, fishermen, and rock-climbers who take on the rock split above the Crozet eye. A three-quarter hour walk from the lake is a refuge for hikers and mountain bikers.
The Crozet lake is a popular destination for hikers. One of the most classic circuits is the one that starts from Pré Raymond, at an altitude of around 1,400 meters. Much of the trail is undergrowth. The hike consists of a round trip. It takes in all within 4 hours. It is possible to envisage a morning departure and a picnic by the lake before going down again in the afternoon. The hike of Crozet Lake by Pré Raymond is a little over 9 km away. When arriving at the lake, good walkers can push to Lac du Loup. You should know that in season, the hike to Lac du Crozet is very busy, and the path narrow. It is therefore preferable to leave very early in the day to enjoy more tranquility. The landscapes crossed are varied: laces in the forest with more mineral decorations, and steep slopes with pleasant flat passages on alpine lawns crossed by streams.Read more


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NuFACE Trinity® | NuFace
What it is: An advanced microcurrent facial toning device that helps improve facial contour, tone, and the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.Who it's for: Anyone looking to improve skin tone and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. For all skin types.What it does: The Trinity Pro Device with Facial Trainer Attachment (included) is an FDA-cleared device that gently stimulates the larger surface areas of your face and neck with microcurrent to help improve facial contour, tone & the look of fine lines and wrinkles in as little as 5 minutes a day. Once you discover the power of microcurrent, upgrade your skincare routine with advanced Trinity attachments. The Effective Lip and Eye Attachment delivers targeted microcurrent to hard-to-reach spots around the lips, eyes & brows, and the Wrinkle Reducer Attachment treats full-face wrinkles with red light therapy.
What's Included:
From Yoga to Barre and from Deep Cleansing Facials to Laser Hair Removal
Use your Spafinder gift card to purchase products in this shop!
Give that special one in your life the gift of wellness with a Spafinder gift card.
Join our newsletter for exclusive offers from SpaFinder. You can unsubscribe anytime.


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Prince Charles among thousands paying respects to Romania's King Michael
Prince Charles has joined members of royalty from across the world to pay his respects at the funeral for Romania's King Michael.
Tens of thousands of people came out to give tribute at a full state funeral for the late monarch.
Michael held the Romanian throne for two separate periods, and helped lead a coup against the country's military leadership in 1944 that resulted in the country switching side from the Nazis to the Allies.
Forced to abdicate by the new Communist regime in 1947, he moved abroad and lived for most of the rest of his life in Switzerland.
He was given a full state funeral in Bucharest after his death at age 96.
Prince Charles was among a host of European and world royalty who attended a memorial service.
The Prince joined the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia, and Spain's former King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia at a pre-funeral service at the Royal Palace.
Other royals including Henri, the Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz of Belgium also joined the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis for the service.
The Swedish king saluted as King Michael's coffin was placed on a dais.
Tens of thousands of ordinary Romanians also came out to pay their respects to the former king.
Crowds cheered and shouted "King Michael!" as the coffin, led by Orthodox priests and a guard of honor, was transported by an army jeep toward the cathedral.
Michael's five daughters and his estranged grandson Nicholas Medforth-Mills, who was stripped of his title for allegedly fathering a child out of wedlock, walked behind the coffin.
The service was led head of the Romanian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Daniel.
Michael will be taken by a royal train to the central Romanian city of Curtea de Arges where he will be buried next to his wife, Anne de Bourbon-Parme, who died last year.
Source: ITV NEWS
Tags: Prince Charles, Funeral, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, Princess Astrid, Prince Lorenz of Belgium, King Michael, Anne de Bourbon-Parme


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With increasing concerns about vehicle pollution, smoke, carbon monoxide, and so on; there is a surging demand for exhaust extraction from maintenance facilities. This requires to be done in garages with the right equipment such garage exhaust hoses, rubber Y hose connectors, and tailpipe adapters. Some vehicles have dual exhaust systems, which are connected during the extraction process using Y hose connectors.
What Are the Different Types of Y Connectors
Typically, based on the material used, there are two types of Y connectors. They are available in various sizes and diameters based on the size of the extraction systems.
- Aluminum Y Connectors : These exhaust Y connectors have internal threads and the garages exhaust hoses screw into the Y connector. The aluminum Y connector is available for 4" ID garage exhaust hoses.
- Rubber Y Connectors: Made of rubber, these are inherently flexible, yet sturdy. These Y connectors also have internal threads and hoses are threaded into them. They are usually suitable for hoses with a diameter between 2″ and 3″.
Significance of Y Connectors in Garages
Carbon monoxide released through vehicle combustion is deadly and poisonous. It is responsible for many respiratory and other health issues, and thus needs to be controlled. This fatal gas is produced by vehicles, but thankfully, it is removed using proper garage exhaust hoses and accessories. Here are some reasons why Y connectors are essential in garages.
- Some heavy vehicles such as trucks have dual exhaust systems and therefore need good quality Y connector hoses.
- Exhaust Y connectors allow users to connect three different hoses, thereby forming a Y assembly. One end of this Y connector is attached to the extraction system and the other two ends are attached to the dual exhaust pipes.
- They are designed to resist heat, oil, grease, smoke, and all the hazardous elements in a garage environment.
If you are looking for good quality Y connectors for your garage or automobile repair shop, ensure you source then from reliable and certified manufacturers and suppliers. You need to ensure the smoke and gases released are not leaked indoors as it could be fatal. Ask for customization according to the dimensions of your exhaust systems as it is crucial that they fit well. Exhaust-Away is a well-known manufacturer of exhaust Y fittings, hoses, and other equipment required for vehicle exhaust extraction systems.


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Using Wikipedia For Marketing
How to Using Wikipedia for marketing Introduction:
- Internet marketing is something that has opened many new doors and possibilities for business organizations and brands across the globe. The increase in the use of internet marketing all over the world is proof for its amazing ability to engage the audience and its ability to create awareness in the audience as well.
- Now, there are many different ways that internet marketing is being done. All these different ways or tools of marketing have their own pros and cons but today we are not really concerned with the pros and cons of all the marketing tools that are being used in internet marketing, we are just concerned about the impact of marketing done through wikipedia pages and the impact of marketing done through social media platforms.
Marketing Wikipedia As Compare to Social Media Marketing
Using Wikipedia for marketing :
- If you are someone who knows how to create a Wikipedia page then you must have the knowledge about things work when you use wiki pages as a marketing tool for your brands or business organizations. And if you don't know then this is how it goes, wikipedia as we all know is a website that the world usually uses as a source of information. Not just any information but a highly regarded and a source of extremely reliable information. This online encyclopedia has made its reputation after working for decades and it is by far the most visited virtual platforms of all times.
- Now, the approach used in wiki marketing is a passive approach as wikipedia does not allow any promotional content. It is indeed a very useful tool to create brand awareness and audience engagement and has many other benefits as well like SEO and increase in credibility of the brand and increased online visibility and much more. But all these advantages aside, wikipedia has always been a platform that uses an indirect and passive approach towards marketing.
Social Media Marketing:
- Social media is one of the greatest online marketing tools to have ever been exited. The only downside in my opinion is that it takes a lot of time to think to come up with a problem in social media marketing. Its highly engaging and highly cost effective and brands can use both the approaches for marketing, using this specific marketing tool.
- Platforms like Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have taken the world by a storm and there are billions of people who use these social media platforms and others similar like them on a daily basis which makes these online social media platforms a perfect place for brands to engage their target audiences.
- Unlike Wiki pages social media marketing can make use of all sorts of content like video, animated videos, pictures, memes, texts and audio content as well but there is a down side as well which is that social media has never been regarded as a reliable source of information by anyone in the world in fact people say not to trust any news you get from social media. So, yes where there are many pros there are a few cons as well.
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Why HVACs Need Maintenance?
Regular maintenance ensures the HVAC delivers consistent performance and lasts for a long time. The HVAC keeps the environment in your property comfortable and clean. It ensures all stale air is recycled and helps maintain the indoor temperature regardless of the hot or cold climate outside.
What is involved in HVAC Maintenance?
- Inspecting and Changing Filters
- Visual Inspection of the Entire System
- Cleaning and Removing Debris
- Checking the Condensate Drain
- Checking the Thermostat Settings
- Checking the Electrical Connections and Voltage
- Lubricating Moving Parts
- Inspecting Exhaust Outlets
- Checking Fuel Lines and Connections
- Checking the Refrigerant Levels
HVAC Repair
To prevent life of HVAC you should avail maintenance services from our best professionals to avoid heavy repair cost. Our professionals provide excellent service at reasonable cost to save you from extra and large repairing bills. In need of repair, our technicians provide following services for your HVAC.
- Repairing or replacing defective
- Improving HVAC system performance by changing filters
- Creating custom Air Ducts
- Refilling refrigerants if
- Installing, connecting, or adjusting thermostats, Humidistats, or Timers.
- Connecting HVAC equipment to fuel, water, or refrigerant
HVAC Installation
We also provide installation of new HVAC units. We deal with major manufacturers like Carrier for your HVAC needs. We can provide you complete HVAC system with installation and manufacturer warranty.


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In a meeting Thursday, the Los Angeles Planning Commission approved a contentious Koreatown hotel project that neighbors argued should have been reconfigured as housing.
The project was designed by Koreatown-based firm CORBeL Architects. It's planned for a parcel on Harvard Boulevard, just south of Wilshire, would rise seven stories and would bring 110 hotel rooms to the area, along with an 1,840-sqaure-foot restaurant on the ground floor.
Planning Commissioner Veronica Padilla-Campos joined community members and activists in opposing the project, questioning whether a hotel was the best use of the site, which is currently zoned for multifamily development. "I really cannot get behind this project and take away potential housing of any kind," Padilla-Campos said.
Jan Breidenbach, an adjunct professor of urban planning at USC, spoke at the meeting, encouraging the commissioners to remember the "dearth of housing" in Los Angeles as they made their decision. She noted that the amount of land in the city zoned for multifamily housing has declined by about 60 percent since the 1960s.
Jordan Beroukhim, planning deputy for Councilmember Herb Wesson (who represents the area), argued that it was not the city's responsibility to decide what the developer could do with the site. He noted that the project would not displace existing residents, and would, in fact, replace a surface-level parking lot.
Several community members suggested that the project was designed to skirt the affordable housing requirements mandated by Proposition JJJ, which Los Angeles voters approved in November. That measure requires developers to build affordable units in residential projects that require a zoning change to allow greater density.
The project seeks a zoning change of this kind, but the affordable housing mandate does not apply because it is a hotel.
Commissioner Dana Pearlman pointed out that the project could still be built without the zoning change—it would simply be smaller and could not include the proposed restaurant, which he argued would benefit the community. "I think this project makes sense," he said. "I really do."
The commissioners approved the project in a 5-1 vote, with a recommendation that it include additional bicycle parking. It will now go before the city's Planning and Land Use Management Committee and the full City Council for final approval.


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I bought my 2001 Taco just a few months ago in the summer of 2006...it had 72k miles originally and now
has almost 80k. Time to "re-fresh" the carrier bearing pre-load (CBPL). Just through normal wear the bearings
have loosened up. Tightening up the CBPL will greatly reduce ring gear deflections resulting in maximum gear strength.
This becomes a big deal when I have to pull my buddies out of a mudpit or something.
First, drain the gear oil...that's my salad bowl but I don't eat that many salads anyway.
I chose to use a floor jack and 2 jack-stands to get the wheels off the ground.
I removed the emergency brake cable...the drum...the 4 nuts on the backing plate...the hydraulic brake line connection and then the axle itself. Repeat on the other side. My shoes looked like new. No rust at all. Gotta love Arizona. :)
I dis-connected these 3 items on the top of my E-Locker...
I tied the driveshaft up out of the way.
Remove the eleven 12mm nuts and remove the carrier.
I removed the motor guard and noticed the 5 wires were compressed...anybody that has E-Locker issues should remove this cover and see if these wires have rubbed through, possibly causing a short.
Oh ya....the E-Locker might not come out of the housing unless the locking fork shown here is in the LOCKED position (fork to the inside).
Not necessary but I chose to record the backlash. I measured 7 thou.
Remove the 12mm locking tab bolts.
I made up a tool to effectively tighten the spanner adjusting rings. I was able to get 5 notches in tightness. I tightened it to about 100 ft/lbs torque....100 foot/pounds on the wheel adjuster is about 10 INCH/POUNDS on the carrier bearings themselves.
The other side was tightened the exact same 5 notches. 5 Notches on each side sure seems like a lot.
I now have some confidence that I can strain the hell out of this rear diff and
it will survive. :)


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Beaver Identification
The beaver, fairly common throughout Kentucky, is North America's and Kentucky's largest rodent. Adult beavers weigh between 35 and 60 pounds, with some reaching weights of 70 to 80 pounds. Adult beavers range in size from 25 to 31 inches from the tip of their nose to the base of their paddle-shaped tail.
Beavers typically have large heads, indistinct necks, thick, stout bodies and small ears and eyes. Perhaps their most recognized feature is a large, flat, hairless tail shaped like a paddle. This six- to eight-inch wide and 10- to 12-inch long tail is used for support when the beaver is on land and as a steering, swimming and communication device when it is in the water.
Like many other rodent species, beavers have a pair of continually growing, large, orange front teeth (incisors). The beaver must keep the incisors worn back by using them daily. Color can vary from blond to almost pure black. It is almost impossible to tell the difference between male and female beavers unless the female is lactating and has swollen mammary glands.
Click on the following links to learn more:


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I can hear it before I even open my eyes for the morning. It's like walking by a stadium; thousands of rowdy voices clamoring together. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sit up on my knees in bed and peer through the dusty screen out across our cold, grey backyard. In the distance, I…
pnw & travel
Whenever I peruse the woods and shore at Matthews Beach, just a few yards from the residential creek that so captured my attention several years ago, I hope to find something interesting and significant half-buried in the sand or nestled beneath the frothy fern fronds and ivy roots. Luckily, I have found many interesting items…
Camp Like A Girl
A woman's foray into solo camping goes just as expected... magnificently!
Lavender Blue
Sequim is the crown jewel of lavender in Washington state, and it's easy to see why!
This Broom's Not for Sweeping
An invasive weed, a glorious golden hue; seed pods that crack, and we can never go back...
Licorice Fern
I remember the first time I read the word "licorice fern." It was stamped clearly into the stone wall of one of the staircases at Multnomah Falls. I had recently emigrated to the west side of Oregon from the high desert of the east side of the state, for school, so I was taking every…
Creek: A Love Story (aka Back to the Beginning)
Local creek in Seattle
Lofoten Vignettes
Shades of turquoise, burgundy and gold abound in the Norwegian archipelago of Lofoten.
Here Be Vikings
... and Vikings be old.
All Hands on Dekk
Misadventures in a campervan - welcome to Norway!


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BMW of Fairfax Named a 2020 Top 100 Dealership by Reputation.com
We Love Our Customers and They Love us!
Don't Take our Word Though! See our most recent reviews below!
Your satisfaction is our highest priority. Please tell other prospective customers about your experience with our dealership by leaving a review on one of the sites below.


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St Patrick's Catholic Primary School
"Growing in God's Love"
This week we are exploring working in collage using materials from home, before you start have a quick look at the how to make glue and ink videos. Explore,...
School Songs and Prayers
Parent Pay
Lunch Menu
Term Dates
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Click here for more information.


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As many of you know, we have been under threat of losing our shop premises for some time; well finally that day has arrived. The Park Street car park is being demolished to make way for a much-needed hotel.
The university rental prices are too high, but fortunately a studio space at the Enterprise Centre on Ditton Walk has become available, just 10 minutes down Newmarket road.
We really hope that all of our amazing customers will follow us there, as we rely on your support! We will have courtesy bicycles available for all customers. So if we can't repair your bicycle whilst you wait, you will be able to leave on one. For those of you with children the bus stop is a minute away on Newmarket Rd.
The current shop at Park Street will remain open until Friday December 11th, 8:30 – 6pm. And re-open at our new location on the 11th January 2021.
Our web shop 'click and collect' service will be open until December 23rd , however our last shipping day will be December 21st.
Our new address is:
Bicycle Ambulance
Unit 2, Enterprise Centre
61 Ditton Walk
Google map link: https://goo.gl/maps/A3XgLTivW9jwTFuh9
Phone numbers will remain 01223 953130 and mobile 07838 162572
Email: email@example.com
We look forward to seeing you all at our new location!
Thank you for all your support.
Merry Christmas!


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My doctoral research experience has focused on using chemical tools to correct perturbed biological systems, primarily cancer. A recently develop tool in the Crews? lab, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTACs), allows for the degradation of a protein of interest without any genetic manipulation. Thus far, I have focused on establishing PROTACs as a valuable tool. I have shown that these compounds behave according to our proposed mechanism, that they specifically and potently degrade the protein of interest, and that PROTACs can degrade their targets in animal models. For my F99 phase, I will focus on developing selective ligands that can be used in a PROTAC to degrade the pseudo-kinase KSR. This protein is not mutated or activated in cancer, but upregulates the Ras-MAPK pathway involved in many different cancers. By combining high-throughput screening with medicinal chemistry, I will first develop the selective ligand from a library of known kinase inhibitors. Once a ligand is developed, a PROTAC will be synthesized based on that ligand and assessed for KSR-degradation in cells. I will then use this tool to further clarify the scaffolding roles of KSR in the Ras-MAPK pathway and other cellular signaling pathways by using high-content peptide arrays. This project is an example of combining chemical biology tools with ?systems-level? insights in cancer. In my K00 phase, I hope to continue this line of thinking by being trained in high-content profiling techniques used to study the complex biochemical milieu that is often altered and mis-regulated in cancer and identify new targets. By combining integrative ?-omics? techniques with chemical biology, I will work to develop novel chemical tools for novel targets.
The proposed research focuses on a recently developed small-molecule tool, PROTACs, which induce the ubiquitination and degradation of a rationally targeted protein. By performing high-throughput screening and biophysical characterization, I will identify a selective ligand for KSR which can then be derivatized into a PROTAC that selectively degrades the protein. PROTACs against KSR will represent a novel step toward therapeutic treatment of traditionally ?undruggable? targets.
|Bondeson, Daniel P; Smith, Blake E; Burslem, George M et al. (2018) Lessons in PROTAC Design from Selective Degradation with a Promiscuous Warhead. Cell Chem Biol 25:78-87.e5
|Bondeson, Daniel P; Crews, Craig M (2017) Targeted Protein Degradation by Small Molecules. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 57:107-123


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When using solid reagents to treat pollutants in industrial water treatment systems, the application technology choices have been limited.
A fluidized bed reactor requires long hydraulic resident times to ensure contact and interaction with the reagents. This leads to large scale, capital intensive installations. This technology relies on mixers, blowers or agitators to keep the reagent in circulation, which adds complexity and expense to the system.
A packed bed reactor using solid reagents has a better contact rate between the water and the reagent and hence consumes a smaller footprint. This technology however can limit flow rate and requires a significant amount of pressure to pass through the packed bed. These systems also face challenges with ratholes and bridging of the media or fluid bubbles that can dramatically limit performance.
An ideal solution is one where the reagent has very high contact rates with the water to be treated, have a small footprint, no internal moving parts, low system pressure drop and no risk of bypassing the reagents.
Liberty Hydro's proprietary Suspended Bed approach (Patent Pending) delivers just such a solution.
Liberty Hydro's ZVI Blue™ media binds the reagent to the web of an open-celled foam substrate. The media is engineered to maximize reagent density and facilitate handling. The open-celled structure allows water to flow through the media and ensures high contact rates with the reagent at a minimum pressure drop. When placed inside a treatment vessel handling a continuous flow, the depth of media creates a Suspended Bed of reagents with high contact rates and no internal moving parts.
The Suspended Bed approach combines the best features of both Fluidized Bed and Packed Bed technologies while doing so with a compact footprint, minimal capital cost, no internal moving parts. minimal risk of reagent bypass and low system pressure requirements.
It also allows for a modular and scalable system to meet the specific pollutant control, flow rate and site requirements for each application.
Field tests have shown that ZVI Blue™ has attained among the highest levels of pollution control in the industry, Including:
|Selenium in FGD Purge Water
|Below 10 ppb
|Selenium in CCR Pond Drainage
|Below 5 ppb
|Selenium in Coal mine runoff
|Below 5 ppb
|Chromium in Nickel Mine Runoff
|Below 20 ppb


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Nikita Maslenikov, Moscow, late May and early June 1992
Interviewer — Metta Spencer, with Alexander Kalinin
Maslenikov: The question of influence is a delicate one, not easy to trace—especially when we speak of German influences.
Spencer: you say you were close to politicians in East Germany?
Maslenikov: Yes, quite intensely. In 1988 I worked in East Germany in a special mission there. A year before the wall came down. And in the next year, 1989, I was present at the SDP congress in Bonn and when I returned I saw a message on the TV — a message about the beginning of the demolition of the wall. Sasha is more versed than I on the issues of peace movement and their influences on political decision-making, but I can just give some rough explanations. I am a bit embarrassed because I am afraid to disappoint you. The influence of OUR peace movement on the decision-making elite was quite minimal.
MS: You mean the Soviet Peace Committee?
Maslenikov: Let me make a correction. When I say "our" I mean official organizations such as the peace committee. The "formal" peace movement. Nevertheless, it is necessary not to underestimate the influence of this institutionalized peace movement —official, formal organizations — because they played a limited, yet important, role. They created regular exchange between Soviet citizens, a selected few who were engaged in these activities, and the Western peace movements. And these contacts were getting more and more intensive, more and more regular. The flow of information that was provided by these structures helped provide some changes. Thus we may define the role of those organization as a tool, or rather, an instrument. They were supportive structures. They never played an independent role in the political decision-making, but they helped to provide people who were involved in foreign-policy decisionmaking or were close to that very narrow set of people with new information, sometimes quite unconventional. And they created opportunities for these people to come abroad.
MS: You mean Soviet people?
Maslenikov: Yes, Soviet, and in particular, those who were close to foreign policy decision-making. But this organization has never been able to influence foreign-policy decision making — or any decision-making — because the decision-making in the Soviet Union developed within closed structures. The outcome was determined by discussions between different groups within the Communist Party and then within state institutions.There are two goods examples of this role played by the official peace organizations. The first is the launching of contacts between retired generals, those people who were involved in those contacts from the Soviet side already had some influence within the soviet military industrial contacts and within the establishment in the broader sense, but when they got their own independent information they could exert some influence, and make some corrections in the perceptions of the West, of NATO, of the European Community. And the second example is International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War. Chazov, who was Minister of Health, played an extraordinary influence because he was responsible for the health of all Soviet leaders and he could whisper important things to the right ears. But he also needed contacts abroad and this organization provided him with such.
MS: One thing I don't want to forget to get from you are phone numbers of some people who were active in that organization in Moscow. I don't feel right about asking for Chazov's time. I understand he has quit being Minister of Health and has gone back to running his cardiology clinic.
Maslenikov: And the third example of these useful contacts was the interconnection of the formal structures and the semi-formal structures. For example, after the election of the Union Parliament, or rather the Congress of People's Deputies of the USSR, immediately after the first congress, there was an urgent necessity just to introduce the People's Deputies to the West, to the new ideas, to the new political plans, to the new concepts and so on. And to some extent because Genrikh Borovik was himself a people's deputy of the union, his organization was very active in establishing these contacts between members of the Russian Congress or People's Deputies and parliaments and public organizations and individuals in the West. Possibly it was a moment when those who may be quite tainted and ineffective in the peace organization acquired a new, higher status because many of their members were people's deputies —moreover, precisely those people's deputies who were members of committees and commissions of the Union and in republican parliaments who were directly involved in decision-making. Unfortunately, by that time, this process immediately was confronted by some limitations because by that time the balance of power within the Soviet Union was such that some obstacles that had been in the making finally paralyzed it — maybe not so much the decision-making as the implementation of decisions that were already taken. By that time the process of political, ideological, and to some extent, organizational consolidation of the groups that from the very start were opposed to Gorbachev's policies began at that time. And one of the first and the most visible line of division between Gorbachev and his political opponents was the line that divided them on foreign policy decisions.
I don't want to make my view too assertive, but to my mind there were two opposite trends in the political struggle at that time. By the time when formal peace movement organizations had higher status and were able to exact direct influence on the decisionmaking, opponents of Gorbachev rallied and began to destroy the necessary mechanism for decisionmaking and implementation.
MS: When?
Maslenikov: By the end of 1990, but it is difficult to point out a particular date. Since autumn of 1990, the opposition to Gorbachev, to new political thinking, to foreign policy was getting stronger and stronger. And the group Soyuz was eager to criticize many political steps taken by the minister of foreign affairs, Shevardnadze. For example, there was severe criticism, attacks, and even attempts to organize public discussion on the issue of the delineation of the boundary between Alaska and [Chukotka?] in the Bering Straits.
MS: I never heard of that one.
Maslenikov: There was a special US/USSR agreement, but the Soyuz group decided to launch a campaign against this agreement. Finally the agreement was ratified but it was one of the first acts of the opposition. When that fragile foreign policy consensus eroded, the very position of the People's Deputies who were involved in the activities of the formal peace organizations, they were unable to resist the criticism of foreign policy. They didn't give adequate support for Gorbachev and Shevardnadze. Probably they were too timid or shy, or too involved in other activities for any people's deputy has to perform a lot of tasks, and they decreased their foreign policy activities. And so the initiative in foreign policy debate was intercepted by the representatives of the opposition.
MS: The Soyuz group?
Maslenikov: Yes.
MS: Is it possible to identify some of these people, the people who were initially in the Peace Committee and then became Deputies?
Maslenikov: (110)___ Andronov, the political adviser to Vice-President Rutskoi. He is very active in the mission to Afghanistan to liberate Soviet prisoners of war. And Vladimir Lukin, who was the chairman of the Russian Parliament's commission on foreign affairs and foreign trade, and who is now Soviet ambassador to Washington. But these two persons, to some extent, continue the foreign policy launched by Gorbachev and Shevardnadze. And there is a tragic example — Alexander Susoav ____?(176) who was very active in the formal peace organizations. For more than 20 years he was head of a committee of solidarity with African and ASian countries. He organized several quite effective campaigns to stop the particular wars in the Third World and to prevent militarization of the Third World. So many achievements there can be attributed to him. Under Gorbachev he got an appointment to be Soviet Ambassador to Damascus for a number of years so he was active in the implementation of Soviet policy. Later he was the chairman of the committee on foreign affairs in the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. In his last capacity he failed to resist attacks from the right wing oppositions. Sometimes he could repel some attacks and refute some criticism, but nevertheless the activity of the committee as a whole was not particularly successful. Finally Alexander _________ (315) was promoted to some of the highest positions in the Communist Party hierarchy. Probably the very fact of promotion limited his freedom. This was probably one of the reasons for his very ambiguous position during the August coup. He didn't support Gorbachev but he didn't distance himself from the (plotters) so his career was doomed for a while but now he tries to play a role of pacifier or peacemaker in the conflict between South Ossetia and Georgia. Probably it is an indication of the new role in the Soviet peace organizations, for now it is not enough for us to establish contacts between the Indians and the Pakistanis, for example, but to establish peace and mutual understanding between the peoples of the former Soviet Union, especially in the conflict regions, such as as Moldova and the Transcaucasus, and there a real need for such activities now.
Now there is great activity of many international organizations that try to settle peace within the former Soviet Union, such as the United Nations. It sends missions, special envoys to the hot spots, especially to Karabakh, but all those efforts will come to nothing if there is no support within the ex-Soviet Union, and this is the main task of the peace movements of the ex-Soviet Union — to create support for the activities of the international peace organizations. For peace organizations have to provide two functions — to provide information and to build confidence between the sides in a conflict. Moreover, it is necessary to attract attention and support from the peace organizations abroad and not to make these conflicts unknown to the rest of the world but make them known and to provide as objective information as possible.
MS: I interviewed Mr. Lukshin a few days ago. He said something that not everyone would agree to. He said that the changes in public opinion were really very important because the general population had changed its views on, for example, nuclear weapons, that this had influenced the government. I had always felt that the changes that took place were definitely from the top down and not in response to anything that the public maintained? Do you think it is really true that decision-makers felt pressed by public opinion?
Maslenikov: Fascinating question. I partially agree and partially disagree with Lukshin. The influence of the public opinion on the decisions taken by the elite was negligible. The influence of the public and even of experts or advisors on those who took real political decisions was negligible. There was a wide gap between the things that were discussed in the media, and conferences and seminars, and real policy. For example, a month before the August coup, Oleg Bogomolov(?_____),who was responsible to the Central Committee for the military industrial complex and was the representative of the military industrial complex on the committee, published a long article in Pravda and the title was "Free Cheese can be Only in the Mousetrap." He meant that the West would never provide any sufficient aid —
MS: He's right!
Maslenkov: —or if it did so, it would be only because the West had some strong and sincere interest in the Soviet Union. But the connotation of this vague statement is that we have to continue autarky, self reliance, that no intensive economic ties with the rest of the world are necessary for us, that it is the wrong path. We have to mobilize our resources and solve our problems ourselves, without any help, without establishing better relations with the rest of the world — especially with the West — and it was the position of the military industrial complex. Thus I am sure that the people who took decisions were quite impervious to the influence from the public. In addition, the basis of the conflict and confrontation between the right wing opposition and the Gorbachev-Shevardnadze line was purely economic. The relations between these two groups deteriorated drastically at the moment when the first attempts to achieve real conversion were made. The military industrial complex, which was very sensitive to attempts to undermine their economic dominance in the country, was getting more and more nervous, more prone to political adventurism. The formal peace organizations made great efforts to elaborate the concept of conversion, to elaborate specific programs. There were several international seminars on this issue between Soviets and Japanese specialists, Soviets and French, Soviet and German specialists, and they made specific recommendations but all these attempts were stubbornly blocked by the military industrial complex.
What was said so far concerns my disagreement with Lukshin. Now I am going to say a few words in support of Lukshin's view, though with some corrections. Probably the most important achievement of the Soviet Peace organizations is…
but this achievement cannot be attributed solely to peace organizations because other publics were active in this respect to this country. The first is the real experience of what "nuclear threat" means. The national tragedy of Chernobyl impressed the public at large. And the second factor that played a role with respect to the Semipalatinsk testing was national revival movements, for it was one of the fundamental tenets of the Kazakh movement to stop the tests. Actually, the anti-nuclear agenda of the movement against the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was rather a form, but the real content of the movement was striving for national revival, for the revival of national culture, national identity, and finally for national self-determination. So I cannot agree with Lukshin if he meant that this success can be attributed solely to the peace movement. And one more example, the present attempts to stop military activities in the vast territories of the north of Russia —
MS: Such as the Kola peninsula?
Maslenikov: Yes— are to a very great extent connected with the attempts of the peoples — small nations of that region — to acquire and to assert their national identity. It is not purely an attempt by the peace movement.But this means that the peace movement, the peace organizations in this country, have to redefine their agendas and to be more involved in the practical, domestic programs that essentially are replicas of the global problems — food problem, environment problem, the problem of the maintaining of cultural diversity and so on, but they are very deeply rooted in Russian ____ and they have to be approached, not on the abstract level, but in very practical terms. Probably this is the hope for the revival of peace movements. But they have to reappraise their role.
MS: Worldwide too. It's not just here. In Canada the peace movement is also unclear about its role. You have mentioned that the peace movement deputies didn't support Gorbachev and …
Sasha Kalinin: I didn't support him.
MS: I know you didn't.
You said that some members of the peace movement became deputies and that when the Soyuz people and the right wing became more aggressive, that they didn't stand their ground very well or support their position very well. Can you explain that? I was perplexed watching those events. I had my own problems with Shevardnadze because I was opposed to the Gulf War, but at the same time, when he was about to quit, the congress didn't support his foreign policy. Can you explain that? Why did the right gain strength in that congress?
Maslenikov: I would like to try to answer this question. The first, most simple, even naive, explanation is that the people who were involved in peace activities, who represented the peace organizations, constituted a tiny minority in the Congress. If the total number of peoples deputies of the USSR was about 2300 people, then the people who were involved in peace activities numbered no more than 50 or 60. But there is a second, more pertinent explanation. Shevardnadze resigned quite unexpectedly. All the people were astonished — opponents, enemies, allies, supporters. They were to some extent stunned. And many, even radical or moderate people felt something like insult and considered the resignation of Shevardnadze as a surrender, inexcusable surrender. So it was his personal movement and he made it without any consultations or attempt to modify it, though Shevardnadze was quite right and his forecasts were proven by the events in Vilnius two months later.
And the third reason for Shevardnadze's resignation was the vulnerability of his position on Kuwait-Iraq. About one-third of the people's deputies of the USSR were prone to reject his line on this issue, for they felt that it was necessary to fulfill the treaty obligations to Saddam and were critical of Shevardnadze's line. Probably he did not get support from his leader in this respect as well, because the position of the USSR toward Iraq was not at that time well defined. Primakov continued his shuttle missions to Baghdad and Soviet diplomacy made its best effort to prevent the war. There were a lot of articles in the newspapers and columnists guessed how many foreign policies the Soviet Union had, for there was a visible and distinctive difference between the policy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shevardnadze, and Primakov.
And the fourth and perhaps the main reason is the mood of the people's deputies, for the fourth congress started with the speech delivered by Sergei Umalotov (__?) of the Soyuz group, who openly demanded the resignation of Gorbachev. Thus the resignation of a close ally of Gorbachev was perceived as a victory by many deputies and the rest were demoralized. It was the congress that finally, after several rounds of voting, elected Yanaev to be Vice-President.
MS: Thank you for this. Very interesting. Do you know any of the physicians here who might be good informants about the role of IPPNW?
Maslenikov: In a few days I will find someone for you. It is by far easier for me to organize an interview with some member of the Generals for Peace.
MS: I will be speaking with General Milshtein. I wanted to ask you a little more about the Generals because I had two different kinds of impressions. I insterviewed Gen. Michael Harbottle of Britain, one of the founders of the Generals for Peace. He said that he had been in an organization called "Just Defence" that promoted defensive defense ideas and he thinks that some of the Generals may have imported that here. But others have said that members of Generals for Peace said they had no influence with the Soviet government. I also spoke with Eugene Carroll, a retired Admiral in the U.S., who had a different group of generals and admirals together and he said that they were influential. I don't know the difference between these two sets of admirals and generals.
(side 4 begins here. A word or two are missing.)
Maslenikov: _____________ is known to the newly-emerging military elite and he is influential because of this.
The movement, Generals for Peace, had different stages of its development. The most influential members of this movement are those who didn't just go abroad to establish contacts and talk to other military in the West but those who were experts in different groups that prepared the new concept of military defence policy in the USSR and Russia. For example, Lt. General Serebrenikov who was active in Generals for Peace, is now military advisor to the chairman of the Supreme Soviet of Russia, Khasbulatov, and he was very active in the elaboration of the military reform concept. And the second name to mention is Major General Dubnik (_____?) who was invited to meet with us in the MosSoviet during the coup and who sat with us. General Serebrenikov (___________) published an article, "Army and Coup" in a recent issue of International Relations and World Economy. He analyzes the internal configuration of forces within the armed forces and it is very interesting. So the measure of a particular military influence is determined by the volume or number of his ties or his connections and by his participation in the particular projects and in debate on military reform. So I think that the future will belong to the still-nonexistent organizations, such as Generals for Military Reform or Generals for Russian Army.
MS: Yes. If I understand you correctly, the people who were most influential in policy were not Generals for Peace who went out and talked to other people around the world, but generals who stayed here and did their own expert work recently. That means, I assume, that the policies that really had an impact were not involved in those discussions with foreigners. They were developed autonomously here.
Kalinin: No, it is not so. Some people who were in the Generals for Peace were active also in the domestic debates on military issues.
MS: Such as?
Kalinin: Serebrenikov, Dubnik, _________… and many others can be mentioned, but only if some person combines these two types of activities is he influential.
MS: I see.
Maslenikov: The influence of the Generals for Peace as the organization depends on the ability of its members to establish contacts, not only with the Western military, but with the new generation of officers and by their ability to take part in the elaboration of the doctrine of military policies.
MS: I would imagine that General Milshtein would be very important outside because he's very well known. I'm a member of Pugwash and he is well known in that circle, but maybe he is less influential here. Can you tell me who are key people whom I should interview?
Maslenikov: Milshtein is an exceptional figure. He has a real influence here. Serebrenikov is the best candidate for you, for he is quite a prominent political figure and at the same time he didn't sell out his ties with the armed forces and he has a good understanding of military problems, and he will help us to find other people to interview.
MS: This is an exceptionally helpful interview. I would love to take tens of hours of your time because it is so excellent.
(From this point, the discussion resumes at a restaurant about a week later, June 8th. We had spent some time discussing the situation in Georgia and I had made some additional notes about Germany, as follows:)
In E. Germany Maslenikov talked to the man in the party responsible for the media. He said that E. German journalists were among the most serious enemies of the communist regime.
Sputnik was repressed at that time by E. German authorities. This represented the fall of the Russian media.) Then, in the autumn of 1988, E. German society could be compared to the boiling pot. The lid would be removed soon. About 2/3 of the East German poapulation expected the lid would be removed by the W. Germans. After the fall of the wall and during the elections to the Bundestag on Eastern lands, many analysts said that elections had been won, not by parties but by the Bundesmark. Public opinion was in transition in 1988 — 1/3 vs 2/3 who were pro-West Germany and reunification. The 1/3 hoped for E. German perestroika on Soviet lines. Everyone was intimidated by 80,000 Stasi.
At this point I told Maslenikov about the call for German reunification in the Prague Appeal, and how it had been dropped from the Giving Real Life to the Helsinki Accords document, allegedly at the insistence of W. German peace activists such as Dieter Esche. I mentioned Herb Ammon's statement that it was because no German peace activists had called for reunification that when reunification came, Germany was the only country where the peace activists were not a significant part of the government. I asked him to comment on this.
Maslenikov: The W. German peace movement had nothing to do with reunification, which actually came out of the changed relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States, and these relations depended on the changed attitude of the Soviets toward political processes in E. Europe, especially in the GDR and Poland. Until proper geopolitical preconditions had been created, nothing could happen. A far greater role was played by the initiatives of the W. German government. Though I cannot prove it, I think that in 1989 the W. German government and political circles in general were anxious about the possible demise of Gorbachev from power. It was exactly the time when the negotiations on the economic aid, and the future of the Soviet troops in Germany were initiated. Though these negotiations happened in 1990, the agenda was formulated a year earlier. They unequivocally bet on Gorbachev; they helped him and made him more agreeable to the political elites in other Western countries. Probably they had estimates or scenarios that happened in 1991, but that they thought could have happened earlier.
MS: People in Kohl's government anticipated that those events could have happened earlier?
Maslenikov: Doubtlessly. There was a permanent contradiction between two lines in German policy —between the lines of the SPD, represented by Brandt, Lafontaine, and the line of ____. 1991 was the year of the general parliamentary election. Much, if not all, of the political maneouvering was focused on the elections. This was the second factor that prompted Kohl to move rapidly because reunification of Germany was and is the main plank of his election campaign and the justification of all other errors or mistakes.
In vindication of the peace movement in W. Germany, I can say that they were not entirely wrong when they objected to the immediate reunification of Germany. For example, they were right when they appraised E. German society as a highly militarized piece of totalitarianism that has to be integrated into Western society. The results of this process are unpredictable. Many people in W. Germany, including social democrats and the Greens, with whom I talked a lot — for example, with Gert Bastian, who was very active in the Generals for Peace movement. These West Germans said that the rapid development of economic inequality between East and West would create a potential for the revival of right wing extremism. They didn't mistake greatly when they predicted increasing pro-fascist tendencies in E. Germany. The potential support among voters for the right wing radicalism, for example, Republican Party in Germany — in East German lands is far greater than in W. German lands. So the potential support for the radical right parties or political organizations, especially among the youth, such as the skinheads, is quite great in E. Germany. This damages democratic society in Germany as a whole. And probably the most obvious, explicit characteristic of the post-totalitarian society is witch hunting and persecution of the former Stasi member, of former members of the United Socialist Party, the desire to take revenge. This is peculiar to East Germany.
MS: Czechoslovakia. I have a friend, Jan Kavan …
Maslenikov: But you cannot imagine such a thing on West German lands. The W. German Peace Society was not entirely wrong when it opposed reunification in itself, because of the the rapidity.
MS: The W. German Peace Society in particular — someone like Guido Grunewald? Or the peace movement in general?
Maslenikov: The movement in general, but in particular to the Greens and to Social Democrats.
MS: If you are through with this question, I would like to switch to a question relating to this side, namely, how did the decision come about to accept the reunification of Germany? Last summer I interviewed Likhotal, and he said that it happened when to Shevardnadze went to Wyoming and came back converted to reunification, when until then they had been saying "No, no, no." What is your understanding of that process?
Maslenikov: I am confident that we all agree that the explanation given by Likhotal is true, but if so it is evidence of what I said before — that the change of the United States/Soviet relations was due to the changed Soviet attitude toward political processes in E. Germany. It has to be checked but it was just a historical coincidence that the last Soviet objections against reunifications were removed after the attack upon Lafontaine's life. Until that attempt on his life, the Soviet Union objected to the reunification by demanding secession of Germany from NATO, but when Lafontaine was wounded and it was evident that he was unable to run for Chancellor, the Soviet Union removed all objections to the reunification and tacitly agreed on continuing Germany's membership in NATO. The tension was increasing in E. Germany. It was obvious that no one could keep E. Germany's separate statehood. There was some vague possibility to create a confederation of the two German states. This possibility was lost, mainly due to the development of political processes in East Germany. The Soviet political leadership wasted too much time by evaluating various possibilities and when they finally came to some conclusions, the processes in E. Germany were quite uncontrollable. The attempt upon Lafontaine's life is not the essence of the process; it is just a visible, superficial landmark. The critical moment when Kohl and Brandt united was lost by the Soviet leadership. It was not recognized that they decided to work together for immediate reunification?
MS: What was lost? What would have happened if the Soviets had seen that moment?
Maslenikov: Probably the model of reunification would have been different. It would have been a confederation model, and Winston Churchill.
MS: What? Winston Churchill?
Maslenikov: The confederation model was the model that was advanced by the Social Democratic Party. There were different approaches to reunification within that party, and finally the position of the great old man of the SPD (Brandt) gained the upper hand. There are some justifications for the alliance of Brandt with Kohl, for Brandt moved to this alliance only after the SPD lost elections in the E. German lands.
MS: Had he ever said: no reunification?
Maslenikov: No.
MS: He didn't care much but when the opportunity arose, he said, reunification as confederation. Is that what happened?
Kalinin: Yes.
Maslenikov: The Social Democrats were traditionally keen to achieve reunification, but they were in favor of piecemeal integration, not radical integration.
MS: I would have to wonder whether they were as enthusiastic. My impression is that the SPD was not pushing for reunification, just as the peace movement was not pushing.
Kalinin: That isn't true.
Maslenikov: You are wrong. The SPD was always in favor of reunification and in 1989 they had a party congress that adopted new party program. Moreover, they adopted a resolution that called for piecemeal, stage-by-stage reunification.
MS: With as much fervor as the Christian Democrats? I thought they were less enthusiastic.
Maslenikov: Probably the SPD position took into consideration the doubts and suspicions that were articulated by the peace movement in W. Germany. Probably the Social Democratic model of reunification could succeed, provided that the SPD gained a majority in the elections in E. Germany and would be able to form their own government. Unfortunately, they failed and probably the Soviet leadership is partially responsible for this failure because it was necessary to create a new image to the successor of the Socialist United Party of Germany, to the party of Democratic Socialism, and to emphasize the very close positions of the Social Democrats and the Party of Democratic Socialism on reunification issue. But unfortunately, it happened that the left was sharply and bitterly divided between Social Democrats and supporters of the Party of Democratic Socialism. That's why the left lost elections in E. Germany and couldn't form a government and thus could not implement the Social Democratic model of reunification. Under these circumstances, one has to excuse Brandt, who made his best efforts and used his moral authority just to join social democrats in the last stage of the reunification process to this process.
MS: To jump on the bandwagon so they wouldn't be lost forever?
Kalinin: Yeah.
MS: But out of their hearts they were slow on this?
Maslenikov: Well, it a great sacrifice on the part of Brandt and the Social Democrats, but thanks to that sacrifice, social democrats took part in reunification.
MS: And saved their skin in the long run. Can you tell me a bit about the Soviets in E. Germany and Berlin who had any influence on the decisions earlier. For example, there was a debate about the inclusion of E. Germany in NATO. I remember reading the statements of Mr. Dashichev, who seems to have taken a radical position for that time. Can you tell me about the debates and the people who participated in it?
Maslenikov: It is difficult to answer. I can judge from my own experience, which is quite rich. The official representatives of the SU in E. Germany, at least in 1988, didn't pay necessary attention to establishing good working relations with the opposition forces — the opposition to Honecker's regime, and in fact even tried to shy away from such contacts.
MS: Who would you call the opposition to Honecker?
Maslenikov: For example, Lothar de Mezier and Loehen von Boeme, to say nothing of Forum and Civil Initiative. All these organizations were excommunicated by the Soviets.
MS: Let me go back because Civil Initiative was linked, I think, to the peace movement — such people as Barbel Bohley. The people that the W. German peace people contacted. And again, they never supported reunification, as I recall. Can we say that Civil Initiative didn't win because of their history in regard to that issue?
Maslenikov: You are partially right when you think that the Civil Initiative had its origins in the peace movement in E. Germany, but it is very difficult to explain the meaning of "East German peace movement" because the official E. German peace movement was even more ossified than the Soviet peace movement, but nevertheless it was practically the only open avenue for the expression of latent opposition to the regime.
MS: I don't think I could agree.
Maslenikov: I'll continue. The peace movement organizations in E. Germany provided precious possibility for all dissidents to come and announce their ideas more or less openly.
MS: In churches, the independent peace movement in such places as the Church of Zion …
Maslenikov: I should add that the E. German peace movement was far more infiltrated by security than the Soviet one.
MS: The independent peace movement or —-
Kalinin: It is difficult to differentiate.
MS: No it's not! The people who went to the Church of Zion were quite different from the —
Maslenikov: You can be satisfied. I meant the independent peace movement. It rallied around the evangelists. And one more word on the position of the official authorities, for no one can ignore the position of the army that was based on E. German territory. The Soviet army intentionally didn't interfere into the political processes in E. Germany and due to their reserve, the political processes evolved as they evolved. I was at a press conference of Willy Brandt's after or during a congress of the Social Democratic Party in 1989. Brendt said that we have to be grateful for the bloodless development of the processes in E. Germany to the position of the Soviet Army. If Honecker is put to an open trial, many things will be evident there. One of the accusations against Honecker that was pressed initially but now is waived, was that he had given an order to use arms against demonstrators in Leipzig. Unfortunately, I was not present in Leipzig at that time but the witnesses said that some strange things occurred there. Many highways to Leipzig were blockaded by the Soviet military vehicles that suddenly broke down. And that meant that no other troops could be moved to Leipzig at that time. This story can be seen as a legend but there are witnesses to this.
MS: I heard that Gorbachev was the only one who prevented Honecker from using force. That there was a real order: "You do this or we will not support you." I don't suppose you can comment on this.
Maslenikov: I have a stale military secret for you. Any massive movement along E. German highways was under control of the Soviet commanders.
MS: So the physical breakdowns of trucks on the road, this was an observable fact.
Maslenikov: Yes. I didn't see it, but witnesses confirmed it.
MS: I hadn't heard it. I don't think it was reported.
Kalinin: I heard it.
Maslenikov: The position of the Soviet forces prevented use of arms against demonstrators in E. Germany. This hypothesis can be confirmed by the fact that the German government is quite tolerant to the presence of Soviet forces on German soil now. The only unsettled issue between the German and Russian governments is the environmental damage, the results of the military activities over manay years — field manoeuvres.
MS: Tell me about the debate over NATO.
Maslenikov: After the elections in E. Germany and Germany, it became evident that the Soviet reaction was too late and it was necessary to accelerate this reaction. It was a matter of balance of interests — if the E. Germans were quite staunch about membership in NATO, then the Soviets would try to bargain favorable terms for the withdrawal of the army and economic aid. The Soviet leadership was quite successful in both respects.
And the third factor that was important was that the tolerance to reunification had to keep good relations with the US and membership in NATO. It was a very important issue and very sensitive for the US in particular — probably more so to the US than to Germany.
Audio file
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text:
Next week, we have Ruby's parents coming in from the UK to see how she's doing, Mr. cleans now folks may be taking him home too so we have several things pulling at us.
A trip to Georgia ……could be a tall order for JayGee. With so much going on at the shop, seat time in my own coach has taken a back seat….. There are so many things I have let go….kinda like what I tell you guys to never do! You let these beasts sit and they go bad. Drive your coach all the time…..Do what I say…not as I do! So this weekend I took a couple of hours out devoted to my coach…..felt good.
First JayGee has FiTech fuel injection……our first install so I have confidence in at least that but the dash had so many things done to it…gauges added, wires cut and all that, its time to do something about that. I at least want to see why something happens while driving!
As usual, I forgot to take a pic of the dash pile before taking it apart….when I get in the mood I just go in there and rip it all out. Being mine, I'm not as careful as I usually am. One thing I can do is do different things that maybe a customer may not want. Hey, the paint job on JayGee should tell you he gets odd. So it stand to reason I need to make my dash stand out. How about wrapping the dash in gator Hyde? .The stuff didn't stretch like the vinyl I usually work with but we got-r-done..Next we have to come up with a new dash cluster. GauGes sported an original dash with a row of add on gauges on one of those goofy looking lower dash closeouts……it was perfect, the spokes of the steering wheel block the view of ALL of those gauges! With a pile of pieces/parts from years of changing out stuff in coaches, I pulled out the remnants of a Mac Dash that has to be 20 years old looking at the way it was put together. Had VDO gauges….it HAS to be old as the hills! Tearing in I made that old thing my own Using as much of the old Mac dash I added to it the gauges already being used in JayGee ….mounted the gator covered donut and BOOM, we have a look not many people would ask for….but its fine for me! .That's it, Burwood and gator tail…..reminds me of a Burt Renalds car….
So anyway that was my weekend….well not entirely, let me see a pic of your "sound system" as we used to call them. Back in those days I used to dabble in home audio……at 1 point being a Technics representative, I was pretty into things. I still have 6 turntables and several receivers. I pulled out this Marantz receiver and a B.I.C turntable….in the day that was a great setup. They have withstood the test of time and today…with digital everything, the equipment has made me proud….I set all this up the weekend too .Had such fun putting that together I also pulled out a Technics receiver and a Garrard SL92, the last hi tech rim drive turntable before belt and direct drive pmatters took over….replacing the cartridge with an ancient Empire elliptical needle cartridge …hey all it worked too! Check out the "0 tracking" tone arm. .That system worked great for the bar. ..My weekend was fun …..brought back old memories…….
So the day and the week is on, our focus is clear, stay tuned and see how we do


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Potter Global Technologies celebrates its 125 years in the fire and life safety industry. The …
LCD Annunciator Flush Mount
The RA-6500F is a flush mount LCD remote annunciator for the PFC series, Potter Plus series, and IPA series fire control panels. The RA-6500F communicates using a RS-485 connection to the main panel providing common indication of Alarms, Supervisory, Trouble and other system status and control functions.
The RA-6500F features a 4x40 LCD display with LED's for Power, Alarm, Supervisory, Trouble, Silence, Pre-Release, and Release conditions. It can be flush mounted or surface mounted. The annunciator is enclosed in a sheet metal enclosure and has a Potter lock securing the keypad.
For additional information on Potter Fire Alarm Systems visit our Fire Training Videos Section.


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From some of the world's finest restaurants to a wealth of ancient culture, Peru's capital is a colourful blend
Why Lima?
Lima, the multicultural, frenetic, capital city of Peru, situated on the Pacific Ocean, was the royal capital of the Spanish in the past. Founded in 1535 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro, today Lima's colonial buildings with carved wooden balconies and Spanish Baroque architecture are juxtaposed against Pre-Columbian sites and modern high-rise buildings.
The city laid out in grids with green plazas, statues and fountains has come out of its turbulent history and has emerged as a gastronomic capital of South America with many world renowned chefs and restaurants on the list of 50 best restaurants of the world, besides a Food festival called Mistura.
Lima has several archaeological sites both within and around the city and pyramid mounds known as huacas, Catholic churches and monasteries and an art district called Barranco with vibrant street art and art and craft galleries.
Source: Where to eat, sleep and shop in Lima, Peru
Categories: Peru


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The world of marijuana sales is evolving every day. The business side of this thing is just getting started so the below information on CBD sales locations in San Marcos, CA is subject to change. We'll do our best to keep this list of CBD vendors in San Marcos, CA current. Take a look and we hope you find what you're looking for on your CBD Pilgrimage.
CBD Pot Shops in San Marcos, CA
|Vape House Electronic Cigarette / CBD
|Vape House Electronic Cigarette / CBD
|979 Woodland Pkwy, San Marcos, CA 92069
|(760) 741-1195


text: Jennifer joined Johnson Health Center in January 2020 as a full-time, float provider. She brings with her 26 years of experience working with adults, children and nursing leadership. Jennifer is a graduate of Kenya Medical College, where she received her Associate's Degree in Nursing. She then went on to study at Liberty University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing and her Doctorate of Nursing Practice. She is also a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. In her spare time, Jennifer volunteers for the Virginia Department of Health and assists with medical missions in developing countries.


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Online dating has gotten so popular, there are now dating and hookup sites for every taste and sexual preference. If you have a particular proclivity, there is a place for you online to meet the person of your dreams. Take, for instance, CurvyBBW.com, a site that caters to those who prefer curvaceous figures.
You need to be using one of the top BBW dating apps right now if you want to have a good chance of finding success. So many women are only meeting guys online now, thanks to social distancing, that you have to be doing it too. You just miss out on too many opportunities when you don't.
It's fantastic to find a community with which you share interests and desires, but you do have to be careful. Not all dating sites have your best interests in mind. Some sites only exist to drain your money and obtain your personal information. Even when a website looks like it was specifically designed for you, you should still practice caution.
During that time we also sent out many, many messages to all kinds of BBW and followed up to make contact. We tried to set up as many dates and hookups as possible to really understand the potential.
After all of that, we take our results and compare them to the best options out there. This gives you a very real picture of what this site can do for you.
That's why we're here. We review and rank the best BBW dating sites that are worth your time so that you can search for love with confidence. If your preference is for voluptuous women, read our CurvyBBW review to see what the site has to offer.
Now let's get to it!
First we like to do a direct comparison between our review of CurvyBBW and the current top-performing site for meeting BBW looking for hookups BBW Match Mate:
Our team rates each site objectively based on many hours of independent research, the features each site offers, and how it compares with other sites. The ratings are the opinion of our editors and their extensive experience.
|Quality of Women
Our opinion of how attractive the typical woman is that uses this site and how easy they are to connect with compared to other sites.
How many people are using this site to actually meet people compared to other sites.
How easy is this site to use and how quickly can an average person begin meeting people compared to other sites.
|Privacy & Safety
Does this site take proper precautions to safeguard its members, their identity, and their data.
Our opinion of how easily an average person will be able to achieve their dating goals with this site compared to other sites.
Will the time and money spent using this site pay off for an average person based on the opinions and experience of our editors.
When you look at the comparison above you probably don't have very high hopes for CurvyBBW.com. The reality is that this site just didn't perform really well for a couple of HUGE reasons:
As soon as we started using CurvyBBW we started getting really suspicious chats like the above. On the surface, it seems pretty normal but you have to consider the context.
Would it make sense for a single woman who is decent looking to be sending out chat requests to a completely blank profile? That's right, we didn't even have a chance to add a photo or fill out any information!
It really looks like this site sends out automated messages posing as women to convince guys to sign up for paid membership.
When it comes down to it, you just can't trust anything you see on this site. If they are willing to send out bogus messages how can you trust them with your credit card number? After giving it to them we definitely wanted it back!
When there are legit options out there like BBW Match Mate there is absolutely no reason to subject yourself to a site like this. You are just going to waste your time and might lose your money too!
Now that we've covered the high points, let's get into the details. Below are some of the finer details that we found while reviewing Curvybbw.com.
Upon first visiting CurvyBBW.com, my initial thought was, "They get right down to business." They had pictures of beautiful, curvy women to the side of the sign-up form. The logo was plain but bold and a black and white circle claimed the site was the "World's largest BBW dating network!"
More text lower down the page claimed that CurvyBBW included "thousands of Natural Busty Girls that want Hookup . . . These plump sexy babes have huge natural boobs, juicy butts, and want to meet for a hookup and are looking for fun!" To emphasize this point, the site included a couple of rows of Big Beautiful Women in various states of undress.
I know many people visit a site like CurvyBBW to see sexy pictures and arrange hookups with random people, no strings attached. To each their own, of course, but when a site features explicit material on the sign-up page, I get skeptical. Sites that emphasize adult content are usually making up for the fact that few real women are members.
It wasn't the best start, but I had only scratched the surface.
If you're a busy guy who just doesn't have the time or money for a serious relationship but still wants to have some fun with a lot of BBW's then BBW Match should be your first stop. Out of all the options out there for meeting women for more casual fun they have consistently been the best option we've seen.
If you've tried to meet BBW online with the typical options like Tinder you know how hard it can be for most guys. Tinder is EXTREMELY competitive with the top 15% of guys getting the attention of about 80% of the women. If you're not a super handsome dude it can be a pretty bad experience. BBW Match does a great job of evening the playing field and helping normal guys find a lot of success.
We haven't found an easier way for typical guys to find real success meeting BBW's for casual fun than BBW Match.
It also has a free trial so you can check it out first before making any commitment.
This site is also REALLY good at making BBW comfortable so that they stick around. On most sites and apps BBW are competing for attention with more typical women. It's often a pretty bad experience for them, especially when you consider that a lot of guys ignore them which leads to them abandoning most sites and apps pretty fast.
With BBW Match all the women are BBW's and all the guys are looking for women just like them. That makes for a much better experience for everyone involved and keep the women around.
Give their free trial a shot and see what we mean. If you haven't had a lot of success with online dating in the past you're really going to like it.
If you are more of a relationship guy, eHarmony can help you with that. They are the most reliable site out there when it comes to meeting women for long-term relationships and they are big enough that they have a lot of BBW's using it.
What really sets eHarmony apart from the other general dating sites out there is they go to great lengths to match people up that are compatible. They don't throw millions of people together into a database and hope for the best, they get to know you and match you up with women that meet your requirements who are looking for guys just like you.
If you check out their free trial you'll see just how easy it can be. No more scrolling through thousands of profiles a day. Instead, you take a look at a handful or hand-picked matches a day that you are MUCH more likely to actually hit it off with.
Arriving at the homepage of CurvyBBW, I found it to be totally chaotic. There were plenty of more explicit images alongside advertisements urging me to upgrade my account. Additionally, all kinds of notifications were popping up. Most of the notices were about incoming messages from other members. I received five messages in the first couple of minutes.
"We should have breakfast tomorrow," one of the messages said. "Do you want me to call you or just give you a nudge?" another one asked. They were all overtly seductive like that. There was some initial excitement at the sight of so many messages, but the buzz didn't last. I realized, as more and more messages kept flooding in, this was too good to be true.
Any guy who has spent time on a dating site knows it's never that easy to get a beautiful woman's attention. You almost always have to be the first to message, and then hope that they respond. They usually don't. As a guy, it is rare to receive a message first. I hadn't even uploaded a profile picture yet, so this was yet another sign that CurvyBBW.com had issues.
Fully suspicious, I decided to find out more about all of these women who were so pumped to talk to me. I attempted to message a few back, but wasn't allowed. A message appeared saying, "To chat with other members in your area please upgrade your membership . . . click here." Great.
They were adamant about me upgrading my account. There was a huge advertisement all over the site that said, "Your current membership level is 'Basic Free'. Upgrade to VIP Now to Unlock Advanced Features."
Their membership options were not cheap. When it said on their sign-up page that I could create a "free" account, they didn't mention that that free membership would be essentially useless. What use is a dating site if you can't even interact with the other members?
There are plenty of legit dating sites out there that charge for memberships, but they at least admit it up front. They don't lure people in with promises of a free account and then withhold all of their services until you pay. It's a dishonest business practice and one that automatically made me doubt any other claims the site made.
Whenever I get a little bit suspicious about the integrity of a dating site, I go to the Terms and Conditions page to read their policies. Usually they admit things in these agreements that they would rather you didn't know about.
For instance, in reading CurvyBBW's terms and conditions, I learned that they use fake profiles:
"THIS SITE UTILIZES FANTASY PROFILES IDENTIFIED AS FANTASY CUTIES. You comprehend, acknowledge, and accept that some of the profiles listed on the Site may be operated by our Site or third party contractors and are fictitious."
The acknowledgment of "fictitious" profiles immediately soured me on the whole site. Obviously, that's where all of those initial messages were coming from, and why so many of the profiles featured explicit photos.
The fine print had a lot of other secrets to spill. Most importantly, CurvyBBW.com should really let everyone know that they are "For Amusement Purposes Only." That section of the terms went on to say:
"You comprehend, acknowledge, and accept that our Service, presented in the style of an online dating service, is an entertainment service. All content is provided for the entertainment and amusement of You."
That's good to know, though I wish they had told me a bit earlier, like before I signed up.
That clause is the site essentially admitting that CurvyBBW is a total fraud. They are trying to trick people into thinking that their site is actually a dating site that will help them meet real women.
Have you ever gone out for a wild night, bouncing from scene to scene, and by the time you hit the third party of the night, you're tired, grumpy, and ready to go home? Whether we're talking late night hi-jinks or outside companies advertising on dating sites, third parties are to be avoided at all costs.
On CurvyBBW.com, I found adult videos from third parties that were disguised as a menu option. Next to the "Search" and "Home" options was a link simply titled "XXX Movies." Of course, those videos weren't free either.
I read a little bit more about the site's third party policies in their fine print. It wasn't good:
"The Service may provide, or third parties may provide, links to other World Wide Web sites or resources. Because the Company has no control over such sites and resources, you acknowledge and agree that the Company is not responsible for the availability of such external sites or resources, and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any content, advertising, products, or other materials on or available from such sites or resources."
In other words, "We don't know what those third parties will do to you, and we don't care."
Why would a real dating site try to send you away to another site? Isn't the whole point to keep you on their website to help you meet a woman? Of course, this site isn't a real dating site, it's for "amusement purposes" only. Well, CurvyBBW.com failed to amuse me on my visit.
This site is obviously a scam. They can say what they provide is entertainment but I just call it sketchy. They use "fantasy" profiles, which is merely a legal way of saying that they use pictures of random women to make bot-amplified profiles that send bogus messages. Even if you did want to chat with a "fantasy cutie," the site isn't free. It isn't even cheap.
My advice: stay far, far away from this site. If you're looking to date a full-sized woman, there are plenty of places on the web to find her, but CurvyBBW is not one of them. Instead of relying on scammy sites like this, why not go instead to physical places where curvy and mature women hang out? These spots are great for sparking connections with curvaceous ladies!
Still not sure if CurvyBBW is the site for you? Here are some questions and answers to help you decide.
CurvyBBW claims to be a site where you can search for curvy BBW singles. However, the site uses "fantasy" profiles, which are either bots or employees who act like the singles on the site.
CurvyBBW.com doesn't state anywhere who owns and operates them. However, the site is extremely similar to sites owned by Deniro Marketing LLC, Meteor Interactive BV and Plymouth Associates Ltd.
You can contact Curvy BBW via email at [email protected]
Yes, CurvyBBW is a real site. However, the users are not. In their terms and conditions, the site admits to using "fantasy" profiles, which are essentially bots or employees who pose as users.
CurvyBBW.com is not a legit dating site since there's almost no chance of meeting any real women here.
While it might not be an outright scam, Curvy BBW can be considered a misleading site. They don't explicitly state that they use "fantasy" profiles, which can lead users to think that there are real women on the site.
No, we don't think CurvyBBW is safe. Stay away from it.
Instead of using CurvyBBW.com, why not try out one of the options on our list of the best hookup apps and sites? And if you only want to meet BBW, try out the options in our list of the best BBW dating apps and sites.
CurvyBBW lets you browse through profiles once you create an account. But to send messages, you need to pay for a membership. Keep in mind that even if you pay for a membership, you'll very likely only contact "fantasy" profiles.
No, CurvyBBW doesn't have an app.
Below are the payment plans for CurvyBBW.com:
Short answer: you can't really use Curvy BBW for free. Messaging users requires a paid account. But even if you do pay for an account, you'll probably only end up messaging "fantasy" profiles.
No, you need a paid CurvyBBW membership to send messages.
Once logged into CurvyBBW.com, click "Account Settings" at the top of the page
Click "Delete my login and profile" and click the "delete my login" button
Then enter your password.
If you found this review useful check out these other BBW dating sites:
BBW Desire review
BBW Romance review
Cheeky Lovers review
Large Friends review
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