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Those expecting a vote on a Creedmoor development plan at the Community Board 13 meeting Monday in Bellerose were disappointed as the decision was postponed until next month due to a procedural issue.
But that wasn't the only controversy. Just before the discussion ended a board member accused the nonprofit group proposing the development of inappropriately trying to curry his favor.
Seymour Finkelstein, a CB 13 member for the last 31 years, surprised attendees when he accused members of the Indian Community and Cultural Center, who are seeking to build two nine-story apartment towers on the grounds of the Creedmoor Psychiatric Center in Bellerose near the Queens Village border of trying to win him over by offering him a consulting job.
This is not the first time the group has been accused of impropriety. State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside) noted at the initial CB 13 public hearing on Sept. 26 that the ICCC deal is being investigated by both the state attorney general and inspector general to determine if there was any inappropriate or criminal behavior associated with the plan and with several current and former elected officials, something he said further clouds the ICCC's credibility.
Finkelstein said he received a phone call from a board member, whom he did not name at the meeting, but later said it was V. M. Chacko, asking to meet with him and two members of the ICCC — Koshy Thomas, the group's spokesman, and K. George Varkey, who represents the engineer — for a meal and he agreed. He met with them at the Burger King on the corner near where he lives on 258th Street in Floral Park.
"They told me I was very well versed on the community and everything and they could offer me a consultant [job]," Finkelstein said. "I didn't ask if it was a paid consultant or not. I didn't want anything to do with it and that's how the meeting ended."
The ICCC's zoning lawyer, Jordan Most, told attendees that those who were at the meeting wanted a chance to respond. Varkey stood up and was about to head over to the microphone when a discussion arose among board members as to whether he should be allowed to speak since he did not pre-register for speaking time. Board member Corey Bearak noted that they would have to take a vote in order to change the agenda.
"It's not public speaking," interjected CB 13 Chairman Bryan Block. "He's making an accusation. Basically he's saying someone tried to bribe him."
"You can't just leave that out there," added First Vice Chairwoman Tanya Cruz.
But Finkelstein quickly fired back, stating, "I never used the word 'bribe.'"
The board didn't arrive at a conclusion and Varkey didn't respond. The discussion got sidelined when Block and Cruz told Finkelstein that he had an obligation to bring the matter to the Ethics Committee and there was some back and forth as to whether he would or not.
Chacko did not attend the meeting and could not be reached for comment. CB 13 community associate Stephanie Rainkie said Tuesday that the board has also been trying to reach him by phone but were unsuccessful.
Later, Finkelstein said Avella, who was also at the meeting, told him he would make sure the issue was brought to the attention of the proper officials.
After the meeting, Thomas said he had "no comment" regarding the accusation and Most added that the ICCC would be sending a response to the community board in writing.
"The ICCC denies any claim by Mr. Finkelstein that the ICCC attempted to 'hire him as a consultant,'" Vinoo Varghese, the attorney representing the group in the state investigations said in an email statement. "Furthermore, if Mr. Finkelstein believes that the ICCC engaged in any type of wrongdoing, then he should have reported this promptly, rather than waiting to slander the ICCC at a public hearing."
Board member Peter Richards said since Finkelstein did not accept the consulting position offered by the ICCC, it was not a conflict of interest. But Block interrupted, noting "That is not for us to decide," and once again reiterated that the issue be brought before the Ethics Committee.
District Manager Larry McClean later said that it was a "serious matter since board members are public officials, and it should be investigated." He added that to his knowledge, no other board members had been approached by the ICCC with similar offers.
CB 13 Executive Secretary, Sanu Thomas, son of Koshy Thomas, was noticeable absent at the meeting. McClean said the younger Thomas asked to be excused, but did not provide a reason.
As for the vote on the ICCC's development plan, it was tabled by a vote of 22 to 13 with six people absent, because the Land Use Committee did not have a chance to meet and make a recommendation on the plan.
In 2008, the group purchased two parcels of land at Creedmoor, approximately 4.5 acres adjacent to the houses on the west side of 242nd Street, from Union Turnpike to 82nd Avenue. They are seeking a variance because the northern parcel where the apartments would be located is a commercial zone that prohibits residential use.
CB 13 received 146 letters — a handful of variations of form letters — in favor of the project, and a few from those who oppose the plan. Many more spoke against the proposal at a public hearing the week before and at the CB 13 meeting on Monday, stating that the apartments, which the ICCC said will be affordable housing for seniors, would be out of context with the residential area and were not what the ICCC originally told them it intended to build — a community center, parking lot and athletic field.
The board will vote on the ICCC request for a variance at its next meeting on Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bellerose Assembly of God church, located at 240-15 Hillside Ave.


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Reviewed Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
Jun 26, 2013 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"This is the best pineapple upside down cake EVER. It was very easy to make. I had enough batter to make 2-9" rounds & 2 mini loaf cakes. If you do make the frosting, it's enough to frost 2 cakes. (That's putting it on thick and only the side of the cake like the picture). Without the frosting, the cake is still fantastic. Will be making agai""

subset: commoncrawl


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Select () or exclude () categories to narrow your recipe search.
As you select categories, the number of matching recipes will update.
Find exactly what you're looking for with the web's most powerful recipe filtering tool.
At 19 years of age, I was the only child of any of my father's friends who was regularly invited to their gatherings. I was a fish out of water, but it felt good to be included. One New Year's Day everyone gathered for a day of football and food. I noticed two things that day. The women went on and on about how good the different dishes of food were that were brought into the party that day, and I noticed that all the food was cooked by men. It was at that party that I realized it was ok for men to cook. Within a month I was regularly taping cooking programs. (There was no food network way back then. In fact MTV played noting but music videos back then.) Too many years of being single left me with no one to cook for, that is until relatively recently. I am so glad to have had someone to cook for again. I now use RecipeZaar recipes to teach my teen-aged son how to cook.
If you were to take a really big map of the world, lay it on the floor, stand on it in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean... AND if your hands held in them all the dried split green peas you could hold with both hands cupped together... AND if you took those green peas and threw them up in the air, every place the peas landed would mark the origin of one of my favorite dishes. Just like the peas, my tastes are all over the map.


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Over the weekend I cycled around the Isle of Wight. No Tour de France, admittedly, but a gentle potter along to build up the training miles. As I hit Ventnor hill, however, my pace slowed to a painful plod; so slow that casual pedestrians started overtaking me. Luckily, the Island provides plenty of advertising billboards to look at as your grimace you way up the hill. I looked at adverts for dog food, ladies clothing and the latest car models. Oh how I wished I had a car right then. Have I gone and brought any of those items? No, but the effective advert campaigns have stuck in my mind. Perhaps in the future I will need to buy dog food, a new car or… erm… ladies clothing? Traditional advertising still considers these billboards that do not lead to direct sales as a worthy investment opportunity.
Impressions on Search Engine Results Page
When you search for particular keyword (let's use 'Pubs in Ventnor, Isle of Wight') Google serves you up a page of results. Our eyes quickly scan the page and decide which site to click on. Roughly, you would expect somewhere between 2-10% of people seeing your site on the SERP to click on it. Improving this is known as improving your click through rate. So, are the 90% of people who see you in the SERP and don't click on your site just wasted opportunities? No, because it is still a valid form of advertising.
Dot-to-dot advertising
People rarely move from initially hearing about a product to buying it in the same moment. Perhaps the only expectation is low cost impulse buys – or as I call them "unnecessary cycling accessories I continue to buy". Currently I am looking to upgrade my bike, which is a carefully thought through process. I search the internet, read reviews and talk to friends. In my Google searches, many websites appear that I do not click on. Yet I am still aware of the brands, especially those that appear for more than a couple of keywords.
Impressions on SERPs are like a dot-to-dot slowly making up the bigger picture. Ideally we would love users to search our buyer keyword, see our site, click on it and then buy our product all in one move. In reality, however, that impression may just be a dot. Over time, those dots join to give your potential customers the bigger picture of who you are and what services you have to offer.
Making the right impression
Good SEO companies will help you make the right impression and there are plenty of tools in the toolbox to help. The basics are writing excellent title tags and meta descriptions. Then, there is using rich snippets and adding Google+ authorship.
As a customer you expect to see improvements in your site traffic and click through rates. My suggestion is to pay close attention to the impressions on SERPs you are getting as well. Impressions are like your company's billboard stuck by the Google roadway. People may just be cruising past and give you a glance but who knows where that may end up.
That is why I think impressions are SEO's undervalued metric.


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Hi Everyone, I'm looking for some water softener guidance. I live in an area with hard water so a softener is pretty much required. In my last home, I installed a 40K grain GE (big box version) and it worked fine. I just moved and now that I know a little more about them, I think there are better options. I'm a pretty accomplished DIY'r and won't have any trouble doing the install and set up as well as maintance along the way. What I need help with is deterimining the correct size, model, and options. I've read about the Fleck and Clack valves and will probably go with one of those. Below are the details on my usage and city provided water. This came from the 2012 water report. http://www.ylwd.com/images/your-water/water-quality/quality-reports/YLW_2012_Water_Quality_Report.pdf 3 people in the house PH 7.76 Thanks in advance |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Mon, Feb 25, 13 at 14:08
I just have a minute, but can spend more time on this later. After a quick glance: What are the units on those numbers. If that manganese number is ppb, we're fine, but if it is ppm, you need to remove it prior to the softener. |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Mon, Feb 25, 13 at 16:11
PH 7.76 Sorry, should have included the unit of measurment. Also noticed the suffides was actually listed as sulfate. I corrected below. Thanks, Hardness 19 |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Mon, Feb 25, 13 at 16:19
One other piece of information to include. The main supply coming into the house is 1", but reduces to 3/4" before it get's to the garage where the WS will be located. |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Thu, Feb 28, 13 at 12:41
By my simple calculations, a 40,000 grain would be about right. I'm looking at the Fleck 5600 SXT. |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Fri, Mar 1, 13 at 14:47
You could go with a 1.25 cubic ft softener, but it will be less slat-efficient than a 1 cubic ft. A 1 cuft would regen every 7 days at 6 lb salt per cuft of resin. A 1.25 cuft would theoretically regen every 9 days. However, your softener will operate better for a longer period of time if you regen every 7 days. The difference between the two, in terms of salt usage would be 3 lb per month. So, if you want the ability to have a slightly higher flow, go with the 1.25. The Fleck 5600sxt you mentioned is a good, reliable valve that should provide many years of service. Once your softener arrives I can help with programming for best efficiency. Things you need: 1) Top distribution basket |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Tue, Mar 5, 13 at 13:25
Thanks for all the great advise. I decided to order the 1.25 5600sxt. It seems like our usage is trending up as my son gets older and has more friends around the house so I thought it would be a good idea to lean towards the larger option. I placed my order with all the details listed above. It should be delivered tomorrow so I hope to get it installed later in the week. Appriciate the offer to help me program it for best efficiency. I'll keep an eye out for your response. |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Thu, Mar 7, 13 at 19:56
I received my water softener and everything looks great. I do have one question regarding the gravel underbed. How much do I put in? I would guess that all that's needed is enough to keep the resin off the bottom. Thanks for the guidance. I'll be programing it shortly as well so any help there is appreciated too. |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 10:34
Gravel needs to cover the bottom of the tank and the lower basket. What resin did you purchase? If I know that, I can locate the engineering spec sheet for the resin and set programming appropriately. |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 11:54
NSF Approved High Capacity Cation 10% Crosslink Softening Resin (Imported) |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Fri, Mar 8, 13 at 12:14
Brand and name? |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Sat, Mar 9, 13 at 11:40
That's all it says on the order form. I bought it from Ohio Pure and spoke wiht someone there about it. They told me it was high quality and would be perfect. I never thought to ask the brand. |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Sat, Mar 9, 13 at 12:31
Once the softener is installed, add 2.5 gallons cold water to the brine tank. Add a couple of bags of salt. Enter the master programming mode on the valve controller and set as follows: 1. DF - GAL 13. 14. Ensure all days are ON, unless you have a specific day of the week when you need the softener to NOT regen. Once the valve is programmed, step out of master programming mode and set the clock to the correct time. Manually place the softener in regen. Allow the backwash to finish, then manually step through the other steps. Leave each one on just long enough to verify it is working. Allow the fast rinse to run for about 5 minutes - you will have added just a bit of brine during the brief time it was in the brine draw step and you will want to flush that out. Step into service mode and enjoy your soft water. |
- Posted by StretchRcr (My Page) on Mon, Mar 11, 13 at 3:13
I got everything set up without too much trouble. Just a couple programming questions. For #2 VT I don't have an St1b option. The information that came with my equipment reccomends dF1b (Standard Downflow/Upflow, Single Backwash). For #13 I don't have a BW screen. Thanks again! |
- Posted by aliceinwonderland_id (My Page) on Tue, Mar 12, 13 at 10:28
#2 - What options do you have? Looks like dF1b (if that is in the menu) is what you want. #13: That is very strange - What do you see during this step? |
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Matt Damon was on the David Letterman show last night, Thursday, September 10th to promote his upcoming movie, 'The Informant'.
Damon confessed that due to a translation problem with a reporter in Italy – he confirmed Brad Pitt's statement that Pitt would marry Angelia Jolie when George Clooney could marry his boyfriend. Pitt said it as a joke but the reporter took it literally.
Check out the video – it is definitely lol funny!!


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SpaceMan 99 standard product download for Windows 8/7/Vista/XP:
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SpaceMan 99 provides a free 30 day trial period, during which it is fully functional. To use SpaceMan 99 beyond the 30 day trial period, you will need to enter the registration code that you get when you buy a license.
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Skype Interview Anyone?
0Feb 28, '13 by Born_2BRNHas anyone ever done Skype interview for BSN-DNP? I was just wondering the type of questions will be asking and what I need to do to prepare for it. Thanks so much!
0Feb 28, '13 by dnt8178So far so good. We have been offered interviews so that's good. I don't know if they interview everyone or just certain people. This is the first grad school I have applied to. I just recently moved to LA(we are Military) like a month ago and my goal is to finish grad school by the time we retire from the military so I hope this works out. Have you applied anywhere else? Do you live in LA?
0Mar 12, '13 by dnt8178My interview is also today in a few hours I know they will ask basic questions but I am still a little nervous. I haven't seen much info about he program I am assuming because it recently changed format (BSN-DNP) so it is always good so see fellow applicants. Good Luck to you and everyone!!


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The Community of Disc Golfers and About All Things Disc Golf
Sort by:
Discussions | Replies | Latest Activity |
What's in Your Super Class Bag?What are you throwing? What are you using for a bag? Started by Jamie 'gr8rocshot' Ruane |
14 |
Dec 9, 2010 Reply by Mike Inscho |
Welcome to
Posted by Alan Barker on October 30, 2014 at 12:40pm
Posted by Alan Barker on January 29, 2014 at 2:26pm
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Posted by Frederick Cranford on September 11, 2013 at 5:42am
Posted by CoolDaddySlickBreeze on August 13, 2013 at 4:40pm
© 2015 Created by Terry "the Pirate" Calhoun.


text:
BPL Community Profile
Paul Johnson (johncooper) - BPL Forum Member
You cannot send this user a personal message (PM) because they have not specified a PM email address yet.
All Forum Posts by Paul Johnson
Re: Re: packs Still looking for a pack. |
Re: packs More info. Need 21.5 inch torso. |
WTB MLD Exodus Zpack Arc Blast or similar backpack I am looking for a lightweight backpack that is capable of carrying a Bearikade Weekender. Needs to be able to handle 25lbs. Want some degree of support rods or frame. |
Slot Canyons We are considering a slot canyon trip to Zion next year. Can anyone recommend trails/routes that they have done with scouts? How did you prepare and did you hire a local outfitter or guide? We... |
Re: BPL Meals for Scouts We break our crew into "Food Groups" of 4 scouts and let them plan, purchase and cook their own meals. They choose the usual. MH or top ramen dinners (each group has MH preferences). O... |
Slot Canyons in Zion or Bryce I am taking the family with adventuresome kids ages 9-13 on a road trip through Southern Utah and want to do a day hike 5-10 miles in a slot canyon. Any recommendations? Remember kids and doing... |
Re: Re: Re: Flash Will this pack fit a bear can? If so, will it fit sideways or only vertical? Bear can is a bearikade weekender or similar. |
Re: Re: Conflicting evidence is standard In "Giardia Myth-Buster: How Rumor and Paranoia Have Created a False Industry Standard " By Erik Schlimmer, he makes the statement "Therefore, you would have had to drink 132 gallo... |
Re: Conflicting evidence is standard Regarding 'If you don't want to be sick at some point, you have to always treat your water.' Actually that part has been studied and proven false. "Mueser made contact with 1... |
Re: Sawyer Squeeze questions My setup 2l Evernew (dirty bag) to sawyer squeeze to male tube adaptor to short tube to platypus tube adapter to 3l platypus (clean bag). For back flush simply disconnect evervew and squeez... |
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Sun, Feb 15, 04 at 8:40
my furnace is dead, and because it is over 30 yrs old, looks like the whole thing, including new stack will need to be replaced. anyone have any advice on propane furnaces? brands, things to watch out for, etc?
thanks :( |
Follow-Up Postings:
I would suggest posting at the heating and a/c forum at garden web (see link below.) lots of knowledgeable folks over there who will be able to offer an opinion. Abby |
Here is a link that might be useful: Heating and Air Conditioning
- Posted by Bug_Girl_MI (My Page) on Mon, Feb 16, 04 at 22:07
i actually did post over there. they are giving me techincal specs, and i was hoping for more "i wish i knew then what i know now about the whole process" from non-technical folks over here :) |
sorry! I thought someone over there could steer you in the right directions as far as brands etc. I'm with you, I don't want technicalities, just tell me what to (or not) buy. Abby |
Repost "over there", and ask a specific question. The disaster will be all the expense and getting rid of the old one. |
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In photography, toning is a method of changing the color of black-and-white photographs. In analog photography, toning is a chemical process carried out on silver-based photographic prints. This darkroom process can not be done with a color photograph and although the black-and-white photograph is now toned, it is still considered a black and white photograph as it is monochromatic. The effects of these processes can be emulated with software in digital photography. (Source: Wikipedia) Even if these photos may look like sepia-toned, these are not sepia-toned. Took these velvia shots of the fiesta procession. I would suspect the defective lightmeter of my LCA+ has produced this effect which I kinda like. They look like images from decades ago. Perhaps I should experiment more using the same camera with other films to find out what exciting results it may produce.
This photo was shot on film. Taken by lakandula with a Lomo LC-A+ RL (available in our Online Shop) loaded with Fuji Velvia 100F film in Muntinlupa City, Philippines. These tags describe this photo: xpro, fiesta, procession, religious, folk, san nicoloas, blurry, and grainy. Date: 2011-09-10. Time: Morning. This photo can also be found in the album Like Sepia-toned But Not Sepia-toned Velvia Shots Of A Fiesta.Please login to get more out of this site
You are currently not logged in, do so now to add comments, like articles as well as photos, submit to competitions, translate articles and gain access to unlimited photo upload! If you are not registered yet, go here to find out more about Lomography and join now! If you just want a limited account for now you can use Twitter or Facebook. We would love to have you as a member here!
90 people like this photo
Liking photos helps us to present the best ones to you and others. 90 people like this photo. 90 people like this photo: heyfrida, aliceinchains, fadjaradiputra, cookiehunter, opon21, bomboniera, naiseta, jezzyjung, hanibale, rar01, mich, suizidekid, slumbrnghok, clownshoes, weidong, kdstevens, emilios, disdis, winterschlaefer, tyler_durden, lomosimo, dakadev_pui, life_on_mars, arrogantbastage, deprofundis, cpolpa, i_am_four-eyes, grad, rene4, lilithmoon, saidseni, mcrstar, dabai, panzergirl, maxwellmaxen, handukbasah, lomoculture, novakmisi, rotezora, chippo, alviadararathyakirana, fletchinski84, kshen, homer, outshined_me, grifter, guilhermeland, emkei, juditto, zopia, icomewhenieatcaponata, barakalofi, pepper-b, jbeischer, joyceyjoyce, dubasovich, micmicoy, lisa-lisa, adzfar, kimpy05, bccbarbosa, badjuju, hey_god, nastya_shishova, florins, triky76, mikahsupageek, paappraiser, kiteflyin, amandaglass, maduz, whitt8211, pedroteixeira98, maximum_b, baijiu89, tsingtao, polya206, inkkl, carterbroussard, ucinz, mightymouse, pearlmsqueaks, xtina70, vzh, elifarafyalim, cbadajos, simonesavo, freakoftheweek, elelostdog, and zakuson.
3 comments
Great photos! Awesome results.
Great results! Colors are wonderful.
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midwest cat playpen
Midwest cat playpens are crafted especially for those particular felines and are sure to provide all the comforts of a cat home. Our midwest cat playpens are of quality construction and a recognized brand leader in the manufacture of cat playpens.
Now Available - NEW Model 130 Cat Playpen
If you are in need of a cat playpen, check out the expanded features of the new model 130. Along with with additional features like swing open front double doors and ultra-soft durable chenille bed, you'll find a new lower price making this pen a best buy for cat lovers everywhere.
Free Shipping on Everything in the Continental US!
Manufactured: China
Ships From: IN in 1-3 business days
see details shipping tab below
- Swing-Open Front Access Double Doors - provide maximum accessibility for easy cleaning & feeding
- secure-Lock Door Latches - provide secure, easy, one-handed operation
- Roll & Lock Casters - provide easy maneuvering & positioning
- Wide Expanse, Height Adjustable Resting Benches & Slide-Out Floor Pan - provide maximum play area
- Collapsible Fold Down Design - for convenient portability
- Includes Plush Ultra-Soft Durable Chenille Bed - with non-skid bottom surface and velcro tabs
model | size | mesh | material | weight | door opening | shelf size |
130 | 36L x 23.5W x 50.5H | 1 3/8" x 5 5/8" | 3, 9 and 12 Gauge Wire | 46 lbs | 23 5/8" x 18.5" | 10.5" x 21.25" |
Shipping is Free for all orders shipping within the Continental US
Click on the highlighted item for more detailed information on shipping or returns.
We are unable to deliver to P.O. boxes, APO/FPO addresses or locations outside the US. Expedited shipping is not available on any product.
Please note:
Shipment times vary by item. Some items ship in as little as one business day while other items might take as long as five business days. Normal shipping times are noted on each product page but are not guaranteed. We will notify you if we expect your order to take longer to ship than the number of days noted on the product page.
Also please note that shipment times noted reflect expected number of business days until the product ships. Your estimated delivery date will depend upon ship from location (noted on each product page) and your ship to location.
assembly instructions are either not available or applicable for this item


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Face facts.
The rules and guidelines for facial hair.
Thank you for bringing this up. These days, the issue of facial hair has seemingly become back-page news, especially when you walk down the street and are bombarded by enormous tattoos dripping off practically every guy you pass by. So, we're glad you put it back on the front page, so to speak. Obviously the clean-shaven look is going to be the most appropriate. It looks good and is not out of place anywhere. But, as with style, you want to put your personal stamp on your look. And this certainly can extend to facial hair ... Read the full story »


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Breakfast Topic: The high cost of playing
Let's take character transfers, for instance. If I wanted to transfer all my characters to a server where my friends play (why would I want to move just one?) it would cost me a hefty sum. Add to that the fact that my wife plays wherever I play so we multiply that hefty sum by two. Imagine if I wanted to change my characters' races to those combinations that were previously unavailable come Cataclysm... how much would that add up to? It doesn't take an accountant to see that it could cost a small fortune.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Blizzard, Breakfast Topics


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Tour the newly renovated McHenry Library. Attractions include the Global Village Café, the Information Commons, group study rooms, and much more or get a tour of the Science & Engineering Library.
You will also learn about the library's services and collections, such as borrowing course textbooks, the Media Center and the video game room. While you're there, remember to activate your library card! Tours run approximately 30 minutes.


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Burt Grossman's Severance Pay: Part 6
We swear – we're NOT making any of this stuff up! Looks like we are now officially going into CYA time and people are coming forward with more documentation on Burt Grossman's missing $40,000 Severance Pay. These documents just arrived this morning from Burt's attorney, Daniel Anastasia, via Burt. We hope the PA continues to take ownership of this and starts to question the issue of Severance Pay for all the other retired players. A lot of them are also only now discovering that they haven't been paid (including Lionel James who has gone through an almost identical stonewall process like Burt). Be sure to read our prior post this morning from Irv Cross that includes the language in the '82 contract covering Severance from that agreement – click HERE to read it.
It's also interesting to see that the very same people who were supposed to be handling retired players benefits are among the same ones now scrambling to pick up the dropped ball on Severance Pay. (Many of our readers might still recall the fantastic detail and concern Dave was given when he applied for his reimbursements from hip replacement surgery from 2008 - read about that HERE and HERE.) And – Burt's missing W-2 has now apparently been found and it's part of this set of documents! Now all we need to see is either an endorsed check with his signature on it or a new check – WITH INTEREST – sent along to Burt or his attorney immediately.
Click on the thumbnails to enlarge for easier reading.


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Harlan G. Johnson, 87, of Monmouth died at 2:30 A.M. Sunday, August 3, 2014 at his home.
Bruniga, Marilyn R.
Marilyn R. Bruniga, age 87 passed away Sunday, August 3, 2014 at her home in rural Knoxville, Illinois.
Barnhill, Iva Lucille
Mrs. Iva Lucille Barnhill, 87, of East Galesburg, Ill. died at 9:25 pm Sunday, August 3, 2014 in Knox County Nursing Home, Knoxville, Ill.
Benson, Randal W.
Randal W. Benson, 85, of Galesburg passed away at 1:39 a.m. Saturday, August 2 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, IL.
Thomson, Donald E.
Donald E. "Gene" Thomson, age 88 of Nekoma, Woodhull, Illinois died at 2:05 P.M. on Thursday, July 31, 2014 at Rosewood Care Center, Galesburg, Illinois.
Fox, Peggy Lea
Mrs. Peggy Lea Fox 66, of rural Galesburg, died at 4:01 pm Thursday, July 31, 2014 at her home.
Francois, Gary R.
Gary R. Francois PH.D 77 of Galesburg died at 11:35 p.m. Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at Heartland Health Care Center.
Miller, Timothy L.
Timothy L. Miller, 59, of Galesburg, passed away at 4:02 a.m., Wednesday, July 30, 2014 at OSF St. Francis Medical Center in Peoria, Ill.
Litman, Dorothy
Dorothy Litman, 90, of Oquawka, Illinois died 4:55 P.M. Monday, July 28, 2014 at Seminary Manor, Galesburg, IL.
Cathelyn, Virginia Hazel Urish
Virgie Hazel Urish Cathelyn, 71, of Galva, passed away quietly on Thursday, July 10, 2014 at Toulon Health Care Center with her family by her side.


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Just thought I'd share my wintering experience with others in the northeast.
Two winters ago, I wintered my 6ft fig tree (wrapped up)in the non-heated garage. I took a clipping from the tree and wintered it in my office window. The clipping grew like a weed. The big tree when pulled out of the garage was all moldy. All the branches were dead, but the suckers shot up and grew pretty well (but no figs on either). Last winter, I wintered both the clipping and the big tree in the non-heated garage but didn't cover either. Pulled out the clipping the first week of March and put it in my window at work. It has doubled in size since then. Pulled out the big tree the last week of March and placed it near the chimney of my house. It is growing slower than the clipping but coming back pretty well. I was quite surprised that both survived the winter without being wrapped up in the cold garage. Hopefully I'll get a lot of figs this year! |
Follow-Up Postings:
Angela - wrapping a tree doesn't keep it warmer unless while in the wrapping of it you devised a strategy to capture heat from an extraneous source. IOW - if you put a cup of water inside an insulated cooler and put the cooler in the freezer, eventually the water in the cup will be the same temp as the rest of the food ion the freezer. However, if you were to plug in a curling iron and seal it in the cooler w/the cup of water, the water wouldn't freeze because there was an extraneous heat source and the cooler trapped it. The fungal issue was due to a high moisture content and lack of air circulation. The only benefit wrapping has is to reduce the effects of dessication, which is about nil in a garage. Since tissue dies as a result of exposure to cold lower than the tree is genetically programmed to tolerate, and wrapping doesn't affect how cold the tissue gets - only how long it takes to get there, it's ineffective as an insulator. Better, would be to take a large box and upturn it over your tree and poke a few holes in it for circulation. This will trap extraneous heat conducting through and radiating from the floor and should keep the top part of your tree (and roots) from killing low temperatures. I hope you get a ton of figs this year, too! Good luck. Al |
How cold does you unheated garage get? |
- Posted by angela3131 6 (My Page) on Sun, Apr 18, 10 at 20:46
I was surprised that the tree grew back. The garage is pretty cold but shares a wall with a heated room. I will try the flipped box this winter. Hopefully that will work. If not one of the guys at my work promised to store it in his office (which he uses only to grow/winter his plants). |
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Start learning with our library of video tutorials taught by experts. Get started
The lynda.com Story: Founders and key executives share accounts of learning, teaching, and building their company.
lynda.com founder Lynda Weinman introduces AIGA, the professional association for design, through the eyes of some of the most talented and influential designers of our time.
"I was pulling my hair out worrying about how I was going to afford classes. Then I found lynda.com. Thank you, thank you, thank you." —Lynn H.
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Reviewed Apple-Sage Glazed Grilled Whole Turkey with Grilled Apples
Feb 9, 2011 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"Awesome. Somehow when I searched for a recipe, I ended up at the video and not the recipe page. Glad I did, as there are discrepancies between them, as you all know--the vinegar amount and perhaps sugar as well. I did put the glaze on too early though, but it still tasted great.
And regarding the comment about gas grills--perhaps..."


text: Sky Ferreira Poses for Nick Knight in AnOther Magazine Bradley Stern March 14, 2013 Sky Ferreira 3 Comments 674 Sky FerreirOMFG. Sky Ferreira played muse to Nick Knight for AnOther Magazine—and the results are stunning. This is one of the most incredible shoots she's ever done. Or anyone's ever done. It's giving me shades of Bert Stern's infamous nude shoot with Marilyn Monroe meets Britney's Onyx Hotel Tour tourbook and her 2011 V Magazine shoot, which Sky—a notorious B stan—would probably only love to hear. Pure art. Check out the full set on the Portraits board at ShowStudio's Pinterest. Trust me: It's worth signing up. WOW. Share this Muusing:TwitterTumblrFacebookGooglePinterestEmailPrintMoreStumbleUponRedditLinkedIn Ferreira<3 sky's just amazing. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1051230057 Drew Novak I love Sky, and these pictures are stunning, but my favorite part of the article is the headline. In all caps, it looks like you're snarking her something hard! http://www.muumuse.com Bradley Stern HA. Didn't even think of that. I love it.


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Overview - Job 13 | |
1 | Job reproves his friends for partiality. |
14 | He professes his confidence in God; and entreats to know his own sins, and God's purpose in afflicting him. |
Job 13:15 (King James Version)
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.


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BusinessWeek's Karen Klein offers a few tips on working with international clients through your company's website: be sensitive to cultural nuance; prepare, and prepare your customers, ahead of time to deal with shipping and customs issues; start by addressing other English-speaking markets, and when you're ready to publish multilingual web content, back it up with multilingual sales and service staff. (Thanks to Laurel Delaney for the link!)
Many small businesses fall into exporting "accidentally" when orders from overseas customers start to trickle in through their website. Maximize your company's potential by managing it as a global business from day one. Your business is already global, whether you know it yet or not!


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Recent Headlines
African starlings: dashing darlings of the bird world in more ways than one
Feathers that change color 10 times faster than ancestors led to the birth of new species and increased its survivability. -
Donation of wetlands to UA honored with national award
The Environmental Law Institute is honoring Steve and Jerry Panzner for their gift of 104 acres of restored wetlands to The University of Akron for use as a living laboratory. -
Geckos keep firm grip in wet natural habitat
Akron researchers answer an age-old question, the implications of which will speed the development of a synthetic adhesive that sticks when wet. -
Biomimicry Fellows in the Integrated Bioscience Program Launch Blog
Daphne Fecheyr-Lippens, Bill Hsiung, and Emily Kennedy, all Biomimicry Fellows, launched a new blog (Germinature) which will help them talk about their experiences and work in biomimicry research and education in a unique collaboration between UA, The Cleveland Institute of Art and Biomimicry 3.8.
Graduate student endeavors to answer a whale of a question
Leptin is the "fat hormone" that tells the brain when to stop eating. Whales have the hormone too, so why doesn't it work?


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It's raining again today, so to relieve the boredom I downloaded some pictures. Here's a few.
Follow-Up Postings:
OMG!!!! Jim, all are sooooo beautiful but the second with your new ee is so stunning and the last with the crinum? is so very beautiful Thank you so much for posting them. |
Thank goodness for rainy days ... in more ways than one, since it induced you to share the gorgeous foliage and flower pictures. Incidentally, it's raining here too. |
In the first picture, is the taller thing Bear's Breeches? I'm not as familiar with foliage plants. hmmm, wonder why. . . |
- Posted by rock_oak_deer 8a TX (My Page) on Thu, Jul 1, 10 at 16:33
Very nice, love the contrasts of color and texture. What is the blue flower third up from the bottom? |
And do tell us what the red one is second from the bottom, too. It looks like it may be a vine. |
Thanks for looking. Jolana, the ee is 'Mojito' and the crinum is 'Ellen Bosenquet'. Wilo, the first picture is Rice paper plant. Shirley, the blue is Blue Pendant ginger. Roselee, the little red flower is Red Powder puff, Calliandra emarginata. |
Beautiful Jim! I'll be looking for Mojito bulbs! Also, there's a local lady that makes concrete leaves from the rice paper plants that she grows, they are stunning! Is the red powder puff a vine? Everything looks SO lush, it's just lovely. Kristi |
Thanks Jim. I think I saw Calliandra emarginata 'Red' growing at the San Antonio Zoo a few years ago. It was a shrub as the link below says Red poweder puff is. The zoo can grow some tropicals there in the warmer micro climate created by all the concrete and sheltering trees. Wish I could :-) |
Here is a link that might be useful: Red powder puff ...
Thank you Jim, you would have thought that I would've have remembered mojito after you told me, LOL I got a pink crinum last year but it is a tiny thing, but was told the name was a lady's name, LOL Someone with a memory worse than mine, hehehe |
Very nice, Jim (as usual). Omar |
Just stunning! Love the rice paper plant and the mojito. Gotta find the mojito as this is my DW favorite drink. Rigo74 |
- Posted by barkingdogwoods 8a DFW (My Page) on Fri, Jul 2, 10 at 8:31
Jim, your photos make me want to settle back with a mojito and just enjoy!!!! Thanks for sharing. Lin |
Thanks all. If I could, I'd send each of you a Mojito, but I'm afraid the ice would melt before you got it. Jim |
So beatiful. They all look very nice. Thanks for sharing. |
- Posted by bootscootengal boyd tx (My Page) on Fri, Jul 2, 10 at 11:44
pic #3 and#5?? lov the pics |
The third picture is Nerve plant, (Fittonia albivenis), and Leopard plant, (Farfugium japonicum 'Aureomaculata'). The fifth picture is Giant Leopard plant, (Farfugium japonicum 'Gigantea'). Thanks for looking, Jim |
Always an uplifting experience to "walk" through your beautiful garden, Jim, thanks for sharing it with us. |
Jim, you have such diverse plants. They all are just lovely but I really like the blue in the blue pendant ginger. I always enjoy getting glimpses of your garden...very inspiring. Betsy |
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Recent Comments:
Breakfast Topic: What new class of weapons would you add to WoW? {WoW}
Sep 15th 2011 8:37AM Pistols for hunter akimbo-awesomeness!
Breakfast Topic: Is transmogrification bringing you back? {WoW}
Aug 27th 2011 11:03AM Yes it has. I've started playing again since it was announced. I don't even raid or run dungeons anymore on my hunter main. I've just been running old content to gather up gear.
That said, I'm also leveling up a warrior tank so that maybe I can start raiding/dungeoning again. But transmog was the one thing that brought me back.
The OverAchiever: Why Icecrown was less fun than Sunwell {WoW}
Aug 25th 2011 4:59PM Ulduar is easily my favorite raid tier ever. ToC with togglable hard modes was a mistake, one that has echoed for 4 tiers now. Pressing Mimiron's big red button to make the fight harder made sense. Clicking heroic mode before even entering the raid and the fight just being more difficult, does not.
I like the big, multi wing raids best, such as Ulduar and ICC. Easier wings early on for more casual raiders, with harder bosses later on. This way a guild does not have to choose one smaller raid to do for the week, do what they can, and have something to push for later.
Ulduar was really the pinnacle of PvE content. Big, epic, lore rich, flavorful and meaningful hard modes made it the best by far. My little casual guild and I were so pleased when we got our rusted drakes near the end of wrath, because Ulduar was still fun and challenging for us.
Giveaway: Two new Element carbon-fiber iPhone 4 cases {TUAW.com}
Jun 1st 2011 11:45PM Haven't had any bad tumbles so far, hopefully this case will be insurance when the inevitable happens!
Patch 4.2: The keyring is gone. Gozer is saddened. {WoW}
May 23rd 2011 7:13PM Aww, my Blacksmith will have to vendor about 200 Titanium Skeleton keys /tear
But I am excited about getting bags for other stuff, like tabards, armor sets, etc.
Red Faction: Origins trailer defies our expectations {Joystiq}
May 3rd 2011 3:31AM When I saw the preview image, I immediately thought it was a live action Snake vs. The Boss sequence from MGS3 o_O
Win a Razer Nostromo game keypad from WoW Insider {WoW}
Apr 26th 2011 2:05PM I'm so ninjaing this...
Know Your Lore: The sorrow of Southern Barrens {WoW}
Apr 24th 2011 8:08PM Southshore is just as relevant as long as the Horde calls the Forsaken allies. Until Garrosh cracks down on Sylvanas, he is indirectly supporting her actions.
Know Your Lore: The sorrow of Southern Barrens {WoW}
Apr 24th 2011 6:21PM Don't forget Southshore.
World Backup Day: 1 TB hard drive giveaway from OWC {TUAW.com}
Mar 31st 2011 8:13PM Another 1TB of storage? Yes please!


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400 Dowman Drive MSC - RM N216Atlanta, GA 30322-2430
The group also has strong computing capability. In addition to mainframe access, we operate some of the fastest and largest microcomputers on campus. These support sophisticated data analysis, and a new effort in simulating the optical properties for real materials. The combination of condensed matter and optical activity in my group gives an extremely flexible graduate education and produces expertise which is welcome in industrial as well as academic or government employment. There is generally a wide variety of projects available, with opportunities to focus on the laser and optical aspects. The group activities are consistently funded by outside sources, with research support for graduate students.
Awards and Honors:


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Why riding my bike has me worried
I'm not sure why, but it's feeling a lot more dangerous to ride my bicycle.
As you may know from my past cycling-related posts, riding my bike on the road with my friends, husband or to work is one of my primary ways to keep in shape. And, for the most part, my rides have been uneventful and incident free.
I have, on the rare occasion, cringed as a driver looking to pass me on a curve has nearly driven into an oncoming car. I have also experienced a moment of road rage when a hopefully well-intentioned driver honked at me, nearly causing me to run my bicycle off of the road. But, generally, I have always felt very safe riding the back roads of Massachusetts.
Until this summer.
Maybe it's because I'm on the road more than in past years as I train for the triathlon. But I think it's more likely to do with some of the comments I've read, or had said to me, that really leave me cold. Comments along the lines of "if a cyclist gets killed it's their own fault."
I'm not going to try to position myself as an expert on bicycle laws and safety. And there are many great articles (linked below) with tips for drivers and cyclists. But I do have a couple of requests for both drivers and cyclists:
Know the rules of the road – I don't know about you, but the last time I reviewed my state's driving laws I was sixteen years old, preparing for my driver's license exam. For example:
- Drivers, do you know that, in general cyclists have a legal right to the road, same as cars?
- Cyclists, do you know you are expected to follow all of the same traffic laws including signaling and stopping at lights?
(Obviously, the rules in your state may differ, so do your research).
Stay calm – I know it's hard, but we all need to stay calm when we find ourselves in sticky situations. I must confess that after the honking incident referred to above, I swore very loudly and, for more than a few minutes tried to catch the driver so I could either a) give her a piece of mind or b) beat her with my bicycle helmet.
It was not my finest moment.
Remember – I have a couple of things I'd like you to remember.
- In the game of chicken between car and bicycle the cyclist always loses. But imagine what damage will also be done to the driver's life because of both legal and emotional ramifications of a fatal accident.
- To drivers, I ask you to remember the cyclist sending you into a rage spiral is not just some guy or gal on a bicycle. Instead, they are someone who most likely fulfills many important roles such as father, husband, friend, brother, son and uncle.
- To cyclists, I ask you to remember you are not above the law and that, as the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense. Obey the laws and through best practices, be a good representative for the rest of us.
What do you think – can cyclists and drivers learn to get along?
- Share the Road – League of American Bicyclists
- State Bike Laws – League of American Bicyclists
- How not to kill a cyclist – The Morning News
- How not to get hit by cars – Bicycle Safety


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Updated: November 26, 2012 11:38PM
Man strangled teen for videotaping argument
Robert Westfall, 54, of rural Valparaiso, was arrested for felony strangulation and misdemeanor battery after allegedly attacking a 17-year-old female relative.
At about 9:20 p.m. Sunday, at a home in the 300 block of West County Road 400S, north of Boone Grove, the teen told police she was using her phone to record an argument between Westfall and her brother. Her mother said Westfall choked the teen and banged her head against a cabinet to get the phone, which he smashed, according to the police report.
23 charged with drunken driving over weekend
Twenty-three people were booked at the Porter County Jail on drunken driving charges over the long holiday weekend — between Wednesday night and early Monday. The majority of the arrests were made in the early hours of Thursday. Porter County Sheriff's police made the most arrests, eight, followed by Portage police officers, who made five.
Among the arrests, at least one involved a crash and two involved drivers with a history of drunken driving:
Richard Jakich, 27, of Wheatfield, was stopped at about 2:55 a.m. Thursday after traveling east in the westbound lane of Veterans Avenue. Police said Jakich, who refused field sobriety and chemical tests, had two prior drunken driving convictions within the past five years. He was charged with felony drunken driving with a prior, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Emanuel Pack, 50, of Gary, was arrested for felony drunken driving with a prior during a traffic stop at about 1:05 a.m. Sunday, for not staying in his lane on U.S. 20, west of Indiana 149.
Gregory Orzech, 41, of rural Michigan City, was arrested at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday after crashing into a NIPSCO pole on the Porter/LaPorte County Line Road. He was charged with misdemeanor drunken driving.
Faulty lock blamed for medication thefts
Between 9 a.m. and 2:45 p.m. Saturday, an unknown person reportedly stole four types of medications from an apartment in the 100 block of Jamestown, east of Valparaiso. There were no signs of forced entry, but the rear door's lock is faulty, police said. The same types of medications, and other items, also were stolen in a prior burglary at the same address, police said.
Car stolen and recovered
A red 2004 Saturn Ion was reported stolen between 8:30 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday, from outside an apartment building in the 300 block of Worchester Drive. The car was found unattended that morning in the 1900 block of Driftwood Street in Portage.
Man arrested for allegedly choking woman
Matthew Clark, 29, was arrested for felony strangulation at his home in the 2900 block of Roosevelt Road.
A 40-year-old woman living with him told police Clark choked her on and off over the course of two hours, leaving visible injuries; she reported the battery at about 9:20 p.m. Saturday, after he left. He was arrested when he returned home at about 11:25 p.m. Clark also was charged with misdemeanor invasion of privacy, even though he and the victim each told police they thought her protective order against him had been dropped.
Shoplifters caught at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart security helped police make two felony theft arrests in separate incidents at the store at 6087 U.S. 6.
Ramon Jones, 19, of Gary, was arrested at about 4:30 p.m. Friday for allegedly stealing seven video games worth $269.33. He used a razor blade to open the packaging, which he left on the shelves, police said.
Michele Beverly, 26, of Portage, was arrested at about 5:45 p.m. Saturday. Store security accused Beverly of leaving the store with $96.08 worth of merchandise, including underwear and bathroom items, hidden under her coat.


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Give Marching Band, Show Choir, and Dance credit!
We, the undersigned students and faculty members of California public schools, are opposed to proposed legislation to remove show choir, marching band and dance from the list of acceptable physical education courses, as per Education Code, sections 51222 and 51241. Since these organizations all get the amount of physical activity required by the state per week, there is no logical reason why these classes should not be granted physical education credit. We are not trying to just â
Recent signatures
Adobe OEM Software, Ukraine
3 years ago Comments: Z33opt Really informative article.Much thanks again. Keep writing.
logan clark, United States
5 years ago Comments: my school doesnt have it as a gym credit
David Radtke, United States
5 years ago Comments: I agree with this petition. I have no special interest in the outcome, but I live right next to a high school and the students in the activities other than the actual PE courses seem to get much more physical activity than many in the PE classes. Swimming is about the only activity they should need to take in PE. And many students are already proficient in swimming so they and all students could be given a chance to test out of the swimming requirements if they want.
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1887 Lever Action 28"
The 1887 Lever Action shotgun is a perfect choice for traditional hunting, with a 5 round magazine + 1 in the chamber.
The Chiappa Firearms Model 1887 is based on the design of the original 1887 solid lever including its innovative internal safety.
This design minimizes the possibility of accidental shooting while the breech block is open by not allowing the firing pin to strike the primer until the breech block is completely closed.
Price: $1357.00 wood with blued steel
Price: $1533.00 wood with chrome
Caliber: 12 gauge
Capacity: 5+1
Barrel Length: 28"
Total Length: 45"
Weight: 9.3 lbs.
Finish: color case
© 2015 MKS Chiappa. All rights reserved.


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My Profile
United States
Member since Jan 2012
Flag This ProfileFlag as Inappropriate
Reviewed Spicy Pop Pulled Pork
Jan 17, 2012 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"I loved this super easy recipe. I used the crockpot on high for 5 hours, then cut down to low for 2 more. I'm afraid the peppers made it a tad hot, but not intolerable. The smoky flavor was perfect. Compared to what I would have paid my local BBQ restaurant for that much pulled pork, I definitely came out way ahead. Next time I will figure out..."


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Here are all of the posts tagged 'strategy'.
Marketing Magazine recently published an article by me on using tragedy as content. They've been kind enough to let us reproduce it in full below:
12 years ago, two planes were hijacked and flown into the World Trade Centre in New York, collapsing both towers.
A plane was also crashed into the Pentagon, and a fourth hijacked plane, supposedly heading for the White House, was brought down before it reached its target. 2996 people died.
The date was September 11, 2001. I'm sure you haven't forgotten.
Nor have you forgotten those who died in the subsequent bombings in Bali. Nor the events in London on July 7, 2005. You will clearly remember the horrific tsunami that struck the Indian Ocean in 2004, and Hurricane Katrina, which decimated New Orleans, also in 2005.
Closer to home, you will no doubt remember the date of the Port Arthur Massacre in which 35 people died and 23 were injured. The annual flooding in Queensland and the bush fires that afflict much of the country in the hotter months – both claiming property, livelihoods and lives each year – will be fresh in your memory.
It probably hasn't escaped your attention that next year, 2014, is the centenary of the outbreak of World War One – The Great War – a war that claimed over 37 million lives.
These are tragedies and disasters that affect us all, both personally and on a wider cultural scale. These are times to commemorate and reflect, commiserate and mourn.
However you choose to remember or forget such events, let us be clear on this: tragedies and disasters are not marketing opportunities.
Last week in the US, brands as large as GE and Verizon sent out reminders to 'honour the memory of those we lost' using the hashtag #neverforget, which many Tweeps were using to commemorate the 9/11 attacks.
Businesses as diverse as golf courses, plumbers, restaurants, sports nutritionists and tanning salons used 9/11 to give out discounts on their products.
'Remembering the fallen heroes' claimed one tweet, right before peddling their wares on the trending hashtag.
Much has been written before about how brands on social media are not friends with their customers, but it's a point worth re-iterating, because brands need to understand their place – you are not people.
When a person likes or follows your brand they are giving you permission to talk to them. You are being invited into their newsfeed and their timeline along with their friends and family, but you are not one of them. You do not have permission to cross that line.
That line applies to topics such as sex, religion and politics – as it would when conversing with any customer – and it also applies to tragedies and disasters.
While social media has changed the way brands communicate with their customers, it has not changed the fundamental brand/customer relationship. You are still the brand. They are still the customer. The reason you are on social media is to sell things.
Never forget that.
The topics you have permission to talk about should be outlined in your social content strategy. They should be things that are valuable to your customer, and relevant to both your customer's interests and to your brand.
When there is cause for national celebration, you may find some room in your content to reference it in a valuable, relevant way. But there is no valuable, relevant way to talk about tragedy.
I've said before that your social content strategy is as much about what you choose not to post, because everything you say as a brand on social media is marketing. Every post or tweet is branded content. You can't brand grief.
Where I grew up, in the UK, tragedies were marked by an act of collective silence. At times like these staying silent will say more about your grief, and will sound a lot more sincere, than saying anything at all.
Marketing Magazine recently published an article by me on dealing with internet trolls.They've been kind enough to let us reproduce it in full below:
In The Dark Knight, Bruce Wayne seeks advice on his latest foe, Joker, from his astute cockney butler Alfred.
Mr Wayne (logical, measured, likes to dress up as a bat) is stumped.
"Criminals aren't complicated," he tells his trusty manservant, "we just have to figure out what he's after."
Let's pause there. Substitute the word 'criminals' for 'customers', 'fans' or 'followers', and you've about summed up the way most brands approach community management:
'Customers aren't complicated, we just have to figure out what they're after.'
Most brands have a list of pre-approved responses, an escalation matrix, tone and style guidelines, brand voice guidelines, community guidelines and so on.
They probably have directives to respond to each post or tweet within a set period of time (after all, brands are being judged on how quickly and efficiently they respond to posts), and community managers are tasked with being the arbiters of these directives.
But these directives, these guidelines – these community management 'principles' – fail to take into consideration posts that don't play by the rules.
Picking up where we left him, Bruce Wayne is failing to grasp why someone would commit crimes seemingly without motive.
"With respect, Master Wayne" Alfred tells him, "perhaps this is a man that you don't fully understand.
"Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with.
"Some men just want to watch the world burn."
Alfred is of course referring to Joker, but his advice is also true for the arch nemesis of the community manager: the troll.
You can put in place all of the measures and matrices and management you can think of, but there will always be exceptions.
Trolls aren't looking for customer service – in all likelihood they aren't customers at all. They aren't looking for a measured response or a reply within 15 minutes. They aren't trying to make a point or a serious criticism.
They're looking for opportunities to create chaos.
It doesn't matter whether you're a top ten brand or a mom and pop shop, if the trolls see room to ruffle feathers, they'll have a go.
So if the usual measures don't work, how then do you deal with a troll?
In The Dark Knight, Joker is ultimately defeated by the people. They refuse to play his game, not giving him the satisfaction.
You can always do the same. You've probably heard the expression 'don't feed the trolls', and certainly, that is one way to go.
But comments left unattended look messy and can result in more trolls joining in. And if the troll hasn't used offensive language, or insulted or threatened anyone, then you really have no room to delete their post or comment.
No, feeding the trolls isn't the issue. It's what you feed them that makes the difference, and to understand that, you need to understand the fundamental reason they behave the way they do.
In their own words, they do it "for the lulz".
So give them what they want. Next time you have a troll, try this; simply reply to whatever they post with 'lol'.
By ignoring the rules, you'll both diffuse the troll and let them, and the rest of your community know that you've got a personality – that you're not a machine stocked with automated responses.
Batman had to go to extreme lengths to defeat Joker, building a machine with the power to spy on every citizen of Gotham. But you don't need to be that rigid, that inflexible. You don't need to take the hard line.
As Joker would say: "Why so serious?"
So, have a little fun every now and then. Lol the troll.
Marketing magazine recently published an article from me about putting people first. They've been kind enough to let us reproduce it in full below:
A few years ago I attended a screenwriting class taught by a friend at UCLA. The topic that night was television.
After some discussion about the major television networks, a student asked what they generally looked for in a script.
"Well, who are their customers?" my friend asked the class – mostly mature students looking to break into full time writing. Hands shot up, and we all agreed that the viewers, the television audience, were the customer.
"Okay," he continued, "what is their product, what are they selling?"
"The shows are the product," a student answered, voicing the consensus.
"Nope," my friend, a film and television producer, smiled. "Advertisers are the customers."
He paused.
"The product is you."
Mind blown.
It makes sense, of course, when you consider the origins of the televised serial narrative – the soap opera – funded by detergent brands in order to promote their wares.
It makes sense, and yet hearing it put like that, well, left a sour taste in the mouth. Something about that model just felt wrong. Obscured. Perverted.
But I'm not here to talk about television.
'Advertisers are the customers.'
When Facebook went public earlier this year, much like television, people were no longer the customers. Brands were. Users simply became product to sell to advertisers.
When analysts spoke of Facebook's need to monetise the platform, what they were really saying is that Facebook needs to monetise the users.
Since its IPO earlier in the year, Facebook has been building and testing, deploying and upgrading, optimising and tinkering. Why? To make its ads more effective.
To make users, Facebook's product, more valuable. Users. You.
But I'm not here to talk about Facebook.
'The product is you'.
Twitter is battening down the API hatches and locking the doors to its user base in order to more effectively monetise. Tumblr has begun rolling out (thus far relatively un-obtrusive) ad-supported content.
But I'm not here to talk about those platforms, either.
I'm also not here to talk about users, followers, likers, players, gamers, subscribers or customers.
Today I want to talk about people.
Today I want to consider the human.
Humans are an okay bunch. Most keep to themselves. They eat, they sleep, they love and laugh. They live. For a while anyway.
Humans have limited time, which makes them worry. They want ways to make their life easier, less complicated. They want less clutter.
They like new, shiny things. They like information. They like stories. In fact, humans love stories.
Humans buy what we sell. Sometimes because they need it, sometimes because their neighbour has one. If they like it, they'll tell other humans. Sometimes, those humans will buy one too.
As marketers, humans are very valuable to us. But a single human can be subjected to as many as twenty thousand marketing messages a day.
Twenty thousand.
That's not very human friendly.
Marketers are human sometimes, but probably not often enough. Instead of finding ways to talk to other humans, to listen, to understand their needs, we spend time and money trying to shout louder than other marketers, and creating new places to put our messages.
How often do you hear a human say, 'Well golly, those clever souls at Brand X found a devious and downright genius new way to show me ads. It's amazing – the ad followed me around every other site I visited for days until I just had to buy one of their products. I just had to. It's brilliant. I'm telling everyone!'
That's not a speech I've ever heard a person give. Marketers… maybe. Perhaps this one is more recognisable:
'I just read/watched/heard the most amazing/heartwarming/incredible/funny story. Brand X just shared it. It's really good. I'll send it to you.'
Humans love stories, not adverts.
When you're thinking about your marketing plan for next year, when you're allocating your budget and planning channels; consider the human.
Take some of that budget and hire content producers. Hire storytellers. Start campaigns that put humans first.
2013 is not the year of mobile, or whatever new social network your kids are using. 2013 is the year of the human. 2013 is about finding the right platforms and the right campaigns for the people who want to buy what you sell, and creating stories just for them.
Marketers are human sometimes. Why not think and act that way all the time.
We Are Social Australia is looking to add the right people in a range of roles across the business.
We've grown dramatically, both globally and here locally, where we're working with some of the biggest and most socially ambitious companies in Australia - and now we need more great people to join us in our Sydney office.
We are looking for;
- Front end Developers – Mid level
- Back end Developers – Senior level
- Digital Producers
- Account Managers
- Account Directors
- Social Strategists
- Community & Content Managers
- Social Media Researchers
- Interns
How to apply;
Send us an email with your name and the role you're applying for in the subject line.
Attach your CV, and then introduce yourself in no more than 400 words – tell us your background, examples that clearly demonstrate your proven track record – links to work if possible, and importantly, why you want to work at We Are Social.
We suggest adding links to LinkedIn and your social profiles.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Welcome to Movember, folks! Also know round these parts as 'Tom Selleck appreciation month'.
To ease you into your month we've gathered the biggest stories from the social web for you to digest in one-easy-to-swallow blog post.
Here are the Top 10 stories in social media this week;
1. Facebook and Twitter users spamming friends in exchange for cash
In what amounts to a hijacking of brand advocacy, Socialloot are offering marketing dollars to users who sign up and post about brands to their communities.
The site has over a million users in Australia across Facebook and Twitter, with 500 Australian brands – including Reader's Digest, Perfume Connection, Starshots and Bevilles Jeweller - offering users cash in exchange for links.
With the company set to go Global next year, it's worth keeping an eye on. If your friends start trying to sell you random products, it'll likely be the end of social networking as we know it.
Also, you should totally buy a Slusho.
2. Marketers use fan numbers to measure social media success
A newly-released survey suggests that although marketers realise fan numbers aren't the be-all and end-all, they do end up relying on them for measuring success. 60% still used fan numbers as a primary measure of gauging success.
The folly of this is clear: just accruing fans is not enough; it's what you do with them which is important.
3. Vitrue research into Facebook fans
Vitrue have produced a really useful bit of research outlining how the demographics of Facebook overall are markedly different from the sub-group who like Pages, who tend to be younger and predominantly women.
In the case of consumer packaged goods Pages, the fans skew even more female but are slightly older.
4. How the F8 changes are affecting Facebook Pages
Analysis from PageLever suggests that the recent Facebook changes have made more fans see Page updates, but those fans are seeing fewer updates:
Facebook's changes, announced at its F8 Developers Conference last month, appear to have boosted brands' visibility among more of their fans but decreased the frequency with which a brand's fans see its messages, according to a study of more than 300 brand pages. In what should be considered good news, the new layout has substantially increased fan interactions with brands.
EdgeRank Checker have produced other research, highlighting how engagement is generally up massively, with comments up 14% and likes up 16%, although impressions are down 22%.
In addition, engagement has dropped on smaller Facebook Pages, meaning that although this is good news for big brands, it's bad news for local restaurants:
5. Google+ launches more updates in bid to improve UI
Google+ rolled out three new features last week, in a bid to increase the amount of time people spend on the site:
1) They've launched a what's hot on Google + feature, to highlight – how did you guess?! – what's hot on Google+:
2) There's also now Google+ Ripples, which allows you how to track how popular posts are shared, and who the big conversation drivers and contributors are:
3) Finally and most interestingly, they've launched Google+ Creative Kit which allows users to edit their photos with some cool effects:
With Google+ now also available with Google Apps, one can hardly accuse Google of giving up on Google+ just yet.
6. BBC moves to human-edited Twitter feeds
The BBC has announced that its four core Twitter feeds will now be curated by real people. Nieman Journalism Lab has an interesting post about the effect human curation can have.
7. Airlines outed for bad customer service in social
There was bad news for two airlines this week: first, American Airlines was declared the least popular airline in social media, with only 12% positive sentiment.
Then, Qantas managed to fully step up to the fail-plate with some unbelievably wooden customer service via social media.
All of this left them flying towards the top of the trending topics, before the fuel of negative sentiment overpowered the account, leading them to truly crash and burn. It's plain simple: it's just not good enough to wing it.
8. adidas Originals Womens' Look Book Instagram Contest
adidas recently launched an interesting city vs city Instagram challenge to encourage fans to capture their Originals styles.
Fans then upload photos of their outfits and their friends' and tag them with #adidasoriginals and a geo-tag of their city and vote for their favourite look.
9. Chapstick's social media suicide
A real #epicfail for Chapstick: first they posted an image of a woman with her backside in the air looking for her chapstick behind the sofa.
This photo received a spiral of negative comments which were subsequently deleted. More comments were posted, more comments were deleted, still with no word of apology.
Finally Chapstick issued an apology containing the words "we're committed to listening…" but we're not sure that message will stick, chaps.
10. Mexican football team replaces players' names with Twitter handles
In a nifty move, Mexican football team Jaguares di Chiapas put their players' Twitter handles on the back of their shirts instead of their names.
They also advertised their sponsor's Twitter account, rather than the sponsor itself. Tweet idea!
The Week According To The Internet:
- Twitter Account Of The Week: Shippam's Fish Paste
- Tumblr Of The Week: Barack Obama
- Heartwarming Reddit thread of the week: Boy suffering Leukemia photoshopped into amazing pictures to cheer him up.


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Sat, Dec 1, 12 at 13:14
I live in So. Calif. in Long Beach and I am trying to find a really clean Luce Di Luna or White/Bianca Macaubus quartzite with just the horizontal veins and without vertical veins running through them (see picture). I previously posted "Quartzite help!!!!" here. I am trying to get a contemporary look with my white glossy cabinets and natural color bamboo flooring. I am posting a picture of a really clean looking slab of this description. Is it possible to find this and at what price? Is it better to seek out a good fabricator to find one for me? If so, do you know of a good fabricator in the So. Cal area (Orange County is best)? Any advice would be appreciated. |
Follow-Up Postings:
Hi. We installed Princess White quartzite and Sawaed (from Sawaed Inc.) was our fabricator. He did a great job. He's located in the Valley, but we actually purchased our stone from Marbolis in Anaheim. They had White Macaubus when we we looking for our slab, but I can't remember exactly what the slabs looked like (and that was back in August - but they were pretty nice from what I can remember). If you are interested, I have a spreadsheet with practically every stone yard from the Valley to Orange County and their phone numbers. We just called around to ask if they had any of the stones we were interested in and then visited the sites that had the types we were looking for. Good luck! |
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text:
"We're living in an age of mass uprisings" – Interviewer of filmaker Jehane Neujahim ("The Square") points out something being missed by MSM and most Americans
"The Square" is an Oscar nominated real-time documentary about Tahrir Square. It's well worth reading her perspective on events in Egypt and her filmmaking in this interview by Ed Rampell in In These Times: "The Revolution Will Be Filmed". When one goes beyond Flight 370 and the Kardashians, it is clear that skyrocketing inequality of wealth and human rights is leading to a period of global unrest that is rarely commented on in the U.S. It is a good thing that America has football and March Madness, or we might be seeing similar protests here.
Here is the quote that quote my attention:
To Any of You Going to the AIPAC Policy Conference – Please Send Me a Report
I know that you will have an exciting time with lots of energy and hoopla. But I am very curious to hear about the tone and content of what transpires.
First, I would like to know whether Kerry's diplomatic push is spoken of in a positive or negative manner. That is, whether U.S. getting the sides to the table is a good thing or not – NOT whether the chances of success are good. Not whether there is no partner, etc. That is, does AIPAC support diplomacy with regard to the Palestinians?
I am interested to hear how much support you hear for a two state solution. Again, not whether or not it is likely to come about right now – but whether it is a good idea or not that trying our hardest to work towards that goal or not. In that regard, do you hear anyone talking about the importance of coming up with some solution to the current Occupation? Do people think that the status quo can continue indefinitely? Or, annexation of Judea and Samaria into one Jewish state where the Palestinians have less rights than Jews? Annexation of Judea and Samaria where it's one person, one vote? Or, again, Do you hear anyone talking about creative solutions, like saying that it might be a good idea to freeze construction in the West Bank temporarily to see whether this might force the Palestinians to 'put up or shut up'?
Do you hear anyone talking about very real everyday facts on the ground in the West Bank? Like in East Jerusalem that Palestinians are being forced from their homes and replaced by Jews? Or, about Settler violence (so called "price tag" attacks) including burning of olive trees, torching of mosques, and even firing guns at Palestinians by both settlers and even IDF – with almost no legal recourse? Or the destruction of Bedouin structures (as flimsy as they may be) that are on their own land? These are facts which are written about in Israeli papers that should be discussed here as well. In the same way that the rocket firings from Gaza, or the buildup in arms by Hezbollah, or the fact that Hamas is going broke need to be discussed. (One excellent thing is there isn't much to discuss about violence from the West Bank against Israelis because as I understand it, in the last two years, thank God, there has only been one killing of a Jew by an Arab from the West Bank. That is one too many – but frankly if you look into it, I believe that you will find that it is less than the number of Palestinians that have been killed by settlers and IDF during that same time period.)
Next, I am curious to know whether you hear support for diplomacy with Iran – and what the nature of the agreement is that they would support. I personally am a big supporter of keeping the military option on the table – but even more importantly, I believe that we need to push very hard to make this diplomatic effort work. Public criticism of the administration makes very little sense given that we are in negotiations at the moment. Doesn't this type of rift show weakness, not strength? Although AIPAC finally backed off pushing the Senate Sanctions bill when the Republicans tried to force a vote (and they are still trying to force a vote by attaching the language to other bills), they essentially ignored Kerry's specific call during Senate hearings for them to hold off on this bill until the talks had run their course. If sanctions were supposed to force the Iranians to the bargaining table, then they worked. It is time to support the negotiations and the negotiators. While I have heard the argument that the Senate sanctions bill will provide more leverage, that is not the Administration's position. The move in the Senate appears to be more grandstanding than anything else – and particularly now that the Republicans are moving to call a vote. Wouldn't it be more effective to work behind the scenes to make sure that the Administration drives a hard bargain?
Also, I would like to hear about the diplomatic proposals that are being discussed. Although it would best if Iran dismantled their entire program – no enrichment, no centrifuges, no missiles – realistically, they will never agree to this. It would be too much of a loss of face for them both internationally and domestically. Therefore, be aware that anyone proposing no enrichment is not seriously supporting a diplomatic agreement. They aren't necessarily warmongers – but many do in fact know that the Iranians will never accept this, but it is their way of "supporting" diplomacy while knowing that their position has no chance of acceptance. Listen carefully to people. Some will say that Iran must be prevented from getting a nuclear . Others will say that it must be prevented from having a nuclear capability. This is a significant difference and you should listen closely for who says which. If they say capability, they are usually also saying that Iran must eliminate their entire nuclear program – which as I said above is totally unrealistic.
I am particularly interested to know how much talk there is about the consequences of possible military action – and what the speakers say about it. I haven't seen the agenda, but I believe that there may indeed be some experts discussing this and I would be interested to know what their assessments are.
Finally, a little prognostication on my part. My bet is that every Congressman and Senator will say the following:
"Israel is our greatest ally"
"Israel shares our values"
"Iran is the greatest threat to Israel, the US and the entire world"
"Iran is the greatest supporter of terrorism in the world" [What ever happened to Al Qaeda?]
"The military option must not be taken off the table" [A very true statement – but how many folks are willing to talk about the exact make up of the military action – and what the resulting risks and consequences might be. Are folks willing to risk Hezbollah raining down hundreds or thousands of rockets on Israel? The question needs to be discussed]
"Israel's security is our number one priority"
"I love Israel [more than the next guy]"
Don't get me wrong, these are all good things. Most of these are true statements. However, the answers are so pat, that they border on pandering – and most important, it is not good if this is the level of sophistication with which these people are going to be basing their votes on when it comes to legislation that has such serious consequences for the US, Israel and the entire world.
Looking forward to hearing about the Conference. Have a great trip and enjoy!
If You Want to Handicap the Vote on Military Action Against Syria Here's A Great Website
Liberal website, ThinkProgress, is tracking likely Yes and No votes here: Syria Vote
Alternative Response in Syria: A Humanitarian Strike
As time goes on, the whole issue of an international military response to Syria's use of chemical weapons becomes tied in a tighter and tighter Gordian knot. Tactically, the military options themselves offer less and less chance for effectiveness as the Syrians prepare themselves both operationally and mentally for an attack. Strategically, the extent and depth of the response is being weighed by the forces of geopolitics: particularly the Russians and Iranians. Not to mention our allies, the Israelis. The international justice framework has shown its typical weakness. Not only has the U.N. refused to sanction military action, but a coalition of the "willing" outside of the U.N. is pretty minimal, particularly after the British Parliament voted nay. France and Turkey seem to be the only major players willing to support action by the U.S. Then, there is American politics. Had Obama not decided to seek Congressional approval, he would have been hounded by Republicans for overreaching his executive powers; now that he has decided to go to Congress, he will presumably be accused of weakening executive powers for the future. Not only that, he is also being labeled as indecisive, weak and giving the enemy too much time. And, finally, there are the unintended consequences of a military strike. No one can predict with certainty what the reactions of the Syrians, the Russians or Iranians might be. Although many are betting that the Syrians will not react in any major way – one never really knows. Although one of the Administration's major goals is to keep "boots off the ground", once the first American missile is fired, events will take on lives of their own. So, the fact is that taking military action is essentially a no-win proposition.
There is, however, an alternative: the U.S. could launch a humanitarian strike. Instead, of launching a couple of cruise missiles, the U.S. could launch ships, cargo planes and helicopters full of food, medical supplies, building material, blankets, clothes, etc to the refugee camps. It was just announced yesterday that the number of Syrian refugees has passed the 2 million mark. Our assistance would presumably be extremely welcome by Jordan and somewhat welcome by Turkey and possibly Iraq. Granted, this is putting boots on the ground, but the U.S. actually does this all of the time. Every year both USAID and the Department of Defense respond to scores of international disasters all around the world. Some of the past disaster response efforts with which the U.S. military has assisted include the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia; 2005 earthquake and 2010 flooding in Pakistan; and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. So, while we constantly provide aid and assistance, it is rarely done with such a great potential strategic benefit.
Doesn't this make a much stronger statement about the use of chemical weapons, than taking mostly symbolic destructive military action? Instead of assuming that the only language the world understands is force, let's make "the shot across the bow" be helping tens of thousands of innocent people.
However, some have said that if the U.S. doesn't respond militarily, it will show a lack of resolve. But there are different types of resolve, and coming to the aid of the victims of this war seems to be an excellent one. Certainly, there will be unintended consequences of this action – but for a change many of them may actually be positive! We can take the moral high ground and build respect within the international community. We can ask the international community to join us, with particular emphasis on the Russians and the Iranians. They would be hard put to refuse and if they were to engage in this project perhaps it would actually improve the chances for negotiations and diplomacy in both Syria and Iraq. In turn, humanitarian action would enhance our ability to gain support from other nations and the U.N. if the situation deteriorates, and we really do need to build a coalition for military action. It might also have the effect of putting some pressure on both the Iranians and the Russians to change their position on supporting Assad and continuing the violence.
Finally, one of the main advantages of a humanitarian strike is that it totally resets the strategic and tactical calculus. As has been said a hundred different ways by a hundred different commentators, the current situation that Obama is in appears to be absolutely no-win – both from a domestic political standpoint and from an international perspective. Therefore, it is time to create a new option. Providing a huge level of humanitarian aid to the refugees sends the right message to all of the parties – and it slices the Gordian knot in half.
A high school freshman explains the Egyptian Crisis
This video, taken last October, of a young Egyptian boy explaining the problems with the ruling Egyptian political system is definitely worth spending 3 minutes to watch. His analysis is as good as you can imagine hearing.
Secretary of State Kerry Channels J Street Talking Points in his Speech to the AJC
On Monday, Secretary John Kerry gave the most significant foreign policy speech of his short tenure as the head of the State Department. When listened to in conjunction with the speech that President Obama made in Jerusalem in March, it becomes clear that this administration has put the Israeli-Palestinian issue at the very top of its foreign policy agenda despite all of the other pressing matters in the world.
I believe that anyone interested in the Israeli-Palestinian issue should take a half-hour and listen to this speech because it clearly lays out this administration's beliefs about what needs to be done – and done soon. You can access it here: Sec of State Kerry's Remarks to AJC 6/3/2013
Kerry's points were straightforward:
- Israel's security is top priority. However, "best way to truly ensure Israel's security today and for future generations is by ending once and for all the conflict with the Palestinians…by reaching a negotiated resolution that results in two states for two peoples…A realistic one-state solution simply does not exist for either side"
- This is the time to move forward
- A negotiated solution (which would include a demilitarized Palestine) is needed
- We must recognize the "Palestinians' fundamental aspirations" for a state of their own
- Time is running out for a two state solution
- The status quo is not sustainable
- The Palestinian Authority has shown its commitment to non-violence and nation building
- What will happen if there is not a negotiated solution? Any or all of the following:
- Widespread civil disobedience, possibly leading to a third intifada
- Going back to the UN for more recognition
- Going to the International Criminal Court
- Peace pays in economic benefits to all
- The Arab League has re-emphasized its Peace Initiative – with the addition of allowing for land swaps
- The American Jewish community must use its voice in pushing American leaders to take bold steps for peace
These are almost verbatim the talking points that J Street has been using since its inception in 2008. One of J Street's primary missions has been to support the American administration to put this issue on the front burner – and it is obvious that President Obama and Secretary Kerry have done that. It is now time for the rest of the American Jewish community to join in.
Related articles
- When Kerry says 'both sides,' AIPAC says the Palestinians (jta.org)
- Kerry warns Israel that status quo cannot hold (washingtonpost.com)


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Her hair her eyes
her body flowing
Dancing as the unheard
drum beats within
Her smell, hypnotic
entrancing, spell binding
Drawing me to her
I'm a moth to her flame
Laughter lighting up
my world, her world,
the world.
Crushing, her tears
salt to the wound
Feeling hopeless
wanting, needing
holding her
Amazing, smile
creating a dazzle
her light, light up
Oh World
Wo~! She sounds hawt! Very nice poem. Great job!
Be yourself. Because if you're busy being someone else, then who's gonna be you?
Great job! That's off the chain, yo.
"Those who dream by night, in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that all was vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes, and make it possible." T.E. Lawrence


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As part of a second wave of cuts announced in July, Microsoft is laying off 2,100 employees worldwide on September 18.
Job cuts will hit nearly all divisions later this week in the second wave of the company's larger plan to cut 18,000 employees, sources tell ZDNet.
The maker of the iPhone, iPad and iTunes has dropped the i-prefix from its newest products, starting with its Apple Watch and Apple Pay. CNET discusses why.
A major migration is under way, with technology companies large and small setting up shop in San Francisco and bypassing the historic heart of the tech industry.
For eight years, A's coach Tye Waller has been collecting data on opposing players and methodically building an application that gives the team an advantage on defense and on the bases.
Hundreds of Nokia employees in China reportedly rally against the software giant's "hostile takeover and violent layoffs."
A majority of the job cuts will come from the recently acquired Nokia devices and services unit.
Announcement of layoffs ranging between 5 percent and 10 percent expected this month when the company reports its fiscal quarter.
Former Facebook exec Chamath Palihapitiya grew up on welfare but caught a lucky break. He has an idea how the tech industry can help people -- and profit everyone concerned.
For a limited time, Boost Mobile Wallet users can send money or deposit checks without paying any additional fees.


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Contraband is an upcoming American action thriller movie directed by Baltasar Kormákur, starring Mark Wahlberg and Kate Beckinsale. The movie is actually a remake of one's Icelandic 2009 movie Reykjavík-Rotterdam which Kormákur starred in. It is established to be released on January 13, 2012 within the United States by Universal Pictures.
Synopsis: A New Orleans-set thriller about a person trying to reside out of a world he worked so tough to depart behind along with the kin he will do all the things to protect.
Chris Farraday (Mark Wahlberg) very long ago abandoned his life of crime, but instantly after his brother-in-law, Andy (Caleb Landry Jones), botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs (Giovanni Ribisi), Chris is pressured back again into executing what he does finest— operating contraband—to settle Andy's debt. Chris is actually a legendary smuggler and easily assembles a crew with the assistance of his best friend, Sebastian (Ben Foster), for one ultimate transfer to Panama and back again, hoping to return with millions in counterfeit bills. Things immediately fall apart and with only hrs to achieve the money, Chris needs to use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous felony community of brutal drug lords, cops and hit guys prior to his spouse, Kate (Kate Beckinsale), and sons turn out to be their target