text: Siberian Light By Robert White Delacorte Press; 442 pages; $23.95 Just as every courtroom thriller invites comparisons with Scott Turow's "Presumed Innocent," so does every mystery novel set in Russia have to stand up against the memory Martin Cruz Smith's "Gorky Park." "Siberian Light," a first novel by Monterey writer Robin White, does a creditable job of mining new material from what seems at first to be familiar terrain. The title refers primarily to the reservoirs of crude oil pooled beneath the Russian tundra, but the novel also provides an interesting shift in perspective, a new way of seeing the conventions of the post-Cold War thriller. Gregori Nowek, widower, amateur violinist and former geologist, now serves as the mayor of Markovo, a small Siberian river town that depends on the good graces of AmerRus, a joint venture operation drilling the nearby Tunguska oil wells. Two of Nowek's militimen are killed at the home of Andrei Ryzkhov, a political fixer who wheels and deals on behalf of AmerRus. White writes, "Son of a Moscow bigshot from the old days, Ryzkhov was a biznisman, one of the new breed, and aside from the gangsters, or perhaps because of them, he was one of the richest men in all Irkutsk Oblast." Ryzkhov is also dead, but, unlike the militiamen, his was not a swift death. When Nowek visits the crime scene, he discovers that the dealmaker was tortured before he was killed. Nowek also finds three clues: a piece of unusual gravel, a chunk of odd-smelling bone and a scrap of cloth clamped in a dead dog's mouth. The local ex-KGB official wants to take the investigation away from Nowek, but the mayor balks at relinquishing his responsibilities. Instead, he heads out to the AmerRus installation himself. There he meets Dr. Anna Vereskaya, an American ecologist and expert on the nearly extinct Siberian tiger. After catching her in an important lie about her personal relationship with Ryzkhov, Nowek sees her as a likely suspect. Before long, however, Nowek undergoes a series of unimaginable trials. He risks his job, is nearly killed, causes the death of another man and allows himself to fall in love again. He returns to Tunguska again, this time to rescue his teenaged daughter and to bring to light the atrocities buried in the snow. Robin White has lived in Siberia, worked in the oil industry and is an experienced pilot. His expertise shines through the pages of "Siberian Light," giving its plot and scene-setting the weight of authority. He describes Siberia as a place of secrets, haunted by the ghosts of the past. Even the weather conspires to lend a spectral aspect to day-to-day life. White writes, "At sixty degrees of frost the steam has nowhere to go. It coalesces into a dense mist the locals call 'people fog.' The mist is as motionless as the air. Walk and you leave a tunnel swirling behind. The fog can last all day, and Markovo becomes a warren of tunnels, marking a person's travel to work, to a shop, to an alley to drink." The novel follows the misty trails of gulag survivors, scientists, members of the Russian mafia, American convicts and Communists-turned-rabid-capitalists. White works hard to define these characterizations beyond the expected stereotypes. The characterizations all ring true, as does the budding romance between Mayor Nowek and Dr. Vereskya. What doesn't quite ring true is the plot's final revelation, the ultimate secret guarded so desperately by all of Nowek's antagonists. The action is so swift, the suspense so carefully calibrated, that it's almost possible to overlook the note of implausibility that creeps into "Siberian Light" at its climax. But that false note is still enough to keep this very promising debut from succeeding completely. (c) 1997 by Michael Berry |


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2013 Governors Awards Red Carpet
Photo Gallery
2013 Governors Awards Red Carpet
Ready for laughs? Bill Hader and writer-director Judd Apatow make the red carpet fun at the Governors Awards.
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subset: commoncrawl


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South Carolina cotton growers, who have adopted a moderate to high level of integrated pest management (IPM) practices recommended by Clemson University, reported higher yields and $57 per acre higher net returns than growers who did not follow the guidelines. The higher returns, directly attributable to grower adoption of Clemson IPM practices, translated to an overall annual return of $12.5 million to South Carolina cotton growers.
Those are some of the findings in a Clemson University survey of 162 South Carolina cotton growers to determine their adoption of IPM practices. NIFA, through a Southern Region IPM special projects grant, funded the survey. Overall survey results show that a high percentage of South Carolina cotton growers have adopted a moderate to high level of recommended IPM practices. Growers who indicated they "never or seldom" utilized Clemson IPM guidelines ranked lower on the IPM adoption scale compared with growers who "usually or always" followed the guidelines. The survey was conducted at a time when state IPM coordinators and IPM program evaluators are facing an increasing demand for hard data on the payoffs resulting from public investment in IPM programs. Until recently, state IPM programs were evaluated based on aggregate numbers of outreach activities. However, with increasing competition for resources, research and extension programs will be evaluated according to the same criteria as other agricultural inputs (i.e., the value of the product must at least equal to the cost of the resources expended). Thus, there is a critical need to quantify the economic returns on dollars invested in IPM research and extension.
For more information about the Clemson University study, contact Geoff Zehnder. For more information about NIFA IPM programs, contact Michael Fitzner.
Back to Integrated Pest Management Home Page


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I'm glad I tried this as I'm a lemon scent lover but unfortunately this smelled quite similar to lemon pledge to me. I guess it's a good scent for a "clean" house but I just couldn't get pledge out of my head :/ I'll continue to use this as I don't hate it but not sure this will be my "go to" Archipelago variety.
Also, since it smells like pledge to me, I wouldn't particularly love it in the kitchen (although I can see how one reviewer would like how it masks cooking odors) but I think this could work in my bathroom when I'm entertaining.
This candle has very good throw. I have 2 small votives of Luna that I burn and they fill my living room with scent. Lemon Verbena, Lavender, and Thyme is the mix that createes the scent "LUNA." I think I might repurchase. These may be a little strong for me. I need to really be in the mood for Luna. I am usually more of a warm-holiday scent girl. I like to burn candles in the fall/winter, not the summer. This is more of a spring/summer---kitchen/bathroom scent to me. They also have this scent in diffusers. Not sure what else. Easy to find in giftshops and online. Not bad prices. Comparable to other mid-range price candles. Definitely not cheap like drugstore, but not high-end like Diptyque.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Did you? Yes No
I agree with egilsdottir - the scent of these votives is terrifically strong. One unwrapped votive scented my entire large bedroom *unburned*. The scent is a lovely lemon/lavender combination that's refreshing and uplifting in hot weather. I've already repurchased the tin size!
hands down, these are the most strongly scented votive candles i have ever tried. luna is a very pleasant blend of lemon verbena and lavender. long lasting as far as votives go -- these burn for approximately 15 hours each. candles.net sells archipelago votives -- i am looking forward to trying out more of these, as the scent descriptions on the site look intriguing and unique.


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Original post at http://www.johnleek.com/2012/11/what-presidential-election-should.html
Some have suggested that the presidential election should show us that the United Methodist Church ought to change some of its positions. I disagree and would like to suggest an alternative lesson.
Looking at exit polling data confirmed some assumptions that I think are a bit more obvious:
image from slate.com |
If this election had only been among white voters Mitt Romney would have won in a landslide. In fact 59 percent of white voters chose Mitt Romney in this presidential election. They provided 88 percent of Romney's overall total of between 47 and 48 percent of the vote. America has changed.
Mitt Romney's numbers reminded me of something I'd read before, the demographics of the United Methodist Church in America. 93 percent are white. What America will look like soon looks a lot more like Barack Obama's coalition. Clearly the United Methodist Church needs to place a priority on reaching and planting churches among new populations. The National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministry, which follows African methods of heavy lay training and leadership, looks like a good start.
image from cnn.com |
Another distinction was that of income. Among voting households making less than 50 thousand dollars, 60 percent chose Obama. These households made up 41 percent of voters and over half of all households currently. Obama won 81 percent of voters who really wanted a president who cared about them over three other qualities. He lost a majority of voters in all other three groups.
Forty-four percent of United Methodist households are in this group. Since 72 percent of United Methodist households have no children at home and we all know there aren't a huge number of young United Methodists I'd surmise this: our "low income" folks are mostly elderly living on retirement funds and social security.
I suspect that many of the 81 percent that said "cares about people" was the most important quality in a president are in that lower income group. The United Methodist Church, like all Mainline denominations, has done a poor job a reaching lower educated and low income people. United Methodist churches of all ideological backgrounds have missed the boat on reaching these folks. We should be more concerned about the people who aren't like us who aren't in our congregations. They need a relationship with Jesus too!
Grace Church Cape Coral, a UMC reaching many low income people. image from seedbed.com |
What should this election teach us? Probably very little. It can show us that the America that exists, "real America" if you will, is not the one our denomination has already reached. It is poorer, more diverse and more disconnected. Will we reach these people by becoming more liberal or conservative? Likely not. We will reach these people by caring to actually reach them. We'll need to empower people through other communities by taking the time to love them, raising up local leadership and providing the resources they'll need to succeed. It'll take real work and risk, but Jesus intends to build his Church. It is my hope that the United Methodist Church in America will join him in that wonderful mission.


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CANTON, Ohio—Diebold in February added three new executives to its leadership team: Rob Raymond, as vice president, global financial sales; CJ Dailey, as VP of electronic security installation operations; and Michael Campbell, as VP, sales operations and development of E
CHICAGO—Diebold aims to connect SecureStat, its online security management platform, with all security products that its customers use now or might want to use in the future.
LAS VEGAS—Secured away in a suite off the ISC West show floor, Diebold executives Tony Byerly, Jeremy Brecher and Felix Gonzales spent the bulk of their time at the trade show showing off SecureStat, the integrator's new online security management platform.
NORTH CANTON, Ohio—Six weeks after leaving Stanley CSS, Tony Byerly on June 25 was named EVP, electronic security for Diebold. Byerly takes over for Bradley Stephenson, who retired from this role last November.
NAPERVILLE, Ill.—Tony Byerly, president of Stanley CSS North America and United Kingdom, is leaving the company, according to an internal announcement this week, Security Systems News has learned. Byerly will be replaced by Martin Schnurr, who is currently president of Stanley Hydraulic Tools.
ORLANDO, Fla.—There was plenty of news being made at ASIS 2011, which took place at the Orange County Convention Center Sept. 19-21. Below are some editor round-ups from ventured out onto the show floor to collect news and other goings-on.
STOCKHOLM—Stanley Black & Decker executives are here today preparing for the Sept. 9 closing of its $1.2 billion cash offer purchase of Niscayah.
LAS VEGAS—What was new on Day 1 of ISC West 2011? As usual, there were a number of partnership announcements and a couple of acquisitions; new this year was lots of talk about physical security information management systems. PSIM announcements abounded on the show floor.
LAS VEGAS—In a deal that Stanley Convergent Security Solutions says will expand its expertise in serving the government and financial sector, Stanley this morning announced a partnership with Hoyos Corporation, a provider of iris-based biometric technology product solutions. According to a Stanley press release, the Hoyos technology "effectively eliminates identity-based fraud by securely matching people with the unique biometric markers associated with their irises."
NAPERVILLE, Ill.—Stanley CSS closed its 10th and 11th Sonitrol franchise acquisitions Nov. 9, with the purchase of franchises in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, Okla. "This one is exciting for us because it's in a market were we really have an opportunity to increase market share and density," Tony Byerly, president of Stanley CSS told Security Systems News.


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30,635 Dojo and growing
Helping people find Dojo since 2004
Currently online: 692 Visitors
Most of these Martial Arts Studios, clubs and gyms offer Karate classes for kids or Self Defense classes for children, men and women in Flint area. If you are looking for classes or lessons near your address in Flint, please use the following search box and see a list of Martial Arts Schools, clubs and organizations near you.
See Martial Arts Schools and classes in places around Flint, Indiana: Angola, Orland, Elmira, Stroh, Glen Eden, Hudson, Ashley.
If you are associated with a Martial Arts School in Flint, please list it with dojolocator.


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Engaging Communities
Engaging Communities Luncheon 2015
Creating An Inclusive Culture: Global Citizenship in Higher Education
The 6th annual Engaging Communities Luncheon event will be held on Monday, February 23, 2015, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Emerson Suites.
This event is free and open to all members of the Ithaca College community and is anticipated to sellout seats quickly. Lunch will be served and a sign language interpreter will be available.
Engaging Communities is sponsored by the Office of Human Resources and any questions can be sent via email to firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Invisalign in Mansfield
With Invisalign, your Mansfield dentist can help you straighten your teeth while improving your overall dental health.
Learn more about Invisalign
General Dentistry
- Evening Appointments Available!
- Several Teeth Whitening Options
- Same Day Emergency Service
- Gentle, Professional Cleanings
- Comprehensive Exams
- Digital X-Ray
- Advanced Oral Cancer Screenings
- Periodontal / Gum Disease Treatment
- Intra Oral Camera
- Extractions
- Wisdom Tooth Extractions
- Root Canal Therapy
- Mouth Guards
- Night Guards
- Smoking Cessation
- Cold Sores
Cosmetic Dentistry
New Patient Resources
Welcome! Below you will find all the resources you need in preparation for your first dental visit. We look forward to meeting you.
Insurance and Finances
Pay your bill, check your scheduled appointments and more from any internet connection with the Smile Dash Patient Portal. Sign up today!
Your Mansfield dentist offers several payment options, as well as customized payment plans specifically designed to fit your budget.
We accept most insurance plans.


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2. Final Fantasy VIII: Gunblade, nuff said!
So what do you do when you've got a winning formula for a RPG? The logical course of action would be to come up with a sequel and try to replicate its success. Square Enix could have done that with Final Fantasy VIII but instead, they decided to shove all logic aside and go a different route. Smart move.
So did it pay off? After 13 weeks from its launch in 1999, the game earned a whopping US$50 million, making it the fastest selling Final Fantasy title at that point. How's that for success?
So what made the game so memorable? For us, it would definitely have to be the main character Squall's weapon. Let's not kid ourselves. When a game character lugs around a big-ass sword/gun hybrid gunblade around, how can you not call that cool?
There was also the gameplay. The fantasy monsters you summon could be donned as armour, the combat system allows you to draw ANY spell from anyone in any corner of the game's planet. It also had Square Enix's version of Magic: The Gathering, which just added more gameplay hours to the title.
The story, on the other hand, wasn't exactly what we called inspiring with its turgid love triangle. Still, it's worth suffering through, if only for the Gun Blade. Story aside, the rest of the game shows that the RPG-making company can turn things around when all inhibitions are let loose.
Want to relive the glory days? The game's available on Steam and PlayStation Network. Just try not to snooze when the mandatory love story parts come out.


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Fri, Aug 10, 12 at 8:49
I was in our local Menards and came upon the Portable Serving Bar you had told us about. It was on clearance for
$5.00. I'm going to give it to our daughter. Her family has a big pool and deck area. They are always having people over. I know she will love it. I am thinking I may go back and get me one. |
Follow-Up Postings:
I wish we had a Menards! My daughter was just saying this weekend that she'd like to have one of those cooler/servers. Like your daughter, she has a big deck (on a lake) and is always having people over. I guess I'll order another from Amazon. Thanks for the tip! |
How much were they on Amazon? I could pick up one and send it to you. Let me know.. |
Susie, thanks for your kind offer, but they don't cost much on Amazon. $12 or so, I think. Wouldn't be worth the cost of shipping. |
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quote:For about 175k. Obviously lots of variables to consider but whats an appropriate round abt salary for one person necessary to buy?
quote:Most people recommend that your housing costs not exceed 20% of your income, but if you don't have any other debt, its really up to you. I believe a lot of mortgage companies won't give you a loan if your monthly payment is higher than 38% of your income


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red poppy
in the country around Stuttgart
Taken by kleeblatt with a Pentacon Six loaded with Kodak Portra 160 film in stuttgart, Germany. These tags describe this photo: flower, flowers, nature, color, colour, summer, medium format, and square. Date: 2013-08. This photo can also be found in the album Country.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!
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Liking photos helps us to present the best ones to you and others. 138 people like this photo. 138 people like this photo: heyfrida, fadjaradiputra, bravopires, blurry, remyleblanc, aliceinchains, fotohelmut, ichdaschaos, leselottchen, robotto_dawad, mczoum, tsingtao, copefan, sadiestoker, markvnathan, canciondelviento, deirdre89, hapticlight, zulupt, ironsymphony, moodification, pzzzenguin, vivie, chazline, fake_plastic_girl, zargleu, koduckgirl, diana3009, pearlgirl77, tall_bastard, maria_vlachou, hafenperle, mapix, zorki, xaviru, kostas, theoclunk, alexyz, livi, mingkie, auratus, janetjhing, the_abominable_duckman, ryszardl70, gatokinetik-o, fruchtzwerg_hh, nicoloboy, daenerys, bloomchen, filipdr, chesnokova, bnjmn, anttiphotos, castiana, blueskyandhardrock, undiscovered, maggie_m, elifarafyalim, mjrothberg, yago56, satomi, sirio174, draakje, simonesavo, naiseta, atria007, peropero, lomonina, deprofundis, zonderbar, wolfinthewoods, cocaneonkamerasutra, paul_in_wonderland, prairydog, kangiha, winterschlaefer, fayeusokoi, llcooldawe, ktechritz, jackdoc, primula, disdis, lomopirat, andrejrusskovskij, rmfs-ruegen, aoba, wetterschaf, alexes, brommi, rik041, sweetyyydreams, yerzmyey, marcosnava, gorics, candee2104, suizidekid, dopa, mafiosa, kibs, _haustor, emkei, lazybuddha, ck_berlin, littlekoala, allanbendiksen, thejomi, opon21, pauline_wildwind, erikagrendel, buckshot, yankiss, istionojr, bebopbebop, masha_njam, aanum, meryl, grazie, freakoftheweek, togotogo, naranjita, oleman, lilithmoon, why-yu, clickiemcpete, sandravo, ishifishy, julea, earlybird, ohlordy, mont0417, vita-reducta, adash, dreamseller, triky76, chourique, helledd, sobetion, and poepel.
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found a new home!
Plenty of my friends are looking
for one too. Find a pet to adopt.
Find a pet to adopt |
My name is Millie!
Facts about Millie
- Breed: Chihuahua Mix
- Color: Tan/Yellow/Fawn - With White
- Age: Young
- Size: Small 25 lbs (11 kg) or less
- Sex: Female
Millie's Info...
I am already spayed, up to date with shots, good with kids, and good with dogs.
Millie is AN AMAZING. LOVING SWEET Deer Chihuahua. she is 2 years old, that will sit by you, follow you, and kiss you forever. She is great with kids, people and other dogs. Millie loves to cuddle, loves to be held, go on walks and relax by her person's side. she will sleep in your bed and be your best friend. Millie is current on her vaccinations, she is spayed and microchipped.
If you would like to adopt Millie, please call us 360-280-7744 or email us at: email@example.com
Millie's adoption fee is: $250.00
Other Pets at furever homes
Why Adoption is a Great Option
Millie, a Tumwater Chihuahua dog was adopted! Here's how you can benefit by looking at adoption as an option to buying a Chihuahua for sale in Tumwater, or seeking a Chihuahua dog from a breeder in Tumwater.
- Rescues and shelter volunteers in Tumwater already know the personality and tendencies of their pets. This means they can match you with the right pet. That will makes it much easier transition to owning a pet for yourself and your new pet.
- On average adoption fees are much less than you'd pay a Tumwater breeder, or pet store. Plus most often rescue pets have already been to the veterinarian for a check-up, had a round of vaccinations, and are spayed or neutered. That is a lot of savings!
- You will become a hero, and give a needy dog or cat a loving home. In fact, there are even Chihuahua breeders who help with Chihuahua rescue. One puppy or kitten adopted in Tumwater paves the way for another one to be saved.


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Here's how my brows look like:
Then of course it was time for the eyes! Here's a nice diagram that shows the parts of the eye:
After the workshop, Martha said that she has a few products to give us. Yey! I didn't win the raffle but I got to take home a soap. Thanks Martha! :)
Here are some more photos:


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1962 Corvette C1RS from SEMA aims to fetch top dollar at Barrett-Jackson auction
We couldn't believe our eyes when we found this incredible '62 Corvette the Barrett-Jackson display at the 2012 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV. The story behind this build isn't so much of a restoration project, its more like a revolutionary concept car built within the silhouette of the legendary C1 'Vette that needed a closer look.
The painstaking attention to detail and elaborate craftsmanship involved easily make this one of the most amazing resto-mod examples we've ever seen in person. This custom car is far from ordinary, as the project quickly took on a very modern life of its own with the team at the Roadster Shop in Mundelein, IL.
With virtually every panel from front to back being re-worked in carbon fibre and custom aluminum panels, the aptly named C1RS (RS stands for Roadster Shop) formed its stunning new shape. This C1 Corvette also proves there's more than meets the eye, armed with a tire-shredding 618 horsepower LS7 crate motor and all the proper running gear to handle that power lurking under its classic hood.
While it's hard to put a price on the passion and dedication behind this award-winning 'Vette, it looks like the upcoming Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale, AZ plans to do just that. We'll soon see what this iconic 1962 Corvette C1RS all adds up to during the week of January 13-20, 2013. One thing we do know, is that something this special won't come cheap. Gentlemen, start your bidding!
Click here to view our photo gallery.
Image Credit: Copyright 2012 Dave Pankew / AOL
Related Gallery1962 Chevrolet Corvette C1RS at SEMA
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Our property has about five acres of ceder and broad leaf trees mixed and this past winter, we had a lot of tree damage from heavier than normal snowfall. Our broadleaf trees did okey, but our ceders were not not so lucky. I am removing the fallen and damaged ceders, using the logs and larger branches for garden beds and posts, but I have lots of greens and small braches that I am shredding. My question is-"Can I put this shredded ceder in my compost bins,( I have several in different stages) or should I use it for mulch around the yard? |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by tiffy_z5_6_can 5/6 (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 7:26
Can I put this shredded ceder in my compost bins,( I have several in different stages) or should I use it for mulch around the yard?... You can do either, but personally, I would use for mulch first, then if you absolutely need it for additions to your compost, go for the compost. When I get opportunities and materials like that, I mulch first letting nature break it down in place which saves the work of bringing a load back later to mulch with the composted material. |
- Posted by tsugajunkie 5a SE_WI (My Page) on Wed, Nov 10, 10 at 17:24
If by cedar you mean Eastern Red (Juniper) or Eastern White (Arborvitae), I've composted and mulched with both. tj |
I too have composted a lot of both Cedrus and Juniperus. It takes a while. I like to start by making a loose brush pile and waiting for it to get bone dry. Then I trample the pile to break it into smaller pieces. This works even better if the weather is below freezing. When the brush pile is well broken and I have some green yardwaste too, I make a compost pile. |
Keep wood OUT of any composting pile. Wood breaks down slowly....and some hardwoods take forever to break down. Such breakdown of wood robs the pile of much needed nitrogen which is used for breakdown of other material. |
Western Red Cedar is noted to be pretty resistant to rotting while most others are not. If what you have is Eastern White Cedar there is very little rot resistance in that wood so it could be composted. However, the best use of shredded wood is as a mulch. |
Many larger compost operators use wood chips/shavings in processing materials during composting. It does more than just provide carbon. Aeration, porosity, odour control just to name a few. It is often screened out and reused in new piles. Wood chips/shavings work well as mulch but if used in an area subjected to idiots flicking their cigarette butts, keep in mind the potential for fire. So the answer to your question is "both". Lloyd |
- Posted by mgb_garden2 5 (My Page) on Fri, Nov 12, 10 at 8:28
Thanks for all the tips! If I would have done my homework I would have not looked like such a novice. I am composting about 10% of the evergreen chips in with the garden waste and lots of leaves.Hope to manage the acidity that way. The rest I am using for mulch around. I never thought five acres would be so much mulch to deal with. As for the smokers and their butts--no smoking at my house!! |
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The latest development in the sugary beverage battle included the publication of a study in the New England Journal of Medicine that gained national attention, and a rounded rejection by the American Beverage Association (ABA).
In the National Institutes of Health-funded study titled, "Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Genetic Risk of Obesity," researchers analyzed the interaction between genetic predisposition and the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in relation to the body mass index (BMI) of 33,000 adults enrolled in other ongoing health studies.
"During the past 30 years, the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has increased dramatically," the researchers wrote. "Compelling evidence supports a positive link between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and the risk of obesity.
"The temporal patterns in the increasing consumption of these beverages have paralleled the rise in the prevalence of obesity; in the United States, both the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and the prevalence of obesity have more than doubled since the late 1970s," they added. "Therefore, we hypothesized that a high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages would influence the association between the genetic predisposition and adiposity."
The study participants were categorized into four groups depending upon their self-reported sugar-sweetened beverage intakes: less than one serving per month, one to four servings per month, two to six servings per week or one or more servings per day. Sugar-sweetened beverages included caffeinated colas, caffeine-free colas, carbonated non-cola soft drinks and noncarbonated sugar-sweetened beverages (fruit punches, lemonades or other fruit drinks).
The researchers found "a significant interaction" in those who had the highest number of obesity-related gene variants, as they were more than twice as likely to become obese if they fell among the group that consumed the most servings of sugary beverages. "Our findings further underscore the need to test interventions that reduce the intake of sugary drinks as a means of reducing the risk of obesity and related diseases," the researchers wrote.
In response, the American Beverage Association (ABA) issued a statement critical of the study's blame on sugar-sweetened beverages as a singular culprit in the rise of obesity. "We know, and science supports, that obesity is not uniquely caused by any single food or beverage," ABA said. "Thus, studies and opinion pieces that focus solely on sugar-sweetened beverages, or any other single source of calories, do nothing meaningful to help address this serious issue."
The group also pointed out the study limitations, which were acknowledged by the authors. "In particular, the authors state, 'it is unclear whether these factors linking the intake of SSBs to obesity modify the genetic effect, accounting for the observed interventions,'" ABA said. "They also note that the mechanisms by which most of the established BMI-associated genes work are largely unknown, so the underlying mechanisms interaction between the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and a genetic predisposition to elevated adiposity or obesity need to be clarified."
ABA additionally questions the possibility of measurement errors during the self-reporting process; the lack of evaluation of the proportion of the total energy intake derived from sugar-sweetened beverages; and the study cohort restriction to persons only of European ancestry. "Furthermore, the analysis has been done for only the 32 known genes associated with BMI to date, but these genes account for only a small amount of variation in BMI," they said.
To support its claim that "sugar-sweetened beverages are not driving obesity," ABA countered with its own facts and figures:
- While Americans consume about 617 more calories today than they did in 1970, more than 90% of those incremental calories come from sources other than beverages.
- Sugar-sweetened beverages contribute about 7% of the calories in the average American's diet.
- Caloric intake from sugar-sweetened beverages declined by more than 20% between 2001 and 2010, yet obesity rates continued to rise.
- The average number of calories per beverage serving is down 23% since 1998 and about 45% of all non-alcoholic beverages purchased today have zero calories.
- Forty-eight percent of overweight and obese individuals drink no sugar-sweetened beverages.


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Mayor-elect Fleisch looks to 'new day' for PTC
With a resounding 72 percent of the vote in Tuesday's runoff election, Vanessa Fleisch will become Peachtree City's first woman mayor on Jan. 1.
Fleisch handily beat challenger and former mayor Harold Logsdon, who made it into the runoff with the second-most votes in the field of five candidates to force the runoff.
A jubilant Fleisch was all smiles and hugs with campaign supporters at what turned out to be her victory party Tuesday. That evening, she revealed that she already had made plans to have meetings with city staff members on Wednesday on the chance she might win.
"I'm just so happy and thrilled for the city that we're moving on and we're going to have a wonderful four years," Fleisch said. "I just look forward to a very productive four years, and working with the new council, and everyone pulling together to make it an even better city than it is."
Though she has been a council member for four years and already knows many of the city employees, Fleisch wants to take time to meet each one of them, and that's one of her first objectives, she said.
Fleisch pointed to the election of new council members Terry Ernst and Mike King as a sign of "a new day" for the city, and certainly in the political perspective.
In addition to Ernst and King, Fleisch will have familiar faces to work with on council as well in re-elected councilwoman Kim Learnard and holdover councilman Eric Imker who is in the middle of his four-year term.
Fleisch has been one of the driving forces working on the rehabilitation of older city facilities, as council issued a $3 million bond to repair and enhance infrastructure that was falling apart, from tennis courts with holes in the pavement to sports fields that needed a significant amount of rehab.
Fleisch also has been observed to keep a fairly low profile on council, particularly when rancor broke out at council meetings. As she wields the gavel and runs her first meeting in January, it will be evident those low-profile days are over as she tries to meet the leadership expectations the community has placed on her.
hmmm...I wonder what that means for the incompetent City Manager, the oft-maligned Police Chief and the other senior management stooges?
I think his inaction on police, fire and many other issues is simply lack of a clear direction from mayor and council. I doubt he has ever encountered a mayor like Haddix and probably had no previous experience with the open feuding on council. They all behaved badly and the salary cutting and the mayor's push back was the peak.
The city manager needs some clear direction and I think the new mayor and council can provide that. Hopefully that direction will include what is really important - economic development, recreational programs, keeping infrastructure maintained, stopping the outsourcing and avoiding expensive lawsuits are all good things.
I think the recent police dept. survey along with the Lisagate and Captaingate put the spotlight on a restructuring, probably from the top down. I would have Stan Pye and Mark Brown in key leadership positions under a new chief - certainly not a public safety director. That idea stinks.
Not sure if the city manager is good or not. But I would offer him a pass because leadership from the city council was lacking the last 4 years.
I wonder who initiated the article a few weeks ago about Dr. Pennington and his challenges the last few years?
I'm pretty sure city staff which loves Pennington and despises Haddix had a hand it that. Just when it became clear it was ok to talk openly about life after Haddix, that article appears. I happen to think he can be very effective city manager if he gets clear direction from a group of adult leaders. And I do think we have that now.


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Write the first review
Make your own banana chips, dried mango or jerky (sorry vegetarians!) in this dehydrator and you will notice the difference in flavour from shop bought products. Dehydrating a variety of foods and herbs is an excellent, natural way of preserving their goodness and concentrating and enhancing their flavours.
The design of the Stockli facilitates temperature controlled drying throughout its three deep trays with the option of adding up to seven further trays to increase the drying area. It dries evenly throughout the tray area with variable, thermostatically controlled drying temperatures from 86° to 158° while using an economical (maximum) 600 watts of power. It features a safety cut-out with automatic reset to prevent accidental damage from overheating in the event that airflow is obstructed for any reason. The 33.5 cm circular base provides a compact footprint for this dehydrator making it ideal where space is at a premium while still offering a substantial drying area.
The baffles on the fan distribute heat more evenly with a clever series of concentric outlets in the base. The lid has a useful time indicator that you can set by hand to indicate either start or finish time for the produce you are drying and the instruction manual gives an easy guide to the art of dehydrating with recipes and drying times. The 12-hour integral timer on this version allows precise control of drying times for your favourite ingredients. Additional trays can be purchased in packs of two (see below).
Product Reviews


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The Art of Marriage Seminar
Friday, November 09, 2012, 6:00 PM - Saturday, November 10, 2012, 7:00 PM
Mt. Zion Retreat Center in Roaring Branch, PA is hosting a perfect weekend getawaym The Art of Marriage Seminar beginning at 6pm November 9th through 7pm November 10th. Lodging is available or you can commute. For more information call 570-673-3338.


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Medical marijuana dispensary review: DANK Colorado in Denver
Platinum OG- $40/eighth
I'm not sure there was any more room for trichomes on these chunky, pinecone-shaped buds. Crystals were basically fighting it out with crystals for space, and it had a delicious, fresh-turned-earth richness to it out of the jar that grew stronger the more the bud was broken up. Surprisingly, it didn't taste very strong at first, but a tart, lemony aftertaste surfaced a few minutes after I finished the bowl. As the trichome development hinted, the bud was super-stoney and potent. I made the two grams I purchased last for several days longer than it should have just by taking small one-hitter snaps as needed. Including the tax in the $40 price tag is my only suggestion for this otherwise enjoyable flower.
Sour Kush- $40/eighth
At my budtender's suggestion, this big chunk of greenery came home with me. It had a very wild appearance, with foxtailed calyxes sticking from the central branch. There was a good amount of sugar leaves left behind, though nothing I didn't put in my pipe and smoke along with the buds. The herb lost its odor after a few days in the not-so-airtight container I brought home with me -- but grinding it up brought the citrus and rubbery tang out. It burned with a full, delicious flavor, and it was easy to see why my budtender was so stoked on this cut. Almost immediately, I was hit with an uplifting, cerebral buzz with a kick like a cup of coffee. I had the same small gripe about the price as I did with the Platinum OG, but otherwise this was great for mid-day toking to get the appetite up and running or to just relax and enjoy my own private head space for an hour or so.
"420 Hash"- $10/gram
Though the shop had some appealing $15 top-shelf hash, I went with the tan, lightly pressed chunks of blended lower-shelf concentrate. Out of the jar in the shop it had a rich, pine-forest smell blended in with the earthy hash. For $10, though, this was a very smokeable blend that bubbled and sizzled on top of a bowl and smoked down cleanly when sprinkled on a red-hot titanium nail. Like I said: strain-specific hash would be ideal from DANK, but this isn't a bad alternative in the meantime.
William Breathes is the pot pen name for Westword's medical marijuana dispensary critic. Read more of his reviews at Mile Highs and Lows and catch up with all your cannabis news over at The Latest Word.
Sponsor Content


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Dragon' s Blood Fragrance Oil:This mysterious, alluring blend is difficult to describe. With warming notes of amber, incense, Madagascar vanilla and patchouli, our Dragon' s Blood Fragrance Oil is lightened up with layers of romantic notes such as rose, jasmine and lilac. Finally, our sensual, deep blend is topped off with the colorful, light touches of blood orange and grapefruit. This fragrance will discolor in your products because of the vanilla notes in it but add some gold mica in your soap (either as "veins" running through the soap or sprinkled on top) and your customers won't even notice!
Vanilla Content: 11.4%
Liquid Castile Testing Notes: We tested this fragrance in our liquid Castile soap base, we recommend making a small test batch just to be sure you like the results. Thickens when initally mixed. Final soap discolors dark brown, opaque. Remains thickened.
This fragrance is phthalate free.
Flashpoint: This medium-flashpoint oil (170ºF) cannot ship via USPS regardless of the shipping method you choose at checkout.
Photo Attribution © Can Stock Photo


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Sir Hawthorne Bookends - Set of Two
Item # BBHD1635
♦ Dimensions
2.0 "W x 2.0 "D x 9.5 "H
♦ Quantity
$ 49.99
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Sir Hawthorne bookends, set of two, faithfully guard your favorite reading stash. Our handsome hound duo is cast of resin, and hand painted in detail to look like the real thing. Sitting on stands, Sir Hawthorne bookends make a regal pair. Add matching hour glass and magnifying glass holder, exclusively Bombay.Cast polyresinHand painted- ♦ Description
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BENTON HARBOR, Mich.–Whirlpool will close its machining facility here as part of a series of changes in its North American manufacturing operations.
The decision to shutter this facility revolves around the company's launch of new laundry products, according to a Whirlpool statement. These products will be made at the company's plant in Clyde, Ohio, where the machining for its components will also take place. As a result, Whirlpool will close the machining operation here either by the end of this year or early in 2011.
The closing will eliminate 216 jobs, the statement said. "New innovations have eliminated many of the traditional components produced at the Benton Harbor facility," said Al Holaday, Whirlpool's vice president, manufacturing operations, North America Region.


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Kenya Vipassana Associacion is one of numerous centers and non-centers worldwide dedicated to the teaching of Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, an Art of Living.
Vipassana is the process of self-purification by self-observation. One begins by observing the natural breath to concentrate the mind. Then, with a sharpened awareness, one proceeds to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experiences the universal truths of impermanence, suffering and egolessness. This truth-realization by direct experience results in mental purification.
The technique is a universal remedy for universal problems and has nothing to do with any organized religion or sectarianism. It can be freely practiced by anyone without conflict due to race, community or religion, and will prove equally beneficial to one and all. You can find out more about the technique by visiting What is Vipassana?.
The following Video Discourse in English by S. N. Goenka (19 minutes) provides a short explanation of the technique of Vipassana meditation:
Download a free copy of the Real Networks Real One Player here*.
To understand the prerequisites for course attendance and to apply for a course in at Kenya Vipassana please consult the Course Information Page and the associated instructions.
According to the tradition of pure Vipassana, courses are run solely on a donation basis. Donations are accepted only from those who have completed at least one ten-day course with S.N. Goenka or one of his assistant teachers. Someone taking the course for the first time may give a donation on the last day of the course or any time thereafter.
KVA is located approximately (Please provide directions here as well as a link to the rideshare board)
Please review The Course Checklist for items and instructions for the course. Also please review The Transportation Information and visit our online Ride Share Board.


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the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
London Markets
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Camden & Camden Lock Market Camden High Street, London NW1
Camden's group of markets is now the fourth most-visited tourist attraction in London.
At the weekends traffic comes to a standstill as thousands of visitors descend on the area. The bustling markets is enormously popular and we advise you to arrive early to avoid the crush.
On market days, for passenger safety, Camden Town is an entry-only station, people leave the area by Mornington Crescent or Chalk Farm underground stations.
Camden Market now has outposts in all parts of Chalk Farm Road between Camden Town underground station and Hawley Street.
The bustling markets have an enormous range of goods on offer.
From Camden Town station the first port of call is the Electric Ballroom nightclub which doubles on Sundays as a bazaar selling cheap designer fashions, clean second-hand clothes and jewellery.
More clothes, new and second-hand, are on offer in Camden Market proper.
Camden Lock Market, the nerve-centre of the area, attracts the biggest crowds. This market, which has grown swiftly in size since opening in 1974, has a cobbled courtyard leading towards the Regent's Canal. Stalls here specialize in handmade crafts, new and secondhand street fashions, vegetarian fast-food, books, records and antiques.
Many people are attracted to Camden Lock simply for the atmosphere, especially at weekends, when buskers perform beside the canal.
The other markets off Chalk Farm Road offer antiques, second-hand books, records, pine furniture and more clothes.
Opening Times
Open: Camden Market: Thu-Sun 09:00-17:30, Camden High Street, junction with Buck Street) Camden Lock Market: Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, off Chalk Farm Road, with indoor stalls Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00 Stables Market: Sat-Sun 08:00-18:00, off Chalk Farm Road Camden Canal Market: Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, off Chalk Farm Road Electric Market: Sun 09:00-17:30, Camden High Street, south of Dewsbury Terrace


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About FDA
Publications and Presentations for Laboratory of Optical Diagnostics
- Wang Q, Shastri K and Pfefer TJ. Experimental and theoretical evaluation of a fiberoptic approach for optical property measurement in layered epithelial tissue. Applied Optics 49(28), 5309-5320, 2010.
- Miller SA, James RH, Landry RJ, Pfefer TJ. Optical characterization of transilluminators for eye safety. Biomedical Optics Express. 1(3); 771-779, 2010.
- Agrawal A, Gallas BD, Parker C, Agrawal KM, Pfefer TJ. Sensitivity of methods for analyzing time-resolved fluorescence measurements to detect mucosal neoplasia. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics (special issue on Biophotonics) 16(4); 877-885, 2010.
- Wang Q, Agrawal A, Wang NS, Pfefer TJ. Condensed Monte Carlo modeling of reflectance from biological tissue with a single illumination-detection fiber. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics (special issue on Biophotonics) 16(3);627-634, 2010.
- Agrawal A, Pfefer TJ, Gilani N, and Drezek, RA. Three-dimensional characterization of optical coherence tomography point spread functions with a nanoparticle-embedded phantom. Optics Letters 35(13);2269-2271, 2010.
- Pfefer TJ, Mehrabi A, James R, Landry R, Weininger S, Chang I, Kaufman D, Miller S. Optical-thermal characterization of cutaneous transilluminators. Physics in Medicine and Biology 54:6867-6880, 2009.
- Wang Q, Yang H, Agrawal A, Wang NS, Pfefer TJ. Measurement of internal tissue optical properties at ultraviolet and visible wavelengths: Development and implementation of a fiberoptic-based system. Optics Express 16(12):8685-8703, 2008.
- Pfefer TJ, Drum BA. "Regulation and Regulatory Science for Optical Imaging," Chap. 15 in Translational Multimodality Optical Imaging, F. S. Azar and X. Intes, Eds., pp. 299-325, Artech House, Boston, Mass, 2008.
- Matchette LS, Agrawal A, Pfefer TJ. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics having the potential to interfere with fluorescence-based diagnosis. Photochemistry and Photobiology 83:1386-1393, 2007.
- Landry RJ, Ilev IK, Pfefer TJ, Wolffe M., Alpar JJ. Characterizing reflections from intraocular lens implants. Eye 21(8):1083-1086, 2007.
- Agrawal A, Huang S, Wei Haw Lin A, Lee M, Barton JK, Drezek R, Pfefer TJ. Quantitative evaluation of optical coherence tomography signal enhancement with gold nanoshells. Journal of Biomedical Optics 11(4):041119, 2006.


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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-More than 350 international companies, representing 55 countries, will be among the exhibitors at NY Now next month.
According to a statement from GLM, the show's owner and manager, most of these suppliers will be together in government-sponsored pavilions or in organized groups throughout the show's product collections. Others will be showcased in Artisan Resource, the GLM show that connects artisanal producers with U.S.-based importers, direct-import retailers and wholesalers, which will run concurrently with NY Now.
Christian Falkenberg, NY Now's director and GLM senior vice president, said the international suppliers are "an important component of the fair's position as the nation's premiere home and lifestyle market. With 55 countries represented, NY Now's global resources are broad and diverse."


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Apr 30, 2013 12:13 PM by NBC News
(KOB) We are beginning to learn more about Lawrence Capener, the man accused of stabbing four people at a church in Albuquerque on Sunday.
In some ways, he seems like a man suffering from obvious mental issues, but a neighbor says the Lawrence Capener she knew was a nice, normal guy.
"Lawrence has always been very respectful, very helpful. I've never seen him lose his temper," said next door neighbor Mercedes Reynolds.
But parishioners at St. Jude Thaddeus say instead they saw anger and hate in his eyes as he stabbed four people during Sunday mass.
Albuquerque police said he confessed to targeting the choir's director, Adam Alvarez, because the devil sent a message through the microphone every time Alvarez sang.
Capener had an outburst during his first appearance in court Monday afternoon.
He screamed, "I'm Lawrence Capener!"
It's clear his home in Northwest Albuquerque is that of a devout Catholic family.
When asked if he had something to say about Capener, a man at the family's home only responded, "We're having a hard time right now."
Next door neighbor Mercedes Reynolds said she spoke with Capener's mom, a Eucharist minister at St. Jude Thaddeus.
"She's just really really upset. She's real real devastated. Because I know she's a true true, strong strong Catholic," said Reynolds.
To Reynolds, Capener is the respectful young man next door who puppy sat for her.
As for a possible motive, Reynolds said Capener was really affected after he lost his job at a nearby Dollar Tree store about three weeks ago.
Reynolds says Capener told her he wanted to wear a hat to block the sun when he worked as a cashier, but he was told he couldn't so he quit.
She add he was happier recently after getting a job at Walmart.
"I just think he's had a lot of pressure and it was just too much for him," said Reynolds. "I think the public needs to stop and think that it might be one of their children that does that and they wouldn't like the bad publicity and people talking about them."
Offensive or inappropriate comments are subject to removal. To report a comment, please e-mail us at email@example.com, and include the name of the story and information on the comment.
Thank you! KSBY.com
7 hours ago


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Franklin County, Ohio — February 10, 2013
Officials say a motorist died after a collision in Columbus Sunday afternoon.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the unidentified driver of a pickup truck was traveling northbound near the intersection of Interstate 270 and Easton Way around 3:10 p.m. when he lost control and crashed. It is not clear if any other vehicles were involved.
At least one motorist died from his injuries. It is not known how many motorists were involved or the extent of their injuries.
Officials are conducting an ongoing investigation to determine the cause of this incident.
In 2008, there were a total of 37,261 traffic fatalities in the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
UPDATE: The motorist has been identified as 43-year-old Christopher D. Vance of Bellefontaine.
If you would like an official copy of the police report, request a copy with this form, or call 1-888-509-1888.


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Queens Park Rangers vs Manchester City Live Streaming English Premiership 29/1/2013
Get ready to watch Queens Park Rangers vs Manchester City live stream streaming online on 29/1/2013. The live online stream commentary and live online radio broadcast English Premiership match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City at Loftus Road is set to turn up one of the biggest shocks of the season as bottom club Rangers secure a much needed shock win over reigning league champions City. Queens Park Rangers come into this live English Premiership online streaming football game against Manchester City on the back of another embarrassing result when they were dumped out of the FA Cup last weekend by MK Dons. Rangers manager Harry Redknapp was left livid with anger before this live streaming commentary and live online TV telecast English Premiership match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City as he accused his big name stars of not deserving their salaries and disgracing the club with their performances, including the likes of Fabio, Park Ji Sung, Granero and more. Redknapp will have to quickly organise his remaining players and motivate them for the visit of league champions Manchester City who are themselves desperate for points in order to keep up their chase of current leaders Manchester United. There will be fresh memories of the last time Queens Park Rangers faced Manchester City as Roberto Mancini's team scored a dramatic stoppage time winner at the Etihad Stadium to win their first ever Premiership title. The stakes will not be as high this time but tell that to QPR who are desperate for points and owner Tony Fernandes finally admitted in midweek that it was his fault that the club has fallen to such depths. With just 15 points in the whole season, QPR cannot afford to drop any points at home but Redknapp has a lack of players with relegation battle experience and many of them lack the fight to do so. Redknapp will need his QPR players to be very organised in order to park the bus in front of goal and stop Manchester City from getting the points this time. Midfielder Adel Taraabt could still be the joker in the QPR pack as he has the ability to beat defenders and create goals or score one himself, possibly against Manchester City in order to grab the headlines. However, Taarabt has a suspect mentality and has constantly failed to deliver on the pitch since arriving in the Premiership with QPR.
Watch as Manchester City will hope to end the day just two points behind United after this live commentary and live streaming radio broadcast English Premiership match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City to put the pressure back on the leaders and hope to somehow catch up and retain their title this season. Manchester City will need all the firepower they can get in this English Premiership live online streaming soccer game against Queens Park Rangers especially with Mario Balotelli looking headed for a return to Italy this transfer window. The maverick Italian has failed to settle in English football in this live stream commentary and live streaming online TV telecast English Premiership match between Queens Park Rangers and Manchester City and manager Roberto Mancini has clearly given up on trying to change the player into one who is focused on his career and nothing else. With Balotelli clearly out of the equation for Manchester City against Queens Park Rangers, expect Edin Dzeko to feature once again at Loftus Road although Mancini could opt for the faster and more elusive pairing of Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero against the QPR defence who will definitely be turning all physical and closing down spaces in front of their own fans. Dzeko could provide a way past that though with his height and physicality but the Bosnian is actually more of a stealth player than his physique suggests. Dzeko may also wish to prove Mancini wrong by scoring more goals and finishing the season as City's top scorer despite spending more time on the bench than in the starting lineup. With QPR having pushed Manchester City close in their two league meetings last season, Mancini must not underestimate their opponents despite their lowly league status and with time – and league games – running out, City must also not drop points against the struggling sides if they hope to overhaul United at the top of the league table.
The English Premiership online stream game Queens Park Rangers vs Manchester City will be shown on many of the best major satellite TV and telecast networks, with live streaming online on Internet PCs, sopcast, streamtorrent, torrentstream, flash and online channels also available. Do not miss out on the games with the best and most reliable broadcasters and stations from the opening kickoff.


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As far as I can tell, there is a disincentive to have a runner deck that concentrates too much on virus counters. The corp purges all virus counters for a fixed cost, though that cost is significant. However, the more the runner concentrates on getting virus counters, the move value the corp gets for that fixed cost. There doesn't seem to be enough synergy encouraging specializing in virus counters to justify it, is there?
That is, it seems you get the most effect for just having 1, maybe 2 virus counter-related tricks. After that, it's diminishing returns.
And, yes, the corp can still win, even when skipping one out of every 2 or 3 turns to purge virus counters. This is when the runner deck relies too much on virus counters such that it can't function without them and needs more than 3 turns to build back up again. Even worse when the runner spends resources and the corp only spends actions.
Is there much incentive to specialize rather than dabble? Anything other than the original Anarch identity card?


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Mercedes-Benz R-Class Lease Questions
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515
vman187 Posts: 1
coupdevill Posts: 4
wtosh Posts: 1Hi, car man. I am hoping to lease a new R350 bluetec in the next week or two. I have been unable to find exactly what I want in a 2010 and may be forced to buy the new 2011. If the dealer has to place an order for the car (since they don't seem to be receiving the bluetecs yet), is it unrealistic to expect to be able to negotiate any significant discount under msrp? If I were to lease a 2010 R350 bluetec right now without everything in it that I am looking for, are the current incentives and lease rates such right now that the savings would be just tremendous, and ridiculous not to do? Please advise! Thank you!
anissahope Posts: 1
4matic Posts: 1So I just signed up for a lease today in LA and I think I got a good deal, but don't really know for sure. Car is a 2010 R350 4Matic with P1 package, MSRP of 56,985 and I got them to come down $7,115 to $49,870. $1,500 of this was from an incentive for current Audi owners, so they only came down $5,615. MF was .00028 and residual was 48% for 10K miles and 36 month term. I was surprised by the acquisition fee of $1,095, $300 over what MB has on their web site ($795). The guy at the dealer said that it was because we were in California, but I don't know and I feel like I left some $ on the table here. Also, I assume that the residual # of 48% is correct for a 36 month lease and 10K miles. Carman, can you confirm? Total cap cost including acq fee was $50,965. My monthly before tax and no additional cap cost reduction came out to $677.82 before tax.
I looked at a 2011 R350 and while the residual was 56% for same terms, the MF was .0028, a lot higher than what I could get for a 2010.
At a certain point a lease is just a math problem and the drivers of a good deal are residual, MF and dealer discount from MSRP. Carman, can I at least confirm that the residual of 48% and the acq fee are correct for this deal? What is your opinion about the discount from MSRP? Any comments welcome from the forum as well. -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515Hi wtosh. As you suspected, dealers are usually more willing to negotiate discounts on vehicles that they physically have on their lots than they are on ordered vehicles. Having said that, I don't think that you should settle for full MSRP either. You should be able to negotiate some sort of discount on your ordered R.
The residual values on the 2011 R are better than they are on the 2010 model, but Mercedes is not providing any lease support on either of them right now.
You would however be leaving a whopping $6,500 dealer cash on top of whatever additional dealer discount you would be able to negotiate on a leftover 2010 R on the table by ordering a brand new 2011.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515Hi sand529. Mercedes just published its new November lease program yesterday. I'll check around and see if I can get a copy of it so that I can provide you with the latest info for the vehicle that you're interested in. Please post a reminder in this discussion for me and I'll fill you in on what I have been able to find out for you.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
dollar_pound Posts: 46
shermar76 Posts: 7Hi all,
I am returning my R-Class after the lease ends in 2 month. How is Mercedes with lease returns. I am below the miles in my contract with 3000 miles. The car was serviced at the dealer for the first service and then had an oil change at a shop which specializes in Mercedes a year later. Will this be a problem. Are they forgiving or will it depend on the dealership I am returning the car to. If I don't get a godd deal on a new lease, I will have to return the car and wait. Any advise will be appreciated. -
futmercowner Posts: 2Carman,
Appreciate all the info. It looks like during the Winter Event, the residual is really high on R class. Something like 55%. I don't know if that is right. I'm looking at an R Class. Do you have the November lease money rates and residuals. It is looking like a great time to lease. -
dealzonbenzes Posts: 5
futmercowner Posts: 2
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515Hi shermar76. I have always found Mercedes-Benz to be fairly reasonable when evaluating the condition of vehicles at lease-end. The fact that you had your truck services somewhere other than a Mercedes dealer, and who could blame you with the prices that they charge, probably won't be a problem. It wouldn't hurt to keep the receipt for the oil change if you have it, but again I really don't think that it will be an issue.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
solsat Posts: 8Dear Car_man,
My existing lease of 33 month, 10K miles per year for R350 4 Matic is coming to end next month. The current residual value of the vehicle is $31.5K. This vehicle has P1 and P2 pkg with ipod and 6 cd changer etc. I have called MB Financial service last month to see if they offer any discounts for extending the lease or buying the vehicle. No luck.
Was wondering to hear your opinion about the optimal pricing for this vehicle, if I have to buy it or extend the lease. Thanks in advance. -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515That is an excellent question, solsat. I'm usually more familiar with the new car market than the used car market. You may want to try looking up your R over in the Used Vehicle Appraiser that is available here at Edmunds.com.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515You're welcome, solsat. I've heard that MB Finance isn't really all that flexible on leased vehicles' end of term purchase option prices, but it definitely does not hurt to give them a call and see if they'd be willing to work with you if you're interested in buying your vehicle. You don't have anything to lose by trying.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515Hey traderb. Mercedes-Benz Financial's May buy rate lease money factor and residual value for a 36 month lease of a 2011 R350 with 12,000 miles per year are .00198 and 54%, respectively for consumers who qualify for its top credit tier.
The numbers for an otherwise identical 48 month lease are .00198 and 43%.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum -
CarMan@Edmunds Posts: 38,515Hey traderb. Mercedes is not providing lease support on the R-Class any longer. As a result, if you were to lease one through Mercedes-Benz Financial, you will have to use its standard lease money factors, which vary by region but should be around .00250 or so for consumers who qualify for its Tier 1 credit tier.
The R's residual values are exactly the same in June as they were in May.
Prices Paid: Buying & Leasing Experiences Forum


text:
Before the days when football, basketball and the other sports invaded your TV, there were ancient cultures who threw heavy objects for sport – and one of those was the discus.
It's been a staple in track and field for centuries, and now Meadowbrook High School possesses one of the top throwers in the state in senior Clifton Du'shawn Thompson.
Spring marks Thompson's third season under Rickey Brown, Meadowbrook's head coach for track and field, and in his final semester at Meadowbrook, Thompson plans to leave on a high note.
"I want to get out there and score a lot of points for my team," said Thompson. "I want to break Meadowbrook's records."
At 6'2" and 205 pounds, Thompson, also a football player at Meadowbrook, not only relies on his athletic ability for success; he also spends the majority of his time training for what some may consider merely a feat of brute strength. In high school regulations a discus weighs 3 pounds, 9 ounces and is 8 inches across.
The process to throw a disc properly requires the synchronized movement of a person's entire body and when done correctly can make a four-pound mass fly like a Frisbee.
"Myself, coach John Allen and coach Tarsharnda Gainey have worked with Du'shawn hours on his form," said Brown. "He works very hard to make sure he's throwing consistently."
Although no records have yet been set by Thompson, he has seen success in past seasons. Last year, his personal best was a disc thrown 165 feet, 9 inches – a throw earning him first place in the Milestat.com Elite Track Classic. He then went on to win the Central Region championship, and with another throw at 162 feet, 3 inches, he found himself finishing second place in the state, a mark Thompson hopes to exceed this season.
"My biggest goal is to break the state record," said Thompson. "I've been working very hard this summer. My hope is to throw over 200 feet."
Proud mother Donyelle Thompson says it's nothing for her boy to do over 500 push-ups a day, lift weights on a daily basis, all while remaining active in the church and carrying a 3.0 GPA this year. She remembers fondly when her son was selected out of 15,000 athletes to carry the Olympic torch.
"He works out hard, he's very focused for a young man," said his mother.
Thompson also takes a leadership role on his teams, even helping out other athletes build their game. According to his mother, Thompson has remained grounded despite his level of success.
"He's also a faithful and humble young man," said Mrs. Thompson.
The Central Region isn't the only group of people taking notice of Thompson's athletic achievements; several colleges have been hot on the trail for Thompson. The top two on the list have been West Virginia Wesleyan and Hampton University.
"I fully expect Du'shawn to improve his technique and excel at the college level," said Brown.
Thompson and the rest of the Monarchs will lace up their spikes for their first meet of the season at Dinwiddie High School on Wednesday, April 6th at 3:30 p.m.


text:
Wed, May 21, 08 at 12:43
I have recently planted a grape vine (in the past 2 weeks)that was supposed to be of bearing size. It is woody looking and has green wood but no leaf growth. It seems that there sould be some buds sprouting and there should be some new growth on it. Can I help it in any way or is this normal |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by butterfly4u 6 Se PA (My Page) on Thu, May 22, 08 at 22:50
Mist it real good every day.(use your hose attachment or a spray water bottle) It helps. |
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- Prison Planet.com - http://www.prisonplanet.com -
Aurora 'Dark Knight' Suspect James Holmes Said He 'Was the Joker': Cops
Posted By admin On July 21, 2012 @ 1:15 am In Featured Stories | Comments Disabled
RICHARD ESPOSITO, JACK DATE, PIERRE THOMAS and LEE FERRAN
ABC News [1]
July 21, 2012
The man in custody for allegedly killing 12 people at the screening of the latest Batman movie in Aurora, Colorado told authorities after the shooting that he "was The Joker,"NYPD police commissioner Ray Kelly said today.
Kelly told reporters the suspect, identified by federal officials as 24-year-old James Holmes, had dyed his hair like The Joker. The Joker is a well-known villain in the fictional Batman universe. The attack took place at a screening of "The Dark Knight Rises," the final movie in a Batman trilogy, following "The Dark Knight" in which The Joker was the principal villain.
Article printed from Prison Planet.com: http://www.prisonplanet.com
URL to article: http://www.prisonplanet.com/aurora-dark-knight-suspect-james-holmes-said-he-was-the-joker-cops.html
URLs in this post:
[1] ABC News: http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/aurora-dark-knight-suspect-joker-cops/story?id=16822251#.UAprEmGe5D1
[2] Court orders Twitter to unmask Dark Knight copycat killer wannabe: http://www.prisonplanet.com/court-orders-twitter-to-unmask-dark-knight-copycat-killer-wannabe.html
[3] At least 14 confirmed killed at Dark Knight Rises premiere shooting in Colorado movie theater: http://www.prisonplanet.com/at-least-14-confirmed-killed-at-dark-knight-rises-premiere-shooting-in-colorado-movie-theater.html
[4] Dark Knight paints Bush as American hero: http://www.prisonplanet.com/dark-knight-paints-bush-as-american-hero.html
[5] 'Dark Knight' Shooting To Be Exploited For Political Grist: http://www.prisonplanet.com/dark-knight-shooting-to-be-exploited-for-political-grist.html
[6] A Deeper Look At "The Dark Knight Rises" Shooting: A CIA Black Op?: http://www.prisonplanet.com/a-deeper-look-at-the-dark-knight-rises-shooting-a-cia-black-op.html
Click here to print.
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text:
Notice of Intent to Publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Interdisciplinary Complementary and Integrative Health Clinical Research Training Award (T90/R90)
Date: July 17, 2012
Publication Date of Announcement: October, 2012
Estimated Application Due Date: January, 2013
Estimated Award Date: December, 2013
Estimated Start Date: January, 2014
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine (NCCAM) intends to publish a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)
for clinical research training in complementary and integrative health. This
initiative will support NCCAM's research capacity building goals by furthering
development of a research workforce with the combination of scientific skills
and clinical research experience needed for competitive, collaborative
integrative health research.
This Notice is being provided to allow potential applicants sufficient time to
develop meaningful collaborations and submit research projects well aligned
with the NCCAM Strategic Plan (http://nccam.nih.gov/about/plans/2011).
The FOA is expected to be published in the fall of 2012 with an anticipated receipt
date in the spring of 2013.
This FOA will utilize the T90/R90 activity code. Details of the planned Funding
Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are provided below.
This Notice encourages partnerships between institutions with demonstrated expertise in training complementary medicine practitioners and institutions with demonstrated expertise and capacity in conducting clinical and translational research.
With this new FOA, NCCAM is developing a clinical research training program aimed at improving the capacity of the integrative health field to carry out rigorous research. The program will fund coherent and unified partnerships between institutions with research intensive environments (e.g., T32 and CTSA institutions) and institutions with curriculums focused on clinical training of practitioners in complementary modalities and disciplines that also have faculty with a substantial interest in rigorous clinical research. The partnership must be committed to create a comprehensive interdisciplinary complementary and integrative health clinical research training program that builds on the existing strengths, expertise and infrastructure of both institutions. The program will support mentored research-training and hands on experiences in clinical research as well as trainee-focused developmental efforts including didactic activities in clinical research methodology, integrative health, and trainee-initiated pilot clinical research projects within NCCAM's research priority areas (http://nccam.nih.gov/grants/priorities). The funded institutional programs are expected to generate a cadre of research clinicians who are able to participate fully in multi-disciplinary teams engaged in complementary and integrative health research.
Please direct all inquiries to:
Alberto L. Rivera-Rentas, Ph.D.
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
6707 Democracy Boulevard II, Suite 401
Bethesda, MD 20892
Telephone: (301) 443-8372
Fax: (301) 480-1587
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Weekly TOC for this Announcement
NIH Funding Opportunities and Notices
Office of Extramural Research (OER) |
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, Maryland 20892 |
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) |
NIH . . . Turning Discovery Into Health
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text:
CONGRATULATIONS to the parents and grandparents!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS to T-Nina and Ed who just became first time Grandparents a little over and hour ago!
T-Nina's son and wife just welcomed their first child, Savanna Noel into the world today (February 5, 2008) at 11:25 AM EST. She was 7 lbs 7 ounces and 20 3/4 inches long! Mommy and baby are both doing great! Well...Mommy is very tired, but this is just the beginning of her sleepless nights!
CONGRATULATIONS to the parents and grandparents!!!!
"Most of my life I have done what I wanted to do. I have had fun on the job.I have never been able to confine that fun to office hours." ~ Walt Disney
Very Cool, Congrats to the family. So now iwannabeminnie really has earned the title of Cryptkeeper? She;s gonna hurt me for that, isn't she? LOL
It's a Disney thing. If you understood, your only question would be "can I go?"
FOR MORE INFO CLICK THIS LINK http://inside.unicefusa.org/goto/Meghyn
AW! huge congrats!!!
All Star Sports July 2006
All Star Movies October 2007
Coronado Spring February 2010
Pop Century October 2010
All Star Movies September 2011
Pop Century September 2012Chrissy
Well, it's about time! She finally arrived. We've been waiting and waiting.
Last edited by iwannabeminnie; 02-05-2008 at 04:02 PM.
They call me "Nana"
Something tells me I should change the date on my camera.
They call me "Nana"
Congratulations, T-Nina and family! She's a cutie!
-Pat (Disneydame2004)
Dream Team Auction Coordinator
Help make a child smile! Dream Team Project Firstgiving Page
Get that girl some beads!
Congrats to T-Nina and family!
always plotting, planning, and looking forward to our next adventure...
Congrats lady! She looks just like you! Does she already have her first Mickey?
Dreams Really Do Come True
Congrats T-Nina and Family!
Adam ~ A Proud D23 Charter Member!
Congratulations, Enjoy being a nana.
P.U.S.H.-A mantra MOST will not understand.
Disney rocks, Walt was a genius.


text:
Toronto, ON: Hosted by the creators of Canada's largest competitive hackathon, XMG Studio Inc., and supported by the Government of Canada, CODE aims to inspire an entire generation of developers and designers to develop apps based on open data. From February 28th to March 2nd over 700 registered creative do-ers, movers and shakers will participate in this race against the clock and liberate the data available on data.gc.ca. Prior to the appathon, 100 hand selected VIP participants will get the chance to network and learn from Canada's leading open data experts at the CODE Inspiration Day. All teams that successfully submit an application compete for Gold Sponsor OpenText's $25,000 Grand Prize, as well as a $5,000 second place prize and a $1,000 third place prize.
What: CODE: 48-hour event where entrepreneurs and innovators compete to create an app utilizing data available on the Government's Open Data Portal (data.gc.ca). CODE Inspiration Day: To encourage the meaningful and productive use of the datasets CODE will begin with a day of inspirational quick-fire speeches from renowned technology and open data industry leaders including representatives from the Government of Canada, OpenText, McKinsey, Google, IBM and more.
When: CODE: February 28th, 2014, 5:00 p.m. - March 2nd, 2014, 5:00 p.m. (EST). CODE Inspiration Day: February 28th, 11:00 a.m. - 4:25 p.m. (EST). The honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board and official facilitator of the CODE event, will be visiting the OneEleven VIP HUB in Toronto between 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on March 2nd to close the competition and will be available for questions concerning the event.
Where: CODE OneEleven VIP HUB: OneEleven, 111 Richmond St W #5, Toronto, ON M5H 3K6, Canada CODE Satellite HUBs: Coding "HUBS" have been arranged at the University of Calgary, University of Waterloo Stratford Campus, Humber College and Simon Fraser University.
"HUBS" will provide a location for participants to gather and code through the night. Please contact Lydia Schaele (Lydia [at] XMG.com or M: +1-289-314-1985) to arrange access to HUBs.
More information on the Canadian Open Data Experience is available on the website at www.canadianopendataexperience.com.


text:
May 24, 2012 10:21 AM by Associated Press
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) - The police chief of the California college town of Berkeley is defending using 10 officers - some on overtime - to search for his teenage son's stolen iPhone.
Police Chief Michael Meehan told the Oakland Tribune (http://bit.ly/Lcal4Z ) on Wednesday no preferential treatment was given when the officers, including three detectives and a sergeant, searched for the phone, which was taken from a school locker in January.
Meehan says field supervisors decide how many officers to put on a case and he's confident the search was properly handled.
The police chief also came under scrutiny in March after ordering an officer to a reporter's home to ask for changes to an online story about a community meeting criticizing the alleged slow police response to an elderly man's beating death. Meehan apologized.
Offensive or inappropriate comments are subject to removal. To report a comment, please e-mail us at firstname.lastname@example.com, and include the name of the story and information on the comment.
Thank you! KSBY.com
14 hours ago


text:
CBR's Robot 6 On Joe & Azat and the latest Dungeon
November 18, 2009 by NBM
Filed under NBM Blog, New Releases, Reviews
"The Dungeon series remains a thrilling, sharp read, in this case thanks largely in part to Blain's stunning art work. Certainly this isn't a good jumping-on point for newcomers, but it's well worth getting through the series to arrive at this point. You'll be surprised where the journey takes you."
and on Joe & Azat:
"An entertaining book, mainly due to Lonergan's deft characterizations, both with Azat and his extended family, especially his abusive drunkard of a brother. Lonergan may be vague on a number of details, but the dialogue nevertheless rings true. The fact that it doesn't overstay it's welcome helps too. It gets in, makes its points and leaves. I wish more comics would follow that example."
So says Chris Mautner on Comic Book Resource's Robot 6.


text:
Pavements to be abolished in government transport reforms
This is a guest post by A.O. Pillfor
There was shock today as the government announced plans to remove Britain's pavements as part of its latest round of reforms.
Speaking at his weekly press conference, David Cameron told journalists "I appreciate the sentimental attachment which many people have to pavements, but we have to face up to the facts.
"The world has changed, and at a time when we're more dependent on our cars than ever, Britain can no longer afford to restrict access to large sections of our public highways as we have in the past. Over the next few weeks contractors for the Highways Agency will begin digging up pavements in towns and cities across the country, replacing them with tarmac which will finally allow cars access to the full width of the road."
The Commuter's Alliance expressed strong support for the move. "Frankly, a reform like this is long overdue" said a spokesman for the grassroots [Really? Aren't we meant to fact-check stuff like this? –Ed.] organisation. "For too long our transport infrastructure has been held back by the dead hand of the pedestrian lobby. It's high time we had a roads system fit for the 21st century. I mean, who walks anywhere in this day and age? Apart from a few poor people, obviously."
Many groups expressed anger at what they saw as the betrayal of a promise made by David Cameron before the 2010 general election that "Britain's pavements are safe in my hands." Many have claimed that his proposals will only benefit the motoring lobby and construction firms, many of whom have strong financial links to the Tory party. Representatives of several such firms were recently reported to have been wined and dined at Chequers, but senior Conservatives have strongly denied any link between this and the government's plans.
Labour leader Ed Miliband said he believed the proposals to be "ill-thought-out and reckless."
"This government is getting rid of too many pavements, too fast," he told assembled reporters on a pavement near his home. "We in the Labour Party have always made it very clear what we'd do about this issue if we were in power.
"We haven't, you say? Oh."
Miliband was in turn attacked by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, however, who claimed the Leader of the Opposition was "in the pocket of organised pedestrianism".
"Just as the Conservatives have their rich motorist backers, Labour is totally under the thumb of the pedestrian movement. The Liberal Democrats on the other hand have no need of roads, as our support evaporated years ago. We are the only true one-nation party in Britain."
Opponents of the plan have expressed concern that pedestrians' lives could be endangered if it goes ahead. One road safety charity described the proposals as "utter madness", and argued that they were likely to cause road deaths to rise, a claim dismissed by the Department for Transport.
"I can assure you that we've carried out a thorough assessment of the risks involved in implementing this reform, and we're confident that this move will safeguard the future of Britain's roads for generations to come," said a DfT press officer, speaking exclusively to The Third Estate.
"There's simply no reason to think that allowing two-tonne lumps of metal to drive at 30 miles an hour with no barrier between them and squishy fragile pedestrians could possibly be dangerous. Claiming otherwise is absurd scaremongering.
"What's that? Will we be releasing our risk assessment to the public? Well that depen – ooh look, a squirrel!"
The presence or absence of the squirrel could not be verified at time of going to press.