text:
Al Nusrah Front seizes control of Syrian city of Raqqah
Al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, the Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, teamed up with another Salafist jihadist group to take control of the city of Raqqah along the Euphrates River in eastern Syria. Meanwhile, the Al Nusrah Front executed two more suicide attacks yesterday near the city of Homs.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that closely monitors Syria's civil war, reported yesterday that the Al Nusrah Front and the Ahrar al Sham Brigade took full control of Raqqah after the groups "overran the military security branch," which was "the last regime stronghold" in the city.
"The takeover of the city was symbolically celebrated by the Al Nusrah fighters through one of its fighters calling to prayer from inside the military security branch," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on its Facebook page. A video of the call to prayer was posted on YouTube [see video above].
Raqqah is the first provincial capital in Syria to fall completely under control of the myriad of forces opposed to President Bashir al Assad's regime. It is unsurprising that Raqqah fell to Al Nusrah and its jihadist allies, as Al Nusrah is considered to be the most organized and effective fighting force in Syria. The terror group has an estimated 10,000 fighters and is present on nearly all of the fronts in the country.
The Al Nusrah Front and the Ahrar al Sham Brigade, which is comprised primarily of Syrian fighters who want to establish an Islamic state, have conducted several joint operations in the past. In mid-February, the two jihadist groups seized control of the al-Jarrah military airport and the nearby town of Thawra and its dam.
Over the past several months, the Al Nusrah Front and its allies have effectively seized control of the Euphrates River Valley and have secured lines of communication with Al Nusrah's parent group, al Qaeda in Iraq [see LWJ report, Al Nusrah front spearheads capture of Syrian dam, claims suicide assault].
Al Nusrah executes two more suicide attacks
In addition to taking over Raqqah yesterday, the Al Nusrah Front executed two separate suicide attacks at military checkpoints outside the city of Homs in the province of the same name.
A pair of suicide bombers "detonated 2 suicide truck bombs yesterday by regime checkpoints in al-Dar al-Kabira near the entrance to Homs city," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. The attacks were executed as part of an attempt "to try to break the hold on the city entrances so that rebel fighters can go in."
While the Al Nusrah Front has not yet claimed credit for the two suicide bombings, previous reports attributed to the terror group by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have been accurate. The Al Nusrah Front often claims credit for such attacks days or even weeks after they are executed.
The Al Nusrah Front has now claimed credit for 55 of the 67 suicide attacks that have taken place in Syria since December 2011, according to a tally by The Long War Journal (note that multiple suicide bombers deployed in a single operation are counted as part of a single attack). So far this year, 15 suicide attacks have been reported in Syria; Al Nusrah has claimed credit for 12 of them.
READER COMMENTS: "Al Nusrah Front seizes control of Syrian city of Raqqah"
Posted by AcademicGuerrilla82 at March 8, 2013 1:07 PM ET:
"The takeover of the city was symbolically celebrated by the Al Nusrah fighters through one of its fighters calling to prayer from inside the military security branch"
Let the popular prostration begin when those cameras turn on. Can we even call the 'al-Nusrah Front for the Peoples of the Levant' a Salafi-Jihadist group? Propagandized popular prostration and a constituency whom are fighting under various black 'shahada' banners, I think, delivers us an illusion and steers us away from what's really going on on the ground when the cameras are off. This group and its constituency could be fighting on its own terms of nationalism while obviously centralizing violence as a core principle as a means to further its political objectives; its propaganda (popular Islamic prostration, social actors outwardly displaying conservative Islamic behavior) allows this group to globalize its message, while at the same time creating a PERCEPTION of a 'Salafi-Jihadi' movement in Syria whose end goal is an Islamic State. There's no doubt that this will motivate Saudi and UAE millionaires to take a stroll to their banks and write some blank checks. Sexy propaganda usually leads to more money and the funneling of regional fighters to aid a 'devoutly' Islamic group.
Posted by m3fd2002 at March 8, 2013 1:37 PM ET:
Your point is taken. However, the rebels don't need manpower at this point. It looks like there is conflict throughout the country, even in Shia/Christian dominated areas. It's hundreds of small unit actions daily. The Baathist intimidation has disappeared, and the Sunni's are taking up arms where ever they can find them. The Iranians, Hezbollah, and Russians want to maintain Assad. The Sunni Arab states want a Sunni dominated government, probably Institutionally Islamic. The Alawites just want to avoid a slaughter at this point. The Kurds are watching on the sidelines and have their interests clearly defined. The Turks are trying to manipulate the crisis for maximum leverage against the Kurds (internally and externally). I still would like to know what the true Israeli position on Syria is, by this I mean what would be the optimal outcome for the Israelis. They are the ones who have skin in the game that most likely reflects "Western" interests. Any insight would be appreciated.
Posted by mike merlo at March 8, 2013 3:30 PM ET:
interesting post. Sounds almost as vague & illusory as what you're singling out(nationalism?)
Posted by SlayerMill at March 8, 2013 4:41 PM ET:
For anyone, especially those in the State Department, who are curious about where our $60 million in non-lethal aid in the form of money, supplies, and services are ultimately going, here's your answer. I wonder how much money we're actually throwing into this civil war/ hijacked movement by jihadists from the very beginning to mask their international ambitions? If the State Department is overtly throwing $60 million into this toilet, there's no telling how much is truly being given away under the table. When will we learn that every time we fund a proxy to do our bidding, it comes back to haunt us? I suppose I'm underestimating the uncanny ability of nearly every politician ever at the highest level to treat history books like the plague. Here's a simple formula State Department; this will spare you the stress from future PR disaster headaches, as well as, billions in tax-payer dollars. DON'T FUND PROXIES! To quote the main mob boss from the only Wesley Snipes movie I like, New Jack City "Lay down with Peruvian dogs, you get Spanish fleas." No, that wasn't a knock on Spanish speaking people for any race-baiting "progressives" out there chomping at the bit to label me a racist; it was directed at the fact that when business is done with the wrong people (i.e. jihadists) you get screwed. It's a catch-22 with jihadists. It's better to let these groups pummel each other into submission since "submission" is what all these jihadi groups are ultimately all about imposing on the world anyways right? Seriously, jihadists are about as original as motor cycle gangs. They basically have the exact same ideologies and have the same ultimate goals as one another, but fight each other over turf, drug trade territory, narcissistic personalities who want to call the shots, etc. Jihadists should start wearing leather vests with 1%er and other patches to list their accomplishments in order to feel special too. Jihadists can have 0.0000001% patches to demonstrate the fact their beliefs reflect that same percent of Muslims beliefs. They can also have their IED patch, participation in an ambush patch, successfully recruited a guy stupid enough to blow himself up for our takfiri cause patch, etc. The bottom rocker on the backs of their vests can have the country they come from and everything.
Posted by blert at March 8, 2013 6:38 PM ET:
We may be only weeks away from a rebel established alternate government.
It could be 'stood up' in either Aleppo or Raqqa.
Bill's reference to the Euphrates River being a Sunni logistical highway bears emphasis.
Henceforth, one should expect aid -- of every type -- to flow in from the north, east, and south.
Near as I can tell, all of the SAA troops in the east and north have been strategically abandoned.
Off the 'radar' I would expect all Alawites to be packing the wives and kids out of Damascus -- sending them to the coast.
Assad can't stitch Humpty-Dumpty back together again.
Everyone sees that.
Every old regime loses ground slowly, slowly,... and then all at once.
The fighting tempo is going to explode in two weeks. The weather will be perfect by that time.
Posted by sundoesntrise at March 8, 2013 9:29 PM ET:
"It's better to let these groups pummel each other into submission since "submission" is what all these jihadi groups are ultimately all about imposing on the world anyways right?"
I appreciate your entire comment Mike but this was the climax of it. Unfortunately what seems to be the case though is there are a bunch of domestic groups here in the West that have a bleeding heart mindset and have fallen in love with the "Arab Spring" story. They absolutely refuse to accept that jihadists are in any way involved in these "democratic uprisings" and therefore will vouch to dispense money like candy without thinking twice where it went. Obama and his administration sent a total of billions (how many billions?) to various "Arab Spring" nations and not one of them have objectively progressed into the direction him and other "Arab Spring" advocates hoped it would.
Obama may have jumped the gun on Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, and Libya (especially Libya), but I think he finally gets it that this time he can NOT jump the gun and hand out guns and cash to just anybody. That's why aid has been, although generous, slim in Syria compared to the other nations.
"Jihadists can have 0.0000001% patches to demonstrate the fact their beliefs reflect that same percent of Muslims beliefs."
Extremism is on the rise on a catastrophically high rate all across the Muslim world. The Internet does not help either. In fact, I'm just going to say it. The Internet is part of the problem, where disaffected Muslim youth can go and learn about "jihad" in order to rebel against "the man". Back in my day, we became hippies to rebel. These days, Muslim kids want to become "martyrs" by blowing themselves up. Yes it sounds awful but it's simply the cold darn truth and nobody can deny it. The Internet is a feeding ground for unchecked extremism and the Jihadists take advantage of it under the guise of "free speech" and "democracy" - the very values they CONSISTENTLY state that they oppose.
I would call them hypocrites but to be honest I'm not sure anybody cares enough to oppose them anymore.
Posted by sundoesntrise at March 8, 2013 9:34 PM ET:
Oh, man - this is embarrassing, but I thought Mike Merlo made the post I quoted when SlayerMill actually made it. Sorry Slayer, all credit goes to you. Although Mike makes good posts too. I need new glasses.
Posted by Will Fenwick at March 8, 2013 10:04 PM ET:
The one thing is clear is that this mess will only get worse if and when assad is gone. Instead of everyone fighting the Baathists, a multi-sided conflict between the current co-belligerents will erupt and could spill violently across the northern Arabian peninsula.
With Assad gone, expect to see the Salafists turn on the nationalists and attempt to wipe out the Shia minority areas. I would expect Hezbollah to push north and occupy areas around Latakia.
The real question and the biggest potential for internationalization of the conflict is the Kurdish situation. A Salafist dominated post assad syria could see the Kurds declare independence which would cause massive tensions and possible conflict with Turkey and Iraq. Iraqi Kurdistan is already in essence a defacto independent state with high tensions with the central government.
A salafi Syrian state would also likely be even more of a danger to Israel than Assadist Syria is today. While i personally don't favor Assad winning the conflict, i actually think that now the Salafis are hijacking the rebellion that the likely hood of international conflict is higher in a rebel win scenario than in a rebel defeat. Either way, its a no win scenario for the western world.
Posted by mike merlo at March 9, 2013 12:19 PM ET:
nothing wrong with a little 'friendly fire' now & then. Heck just for kicks every time I drive around or through San Francisco I make a point of driving down One Way Streets just to check if I still have a pulse
Posted by AcademicGuerilla82 at March 9, 2013 12:35 PM ET:
@Mike Merlo
Thanks for the critique and engagement of my post. It had me thinking, and I re-read my post quite a few times. I just find it interesting that this group is called 'al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant', which to me has nationalist undertones, undertones that elude to the idea of Syrian nationalism, or rather the creation of a Syrian state that encompasses the entire Levant (the idea of Syrian nationalism, or this kind rather, was pushed forth ideologically by Antun Saadeh, 1904-1949). I just find it fascinating how easily ideas of Syrian nationalism can be assimilated, restructured, repackaged, and then re-sold ideologically as Salafi-jihadi ideals. If you choose to scan some of Saadeh and his beliefs, I hope you can maybe connect the dots like I did, i.e. take out the Syrian nationalist terminology and replace it with Salafi-jihadi terminology and they look very similar.
Thanks a lot Mike, have a good one.
Posted by mike merlo at March 9, 2013 4:17 PM ET:
I don't think anybody of consequence to date has satisfactorily explained, besides myself somewhat(Although not being a personage of consequence disqualifies me due to my exaggerated sense of self), this 'vague yet specific' element of the political part of this Global Jihad that's taking place.
The fact that you touched upon this Nationalistic 'possible' Salafi-Transnational connection is obviously 'something' that's 'alive & well' but for whatever continues to escape the capacity of Gov'ts world wide to articulate and single this threat out with the kind of meaningful definition that people from around the world can better 'grasp' & understand.
Its 'funny' we in the West or 'Free World' never seemed to have this 'problem' when it came to confronting, discussing, debating, etc., Communism. Having conversations of consequence on the GWOT that are consistent & not burden by "Political Correctness" are no longer possible.
Posted by kush dragon at March 9, 2013 8:23 PM ET:
@sundoesntrise & SlayerMill
Do you guys honestly think that it's only Obama or "bleeding hearts" as you call it who support proxies? It's not that I agree with Obama's foreign policy at all but you should remember that for many years many different administrations have haphazardly given our money to support so called "freedom fighters". You are under a dangerous illusion if you think only progressives, dems or whatever are responsible fort this.
Posted by sundoesntrise at March 10, 2013 6:20 AM ET:
On another note I must add that once again, after, for a long while, studying various armed groups I can still not really tell any difference between the Syrian rebels/Libyan rebels, vs. Al Qaeda, Taliban, or any other fundamentalist groups. Sure, they may live in different parts of the world but the constant extremist rhetoric is very similar and there for all to see. The militants in Libya and Syria, it seems, while less skilled than their fundamentalist brethren, try their best to emulate their tactics and are even inspired by AQ ideology.
Their demeanor is the same and I predict that just like Afghanistan came back to bite us - so will supporting the current generation of armed extremists.
A common misconception among bleeding hearts is that all Jihadists will return to their homelands once the fighting is done. That is patently false and as we have seen in the past, once one theater of war is 'liberated', they move onto the next one. So Bashar Al-Assad may not be the most saintly of human beings but his forces are keeping the Jihadists busy for now. With Afghanistan drawing down, and with Assad on the brink of falling, who do you think the Jihadists will turn their guns on next?
Posted by SlayerMill at March 10, 2013 3:42 PM ET:
@ kush dragon.
Read my post again and you'll see I was very clear I didn't confine a policy of supporting proxies to the Obama Administration. This is why I wrote:
"When will we learn that every time we fund a proxy to do our bidding, it comes back to haunt us? I suppose I'm underestimating the uncanny ability of nearly every politician ever at the highest level to treat history books like the plague."
Not once did I say funding proxies is strictly Obama's policy. I made sure to mention that ALL politicians are responsible for adopting irresponsible policies of giving money to people we end up fighting later, hence why I wrote "...every politician ever at the highest level..."
I didn't mention the Obama Admin now did I? I didn't call anyone a "bleeding heart" either as you accuse me of writing. You might want to read something a few times through before you decide to try and pick it apart or add your own creative editing to what was written.
Posted by Moose at March 12, 2013 6:28 AM ET:
@AcademicGuerilla82 and Mike Merlo,
Arab nationalism and Sunni extremism often go hand in hand. We've seen this social phenomena in other contexts (for instance, Zionism and Israeli nationalism go hand in hand for obvious reasons). Minority Arabs such as Shias and Christians have feared this development since forever. They consider themselves Arabs, and groups like the Baathists tried to implement an Arab, non-Islamic identity, but the extreme elements are now driving the discourse. Salafists have always seen Arab nationalism and establishing the caliphate as one and the same, and that message may be filtering to the masses.
Having said that, I'm completely unconcerned with a rising Islamic empire. Salafists have demonstrated time and again that they're bumbling morons when it comes to administration, especially in the modern age. Building a caliphate that threatens us on an existential level will never happen. Now if you combined their religious fervor with the social cohesion of say, the Chinese, then I might be concerned.
@SlayerMill and sundoesn'trise,
Divide and conquer - the oldest trick in the book. We should establish an independent Kurdistan where we can station our troops. I believe this will put the Arabs and Iranians in check. The only country we need on board is Turkey, but I think it can be done.
@Will Fenwick
I hadn't considered the possibility of Hezbollah occupying Latakia and the Syrian coast, but I think you're right. It's demographically friendly, Syria's only access to the Mediterranean, and the port at Tartous is way too important to lose. Reports indicate that the IRGC and Hezbollah-backed Jaysh militias are there in large numbers.
I understand your points, but I disagree. You're assuming Assad only has a modern force that's being worn down by asymmetrical tactics. You should also consider that as the Alawites lose ground, they will resort to such tactics themselves. I think the M5 Hwy that connects Damascus to Homs and Hamah and then Aleppo is going to be the new, bloody dividing line b/w the two sides. Cities such as Ar-Raqqa and Deir al-Zawr should have fallen a long time ago.
Posted by sundoesntrise at March 12, 2013 11:30 AM ET:
While I agree that the Salafists seem to busy choking on their own drool to get anything done, we should not underestimate them completely. They are still very determined and they are always waiting in the shadows to take advantage of ANY security holes they can find. With the downward spiral the Islamic world is taking recently, unfortunately, they will turn to religion to fill the void in their lives as humans tend to do quite a bit. There is a rising impression that a 'return' to the 'true Islam' will fix all their problems.
Also, when it comes to Turkey, the ONLY way that would happen is if a government comes to power that would be willing to cede territory to the Kurds - but then they would face huge domestic opposition from the non Kurdish masses. Not to mention as of now Erdogan will simply not let it happen. He is completely opposed to the idea, and he has threatened Assad not to let Kurdish groups use Syria as a sanctuary to launch and plot attacks.
Some observers have speculated that maybe Assad withdrew from the Kurdish areas purposely - to create a problem for Erdogan and to free up his own forces. But considering there is still fighting going on in those areas I really don't think that was the intention.
Posted by mike merlo at March 12, 2013 12:13 PM ET:
"Arab nationalism and Sunni extremism often go hand in hand." zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...old news. The Cold War has afforded many views of ideology & Nationalism of either one or the other being co-opted by the other.
"Salafists have demonstrated time and again that they're bumbling morons when it comes to administration," what makes you think those that you've singled out are about Administration? Say what you will about 'these' people they have expanded their theater(s) of operations significantly & continue to do so.
Existentially speaking whoever said anything about building a Caliphate. That is nothing more than a propaganda extrusion. As far as those who bandy 'it' about their position on the matter is very fluid. If 'it' should come to pass fine, if not then they will continue to wield as a propaganda canard as they deem fit.
As long as Pakistan continues to 'waiver' & it continues to posses Nuclear Weapons it shall remain an Existential Threat.
Posted by UNF at March 12, 2013 5:46 PM ET:
"We should establish an independent Kurdistan where we can station our troops."
Back in your rubber room, Rumsfeld!
Posted by Moose at March 13, 2013 10:05 PM ET:
I'm just of the opinion that man-made countries have caused way too many problems in places like the Middle East and Africa. I'm not Kurdish, but I believe the Kurds will eventually have their own country.
While we're on the subject, Afghanistan should also be divided so the Pasthuns can finally have their Pashtunistan and Tajiks, Hazaras, and Uzbeks can live in peace. In addition, let's divide North and South Mali since these regions consist of completely different ethnic groups. We should recognize and help the Tuaregs in the North combat the Salafists instead of propping up a weak, ineffective government based in Bamako.
@mike merlo,
You really don't think establishing the Caliphate is their ultimate goal? Really? Come on man I know you're smarter than that!
Btw, I do believe that Pakistan's nuclear weapons are a concern, but even that's tenuous. Have they even weaponized their arsenal so the warhead will go on a missile? I'm more concerned with them selling that technology to rogue states than I am with terrorists getting their hands on it. In any case, I HOPE they try using one so we can blow it out of the sky and level their entire country into a glass parking lot.
LOL, thanks buddy.
Posted by mike merlo at March 14, 2013 6:39 PM ET:
With all due respect to you & 99.9999999999% x Pi
,of all the world's other non Muslims, are border line clueless when it comes to ascertaining the import of the reestablishing the position of a Caliphate. The position was irresponsibly dissolved by the Turks. And while the proselytizing certainly serves the purposes of the Islamic Internationale's(II) propaganda machine one can rest assured that should the II ever attain their lofty sought after goals the position of the Caliphate will not be a priority.
Much in the same the way Communist Ideology foisted the idea of a "Workers Paradise" & a host of other 'visions' of paradise upon unwitting populations; a world of shared wealth, communal living, etc., was nothing more than a ruse to mobilize necessary amounts of a given 'targets' population to satisfy the 'Masters' objective which was Power & Control. " "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs," is nothing but some literati's poisoned pablum designed to fool the imbiber.
By the way I'd be curious to know that if a country is not "man-made" then to who or what is its 'genesis' to be ascribed to?
Posted by mike merlo at March 14, 2013 6:49 PM ET:
Whether Pakistan has weaponized their Nuclear Technology capable of being mounted upon a missile is immaterial. A collection of kamikazee pilots carrying Nuclear Payloads from my vantage is a much more plausible scenario. Besides from an operational preparation stand point Nuclear Armed aircraft are much easier to arm & deploy.
Posted by blert at March 14, 2013 7:58 PM ET:
It's been a week... and it now appears that both France and Britain want to openly provide aid to the rebels.
Further, one might intuit that these maneuvers are being sync'd with the formation of a rebel government -- which both powers will recognize as the legitimate Syrian authority, tout de suite.
As for the s l o w take down of Raqqa, and such -- such is the norm for modern siege tactics. In ancient times, it was as common as dust for sieges to go on for months and months.
The Trojans held out for ten months. This was poetically extended into a surreal ten years in the Iliad.
(It should be obvious to all that no ancient military force could maintain a siege of ten years. What of food storage? People didn't even live all that long back then. And, the Iliad never tells of fresh troops, endlessly sailing on over to reinforce kings who've left their thrones for years on end -- and their queens. Such is poetic license.)
Posted by sundoesntrise at March 15, 2013 11:56 AM ET:
"By the way I'd be curious to know that if a country is not "man-made" then to who or what is its 'genesis' to be ascribed to?"
You are asking a pointless question, to be honest. Simply put, all nations are man made. It's just like saying, "water is wet", or "fire is hot".
When it comes to the whole Caliphate thing, of course Mike has a point in his posts referring to power and control. Communist dictators have used the theme of a "workers paradise" and "resistance against Imperialism" to suppress their own populations ruthlessly. When you look at it Islamists do the same thing.
They point their finger in the air, grow a long beard, and wave an AK around in the air. They whip people for smoking and looting, meanwhile they do the same thing (think of Mali, or Iraq, for instance.) Then they claim that "Allah" has granted them the authority to do what they are doing because they are following the "true Islam". And in a society that is not so socially/technologically advanced, that is enough in itself to shut up any opposition to them. Anyone who crosses that line is simply killed.


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Cisco Systems recently made an announcement about the acquisition of Sourcefire, a leader in intelligent cyber security solutions. The announcement stipulated that Cisco pay $76 cash per share of Sourcefire, suggesting a company valuation of $2.7 billion. The offer price is 29% higher relative to Monday's closing price. The agreement will allow the companies to synergize their products, technologies and research teams to develop and provide advanced protection across the entire attack continuum. Currently, Sourcefire has 650 employees on its payroll.
Read More

subset: commoncrawl


text:
A number of recent burglaries in Bradley County during the past few weeks have had one thing in common.
Reports have indicated firearms have been the primary target for the burglars.
Deputy Adam Beard filed a report for Roger Pritchett of a Cohulla Road address after his home was burglarized during the weekend.
Pritchett reported the loss of a Taurus 9mm firearm, holster and a small amount of miscellaneous change.
According to the report, someone gained entry to his home between 8:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. Friday.
Beard could not determine a point of entry into the residence.
According to the report, loss was estimated at $425.
- Michael Craig of a Weatherly Switch Road address also reported an aggravated burglary Friday at his home.
A single-shot shotgun and a .22=caliber bolt-action rifle were taken.
According to a report filed by deputy Brandon Warren, forced entry was evident.
Warren also noted a bedroom in the home appeared to have been ransacked.
Detective Rob Wilson responded to the scene to collect evidence left behind by the perpetrator.
Warren also noted in his report the guns were valued at $200.
- Willie Jenkins of Willie's Deli in Charleston reported someone had stolen one of his antique signs.
According to Jenkins, the sign was displayed in front of his business.
A report filed by deputy Jasper McDonald of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office indicated the theft occurred between 11:30 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Monday, when it was discovered missing.
It was described as being red and white porcelain and displaying the Coca-Cola logo.
The sign was valued at $3,000.


text:
Monday, September 14, 2009
1 comment:
Good golly, Miss Molly. I went over to that "special whats-is" page of yours, and you are posting some audacious carryings-on over there! Last time I checked (last time I will), you weren't accepting tributes except from peers; and who should wonder, why not. Besides, the un-Special side is more than grand enough for the likes of me. But, collectors of the signal agitprop of our time, are encouraged to fend for themselves, according to their stamina and their nature.
Checkpoint Charlie, eat your heart out.
All comments are moderated. All comments are screened. All comments are chosen and published entirely at the discretion of the blog owner. Ignorant or uncivilized comments will not be published. Word verification is used to prevent spam from bots. -- The chances of an anonymous comment being read or posted are close to zero.


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Reviewed Green Tomato Cake with Brown Butter Icing
Oct 18, 2012 in Food Network Community Toolbox on FoodNetwork.com
"Despite the fact that at first this cake sounds a little un-appetizing, don't let it fool you! I just made it for the first time because I had a bag of leftover green tomatoes from our garden and we are getting tired of having them fried. I googled "green tomato recipes" and happened upon this one. It was amazing. Who would have ever thought that ""


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We have a patio with interlocking brick that we want to cover with a pergola. The pergola will be about 12' X 12'. The patio is "surrounded" on 2 sides by 6' a fence and the garage. So there is only one side that is open/exposed.
My (tentative) plan is to place the posts on top of the pavers and anchor the pergola to the fences and the garage. I will use lag bolts to do this. The fence is 6' high, made of pressure treated wood with 6' X 6' posts that are set in 3' concrete footers. I am not concerned with a few pavers sinking under the weight of the pergola. But maybe I should be? My preference is to not dig up the pavers where the posts will be and instead use the fences and garage to keep the structure in place. Just looking for some comments/tips/advice on my plan. thanks mc |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by fnmroberts (My Page) on Wed, Oct 10, 12 at 17:12
You don't mention where you reside but your profile says Canada. Therefore you are in a frost zone. In good conscience I cannot endorse your construction proposal for a couple reasons. 1) Frost Heave - your fence and patio are not structural That means they respond to seasonal ground movement. Attaching your pergola to them with cause it to "twist" and pull apart. 2) Wind and Snow Load - these are the two influences nature will put upon a pergola. It must be securely anchored to a footing set below the frost line. What to do? I recommend attaching a ledger board to your garage and setting footings beyond the existing patio. Or, replace fence post(s) with concrete footings and attach a pergola support to the footing using a post stand-off base, then get dual use of the pergola support by attaching the fence to it. Hope this helps. I'm linking our pergola. It is free standing and we live in northern Illinois where the influences I mention are factors. The footings are 5 feet below the patio surface, 12" diameter. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Pergola
fnmroberts: Do you find that the snow in your location tends to fall through the lattice, or build up on it? kas |
- Posted by fnmroberts (My Page) on Sun, Oct 14, 12 at 12:05
kaseki - Sort of both but alot sifts through with the wind, the rest melts fairly soon as it has south and west exposure to the sun. Never any sagging or need to clear. |
Thanks. I'm thinking of a similar treatment to a simple un-ornamented pergola -- really more like an arbor without vegetation -- to provide some shade. kas in NH |
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James Petty has joined private equity owned Vestis Retail Group as CEO, effective July 8, to drive new growth opportunities.
Petty joins Vestis, parent company of Bob's Stores and Eastern Mountain Sports, after serving since 2007 as president of retail stores for Carter's Inc. Petty left Carter's last December after a restructuring resulted in Carter's relocating its retail group to its Atlanta headquarters from Connectticut. Prior to Carter's, Petty held senior roles at Limited Too and Gap, Inc.


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Jifiti is a gifting platform that allows you to share your favorite items while walking through your favorite stores. The best part is that your friends and family can actually buya gift or easily chip in with one click directly on the jifiti.com platform.
I was walking through my favorite store and saw something I would love to have. What do I do?
Open your Jifiti app and hit 'Add Gift'. Select the store you are in, and scan the barcode – you'll see the product pop up on your screen.
The product popped up on my screen after I scanned the barcode. How do I make sure it's the right size and color?
That you make sure when you pick up your gift in the store or online. Just make sure it's the product you're wishing for and it's the correct price. After all, your friends and family are happy to buy you the gift you want, no matter the size or color.
I'm not loving the catalogue picture. Can I switch it with a different picture?
Sure! You can make your gifts a lot more personal by taking a picture of yourself with it. Either right after you scan the product, or even while it is on the list, simply click on the camera icon and switch the picture.
I found an awesome gift I would like to receive. How do I tell my friends and family?
After you scan the gift, you will have a short wizard on the bottom of the screen where you will be able to share the product using social networks, email or sms. You can always share a product while it is on your gift list also. Want to kill a few birds with one stone? In the gift list screen, easily share you entire list with your friends and family.
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When a gift is purchased you will receive a notification in your inbox. Simply open the notification, hit 'claim gift' and use that screen to checkout of the store with your gift.
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At any time you can click on a gift in your list and hit 'Cash in'. The amount collected until that point will be put on a gift card and sent to your inbox. You can easily add to the amount when checking out with your gift, or simply choose something else within your budget.
I scanned a gift in one of your partnering stores, but it didn't find the product. What's going on?
The Jifiti app will usually find the products in the store. Just like anyone else, sometimes we swing and miss. No worries, you can easily add the gift manually – adding the picture, name and any details you want. Make sure the price is correct – because that is what your friends and family will be paying for it. Once the gift is purchased for you, simply walk into the store and pick it up with the in-app notification.
I scanned a gift, but the picture on the phone shows the wrong color. What's going on?
Sometimes a certain barcode represents a product in different colors. You will always be able to select your gift in the right color when you pick it up in the store or order it online. Want to make sure everyone sees the right color? Snap a picture of the item by hitting on the camera icon on the product picture.
I came back to the store to redeem my gift but it was out of stock. What do I do?
Have the store order it for you or simply logon to the store's website and order it online. You can still pay for it using your in app notification. See something else that you love? You can always use that same notification to buy something else within that price range.
Do I have to pick up the gift in the store once it was purchased?
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I'm purchasing a gift for a friend on Jifiti.com. Why am I paying tax for an online purchase?
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Does Jifiti charge a fee for the service?
The fee charged on the website is generally used to cover the in-store sales tax when the gift is picked up.
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Many women have fallen for Neal's charms, his lies and deceits, his ability to make himself whatever they wanted or needed, to touch their dreams and make them believe that he was the one who could make those dreams come true.
At least three of his victims can't speak to what hold he had over them -- although the families of the women will try to explain it at his death-penalty hearing. One woman survived that rampage; she is ready to tell the court about his cold-blooded efficiency during those days when he says he just "snapped."
There are other witnesses who will not be testifying: the women Neal married. Four of them. All of them attractive, intelligent, independent and trusting -- just like his victims in 1998. Some of them still live in mortal fear that Neal will somehow find a way to reach out from behind walls and razor wire and hurt them. Neal's actions in the summer of 1998 were extreme, they say, but not out of character and the inevitable conclusion for a man who spent his adult life manipulating and testing the women he supposedly loved, a man ruled by his jealousies, obsessions and paranoia.
"Judging the Judge,"
September 30, 1999
After a year on the Jefferson County bench, Brooke Jackson knows it can be a real hot seat.
By Steve Jackson
"Judgment Day,"
May 6, 1999
The state's first death-penalty panel spares the life of Robert Riggan.
Neal's first wife has tried to stay out of the picture. She talked to Jeffco investigators but didn't say much. Neal told the woman he would marry next that his first marriage ended when he caught her in bed with another man. That's a lie, his own family says.
Karen, who became Neal's second wife, has a whole collection of his lies.
She was born in upstate New York in 1959 to upper-middle-class parents. "I was not the perfect child," she says. "I had my teen-age rebellion, but I went to college for two years, studying English and horticulture. In other words, I'm not stupid, nor did I come from a dysfunctional background."
Karen was an accomplished outdoorswoman -- a rock climber and cave explorer. She taught kayaking and tried twice to make the U.S. Olympic canoe team, coming in second both times. There wasn't any adventure she wouldn't try. But with William Neal, she got more adventure than she bargained for.
In 1981, she was working as an assistant manager at a Hudson Bay Outfitters store in the Washington, D.C., area, a prestigious job for a 23-year-old woman. Karen was beautiful, with long, strawberry-blond hair, as well as financially self-sufficient and as tough as the wilderness treks she led. Then he walked in.
Many years later, she would hear unflattering physical descriptions of William Neal and say there must have been a transformation, "a sort of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde." The description of a soft, somewhat pear-shaped man doesn't match the "Bill" who approached her one day in the store, looking for information and equipment to hike the Appalachian Trail. He said he was leaving that very afternoon.
"He wasn't dressed to kill or anything, but he had long blond hair and those blue eyes and was as sweet as can be," Karen says, her voice full of the Tennessee hill country where she now lives. "He was bubbly, and I'm bubbly. And he was into what I was into; we were alike." She had already hiked the Appalachian Trail, and for an hour they discussed what he could expect. She could have talked to him all day.
Unfortunately, he wanted a piece of equipment that her store didn't carry, so she referred him to another outfitter some distance away. Bill had already left the store when she got the notion to offer him a ride to her competitor's place during her lunch break. She hurried outside, didn't see Bill, but drove to the other store anyway. He wasn't there. Disappointed, she sat in the parking lot for a few minutes -- and then saw him getting off a bus, toting his backpack. I was going to give you a ride, she said, explaining her presence.
"I told him to take care, and when he came back, to stop in and say hey -- and maybe we could do a canoe trip or something," she says. "There was no kiss, no talk of love...but I was smitten. And there I was, thinking, 'Gosh, I'm never going to see him again. He'll go do the trail, and that will be the end of it.'"
But it wasn't. The next day, Karen arrived at work to find Bill waiting in the store wearing a sharp three-piece suit and sporting a new haircut. He'd skipped his trip, he said, so that he could take her to lunch. And although she usually had only a half-hour break, he'd already talked her boss into giving her an hour.
At lunchtime, Bill escorted Karen to a nice, four-wheel drive Subaru and drove her to a country estate owned by an older couple he knew. There, beneath 200-year-old white pines, a picnic was spread out. They ate lunch and talked, and then there was a surprise waiting in the bottom of the picnic basket: a silver necklace. But not just any necklace. Somehow he'd found a jeweler who overnight had created a pendant in silver that matched the Hudson Bay Outfitters logo she'd worn on her shirt the day before. A wolf howling at the moon.


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Photo by Len Rubenstein
The Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal opens the door to the discovery of therapeutic sensitivities in cancer cell lines. Illustration by Lauren Solomon, Broad Communications
Researchers have sequenced the genome of the African coelacanth, an ancient-looking fish with lobed fins. Many coelacanth specimens (such as the one shown here) are on display in museums, but the organism's full genome has never before been sequenced.Photo by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, available on Wikimedia Commons


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College of Nursing (25)
This degree prepares students to provide recovery oriented and preventive health care services to people in a variety of settings. The professional registered nurse plans, gives and supervises bedside nursing care; teaches nursing personnel and assists in teaching patients and their families; plans for community health services; and administers various programs inside and outside of a hospital or institutional setting.
Within nursing there are separate specialties of registered nurses. These include: hospital nurses who provide care to patients in hospitals, infirmaries and medical institutions; private duty nurses who negotiate contracts to provide nursing care for patients in the patient's home or patient care institutions; community health nurses who work for town and city government and instruct families on good health techniques; physician's office nurses who help doctors with the examination and treatment of patients in an office setting; and school nurses who plan the objectives and practices for a school's health program in cooperation with medical authorities and school administrators.
Some other specialties in the registered nurse area include the nurse anesthetist who receives special training to administer anesthesia to patients undergoing surgery; nurse midwife who practices the independent management and care of normal newborns and women; nurse practitioner who functions in an expanding nursing role, usually in the ambulatory patient care setting, working closely with physicians.
For more information please visit:


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Samsung T639
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Released for T-Mobile, the Samsung SGH-T639 clamshell device fits any mood or unique personality with versatile interchangeable color faceplates. The T639 is as feature-rich as it is fashionable, offering an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera with zoom, MP3 player, Bluetooth wireless technology, and microSD memory card slot. The T639 can access data files at faster speeds faster than ordinary GSM handsets using EDGE, also compatible with the most popular instant messaging platforms.
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Field Report: Danagger Audio Works Plan B
Dead air. It's a program director's worst nightmare, and no station is immune from it. As engineers, we only have control over technical failures that cause dead air such as STLs, consoles and overnight automation through good old preventative maintenance. Although necessary, preventative maintenance and diligence will only eliminate some failures. Eventually technical failures that are out of our control will happen, something that could never have been foreseen, let alone planned for. Sooner or later it will hit your station.
The newest tool to fight the dreaded dead air problem is the Plan B Silence Eliminator from Danagger Audio Works. Designed and built to be simple, flexible and convenient for any station, the basic principle is that this unit will detect silence and start playback of a CD on the built-in CD player. That's it; but this unit is far from basic.
The Plan B is built into a rugged aluminum two-rack unit case. It accommodates digital or analog inputs/outputs on standard three pin XLR connectors. The back panel also has a five-pin DIN connector to power the box with the included dc power supply, a fused and surge-protected telco connector for remote control via a touchtone telephone. A connector for optically isolated status inputs, mute control, three N.O. auxiliary relay contacts and a grounding stud complete the back panel layout.
Performance at a glance |
Solidly designed, built and manufactured Methods for setup and testing without putting backup audio on air Limited five-year warranty External power supply Backup audio source and silence sensor |
The unit is designed so all necessary adjustments are made from the front panel. The silkscreen labels are easy to understand and read. Recessed adjustment pots are mounted for main audio and compact disc levels, as well as one for the silence delay. A built-in speaker, a headphone jack and a volume control are also provided. Front panel buttons include an enable, test, activate, reset memory, bypass, restore, mute, disc random and disc resume. Additionally, a full set of compact disc control buttons are front and center under the CD door. The Plan B also comes with indicator LEDs so you never have to guess what it's doing. LEDs included are for main audio, digital link, remote link, disc playing, not ready, backup on-air and memory fail.
TechnicalThe documentation included in the manual includes easy-to-follow schematics for the main board and one other circuit board manufactured by Danagger. Those circuit boards are well made, components are clearly labeled and all ICs are socketed. Two additional circuit boards associated with the Toshiba CD player are manufactured by Toshiba and do not have documentation or socketed ICs. The audio outputs are passively switched using gold-contact relays.
Basic installationThe logical place for this unit is the transmitter site. Pick a mounting location that is as clean and climate controlled as possible. Insert this unit in the audio chain just before the last piece of equipment that takes AES or discrete left and right audio. This may be just before the STL, processor or, better yet, the exciter. Doing this will eliminate as many points of failure as possible. Remember that if you insert the Plan B after the processor but before the exciter, any issues with processing can be overcome by burning a CD with processed audio. Once the unit is mounted you'll have to interrupt the audio to physically insert the Plan B into the audio chain and make the connections.
The rear-panel connections. |
After it's connected and audio is running through it you will want to set levels and the silence delay. Set the main audio level first to standard programming. This level is the threshold used for silence detection, and the adjustment is aided with the use of a front panel LED. The disc level adjustment is then set by ear. This is easily set because the CD audio and the program audio can both be listened to, adjusted and compared without interrupting the actual on air programming through an ingenious method designed into the unit. Next, set the delay for the maximum time period of silence you would like the unit to ignore. This can range from two seconds to 10 minutes. The manufacturer has even designed and included a test mode to test the silence sensor without putting CD audio on the air. As always, you will want to perform a final test and actually cut programming from the source before the unit. That's the basic installation, but if you stop there, you'll be missing out on some really nice features of the Plan B.
The unit has touch-tone remote control features. Access to a telephone circuit at the point of installation is necessary, but worth the extra work. If you already have a remote control using the transmitter telephone line you will have to install another line or try a distinctive ring router like a SR3 by Multi-Link in Lexington, KY. Your telephone company should be able to provide a second number for the same line using distinctive ringing for only a couple dollars per month. The Plan B has the capability to report alarm conditions to up to three emergency phone numbers. With a touch-tone phone you can program various functions, listen to incoming audio or CD audio if it's playing, activate the three auxiliary relays individually, read the state of any one of three status inputs and restore, activate or bypass the unit.
With the extra set of contacts for an audio failure alarm, this unit can also be connected to an existing remote control or alarm device. One nice aspect is its internal EEPROM. With this, information such as passwords, playback mode, three emergency phone numbers to report alarms and a few other setup parameters are safe whenever power is interrupted. Of course, an uninterruptible power supply is highly recommended.
The Plan B can play MP3 encoded discs as well as conventional CDs. Remember to adhere to all copyright laws when doing this.
Field testI tested this unit by installing it at the transmitter site. I connected the AES digital output of a RF STL to the digital input of the Plan B, then the digital out of the Plan B to the exciter digital input. Because our main programming is classical music, which can have quiet passages, the delay was set for four minutes. During my test I was able to kill programming (in the overnight hours, of course) and let the Plan B take over. It did so flawlessly, switching to the backup CD I created that is indistinguishable from normal program audio.
I found the telephone remote control easy to get used to. It was similar to maneuvering around a voice mail system with a list of options and corresponding commands. The power supply is an external heavy-duty multi-voltage supply with a six-pin DIN connector. I prefer internal power supplies, but this is not a big problem.
Because the backup source is a CD, a mechanical device, it can be prone to the problems associated with anything mechanical. Likewise, if the transmitter is particularly dusty, keeping the optics clean might be a problem. I would like to see a unit with a Compact Flash card or similar solid-state media. Also keep in mind that if you already use a telephone line for the transmitter remote control you will need an interface or a second line to access the Plan B.
Danagger Audio Works | |
250-762-8346 250-763-2902 www.danagger.com firstname.lastname@example.com |
Simple installation and setup takes only minutes. Even when using more of the features and relays it will only take about 90 minutes to install, program and test. With all this and a five-year warranty, I believe the Plan B is a good investment.
Danko is VP of engineering and operations for WGUC-FM, Cincinnati.
Editor's note: Field Reports are an exclusive Radio magazine feature for radio broadcasters. Each report is prepared by well-qualified staff at a radio station, production facility or consulting company.
These reports are performed by the industry, for the industry. Manufacturer support is limited to providing loan equipment and to aiding the author if requested.
It is the responsibility of Radio magazine to publish the results of any device tested, positive or negative. No report should be considered an endorsement or disapproval by Radio magazine.
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Host a Child
Our 40-year program continues to address the changing needs in today's Northern Ireland as well as providing rich cultural opportunities for the American host families. The five week program includes goals to building stronger cross-community understanding and tolerance, and creating opportunity for establishing deeper, meaningful relationships with host families.
- Take the Host Family Tour to learn more
- Apply online to be a host family (Now taking 2012 applications)
Host families and participating children in Northern Ireland will be identified and confirmed through our long-standing and proven interview process.
A typical 5-week visit
Everything in America is new and exciting - from the food to the freeways.
- Riding bikes, playing outdoors after dark, not being stopped by soldiers and having the freedom to be a child can become some of the child's best memories.
- You may find that your child is not familiar with baseball, softball, American football (football to them is our soccer), ice hockey and ice-skating, or ten pin bowling.
- In addition to mosquitoes, squirrels, fireflies and snakes may be new.
- Try seasonal activities or customs: an Easter egg hunt, baking and decorating Christmas cookies, an American style birthday party, regardless of the child's birthdate. This is your chance to show them everything that makes America such a unique and fun place to live.
Get answeres to frequently asked questions about being a host family and the children you will host.
Host Family Qualifications
Families of all sizes, configurations and income levels have hosted children from Northern Ireland. The key qualification is that you can open your home and heart
Additional Resources
Found out more on Irish recipes, books, films, websites and common translations.


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TouchArcade – ★★★★★
"…ARC Squadron embodies what makes an iOS game great and is a must-play."
G4TV – Game of the Week
"Without question, Arc Squadron is one of the best space shooters we've ever played on iOS."
Kotaku – Gaming App Of The Day
"ARC Squadron is a delight."
Inside Mobile Games
"ARC Squadron raises the bar for quality among iOS games"
"Not very often does a newcomer impress, quite to the level that ARC Squadron has"
"Some of the best visuals we've seen on iOS"
"You should definitely play and enjoy this impressively polished shooter"
An evil race known as the Guardians is taking over the universe, ravaging planets, and killing all peaceful life forms. You are the galaxy's only hope for salvation. As an elite pilot serving in the ARC Squadron, you are tasked to take on the Guardians in head-to-head combat and bring down their empire.
With simple one-touch controls, you can shoot, blast, and annihilate enemy forces to hunt down each of the nine Guardian lords and destroy them once and for all. The ultimate battle for the galaxy is nigh. Are you on board?
* Stunning graphics, optimized for Retina display
* Massive sixty-four level campaign
* More than twenty unique environments
* Fifteen challenge levels
* Nine boss battles
* Six upgradeable ships, with unlockable ship skins
* Ten upgradeable weapons
* Gamecenter friend challenges, leaderboards and achievements


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It is encouraged that we play, fish, swim, surf, boat, kayak, windsurf etc., but we just need to be aware of the conditions when doing so. And there is no Country Club here. Gyms, bars, and tennis/volleyball courts, skate park, track, baseball and soccer fields yes. No country club. And a bar can be considered an activity on Kwaj. Life on the island is much like living at club med, without having to pay the fees.
Internet is gaining speed, its only 32 bucks a month for the people living here to have a phone connection, dial up internet is free.
Kwaj is beautiful.


text: Pro Balance Super Fine 3000 Grit Whetstone has been discontinued by Pro Balance and is no longer available. Our product experts have helped us select these available replacements below. You can also explore other items in the Knife Accessories category yourself to try and find the perfect replacement for you!


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#TopoftheMorning @theCalgaryTower #yyc By Shane K
This Calgary moment captured with Instagram. Share your favourite Calgary moments on Capture Calgary by downloading the free Instagram app, using it to take a picture and including "#capturecalgary" or "#sceneyyc" in your image's caption. It's that easy.
Check out the original here.
Dec 04, 2012


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Plough also was a past president of the American Water Ski Association and USA Wakeboard. In 1999 she was the recipient of USA Water Ski's Award of Merit, the highest award presented to a volunteer in the organization.
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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.
Sort by: Date | Rating | Most Helpful
"I agree with currybunny that the carrots should be processed instead of mashed. The dish was very oily. I would suggest subbing lemon juice for the vinegar, which was way too powerful for the gentle sweetness of the carrots. I generally like cumin, but I thought the tsp of cumin unnecessary to the point of overpowering. The dukka didn't help. ..."
"I'm not a huge fan of zucchini, but I think for me it's mostly about texture, so I thought I'd try having it mashed. I wasn't particularly impressed. Two stars means we didn't dislike it, but we won't be making it again either. Note: Before mashing, DRY the cooked zucchini with a tea towel as best as possible."
"Even my "half the tomato sauce"-ordering husband thought this dish could use more. You might increase the sauciness by reducing amount of pasta (a pound is a lot). The alternative we will use is adding some prepared spaghetti sauce (perhaps a cup, maybe two) as we thought the flavors would be more balanced with more tomato."
"I agree with Divaconvivia: I would suggest significantly reducing the cheese. I used about 6 oz. of feta, and still felt the cheese was overpowering the flavor, and I didn't really taste what I thought was going to be an interesting mix of flavors in the dressing. The pine nuts (which I toasted) add an essential crunch."
"I'm not a great lover of chickpeas, but I liked this dish. It was even good reheated. Next time we'll add more peppers as it didn't have much of a kick. We'll also cut back on the "hands off" cooking time, as after 1.5 hours the chickpeas were already a bit mushy--and we're at high altitude, where boiling should take longer."
"A hearty bun is a must-have with these burgers--I used regular white hamburger buns and ended up with a soggy mess. A tasty soggy mess, but a soggy mess."
"I made this in two bread pans because I don't have a tube pan. Next time I'll skip the "topping"--the flavor was too strong and it made the cake kind of mushy. Other than that, excellent, quick recipe."


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Originally released in 1987, remade for the PC in 2004, and then ported to the Xbox in 2005, Pirates! is one of Sid Meier's most frequently revisited creations. The strategy-adventure game puts players in the role of a pirate captain in the 17th-century Caribbean attempting to track down kidnapped family members, extract revenge for past wrongs, find romance, and amass a huge fortune.
Now the game is sailing out into uncharted waters as Take-Two Interactive has announced it will publish a PlayStation Portable version of Pirates! in North America and Europe. The PSP version will be marked by a number of new features, including local wireless multiplayer for up to four players, graphics adapted to the system's widescreen display, and new treasure hunts to keep players busy.
Pirates! has been rated E10+ for Everyone 10 and Older, and is scheduled to ship in North America in January of 2007. A European release should follow on February 27.


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Advanced Ketone Pure is a natural phenolic compound that is responsible for the heavenly aroma of red raspberries. According to certain studies, raspberry ketone may be able to help with weight loss.
NEW Advanced Ketone Pure is an incredible, exciting advanced formula containing not only Ketone Advance as the main ingredient, but also a powerful blend of superfruits and antioxidants to help boost results.


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We are a Buddhist meditation and study group that meets weekly on Sunday mornings from 9:00 – 10:15 AM at the Gundun Hus, Tierra Nueva Cohousing in Oceano. We are affiliated with the White Heron Sangha in San Luis Obispo, on the California Central Coast.
Everyone is welcome to attend our weekly meditation and program. Please check the schedule since we do not meet during White Heron Sangha sponsored weekend retreats.
For more information contact us.


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16 yr olds today are the new HAGS
Hey I am over 50.. we are not total hags>?>> thanks
Way older... look at her arm in some of those shots..she is near 50 for sure, age shouldnt matter to be honest.. I mean lifes short.. but dont say your 16 when your obviously over 50
Way older... look at her arm in some of those shots..she is near 50 for sure
Bet she doesn't even know how to reach an orgasam
Because YOU are a desperate loser!
she definitely looks way older than 16-would say 28-36. I think this is all some kind of hoax, especially on her/her parents behalf. They showed part of her "birth certificate" on ABC news and it looked like a printed receipt from a restaurant, not an official state document. that girl is a train wreck and this whole thing has got to be made up. and if you watch the abc news thing, she keeps staring at him and licking her lips in the creepiest way ever. gross
what a shame....if she can get her boobs blown up, she should be able to get her lips done too instead of having to purposely poke 'em out to get that pouty look!.....and whats up with all those rediculous "poses"?.....and only 16?......paaaaalleeeeeeezzzzz!...she has totally destroyed what quite possibly be an attractive young lady......
he only married her for the sex. I bet it's great lucky guy
Hey, I am 46 years old and do not look my age either. If given the opportunity, I would SO marry her, whether she were 16 years old or 56 years old.
I don't understand, this chick looks more like 40 and washed up. Has fake boobs and looks anorexic in some pics. How is she only 16?? Could this be a hoax?
This girl has grown up way too fast. Fake breasts, boxtox of the lips and her mother approves of this marriage with a 50 some year old???? Some mother..... I give this marriage one year.


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RENO, Nev. — A professional rodeo clown who co-founded an anti-bullying program that is used nationwide is hitting the road in Nevada to promote his cause.
Marvin Nash of Cheyenne, Wyo., on Friday began rolling his 130-pound rodeo barrel from Reno to Las Vegas with a goal of completing the 450-mile feat by the Oct. 4 start of an anti-bullying conference in Las Vegas.
Nash said he plans to take a combination of back roads and highways, and roll the barrel about 10 to 12 miles a day. His wife, Darlene, will drive a support vehicle and accompany him on the trek that will mostly be on U.S. 95.
The two formed Bullying Hurts, a mentoring program that helps schools, parents and students deal with bullying. The program has taken hold in some 300 schools nationwide since its inception in 2001.
"People expect only comedy from a rodeo clown, but the program deals with a serious issue," Nash told The Associated Press. "Kids can't learn if they're worried about getting beat up in the playground. You're entitled to a safe place to learn."
This isn't the first time Nash has rolled out his barrel — which is used to protect fallen cowboys from bulls at rodeos — to raise awareness about the cause. In 2010, he pushed the barrel 130 miles from Washington, D.C., to a New Jersey town.
And in 2001, he rolled it 1,800 miles from Ocala, Fla., to Cody, Wyo., to promote his earlier "Sort It Out" youth character awareness program. That latter feat took over four months to complete, while his current trip is expected to last about 40 days.
"Starvin'" Marvin, as he's known on the rodeo circuit, was in full clown costume as he embarked on his latest trip Friday from Reno's Grand Sierra Resort.
His group is organizing the Leading the Charge Against Bullying Conference from Oct. 4-7 at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. A similar conference is planned for Reno in 2012.
"There exists a great need for a statewide unified approach to deal with bullying in our schools and communities," Russell D. Smith, state senior deputy attorney general, said in a statement.
Some 13 million students, about a third of all those attending school, are bullied every year, according to the White House. Experts say that puts them at greater risk of falling behind in their studies, abusing drugs or alcohol, or suffering mental or other health problems. Kids who are seen as different because of their race, clothes, disability or sexual orientation are more likely to be bullied.


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64 Bathroom Decorating Ideas
From vintage fixtures to bold patterns, these easy bathroom design ideas will make your home's smallest room feel larger than life.
Shop beautiful bathroom accessories on our Country Living store on Wayfair.com »
Outdoor Bathroom
The owner of this Kentucky home created the bathhouse's geometric floor and walls—inspired by an image in a book of Charles Jencks's garden designs—with ceramic and porcelain tiles. Virginia creeper and trumpet vines entwine the porch, audaciously poking through the shower shack's windows.
Christopher Baker


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Former Berkshire Hathaway Executive Has Only The Nicest Things To Say About Warren Buffett
By Bess LevinOn March 30, 2011, Warren Buffett penned an open letter expressing support for his former lieutenant, David Sokol, whose trading activities had been called into question. "Neither Dave nor I feel his Lubrizol purchases were in any way unlawful," Buffett wrote. Then, a month later, he told shareholders and reporters gathered at the BKR annual meeting in Omaha that, actually, Sokol was a degenerate bum; a piece of garbage that needed to be taken out, lest it stink up the place. (Actual words: "inexcusable," "inexplicable," in violation of "the company's insider-trading rules and code of ethics." Buffett added that Berkshire "had turned over some very damning evidence" re: Sokol to the Securities and Exchange Commission, to boot.)
Though Sokol did not publicly respond to the comments at the time, they presumably stung quite a bit, since having your unassailable ex-boss basically call you a lowlife does not do wonders for the reputation. Now, a year later, after being informed that the SEC would not be taking action against him, is he in a Zen place about life in general and Buffett's words specifically? Are the two men cool? Could Sokol see them being friends again one day? At the very least, is he ready to laugh about them? Yes, yes he is.
If we're talking about laughing maniacally while smothering Buffett's face with a pillow, as his response to a request for comment about the tiff seems to suggest.
In a sign that the rift is unlikely to heal soon, Mr. Sokol on Friday lashed out at the 82-year-old Mr. Buffett. "I will never understand why Mr. Buffett chose to hurt my family in such a way, but given that he is rapidly approaching his judgement [sic] day I will leave his verdict to a higher power," Mr. Sokol wrote in an emailed response to The Wall Street Journal.
So, not yet bros again, got it. Only thing left open to interpretation here is if Sokol is alluding to having taken an actual hit out on WB or if he's simply been praying nightly for a speedy comeuppance while stuffing pins in his a Buffett-shaped hair doll.
Comments (41)
I will never understand why you didn't just tell the guy rapidly approaching his judgment day you were long 100M shares, but given that you were an energy exec, I suppose it all makes sense.
come at me bro…
-Becky Q
For a guy that looks like that, it's a pretty sweet (unexpected) burn
Don't hold your breath on me smiting "the Oracale of Omaha" any time soon Sokol. Few things make me happier than a DQ Hunger Buster basket and a Blizzard.
– Zeus
I can't think it would be much fun to have subordinates who are younger than you in the insurance business – by the time you hit 80-plus years of age, every look you would get from them would read "7.4 years to go".
I'm pretty sure the focus of the trial will be 50 years of adultery
judgement day? what does the Terminator have to do with Berkshire Hathaway?
I ain't testifying.
-B Quick
What does he look like exactly?
Anybody else feel like they were just kicked in the balls?
Sokol is a douchbag (sic)
Did Coke change the formula, because this Cherry Coke tastes a bit different.
–Warren Buffet's last words
I have no idea what you're talking about.
David "Michael Kevin Llana" Sokol
Bald guys are always the most bad-ass
– Bruce Willis, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Statham, Lloyd Blankfein
He looks so regal in that pic.
I'm thinking you're probably on the wrong side of the argument if your best come back is "well you're old and will die soon."
Tough but fair.
The old man thought, either Sokol is going to be needing to lubrizol his butt in the jailhouse or I am going to be needing it. Best to rat him out based on what Holder advises the old man.
Greg Smith's father.
Golf clap for the SEC, insider trading is a victimless crime!
-S. Cohen
Look skee daddy, at my old hedge fund I would NEVER allow someone to do insider trading it's AGAINST THE LAW for heaven's sake! HOWEVER, what Sokol did wasn't technically insider trading since he made the trade FIRST, THEN tried to convince BRK to take his side of the trade… plus there are much better methods of making $$$ that are less blatant like ramping the market with bad advice or hitting the bid…. wait what? Oh yeah and you didn't hear it from me but… buy FB!!!!
as always… BOOOOO YAAAAAA SKEEEEEEEEE DADDEEEEHHHH
Jim 'mad dawg' Cramer -
Uhm, pretty sure this a sign they're looking at acquiring Cyberdyne Systems, now could you please find me that ticker so I can recommend my clients go long?
Whatever old man.
– Adriana Ferreyr
Nope – same as it ever was.
http://dealbreaker.com/2012/07/guy-whose-entire-p… -
Lloyd Blankfein? What are you, in high school? Is he your hero?
Only a VP?? That's MD-level thinking there!
That's Doctor Pepper Cherry, sir.
"Neither Dave nor I *feel* his Lubrizol purchases were in any way unlawful," Buffett wrote. "
I felt bad after jaywalking yesterday but that didn't stop me from doing it.
That would be the special Guyanna Cool-AdeTM cherry coke, sir. Muh-ha-ha-ha! Wonder if/when Buffet goes his head shrivels up into itself like someone who looked at the open Ark of the Covenant. Just sayin'.
…and a shaved-head energy trader to boot.
All y'all need to remember that the primary rationale for an operational directive by an engineer executive in the energy business is as follows:
"it is better to ask for forgiveness later than to ask for permission in advance…."
He wouldn't notice the taste difference: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/warren-buffett-fai…
Please continue these humorous, original, posts.
Sokol never addressed his initial claim that he had purchased Lubrizol as a result of independent research. Then Citi's bankers disagreed by claiming that Sokol had commissioned their research team in his capacity as a Berkshire officer. Either Citi is lying through their teeth, not an impossibility, or Sokol is sociopathically shameless. If I were in his position, this is the point that I would be attacking. If I were in his position, and innocent, I should clarify.
sho 'nuff
love this saying.
Did someone yell "Ski Daddy"?
telling these little stories, here's a good idea: Have a point. It makes it so much more interesting for the listener.


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Frontline to Air Program on Dental Care Crisis
Posted on June 20, 2012
Dollars and Dentists, a joint investigation by FRONTLINE and the Center for Public Integrity, examines issues with the U.S. dental-care system, and some solutions to fix it. The program will air on local PBS stations Tuesday, June 26, and will be available to watch online 10 pm EST.
Read full story/watch preview here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/health-science-technology/dollars-and-dentists/americas-dental-care-crisis/
Center for Public Integrity article available here: http://www.iwatchnews.org/2012/06/13/9132/center-public-integrity-and-frontline-investigate-abuses-dentistry


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St. Raphael Comments
St. Raphael is one of seven Archangels who stand before the throne of the Lord. He was sent by God to help Tobit, Tobiah and Sarah. At the time, Tobit was blind and Tobiah's betrothed, Sarah, had had seven bridegrooms perish on the night of their weddings. Raphael accompanied Tobiah into Media disguised as a man named Azariah. Raphael helped him through his difficulties and taught him how to safely enter marriage with Sarah. Tobiah said that ... Continue Reading
181 - 200 of 227 Comments
4 years ago
Dear St. Raphael,
I discovered today that you are my Guardian Angel, therefore I humbly ask you to either give me Carlo's heart or take mine away from him because after 7 months of our break-up I still love him dearly and the pain is too much...I considered him my best friend, but from his attitude towards me I was merely an object to him. Please help me to solve this painful dilemma and thank you for your kind assistance!
4 years ago
please st. raphael send me a loving, honorable, honest, generous, successful, positive, funny, man that believes in GOD, (or let me recognize a man that is already in my life) that I can develop a relationship with, love, and share my life with.
4 years ago
St. Raphael , please help!!!!!! I'm so lost
4 years ago
Archangel Rafael your one of the primary angels in the service of our Lord. I pray everyday that you give my mother strenght and that you help her in her battle with her cancer. I also pray for my brother that you come to his aid and help him cast away that demon that made him anorixia.
4 years ago
I need to know his significant events.
4 years ago
Researching Saint Raphael for a piece of fiction. Enormously helpful article. Thank you very much.
4 years ago
My middle name is Raphael. I never knew there was a saint with my name. :)
5 years ago
this saint is awesome
5 years ago
it was cool
5 years ago
Mah archangel rapheal , please help me get rid of my skin problems which i am suffering from years . i VERY MUCH know you are dear with me heal me send your green light to me tell me why i m suffering with dis and why i m not getting rid of this. please heal me. thanking you a lot.
5 years ago
This is so cool!!! He is one of
the best saints ever!!!!! -
5 years ago
St. Raphael... A woman who I confided my deepest fears told me to light a blue candle in honor of you. I humbly ask for your kind intercession. To heal me & my love's hearts. Rekindle our love that we may forgive & trust each other again. Bring us both back to God. I can no longer endure this pain.
5 years ago
St Rapheal never before in my life have I needed you more than I do now. I have been suffering for over a year now. Please help me heal, I am 33 years old and dont want to wake up in the morning because I suffer in pain all day. The only thing I look forward to is going to bed at night. I am so in love with my husband and son and I am desperate to get my life back. I have lost myself, my life and feel like I am losing my faith. Please help me get my health back.
5 years ago
St Rafael intercede for my family in Nicaragua, for my children in Naples, and for my husband, protect him from evil. For Yerika to find a good person who loves and respect her and for Rafael to have your protection, also help him to overcome fears, in Jesus name amen
5 years ago
Saint Raphael, I need you to help me finding a decent job, also for my family and my husband trip, for Raphael my son, give him guidance and a direction.
5 years ago
Is Raphael also a saint you can choose for confirmation?
5 years ago
St Raphael,
please pray for those who do not have the same health benefits as I, and who are not in the same good health as I.
I thank you for everything.
Amen -
5 years ago
Raphael please help with me, Vanessa and I to come together again.
Thank you, -
5 years ago
i love my catholic religion
5 years ago
Saint Raphael please help me to find the way to love. Help me to love with my heart and give me a person to share my life with. In Jesus' name.
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