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Berthing Pains
So, the story of Bertha's blockage gets even more interesting.
While Seattle fifth graders — and everybody else — speculated on what was stopping our big boring machine, Washington Department of Transportation already knew: Bertha was spitting out pieces of metal pipe, a pipe that was exactly where it was supposed to be, where WSDOT placed it back in 2002.
Bertha had run into an obstacle of WSDOT's own making — and it seems to have damaged the rig.
It's a "wow" moment. What is it with WSDOT? Ferries that lean, pontoons that crack, Columbia River bridges designed too low. The agency responsible for huge mega-projects (520, the tunnel, etc.) is the gang that can't drill straight.
As a result of the pontoon debacle of 2012, a scathing internal report was issued in 2013 and heads rolled. WSDOT's own bridge people designed pontoons that were structurally unsound. Part of the problem: They failed to double check their work. Also: They didn't know what they were doing. And: They were trying to meet ridiculous deadlines set by politicians, like then Gov. Christine Gregoire. Mismanagement, incompetence, hasty decisions, poor communications: It was not a pretty sight.
Before the new 520 has even been laid across Lake Washington, the project has already burned through its $250 million contingency fund. Indeed, last August, WSDOT estimated the pontoon fixes would cost at least $400 million. As the project's manager told Q13Fox, "It's definitely not something that we're very proud of, but we're working hard to manage it."
But who's managing the managers?
WSDOT promised to redouble its efforts to vet its other Seattle mega-project, lest the tunnel fall prey to a pontoon-like blunder. We can see how that's going.
However shaky its project management skills, WSDOT has certainly perfected a kind of PR art form. They release information sparingly — agency officials refused last week to speculate on the magnitude of the costs to date of Bertha's blockage — and enthusiastically anthropomorphize their engineering work. It's not a machine, it's Bertha, supposedly named for Bertha Knight Landes, Seattle's only female mayor. Cute idea, though as one former WSDOT higher up said to me, it's rather ridiculous to name something as phallic as a tunnel boring machine after a woman.
And Bertha speaks, along with WSDOT's other mega-projetcts. WSDOT uses social media to monitor projects as if they are newborns in a crib. You could, for example, track the journey of the huge 520 pontoons through the Ballard Locks, or Bertha resting in her launch pit. WSDOT wants us to bond with the newborns. They aren't boondoggles, they're billion-dollar babies!
The only thing I haven't seen yet is Bertha take a selfie.
Big projects go over budget; we know this from the studies and experience. Big projects are risky and they encounter unknowns; we know this from the engineers and consultants. All that is more or less expected.
The Skagit River Bridge collapsed last spring when a truck clipped a girder. John Stang
But what we're seeing is a disturbing pattern of self-inflicted wounds. Soil conditions are one thing. Drilling into your own pipes and botching your own pontoon designs? These aren't acts of the gods. They are foreseeable and avoidable.
I am also politely leaving out issues like whether either of these projects will actually work as advertised. That's a whole 'nother (but related) story.
The state legislature is having difficulty coming up with a new transportation package. The House and Senate packages being discussed are already larded with retro thinking (roads, roads, roads) and short-change maintenance, transit and innovation. And they carry big price-tags.
Given the current questions about WSDOT's competence and management, it makes you wonder whether we're better off with gridlock.
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Posted Sun, Jan 5, 5:10 a.m.
But who's managing the managers?
Democrats have been in the Governors Mansion for almost thirty years and in control of at least one chamber of the legislature for nearly the same amount of time. The consequences of one party control is the the bureauacry gets seeded with politically like minded invididuals, patronage hires and diversity of thought becomes a discussion of where to go for lunch.
Reform starts at the top.
Posted Sun, Jan 5, 8:15 a.m.
Well, sure . . . the pattern of WSDOT mismanagement referenced here is real enough. It's no surprise though that the government heads don't like bringing issues like this up. When it comes to megaprojects, Pollyannaism really is their only option.
This piece should have looked forward, not just backward. It fails to address what WSDOT has been doing (and not doing) with regard to its plans to convert a large part of all its I-90 infrastructure between Bellevue and Seattle to a rail corridor.
In 2008 WSDOT said Sound Transit train service will be operational across the I-90 bridge in 2020. When's the estimate for that now? 2024 at the earliest?
WSDOT's engineers are planning to hand over huge swaths of the I-90 corridor bridge pontoons, ramps, and anchoring systems to Sound Transit. That unaccountable municipality needs those highway infrastructure elements for its grandiose rail plans. Contractors WSDOT approves then would start grinding off the road surface and try building up a heavy, rigid rail trackbed system onto those concrete components spanning Lake Washington. Guess what that will cause: stress cracks throughout what remains of those hollow re-bar reinforced concrete boxes.
The cracks in the new SR 520 pontoons were fixed. There will be cracks in the I-90 floating bridge elements caused by the proposed re-engineering to make that bridge "suitable" for use as a part-railbed, part-roadway structure. Those won't be easy to fix.
WSDOT now has one engineer residing at Sound Transit's headquarters to verify all the proposed engineering and construction work would not damage any of the I-90 corridor highway infrastructure elements, or cause them to degrade at an accelerated rate. That individual was selected because he is a master at "don't ask don't tell".
Here is a report from what was called the Independent Review Team engineers in 2008 that scratches the surface of the monumental risks that would be presented by this audacious and completely unprecedented conversion of a concrete pontoon floating bridge for motor vehicles to a rail trackbed platform:
www.wsdot.wa.gov/partners/irt/MaterialsSources/IRT-LightRailTrainImpacts-Final_Report.pdf .
That lists a number of engineering hurdles, and the major ones have not even been studied in detail. Getting this highway facility to function safely and durably as a railbed is preposterous. The resulting structure would be topheavy, and too rigid. It says this on page 10:
"Prototype testing and vetting of the track bridge concept design needs to be performed as soon as possible. This type of track bridge has never been utilized before, and there are no historical data available for the IRT to judge the feasibility of this concept."
That prototype production and testing now is underway in Colorado, far out of sight of WSDOT engineers, the press, and the public.
No reputable civil engineering firm has been willing to provide any written assurances that the extensive re-engineering of that I-90 corridor highway infrastructure – especially the bridges and ramps – would not damage or degrade the integrity of what would remain of those concrete structures. No naval architects have sanctioned this megaproject's designs or even the basic concept.
The audacity of the "plan" is immense. Overseen by WSDOT, contractors would grind off roadway surface. Then ground-penetrating radar would be used to try to locate the steel rebar mesh so that the new support structures for the rail bed could be inserted in such a way that they missed the steel. Then some construction firm WSDOT would oversee would try to build up on the concrete pontoon floating bridge an as-yet-undesigned heavy train trackbed and rails, a maintenance road, and twin-pylon-supported 1500 volt dc power lines. The latest word? A brand new "superlight concrete" will be used to anchor the electrical catenary pylons to the structures mounted on the pontoons. Good luck with that.
Everybody agrees that stray electrical currents essentially can not be prevented and they would cause accelerated degradation of the existing rebar-reinforced structural elements and the cables and other components of the anchoring system.
The thin box concrete structures out there floating on that big lake in the I-90 corridor already are 24 years old. They are subjected to extreme stresses during storms. Given concrete's poor shear strength characteristics and the fact that these structures were not designed to be converted this way, a very real risk exists that safety margins, and the useful life of these valuable highway components, will be degraded significantly by that proposed reengineering work.
Neither WSDOT nor Sound Transit has hired an engineering firm yet to quantify all the risks, let alone assure them and the public that this proposal is feasible.
We love a good challenge up here in this neck of the woods though, right? Plus, we've got a highly-trained WSDOT engineer sitting in Sound Transit's headquarters now, so everyone can be assured it's "all systems go!"
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 4:50 p.m.
Don't forget the day Paula Hammond ripped apart the economic life of both Whidbey Island and Port Townsend when she pulled the 4 Steel Electric ferries from service the Wednesday of the Thanksgiving weekend in 2007 -- with no notice to the public, to the commercial businesses or anyone. Transparency in government?? Finding solutions before creating chaos???
Port Townsend was basically marooned without a car ferry for well more than a year. A tiny whale watching boat was not a good substitute for the PT/Keystone run.
And let's not forget the year that the DOT sunk the new I-90 bridge because of a man-caused error, not the huge storm that came up that year.
Everything DOT touches goes vastly overbudget.
The only other governmental agency that is worse than DOT is DSHS.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 2:56 p.m.
Hmmm. I detect some flip-flopping. The Whidbey and Port Townsend ferries were pretty low on ridership fare counts - why then keep them around in your usual (il)logic?
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 4:42 p.m.
Flip flopping? There is no flip flopping. All the ferries, per rider mile, cost the taxpayers far less than Sound Transit. The Clinton/Mukilteo ferry rider fees pay a huge amount towards the actual costs -- something like 78% of actual costs -- why shouldn't every transit system be required to pay as much from the users themselves? Oh .... because Sound Transit is .... special? Why so? Only because most taxpayers have no idea that they pretty much have zero say in the cost of those pretty, sleek low-ridership commuter trains.
Did you know that the ferries move as many passengers per year as does SeaTac Airport? Look at the stats provided on the WSF website.
For any ferry served region to lose it's car ferry for more than a year means businesses go under, people lose mobility and lose jobs, opportunities and time. It was unconscionable for Paula Hammond to order those 4 boats put out to pasture. Read up on where they went by the way ... festering in wetlands in Mexico because the WSF/DOT had no plan for properly selling them or disposing of them. Gross ineptitude.
Why are the ferries allowed to fester and Sound Transit gets the bulk of the transportation dollars? Sound Transit ridership counts are absolutely pathetic compared to every ferry run.
Posted Sun, Jan 5, 11:24 a.m.
Scary piece, Knute. Thanks. Thanks Crossrip also. In addition to the politicians the local media are not doing so great either. Coverage has been more light-hearted than is likely justified.
Posted Sun, Jan 5, 12:23 p.m.
Let's not forget that the rehab and widening of the Spokane Street Viaduct was managed by our own SDOT and so far as I can tell, was on time and on budget (something like $175 million).
So government agencies can do things successfully and we should not forget that. Agencies which do a good job should receive praise.
The irony of course is that literally at the same time, local government, media (Crosscut included) and the general public totally ignored the Spokane Street Viaduct success as a possible model for dealing with the Alaska Way Viaduct. Totally ignored. What a weird situation: The City is actually rehabbing one viaduct while claiming that another one must ("must") be torn down.
UPDATE: I am puzzled by the photo of the Skagit River Bridge. The Bridge was damaged because we, the public, are not willing to pay to keep up infrastructure. Thus the undersized functionally obsolete bridge. In fact, it appears that WSDOT did a very GOOD job of getting the temporary and then permanent fixes done. So why tar WSDOT when it seems as if WSDOT did well?
Posted Sun, Jan 5, 8:31 p.m.
The Skagit River bridge was damaged because a truck hit its superstructure. The superstructure was negligently designed, and/or the offending truck should have been in the other lane. Nothing to do with whether "we, the public, are not willing to pay to keep up infrastructure." I, a member of the public, prefer to pay to keep up infrastructure rather than pay for whatever is being done to Mercer Street for hundreds of millions of dollars -- but I wasn't asked. Were you?
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 4:53 p.m.
That bridge did NOT come down because "we the public, are not willing to pay to keep up infrastructure". It came down because the DOT did not test that bridge, and numerous others, and implement a plan to replace, rebuild or close such bridges.
The public will happily spend money if it is kept informed, and if it sees projects being managed very well.
Right now, the public is becoming more and more disillusioned, and frankly, very angry.
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 5:48 p.m.
I'll stick with my comment.
We the voters -- in general, not Crosscut readers of course -- elected the people now in office and they reflect our priorities. Many politicians may be venal but they are not stupid; they do, writ large, reflect the priorities of their constituents which includes everything from the Tunnel Fiasco to (Federal) NSA over-reaching.
So, yes, the Skagit Bridge failure -- to the extent that reasonably foreseeable delayed maintenance was the cause and not just plain bad luck, which does happen -- is the responsibility of the voters.
The people of Seattle, including Crosscut and many though not all its readers, cooperated in their own duping by backing the Tunnel. It's undeniable. Did the politicians lie? Probably so. But the voters were happy to hear the lies. So whether we like it or not, our friends and neighbors are legally and should be responsible for the Tunnel and whatever happens.
If people are angry they ought to look in the mirror.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 3:25 p.m.
I beg to differ with your position that we, the voters, are responsible because we voted these folks into office. While literally true, many of us might vote differently if there were options. But regrettably, our ballots do not contain a "None of the Above" option. If they did, I think we'd see at least a few, and perhaps many, seats vacant because often no candidate reflects a given constituent's values. I know I more and more often find myself choosing those who I deem less bad than the other candidates. I rarely see someone on our city or state ballots that I unreservedly support. I vote for the less bad in self-defense against the truly awful.
And we are stuck with no options after an election season strident with unrelenting ads that say nothing and TV and radio broadcasts where the interviewers allow candidates to blather on at length about nothing and avoid answering even the most finely pointed questions, reams of garbage mailers saying nothing, and robo calls wrecking our peace to tell us nothing. I have to wonder how I got on the list of robo calls for local elections when I pay to have an unpublished number and never give it out.
Our media are not helping us. Neither are the endless reports of poll results, which also mean nothing. I am sure there are plenty of us who realize that polls can be very finely tuned to produce only the "statistics" sought by the buyers.
I'd like to see an election process that cut the mics every time one of the candidates dodges a question, leaves poll results out of our newscasts and other media, and generally holds the feet of candidates to the fire. I doubt I'll ever see it. After all corporations, who fund a lot of this, are people with free speech rights. I only wish for a mechanism by which I could avoid their speech while still being able to enjoy the radio, TV, and/or newspaper.
We are stuck with electeds who are disconnected from everyday life and like it that way. Those who might be different cannot afford the current process or cannot stomach it sufficiently to participate. I don't have an answer, but I can say for sure that yes, I am responsible for my votes, which include some for the current bunch, but no, that doesn't mean they were my choice; they were only the least bad alternative (with a few exceptions).
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 12:26 p.m.
A lot of us rely on retro thinking ("roads, roads, roads") to get to work. Toy train sets are fun for the central planners, but they don't help very many people in the real world.
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 1:50 p.m.
Roads are not "retro." lol What a stupid comment.
If roads are retro, what are trains? You think cars and trucks have been around longer than trains? And what is "transit" if not trains and buses? Don't buses need roads? Or, are buses "future" and roads "retro"?
This sort of stupidity and just outright moronic hatred of roads and motor vehicles has got to stop. Roads and very energy-efficient motor vehicles (no matter what they run on -- gasoline, diesel, natural gas, hydrogen or electricity) are the future! This may well include driverless vehicles.
It is trains -- including streetcars -- and buses which are "retro." Most people rode streetcars and trains well before there was any national highway system in the U.S. So, you want to go back to the past -- "retro" trains and streetcars?
Really, Knute Berger, stop being so freaking stupid.
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 4:57 p.m.
Lincoln, dbrenaman wasn't saying roads are retro. He was saying retro thinkers like roads, because they affordably move our cars.
Transit is too expensive, too inefficient, and move only a few. Not sustainable.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 9:18 a.m.
I was not commenting on dbrenaman's comment. I was commenting on Knute Berger's column.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 10:46 p.m.
Transit moves "only a few"? You mean a bus moves only a few compared to a car? That's an astoundingly stupid claim.
Posted Wed, Jan 8, 1:43 p.m.
Hmm, Sarah90, I am afraid that you -- yes, you the "progressive" -- have made the astoundingly stupid claim here. And not just by a little bit, either. See, when a Seattle "progressive" decides to get stupid, she gets really, really stupid on us! Hang on, sarah90, because I'm going to show you just how astoundingly stupid your claim is.
In King County, there are 44.2 million vehicle miles traveled each day, or about 22 miles per capita. Buses account for 1.35 million passenger miles per day, or two-thirds of one mile (0.675 miles, to be kind of exact) per capita, or 3% of daily passenger miles traveled in the county. Not my numbers, but the WSDOT and King County Metro's numbers. See, unlike you, I don't just make shit up because it sounds good at the time.
For transit stats, see:
For total vehicle miles, see:
If we were going truly zero in on the answer, we'd certainly make some adjustments to reconcile total vehicle miles to passenger miles. For instance, we could adjust the bus share of miles traveled upward to reflect the fact that many of the vehicles on King County streets and highways are commercial vehicles not comparable to passenger buses.
There is also the undeniable fact that some "King County" miles are logged by vehicles that are just passing through. Of course, if we were going to start making adjustments, we'd also need to account for the average population of 1.2 passengers per commuter car and 1.6 passengers per car for other uses.
In no case, after all legitimate adjustments, can I imagine coming anywhere close to 10% of passenger miles traveled in King County being on traveled on buses. At certain times of day, on certain routes, of course it would go above 10%. But in terms of the whole, it's absolutely true that buses are an insignificant means of conveyance here. Sarah90, like the typical "progressive," wouldn't know a fact if it slithered up and licked her ankle and said please.
So, sarah90, how does it feel to be just one more Seattle "progressive" who makes up her lies as she goes along? What new lie will you try to concoct to wiggle your way out of the last one? After all, you are a Seattle "progressive," and your crowd couldn't acknowledge a fact or tell the truth if your sorry, dishonest lives depended on it.
Here's an idea: Maybe you could do a Sarah Palin on us and start sputtering about how, on a clear day, you can see the buses in Russia?
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 3:28 p.m.
Exactly. And ditto for the retro tenements they're allowing to be built as well.
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 5:06 p.m.
I would submit that your "whole 'nother issues" regarding whether or not WSDOT megaprojects will actually work as planned be considered BEFORE bridge pontoons wind up on the bottom of Lake Washington or Bertha breaks her teeth on someone's lunch bucket.
Even if this enormously expensive tunneling proceeds flawlessly to completion the finished project will still only provide about half the capacity and virtually none of the access of the existing viaduct.
Who did the math on that?
Posted Mon, Jan 6, 5:12 p.m.
People with low math skills and a hatred towards cars and healthy, good economic growth obviously did the math on this tunnel project ... but you already knew that.
Posted Wed, Jan 8, 6:19 p.m.
But, you see, "progressives" regard arithmetic as tyranny.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 1:37 a.m.
Sorry, Knute, but Sound Transit stole KC Metro's lunch money. Let the Seattle "progressives" try fixing that one. And if they think the same electorate that crushed McGinn's $60 car tabs will raise them even more, all of you are in for a rude surprise. Don't like us ornery voters? Too bad. Eventually, you'll clean the bullshit out of your ears and start listening to the people who pay the bills around here.
Posted Tue, Jan 7, 10:49 p.m.
We all pay the bills, NotFan. As far as I know, my taxes have not been forgiven because I'm not a Republican.
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The Global Intelligence Files
On Monday February 27th, 2012, WikiLeaks began publishing The Global Intelligence Files, over five million e-mails from the Texas headquartered "global intelligence" company Stratfor. The e-mails date between July 2004 and late December 2011. They reveal the inner workings of a company that fronts as an intelligence publisher, but provides confidential intelligence services to large corporations, such as Bhopal's Dow Chemical Co., Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and government agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security, the US Marines and the US Defence Intelligence Agency. The emails show Stratfor's web of informers, pay-off structure, payment laundering techniques and psychological methods.
[OS] FW: VPOTUS pool report from Copley
Released on 2012-10-16 17:00 GMT
Email-ID | 1909821 |
Date | 2011-09-28 00:55:49 |
From | email@example.com |
To | firstname.lastname@example.com |
List-Name | email@example.com |
From: Schoenberg, Shira [mailto:email@example.com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 6:11 PM
To: Allen, Elizabeth M.; Dudley, Amy; Barkoff, Kendra
Subject: VPOTUS pool report from Copley
Biden pool report
Shira Schoenberg
Boston Globe
The day: Joe Biden attended a campaign event this afternoon in New York City at a private residence, attended by about 20 people. He then traveled to Boston for two fundraisers. A 4:15 appearance at the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel was attended by 75 supporters. That will be followed by a 6 p.m. dinner at the Grill 23 restaurant with 15 supporters. Biden was scheduled to return to Washington, DC, in the evening.
Copley information: Tickets for the Copley event ranged from $500 to the legal limit, with money benefiting the Obama Victory fund - a joint account of the Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America. (A person can give $30,800 to a campaign committee, with $5,000 going to the campaign.) The Obama campaign would not reveal how much money was collected from the event.
Supporters mingled around a small, ornate Copley ballroom, with drinks in their hands. No food was available while Biden was speaking, though waiters appeared to be going in and out with passed hors doeuvres before the speech. (Pool reporter was kept outside the room). A rope separated the crowd from the slightly raised speaker's platform.
Biden wore a dark suit and striped tie. Supporters wore suits and dresses. Biden began speaking at 4:36 p.m. and spoke for 42 minutes.
Attendees included former Delaware Senator Ted Kaufman and Massachusetts Representative Michael Capuano.
The VP's speech: Biden was introduced by Larry Rasky who called Biden a friend. He called "the Obama-Biden clan" a family that is "getting revved up for a fight." "Right now we're on the precipices of an election people are just beginning to understand the consequences of," Rasky said.
Biden started by acknowledging the Boston Red Sox. He said his lead Secret Serviceman, Tommy, is from Boston. Before his plan landed, Biden said, "I said everyone bow their head. We're going to say a prayer that Boston wins the wild card spot. I'll tell you why. I'm worried if in fact they don't he's going to be so damn miserable he will not jump in front of a bullet." Biden said Tommy wore Boston Red Sox socks the day Biden met with Yankee Derek Jeter in Florida.
Biden said the last two weeks he's been doing political and jobs forums and fundraisers in Chicago, Charleston, Miami Dallas, Boca Raton, Oklahoma City and elsewhere.
He said the campaign is gearing up to compete in 12 battleground states. "I think it's fair to say the best presidential ground game that's ever been put together in the history of presidential politics including President Kennedys campaign in 1960 was Obama's effort which I joined late in the game as vice president."
Biden urged supporters to write a check and urge their friends to support the campaign.
After serving seven terms in the Senate, Biden said he has not seen any president the day he entered office, "faced with as many complicated consequential cases of first instance that hand never been dealt with before."
When Biden said "We inherited this godawful recession," one woman yelled "yes!" Biden said while 51 percent of Americans believe the last administration is responsible for the recession, "they want us to do something about it. It's not sufficient to say the other guy left this." He said the U.S. was losing jobs before Obama took office. Biden said Obama made decisions he knew were not popular, including bailing out the financial system to prevent a depression, fixing TARP to make it work, bailing out to auto industry to prevent it from being liquidated, and coming up with $787 billion in stimulus money.
"He's got a backbone like a ramrod. He makes a decision and moves on," Biden said. Without the stimulus programs, Biden said, "this place would have cratered" since businesses had no money to lend.
He talked about how people in America are hurting in the recession. And recalled his father moving to a new town to find a job, leaving Biden's grandfather to take care of his wife and children. "We want middle class people, moms and dads to look their kids in the eye and say honey it's going to be ok and mean it," Biden said.
Biden said the worst thing that happened to the Democratic party is the "demise of the Republican Party." "This ain't your father's Republican party. It isn't even close." Biden said he was put in charge of working out the debt ceiling deal. "On two occasions I had a handshake with my Republican counterparts on a significant deal that would have cut $4 trillion in the first 10 years," and another $17 billion in the next two 10-year periods. "These guys... went back to their caucus, said no deal. Nobody to deal with. Who do you negotiate with? In the case of the Republican party you have the tail wagging the dog."
Biden mentioned the instance in a debate when an Iraq war veteran who was gay asked a question via YouTube. In a loud voice, Biden said, "They bood, they bood. For chrissakes, that kid may have been the guy protecting my son who spent a year in Iraq. Nobody in Iraq, nobody carrying a weapon, would ask whether that guy was gay or straight, they want to know can he shoot straight. This guy risked his life, these guys boo? Boo a veteran who spent a year in Iraq."People applauded and cheered at Biden's anger.
Biden said he had to compromise when he negotiated the Recovery Act when the health care overhaul was passed. When the American Jobs Act was announced, Biden said it became clear Republicans were not interested in compromising. "Some of these guys aren't going to change, these Tea Party guys, but the ones that got elected in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Minnesota can change if you go to their people."
He pitched Obama's jobs plan saying independent validators like Moodys have said it will create 1.9 million jobs in a year and increase the GDP by 2 percentage points. He said Republicans have a different value system, believing "changing the marginal rate for very top is somehow going to spur econ growth. There is zero evidence of that."
Obama's jobs plan is paid for, he said. You can add 280,000 teachers by doing away with the tax cut for oil companies. You can add fees for private jet owners to pay for police officers. You can repair 35,000 schools by raising the tax rate on hedge fund owners.
He concluded, "This is going to be a tough 14 months. The president's view is we have plenty of time fight this out with our opponents to get into a rough and tumble political campaign. People in my and your neighborhood don't have time, they don't have 14 months, we've got to do something now. The only way we can do it is to take the fight to the American people."
He urged people to donate, and to compare the alternatives. "We're going to be outspent this campaign. It's hard to believe the Obama campaign can be outspent. Rove and the independent PACs have been on air full time in battleground states since June, going after the president. We have to be in the fight back."
He concluded to marching music.
Shira Schoenberg
Reporter, The Boston Globe
The White House . 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW . Washington DC 20500 .

subset: commoncrawl


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brnthumbinfl's GardenWeb Exchange Page
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Just a quick BIG Thank You to all the members present at the Buda swap it was glorious!!My FIRST EVER!!! it was so nice to be welcomed by everyone, and the plants oh MY GOD!! I think I am officially hooked!!Even thou that I had to work all day long Sunday o.k. half of the day,first to dig out the flower bed-remove clay soil- replace the clay with good dirt and potting soil, then plant and water and lets not forget the weed eating I needed to do first.It was very rewarding to meet members face to face Thank You All! May I have the copy of the sign in sheet? Pretty Please? Thanks Marcie_new |
Follow-Up Postings:
- Posted by castro_gardener 8b (My Page) on Tue, Oct 20, 09 at 21:27
Hi Marcie ! I'm glad you had a good time. We look forward to seeing you again next spring. I, for one, didn't sign in because I'm an old-timer. I think Charlotte uses the sign-in sheet to use for sending invitations to the next swaps. So, you'll get an E-vite in the spring with all the info you need. See you then ! |
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Welcome To Troop 87's Home Page
Troop 87 is located in Corpus Christi, Tx and is sponsored by St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church.
Scoutmaster Michael Hess
Asst. Scoutmaster Scott Sanford
Asst. Scoutmaster Srikanth Damaraju
Asst. Scoutmaster Steven Mongomery
Asst. Scoutmaster Minh Nguyen
Asst. Scoutmaster Ken Gonzales
Asst. Scoutmaster Jonathan Luna
Presently Troop 87 has 45 scouts that are on roster that meet weekly. The Troop scout leaders have scheduled campouts every six weeks to give the scouts an opportunity to complete their advancement requirements. Troop 87 strives to provide the best scouting program in the Gulf Breeze District of the South Texas Council.
The picture to the left represents only a fraction of the total number of scouts that are active in the troop.
There are 31 adult leaders that serve as committee members so the scouts will be able to have a quality scouting program.
- you get phone calls from scout parents even though you are not active in scouts.
- once you retire from one job, the Council considers you for another.
- you wake up thinking that someone is outside your tent, but you are actually inside your home in bed.
- you go to the grocery store and expect a parent to be there waiting to ask you a question about their son, and the parent just passes you by.
- you open a drawer in your desk six months after you step down and find an application that has not been filled in and want to do something with it.
- you go fishing and see a young boy fiishing and walk over and ask him what all he needs to do to earn his fishing merit badge anbd find out he is not even a scout.
- get a phone call from a parent from another troop wanting to tranfer into your troop and end up talking for an hour and forget why the parent called.
- look through pictures from past campouts and relaize that some of these scouts now are in college and or married.
Troop meetings
All Troop meetings begin at 7:00 PM and will end at 8:30 PM. The Scoutmaster and one of his assistants are normally at the Parish Hall around 6:30 PM to sit with the scouts and sign off on any requirements.
A typical troop 87 meeting consists of the following.
Opening Flag ceremony, led by the boys
Announcements, led by the SPL
Skills training, Taught by the scouts
Patrol meetings, led by patrol leaders
Presentation of Ranks
Scoutmaster Minute
Closing Flag ceremony
WEBSITE UPDATED June 10, 2014
Contact the Council office at 361-814-4300 for information on Troops in the area.
Troop 87 is centrally located on the southside of Corpus Christi and would like for you to come by and visit us to see what scouting has to offer


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The 10 Best "Birthday" Hip-Hop Songs In Recent History
Haaaaaaappy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday…
Nah, son. That ain't it! If you're looking to celebrate your birthday right this year, the last thing you should be singing is a song that was originally conceived more than 100 years ago. In fact, why would you even want to sing that song when there are literally dozens and dozens of other "Birthday" songs that you could sing? For instance, rather than putting on your party hat and breaking out into "Happy Birthday To You," why not throw on 2 Chainz' new single, "Birthday Song," featuring Kanye West? We guarantee you'll have a hell of a lot more fun doing that than you would listening to your family sing the tired old "birthday song" that you've been forced to listen to for years now.
2 Chainz isn't the only one bringing the birthday heat, either. Over the course of the last decade or so, there have been plenty of other rap and R&B artists who have recorded "birthday" songs, too. So, in honor of 2 Chainz' latest single, we decided to put together a list of The 10 Best "Birthday" Songs In Recent History. Cut yourself a piece of cake and dig in.


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Digital Fabrication
Two-year-old Emma was born with anthrogryposis (AMC), a rare congenital disease that affects muscle strength. At a family conference, Emma's mother learned about the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX), an assistive device made of hinged metal bars and resistance bands that enables people with underdeveloped arms to play and feed themselves.
Tariq Rahman and Whitney Sample of the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children had created an early prototype of the WREX, that worked for children as young as six. But the device was attached to a wheelchair and some children with AMC, including Emma, had use of their legs. The early version of the WREX was just too large and heavy for a child of Emma's size.
Rahman and Sample found that, with the use of 3D printers, they were able to create a lightweight and flexible working prosthetic for Emma, that is customizable with easily replicated broken parts. The custom exoskeletons are printed in ABS plastic and attached to a plastic vest. Because of the ease of manufacturing, the exoskeleton can grow with the child which makes 3D printing especially exciting for those working in pediatric care.
Currently, fifteen children now use a custom 3D printed WREX device. Watch the full video of Emma's story after the jump.


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Types Of Medical Claims
Medical claims are commonly those that compensation claims levied against healthcare professionals, the NHS, other healthcare organisations, or drug and medical equipment manufacturers. If a patient suffers because of the negligence or poor quality care provided by any of these medical professionals or medical companies then they have the right to claim compensation. Such compensation can range from a moderately sized package to a considerably larger settlement and, if you are forced to miss work or seek private medical care, then the compensation can prove very beneficial.
Errors are extremely uncommon but they can, on occasion, happen. Doctors and other healthcare professionals can misdiagnose patients. While some diagnosis is effectively hit and miss there are times when misdiagnosis can lead to additional or worse problems. In these instances, medical claims may be a possibility and you should consult with an experience solicitor to determine whether you have a case.
Missing Important Symptoms
All symptoms can prove important but some are more important than others. If a healthcare provider ignores or brushes an important symptom under the carpet then you may have cause to proceed with a medical claim. You should be able to expect a duty of care from your healthcare provider and if you are not receiving this then you have every right to make a claim and seek compensation.
Hiring A New Solicitor
Even if you have received advice from another lawyer or solicitor, who stated that you do not have a case or gave you other information that you are not completely satisfied with you may still be able to pursue medical claims. A qualified and high quality solicitor can take over where another solicitor has left off and help chase the result and the claim that you believe you are rightfully owed. If you have been subject to medical negligence then you are rightfully owed the compensation.
Visit http://www.irwinmitchell.com for more details on medical claims and how to progress with your particular claim.
Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post.


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Thu, Apr 21, 11 at 5:42
If people destroy something replaceable made by mankind, they are called vandals; if they destroy something irreplaceable made by nature, they are called developers,
Joseph Wood Crutch |
Follow-Up Postings:
Whoa! Good one---really hit the nail! (So to speak...) Thank you, Anne. KJ |
True! - |
Truer words were never spoken--or written, either. |
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Matthew CorbettReal Estate ProfessionalWhether you're buying a home, selling a home or just want to know more about Real Estate, you've come to the right place. I'm ready to serve you, and assist in all your real estate needs. Use My Site's Powerful Home Search Tools
Contact Me TodayMatthew CorbettReal Estate Professional 1499 Huntington Dr. South Pasadena, CA 91030 Phone: 626-799-3020 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


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Water and how we use it in the garden
Photo courtesy of Mary-Kate Mackey.
Welcome to "On Water," which will be a new part of the Diggin' It garden blog. Here's the back story.
Water is the heart of any civilization, any society, and, of course, any garden. I believe ancient Rome's ability to acculturate those they conquered was less about soldiers and more about water engineering skills — think massive aqueducts, luxurious hot baths, and yes, flush toilets.
Because water is so basic to our gardens, I want to write about how we use it — from watering techniques to DIY construction, from water feature profiles to plant lists for specific purposes — plants that can thrive in water or enhance the garden around water features, and also plants that need little supplemental watering.
In general, water fascinates me. Perhaps it's because a river runs through my family's history.
I grew up in Lock Haven, Pa., where my grandmother declared that we were all "river rats" because five generations of us had lived in the same house on the banks of the Susquehanna River. The wild part of our garden — the part kids always prefer — ran right down to the water's edge.
The Susquehanna gave me my first awareness of the rhythms and beauty of water in nature. From earliest childhood I knew the golden mists that hung over the quiet surface on early mornings, and the occasional floods that sent the river cascading down our cellar steps.
On the riverbank I learned my first lessons on ecology and pollution. The water was too clear, with very little vegetation or fish, because acidic upstream seepage from coal mines killed everything. Also, there was that sewage problem — the Susquehanna of the 1950s functioned as the repository for every small town's effluent along its banks.


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Thu, Sep 7, 06 at 3:15
I´ve heard only good things about this grouncover. Ironically I can´t locate a single source of seeds.
Does anybody know where to get seeds of this? |
Follow-Up Postings:
Try Googling forage peanut, golden glory peanut, perennial peanut, amarillo peanut. Some 'golden glory's may not be pintoi, but check it out. Seeds seem to be available maybe in Hawaii and Australia. Maybe Brazil. Also search 'arachis pintoi' on GardenWeb for a few messages that may be of help. See link below. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Arachis Pintoi
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King James Version (KJV) | New International Version (NIV) |
13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme ; | 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, |
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. | 14 or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. |
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: | 15 For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. |
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. | 16 Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. |
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. | 17 Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. |
The King James Version is in the public domain. (The King James Bible Version Online) | Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |


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Stop buying from BMW 530I Brake Rotors parts stores that outsource their phone support abroad. We have literally hundreds of thousands of auto parts in stock to suite whatever needs you have. Our BMW 530I Brake Rotors parts customer service personnel are all located within the US. Did you know most of the other BMW 530I Brake Rotors parts sites out there are all owned by the same company, we are one of the few independent BMW 530I Brake Rotors parts sites. Question about a particular part, email our parts department at firstname.lastname@example.com. Don't let other sites fool you, AutohausAZ has the best quality and best price on BMW 530I Brake Rotors parts. Call (800) 240-4620 toll free. Use our accurate and secure online shopping system.
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Muscle Building Success Stems From Which Includes Dietary Fat
When bodybuilding, you should know that adding dietary fat to your daily diet is important for success. Essential fatty acids are among the essential nutrients that have been discussed as of late. They are called essential because the body cannot naturally produce them. For the body to have them, they must be ingested in some way. There are actually 8 known essential fatty acids, of which omega 3, 6, and 9 are the ones usually discussed. Each of these nutrients plays a vital and different role in successful bodybuilding.
There are probably hundreds of biochemical reasons why the right kinds of dietary fats are so important for optimal health. Think of molecules as built from small components, and fat is often an important building block. For illustrative purposes, the uniqueness of hormones shapes their tasks and operations. When it comes to bodybuilding, fats are a fundamental feature of hormones for them. Not as many people are knowledgeable about certain hormones that can be really helpful with muscle maturity, as they are knowledgeable about the vitality of protein for muscles. It is the hormones that contain fat based molecules that control the amino acids that serve to make your muscles larger. Important supplements, such as EFA's, have been focused upon because of their importance in regard to hormone levels. For good reason, bodybuilders should be concerned about this. In many ways, your bones, as well as your joints, are affected by essential fatty acids. The mineralization of bone mass is directly improved by sufficient daily amounts of EFA's. Most people are concerned about their joint health, bodybuilders included. But weight trainers put a great deal of stress on their joints, and anything that helps ensure good support for joint health matters very much.
As far as Essential Fatty Acids are concerned, a high number of unwavering bodybuilders understand them and what they can do. Your conjectures might not be right if you take a look at the advantages and believe that they won't necessarily be relevant to bodybuilding. Evening Primrose oil is an example of an Omega fatty acid that is a plentiful resource. Besides presenting advantageous EFA's, it is additionally a helpful antioxidant. The more free radicals you are able to abolish in your body, one of the whole effects will be to provide you with a higher levels of energy. Your stamina and your metabolic rate will multiply. Due to the added strain placed on the body early in your bodybuilding career, dietary fat consumption is paramount. Utilizing trustworthy information and reliable resources is important when educating yourself. As you have seen, this will all revolve around your degree of dedication to the sport. You can be very dedicated and have no desire to compete and that is your choice. Productive use of your assets should be paramount due to the effort you invested when creating your perfect body.
I really hope that you really enjoyed this article. Below are several other articles which I believe you may love:
Good luck!


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Several statues in Batticaloa, including that of Mahathma Gandhi and Lord Baden Powell the founder of the world scout movement have been vandalized in the early hours today by an unidentified gang, police said.
The statue of Lord Baden Powell was a memorial statue erected in honour of the leader of the movement, while the statue of Mahathma Ghandhi was erected over 40 years ago in honour of the Indian freedom fighter.
The heads of the statues have been completely mutilated by the gang. The statues of Swamy Vipulananthar erected in the premises of the Batticoloa Anaipanthi Vidyalayam and the statue of Palavarmani Periyathambipillai in the vicinity of Batticoloa zonal education office has also been vandalized by the gang.
The Batticaloa police are currently conducting investigations into the incident.
Click to view pictures


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112 Darlinghurst Rd, Darlinghurst NSW 2010 +61 2 9380 5155 email@example.com
Govindas is an edgy Sydney inner city restaurant, famous worldwide for its delicious international vegetarian buffet, warm friendly ambience and ultra comfortable boutique cinema, The Movie Room. Here guests enjoy the sumptuous vegetarian cuisine and then sink into luxurious cushions to watch the best of world cinema in blissful, heavenly comfort.
Visit the Lotus Room, a serene and tranquil space, dedicated to uplifting the consciousness beyond the mundane. We offer kirtan (yoga chants), meditation workshops, hatha yoga, vegetarian cooking classes and Bhagavad-Gita courses.
To book online click here.


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Bass Boss: Reid Speed's Top 10 Drumstep DJs
When Reid Rosson stepped up to the decks on Monday nights to throw down sets throughout the '90s at NYC's Drum n Bass party "Konkrete Jungle", she didn't know this editor was watching. As the jump up party moved from now-defunct haunts Coney Island High and Pyramid and Acme Underground, etc., the DJ-producer known as Reid Speed moved with it. Today, she's the Play Me Records label boss (along with her husband Alexander Rosson), who may have traded the concrete of NYC for the sunshine of LA, but there's no denying a proper OJ (Original Jungalist).
Scroll through to get the 411 from Reid on some of the top "drumstep" artists, picking up the "speed" in BPMs and bass trends.
Intro by Sarah Polonsky, Compiled by Reid Rosson


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Need help ! Confused memory foam mattress shopper!
We are currently looking into purchasing a memory foam mattress but have
found ourselves very confused with all the choices out there. We currently
have a pillow top mattress that has formed a dip in the middle making the bed
very uncomfortable to sleep in at night. I am a side sleeper so my arms have
been falling asleep at night because the outside is higher then the inside of
the bed so I am constantly rolling over on my shoulder and cutting the
circulation off.
We have visited a variety of mattress stores and have found that we like the
memory foam mattresses the best. We would love to purchase a
much money on a mattress at this time. So we have been looking into
comparable brands and styles of memory foam mattresses but have found
ourselves puzzled on which one to choose. We have been looking at the 10
inch sleep innovations featured on amazon as well as the icomfort by Serta.
We had the chance to lay on the icomfort this weekend at mattress firm and
loved that it had a happy medium between being plush but yet still firm.
I think where the confusion sets in is that we noticed that Sams club has a
Serta by Sleep Innovations 10 inch gel memory foam mattress for a fraction of
the cost at $499 in comparison to the icomfort at mattress firm running about
mattresses if there was one at all because if we can purchase pretty much the
same mattress for the fraction of the cost then we would like to do so!
The sleep innovations 10 inch memory foam mattress sold on amazon seems
to also be pretty consistent in reviews - so we were confused which would be
the better purchase and if this would be the same mattress as the one
featured at Sams since it says its a serta by sleep innovations.
I would greatly appreciate any feedback you can give us! If you think we are
steering in the wrong direction and can recommend a better mattress
comparable to the tempurpedic cloud we would love to know!
Your confusion may be what will save you.
If you are shopping for a memory foam mattress, you are being victimized by mass media advertising.
Memory foam is the worst material ever invented for use in a mattress.
It wears out quickly, sleeps hot and off-gasses some dangerous chemicals.
The good news...you aren't a victim until you buy one. As of now, you haven't become a victim. I suggest you change your mind as to what it is you want.
Here is a link to my blog...specifically, the memory foam page where you can read the kind of complaints that are common.
This is your opportunity to learn from the costly mistakes of others...and in so doing, save yourself the pain and grief of a memory foam mattress.
Thanks, Pete
Order on Line Today...It's Fast, It's Easy, and It's Safe
Always...NEW...Factory Fresh to You
Free Delivery Nationwide...and, with NO SALES TAX.
Sealy, Simmons, Stearns & Foster...the most trusted names in the industry.
A mattress is a blind item....
...Making the purchase of one, entirely about trust.
After sifting through all the mass media advertising hype and all the pitches you hear during many sales presentations,
check with the Better Business Bureau and/or your state's Attorney General's office about any retailer you're considering.
What you'll find from them and what you'll sense on your own is that we, at The Mattress Expert , are among the most trusted retailers in the business.
We don't advertise that. You're doing that for us...and we thank you.
Are you a Fan? "Like" us on Facebook
If you live nearby, stop in and visit one of our showrooms.


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Swish Vest
From the website: Kim Guzman, well-known for her stylish mens crochet fashions, has created this smart, casual vest for men. This lightly-textured vest will be a perfectly matched with short sleeves in the Fall and Spring or long sleeves in the Winter months. With its generous size range of mens Small through 3X (actual chest measurement of up to 36", 40", 44", 48", 52" and 56"), you will want to make one for all the men in your life. (And you may want to make one for yourself as well!)
For your convenience, this pattern is available in both the Knit Picks Independent Designer Program for $2.99 and on Ravelry for $6. For more information on pricing information, please visit my blog post here.
Purchase of this pattern constitutes acknowledgment and acceptance of its Terms of Use.
From the designer: This is the long-awaited re-styling of the popular Fall Into Fall Vest previously available at Kimane Designs.


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It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
To answer the question Little Steven is spot on, raised grate, medium low heat(dome 300-350 works for me), turning often.
Some may think I'm nuts, but I cook brats and italians by feel just like the old man taught me, firm to the touch. Never poke a hole in the casing to do a temp check, go at the end if you must.


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Entries in Lily Allen (3)
Tap These Nails, Lily
Thanks to Daryl in our advertising department, all the girls at ideeli have been talking about getting a Minx manicure. We found a picture of Lily Allen today on her Twitter page showing off her Minx talons. Minx is a press on paint job for your nails that is supposed to out last, out shine, out matte, any nail polish currently on the market. It isn't cheap and we are very intrigued. If you had a Minx experience, do share!
Lily Allen's Twitter-verse
We love celebrity Twitter pages. Especially when the celebrity appears to be the one who is tweeting. Today we caught a glimpse via Twitter of Lily Allen's Safari vacation.
Allen claims she "feels guilty" about taking pictures of the animals she saw on safari as she doesn't want them to feel like she does - hunted by paparazzi. The 24-year-old said: "Safari is something I've always wanted to do. Don't thing ill sleep tonight." She continues, "I already feel guilty about exploiting the animals with my camera, I've got a big long lenz, reminds me of some c***s I know."


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EdgeStar 4.3 Cu. Ft. Medical Refrigerator w/ Lock, Alarm and Hospital Grade Cord Model:RP400MED
EdgeStar 4.3 Cu. Ft. Medical Refrigerator - White
The EdgeStar 4.3 Cu. Ft. Medical Refrigerator (RP400MED) was engineered specifically for the safe storage of medical supplies and sensitive materials. It was designed with the ability to maintain the required vaccine storage temperature year-round and is equipped with an array of features to ensure that all contents are kept at the ideal stable temperature. This freestanding model offers enough internal storage to keep a variety of items but at the same time is compact enough to be space efficient.
4.3 cu. ft. of internal space is outfitted with three (3) fully adjustable wire shelves to offer ample room for supplies to be organized and storedTemperature Alarm:
When a HI and LO point is set, the alarm will sound when the internal temperature rises or falls outside of that rangeGreen Dot Hospital Grade Cord:
ETL tested and approved to meet their high standards of durability and conductivityAir Cooled:
The RP400MED is cooled by fan circulated air to create even temperatures throughout the unitIce Pack:
In the event of a power outage, the included ice pack helps to maintain the internal temperatureSafety Lock:
The unit comes with an integrated lock for keeping the contents of the refrigerator safeInternal Thermostat:
For added safety the digital controls are on the inside of the unit so that only those with a key can change the temperatureAutomatic Defrost:
Cleaning and maintenance of the unit is aided by the automatic defrost feature which allows the unit to be kept sterile and sanitaryUse:
Ideal for use in pharmacies or laboratories with medical supplies that need to be kept safe and at a consistent temperature
- Model: RP400MED
- Brand: EdgeStar
- ETL approved
- Air cooled
- Stainless steel handle
- Frost free operation
- White LED lighting
- Three (3) fully adjustable wire shelves
- Integrated temperature alarm with external display
- Keyed lock
- Included ice pack
- Warranty: 1 year
- EdgeStar 4.3 Cu. Ft. Medical Refrigerator
- Green dot hospital grade power cord
- Embraco compressor
- Liquid thermostat
- 32 - 50º F temperature range
- Refrigerant: R134a, 2.3 oz.
- Voltage/Frequency: 115 V/60 Hz
- Amperage: 1.18
- Input Power: 120W
- Weight: 79 lbs
- Dimensions: 33.1" H x 19.4" W x 23.1" D
Owners Manuals:
You may download a product owner's manual below:
**Please note, Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view pdf files


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Oh, those New York Times Magazine folks–they're so edgy these days. In a think piece about the rise of "Angry Birds, Farmville and other hyperaddictive 'stupid games,'" the Times proves how truly addictive the Zynga canon is by embedding their own version of a "stupid" game as an illustrative complement to the story. The game allows you to destroy pieces of the website with your arrow keys and space bar–for example, we took the liberty of destroying the Style section, and automatically the Times became 10x less pretentious and assholey. If only every article offered this kind of catharsis.
It's hard to focus on the content of the article with a browser game embedded above it and cute illustrations of famous game characters to the left, but we're guessing that was their point.
"Tetris and its offspring (Angry Birds, Bejeweled, Fruit Ninja, etc.) have colonized our pockets and our brains and shifted the entire economic model of the video-game industry," wrote author Sam Anderson. "Today we are living, for better and worse, in a world of stupid games."
The Times game was designed by Jon Huang, a multimedia producer at the Times and former IBM developer. As Poynter notes, he's also a beekeeper, which is vaguely scary but also awesome.
The article itself is actually very interesting, in a "we're knowingly intellectualizing Angry Birds" kind of way. With the rise of big hits like Draw Something and the continued extension of Zynga's "With Friends" brand, it's hard to argue against the fact that we live in the age of distracting, artificial entertainment designed solely to keep our brains tied to our mobile devices.
Stupid games, wrote Mr. Anderson, "are designed to push their way through the cracks of other occasions. We play them incidentally, ambivalently, compulsively, almost accidentally. They're less an activity in our day than a blank space in our day; less a pursuit than a distraction from other pursuits."
Interesting point. We really only break out Draw Something when waiting for the bus, or during a TV commercial. But in our world of stupid games, who even cares what Mr. Anderson has to say? Back to destroying the Times!


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Kay, i was thinking about you this morning after a dropped my daughter off at the university for her last exam and was driving into the cemetary to visit my Al (they are across the street from one another) and i was wondering how were?
Follow-Up Postings:
Deborah, I appreciate that you thought of me. Thursday was the 1-year marker of his death. I go by Gary's burial plot nearly every day - it's right next to the busiest road through our city, and about a quarter mile from my house. I bought two double red Peony plants - one for each side of his headstone. The cemetary caretaker planted them for me yesterday, and I had to go and see how they looked - they looked great, and should bloom in a couple of weeks - Gary LOVED Peonies! I have good days and bad - yesterday was a mix of emotions. I am preparing to relocate to Florida, so had to go through and separate some photos. Many were of the two of us in our early years together - OMG, I had smiles, I had pain, I had tears, I had ill feelings in my stomach, I had erotic memories - just the whole array of emotions. Tell me about you and your Al - how did he die? Forgive me, if you've told me - since Gary became ill and died, my brain has turned to silly puddy! |
- Posted by heydeborah (My Page) on Sun, Apr 20, 08 at 1:45
Kay, we cannot plant flowers at the cemetery until after the May long weekend, because of the rules and the weather, i tried to get colours last year for his fav. baseball team (the Yankees!) Al had been a diabetic since he was about 14. he was mr. volunteer and gave of his time to alot of things especially children -- who just loved him and so did the parents - since he thought there were no bad players and each child got equal time. to make a long story short he trimmed his toe nail wrong and it got infected and he ended up getting 3 toes amputated then the other 2 toe, then below the knee and then the upper, he was fine for about 5 years and the other leg got infected and he had 2 operations in 3 weeks, he said he was short now. he had kidney problems as well, his sight was not good, and i had to give him insulin 4 times a day, he was bedridden for 10 years and he was fine at 2:30 am the night before he passed because we were playing with the puppy he got me for my birthday -- he named her Gracie Joy Devine, the alarm went off at 7:00 am the next morning and he didn't turn it off the last thing he said to me when i asked him if he was going to turn it off was i can't and he had that blank look. the fire dept. came - and one of the men was one of his friends that he knew since he was 6 years old, and he still spoke to him, then off to the er - where one of the nurses was one of the VON's who used to come to the house 2 times a day and was his primary nurse. then off to icu, where the nurse was one of my friends son. to make a long story short again he suffered a massive stroke and we had them turn off the machines, we were blessed that he only had to suffer for 3 hours. i have not looked at photos, i just can't, Al was a graphic artist at the college so we have alot of his wonderful artwork, and then he became an instuctor for people who did not have their high school, which again the students just loved him, many people in this town did not have their high school since they went to work at the elevators or the mills, which have sadly mostly all have shut down. when i was younger i lived in florida, largo, by clearwater beach, my daughter and i were thinking of moving also, since the university here was her last choice and i told her what if something happens to your dad and you have to come home (she was supposed to go to a university near Toronto), our son will be 25 next month and is a department manager (assistant store manager) of a large sporting goods chain, and he said he wanted to come with us if we move, but he hasn't lived at home for about 3-4 years. i think i must be feeling better since i have picked up my knitting needles and have taken an interest in quilting again. now that i have bored you, i just wanted you to know that i have been thinking about you and after reading someof your posts you are missing your Gary like i am missing Al (do you think they have met each other yet?) debbie |
Debbie, that is such a sad loss - please accept my sympathy. I don't believe there is anyplace one 'goes' when they die - the grave is the final resting place. If there was a 'hereafter', someone would have come back to tell us about it, so NO, I don't think they have met. If some deceased person's spirit had come back to tell us that there is an afterlife, people would be committing suicide right and left in order to get to a better world and escape the desperate life they find themselves leading! |
Kay, it makes me sad that you have that particular viewpoint. Of course everyone is entitled to what they think will or will not happen when we die, or transition to the next world :-) I think this life is just one stepping stone in our spiritual journey. The universe is a mysterious place and although I am not religious in the fact that I don't go to church, I do believe our bodies just house our souls while we are stuck here on Earth. Okay, my opinion. For what it's worth. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Duane |
Duane, I have gone to church my whole life, but not to be 'saved' in any sense of the word I went to give and feel the love that is present whenever a group of loving people gather to fellowship. I believe your salvation is within you - and it is a humanistic duty to share that with others. Just because I don't believe there's a man sitting up in the clouds, judging me (and everyone) whom I will join when I die, doesn't mean I am not filled with love for my fellow human being and other animals. If you want to participate in organized religion, that's entirely your right, and may God bless you! I definently believe that Jesus Christ lived among men, walked the earth and died - just like everyone does. I DO NOT believe he has a 'home' in the sky, where we will go when we die. |
Kay, I wasn't being preachy, or I sure hope not. That wasn't my intent. I just believe there is another 'side' or dimention if you will. My mom has given me too many blatant obvious signs that she is somewhere else. I won't get into them all...I have typed them out in other posts. They are an enormous comfort to me. After she passed I went to church for the first time in a long time. What struck me was the consistent theme of 'God is great'. Okay, I get it. Drummed and drilled constantly over and over again. I thought to myself that I doubt God would be this needy LOL. If you can do everything, see everything and make the world...why do you need us to constantly stroke your Godly ego? I hope I don't offend anybody with that, but that was what kept going through my mind. My mom flat lined and was brought back a week before she passed over for good. After she was brought back all she could say over and over was that she wanted to go 'home'. I believe she got a glimpse of the wonders of the next place and couldn't suffer anymore here on earth as much as it would hurt to leave behind the people who loved her so much. Enough for now. I just hope everybody can cope the best they can and keep trying to get through all this heartache. Duane |
Duane, I am sorry for the fact that you lost your Dear Mother. No, your words are not offensive in any way. If you have further ideas and thoughts to share, I hope you will do so! We are ALL trying to cope, minute by minute, day by day - it isn't easy, but there is no choice - we all have others that depend on our stability. I just hope everyone remembers that if you love someone, SHOW THEM NOW - tomorrow may be too late! |
"I just hope everyone remembers that if you love someone, SHOW THEM NOW - tomorrow may be too late!" Kay, no truer words were ever uttered. We are not guaranteed anything except this very second...that just passed. Since I lost my mom I have become a bit more spiritual. Our society is so geared to 'being a success'...which of course means the more money you make and material items you possess...the more successful you are. If more people would slow down...and THINK...they would realize that yes, money is a necessary evil and needed for us to live in this world and time. But it is not everything. I love to grow heirloom tomatoes. Such a simple joy of watching a seed sprout and me nurturing it and eventually turning it into a BLT is very rewarding :-) Enough of my rambling for now. Peace to all. Duane |
- Posted by heydeborah (My Page) on Wed, Apr 23, 08 at 0:54
i hope that i didn't offend anyone here. it's like i tell my kids that's why they have different stores to shop at people have different likes and dislikes (or opinions here at this forum). in the 25 years were where married i am happy to say that we only had 3 silly (now that i think about it) fights. we also told each other i love you many times a day, and even thought he was bedridden at home for 10 years and our children and i took care of him, i do not have to be the hipocrite that his family was, not once did they care for him for even an hour so i could have a break.(to this day his sisters are not speaking to me- because we chose a burial, an hour before Al passed his sister had it all planned that he would be cremated, when i told her no, she yelled at me (she yells all the time) don't ask us for one cent. so i remembered everything he wanted, along with being buried with his high school football jersey, we were even lucky to get a blue coffin -- for his Yankees and Toronto Maple Leafs. Duane believe it or not we still have snow here and there, our perennial gardens have been lacking attention for about 5 years or so, so i am looking forward to taking the puppy outside and getting into the dirt. Gracie Joy Devine was the puppy Al got me 3 weeks before he passed, he named her, she is happy to be happy and i take her almost everywhere, she can make the most nasty person put a smile on their face. debbie |
Deb, it can't be done by you! |
- Posted by blueenough (My Page) on Thu, Apr 24, 08 at 14:04
Dear Kay, I do not want to intrude in your post, but I felt compelled to write you. No, I haven't lost my husband yet, but he does have lung cancer. I have, though, lost my daughter two months ago, which has been the most difficult situation of my life. I'm grieving terribly for her. The only comfort I have comes from God. Since I will never understand in this lifetime why he took her, I am convinced that I will see her again because God promised this if I accepted His Son as my Saviour. As I look at nature while working in my yard, I am assured that God does exist. If there were no God, what would be the purpose of earth and the heavens? I know how difficult life is, facing it without our loved ones. I've cried for two months, but I still know that there is hope with her, maybe not while I am breathing, but in the future. Once again, please understand that I care how you feel. Part of me, my daughter, is absent now, a part of my heart ripped out, but one day, I'll hold her again, telling her how much I love her for eternity. Pat |
Pat, please accept my heartfelt sympathy for the loss of your daughter and my good thoughts that your husband isn't in pain. I do appreciate your thoughts - thanks for posting them! |
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Another first for LocaModa this week, as we've connected Viacom's iconic framed MTV screen in Times Square to the web, enabling user generated photos and text messages to be submitted (via phone or web), moderated in real time, and displayed for 5 minutes an hour (on the half hour). Users are notified by text or email when their messages are approved and have gone live.
Check out the website, and share the live feed with your friends!
This version of LocaModa's platform is a result of a venture between MTV and LocaModa and has been designed for branded content and customization. Launched today, the marquee brand during the first month is Stride Gum. They're encouraging users to send their pretty faces to the screen to grab their :15 of fame! Here's to a "Ridiculously Long Lasting" partnership!


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Set in spacious well-maintained grounds, Viva Alcudia Sun Village is only 500 meters from the beautiful Playa de Muro beach in Majorca. The apartments are also within 300 meters of the resort centre. The Viva Alcudia Sun Village offers both couples and families a relaxing environment with equal amounts of enjoyable facilities to keep them entertained. Guests can make use of various shops, cafeterias and restaurants in the local commercial area nearby. This hotel is located in the Playa de Muro area of Alcudia.The official rating of this complex is 3*.
The Viva Alcudia Sun Village has a marvellous swimming pool, terrace solarium, tennis and squash courts, recreational games area. Restaurant and bar. Currency exchange and luggage room are also available to guests.
C/ Circuito Del Lago, 60 Playa De Muro Mallorca Spain
For bookings of more than three rooms please visit our GROUP BOOKINGS PAGE
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Stallone and his mercenary crew are going to have to deal with an old friend…
It's time to take a look at the full roster of mega stars who will be on hand for "The Expendables 3."
Come check out the offical teaser trailer for The Expendables 3!
'Expendables 3′ starts filming and Harrison Ford replaces Bruce Willis who's deemed greedy and lazy by Sylvester Stallone. Check out the details and rest of the cast.
The action, the humor, the drama; Stallone and co. are right at the top of the list of the best action films this year with The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises.
Your one-stop-shop for all the crucial info on The Expendables' newest Femme Fatale.
Before you go see The Expendables 2 this weekend, take a look back at some of the greatest actions scenes from the stars of the hit film series.
Quoth The Raven, feel Safe from harm with Jason Statham, celebrate The Five Year Engagement and meet nice-guy, murderer, Jack Black, Bernie.
Natasha Henstridge, Jason Statham and Ice Cube battle nasty alien spirits in John Carpenter's lazy, uninspired sci-fi western.
This weekend swings for the fences with Moneyball, crashes through panes of glass with Killer Elite, saves the children with Machine Gun Preacher and spins the black circle with Pearl Jam Twenty.
Sylvester Stallone delivers a bunch of grunting, punching, shooting, stabbing and exploding in this old-school action flick that should've been a lot better.
Jason Statham is back — somehow — for more full-speed, full-adrenaline cartoon mayhem as he races against time to get his heart back. Literally.
There's really no good reason for a seven-yr-old to bench press 130lbs or sixty midgets to pull a plane, but that's life and it sure is entertaining.
I usually wait until the final paragraph before finally telling you whether the film I am reviewing is actually good or not. It's pretty much the number one trick of the trade. This time, however, I can't hold it back.
Mat 17th is the DVD/ Blu-ray release date for 'The Mechanic' and Memorial Day is just a few weeks later. Check out these Statham worthy tips to help you get a head start on the Summer cookout season.


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Author: Mark Mascolini
18 September 2012
Uganda unveiled a comprehensive strategy to reverse a rebound in HIV rates across the country. But a Makerere University HIV expert and head of an HIV-directed nongovernmental organization (NGO) questioned the shape of the plan and the commitment of the government, PlusNews reports. HIV prevalence in Uganda rose from 6.4% to 7.3% in the past 5 years. In response, the government developed a comprehensive HIV prevention strategy that aims to cut new HIV infections up to 30% by 2015. Goals of the new plan are "increasing the adoption of safer sexual behaviour and reduction of risk-taking behaviour, attaining critical coverage of effective HIV prevention service, creating a sustainable enabling environment that mitigates the underlying structural drivers of the epidemic, re-engaging leadership and energizing coordination of HIV prevention, and improving strategic information on HIV prevention." PlusNews reports the following specific components of Uganda's revamped anti-HIV effort: — Improve quality and coverage of HIV counseling and testing — Increase condom use — Fast-track rollout of safe male circumcision to reach 4.2 million men by 2015 — Expand antiretroviral treatment as HIV prevention — Increase prevention of mother-to-child transmission service coverage from 52% to 75% "We are mobilizing more funds for treatment, care, prevention and strengthening health systems," David Kihumuro Apuuli, general director of the Uganda AIDS Commission, told PlusNews. But Alex Coutinho, who heads the infectious disease unit at Kampala's Makerere University, advised PlusNews that "in Uganda, we are experts at preparing very good and wonderful plans. But we are not executing them with speed and direction. The strategy must be linked to the implementation." Stella Alamo-Talisuna, executive director of the NGO Reach Out Mbuya Parish HIV/AIDS Initiative, told PlusNews that Uganda still does too little to stem the spread of HIV in high-risk groups. "As a country, we don't have programmes that are targeting sex workers, homosexuals . . . so how can we achieve the target?" Research over the past several years estimated HIV prevalence at 13.7% among Ugandan men who have sex with men. A 2011 study found that 37% of Kampala sex workers have HIV infection. Both rates are well above the national average.Source: PlusNews. Uganda: Questions over government's ability to cut new HIV infections. 12 September 2012.
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Sky Hotel
Aspen, CO, 81611, United States
The Sky Hotel is located at the bottom of the Silver Queen Gondola, which ascends to the summit of Aspen Mountain. Renovated by Kimpton Hotels in 2002, the Sky mixes bright colors and animal prints in its 90 guest rooms and suites. The lobby is a popular gathering place, with log-beam ceilings, high-back upholstered chairs, and an assortment of board games. Dining is available at the 39 Degrees Lounge, where flash-fried bass, roasted mushroom sliders, and Aspen Slushes made with Colorado whisky are served in front of the wood-burning fireplace.
Room to Book:
The property has more than one building, so some rooms open to the outdoors, motel-style. Specify a room in the main hotel if your preference is indoor room access.
Insider Tip:
If the high altitude has you short of breath, you'll find bottled oxygen in your guest room honor bar.
Open / Closes- Adjoining Rooms
- Business Center
- Concierge
- Family Friendly
- Gym/Fitness Center
- Green/Eco-Friendly
- Handicapped Accessible
- Meeting Room
- Maid Service
- Pet Friendly
- Parking Fee
- Room Service
- Skiing
- Turndown
- Valet Parking
- WiFi
Number of Rooms: 90
Number of Suites:
Year Opened:


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Evidence for:
- He looks like he is in costume.
- In particular, his hair looks like the wispy, soft mane of a troll doll.
- His buddy is in a Radio Shack shirt while eating at Potbelly's, so maybe it's a two-part costume that references Shaq's time as a Radio Shack pitchman?
- Could be a low-key callback to the first time people noticed his hair was getting unruly, which would basically mean that Andrew Bynum is wearing an Andrew Bynum costume.
Evidence against:
- All of the troll dolls I remember had colorful hair.
- Wispy hair likely just a byproduct of having his braids taken out.
- Probably just a lunch break for Radio Shack bro. Hope he got The Wreck with giardiniera.
- "Andrew Bynum is wearing an Andrew Bynum costume" is really just "Andrew Bynum is wearing clothes."
Verdict: Can a person wear a costume of themselves? Unclear.